Weekly Wrap-Up (Last two weeks)

It has been a very quick two weeks here in the classroom. I apologize for not having a weekly update for you last week. I am folding the last two weeks into this wrap-up. The class has been getting an awful lot done, so let’s see what we were up to, on to the highlights!!!



Math:

We have had a lot of great lessons in math over the past two weeks. We revisited combinations of 10 and focused a lot on this concept. This led us to our unit four assessment last week. This week saw us focus on the place value concept. On Monday and Tuesday we practiced using base-ten blocks to make exchanges and to build two-digit numbers. Wednesday saw us take that place value knowledge and extend it to money. We had a fun activity where a banker collected pennies from the class and then used those pennies to make exchanges for dimes. The class had a lot of fun with this activity. Thursday we touched on greater than, less than, and equal to concepts. This will be something that I plan on re-teaching when we return from break in the New Year.



Science:

We have had a lot of fun in our motion unit these past two weeks. We have looked at the force, which we defined as a push or a pull. This disappointed some kids who were quite excited to learn more about “The force.” This disappointment quickly faded as we got to our hands-on activity. During our class party on Friday we had some fabulous parents help the class explore the concept of collisions. The kids had opportunities to explore and document different collision experiments. Thank you to the parents that helped with this center.



Phonics:

In phonics we have spent a lot of time on two subjects: consonant clusters and long vowel, short vowel comparisons. I was very pleased with how the class internalized both of these concepts. I did have some kids express displeasure with spending so much time on these subjects, but I reiterated to them the importance of practice, practice, and practice.


Writing:

We spent a lot of time over the last two weeks writing letters. Last week, the class, along with Mrs. Miller’s kindergarteners, wrote holiday cards for a local hospice. The kids really enjoyed this activity and particularly loved being mentors to the younger kindergartners. I look forward to more activities like this in the future.



This was a brief snippet of the goings on in the classroom over the past two weeks. We also had a fabulous class party on Friday. Thank you to John and Kelly for helping to organize this terrific event. Have a great break everyone and I look forward to seeing you next year!

S.O.S.: PARTY ON FRIDAY!!!

I have heard from only a few fabulous parents regarding the party this Friday.  However, we still have a lot of items on the list.  Please let me know what you would like to bring to the party on Friday as soon as possible.  I do not want to have only a few generous parents providing everything and I definitely do not want to cancel the party.  This is what we will need.

• 2 large bags of frozen fruit  (Dana, Anna)
• 1 bag of oranges
• 3 bunches of bananas
• Large bag of fresh, pre-washed spinach (green smoothies)
• 1 large bag frozen pineapple
• 1 large bag frozen mangos
• 1 large tub of greek yogurt
• Plastic cups
• Straws

Weekly Update Coming

It was a very busy week, which was compounded by me being out ill on Friday.  This has put me behind, but I will be posting a weekly update tomorrow.  I am sorry for this inconvenience.  As always please let me know if you have any questions, comments or concerns.


Thanks,

Michael Hagen

Class Party on Friday!! We Need Your Help!

I am sorry for the late notice on this topic, but December has really flown by and we need to have a class party!  I will be bringing in my Vitamix to make some fresh fruit smoothies for the class this Friday.  I will also have some more holiday themed academic centers associated with this party.   What we need for this party:

• 2 large bags of frozen fruit
• 1 bag of oranges
• 3 bunches of bananas
• Large bag of fresh, pre-washed spinach (green smoothies)
• 1 large bag frozen pineapple
• 1 large bag frozen mangos
• 1 large tub of greek yogurt

Please let me know what you would like to send in.  If you would like to volunteer we would love to have you!  I will plan on starting around 1:30pm on Friday afternoon and ending around 3:00pm.  I look forward to hearing from you.  I will post an update on Wednesday letting you all know what we have covered and what we still need.  Thank you and again sorry for the late notice.  

Spelling Words for the Week

Here are our spelling words for the week:

1. sound
2. our
3. think
4. where
5. before
6. new
7. great
8. line

Weekly Wrap-Up

As you know report cards went home last week. If you have any questions about this report card I am always available. This is becoming routine and a bit mundane, but it was another fabulous week here in the classroom. The learning thrilled me. The kindness amazed me. The behavior astounded me. The generosity left me thunderstruck. It was simply a great week. This is a very special group of kids and I could not feel more privileged to be their teacher. Thank you to everyone at home for all the hard work you have put in raising some truly wonderful kids. Enough of the gushing…onto the highlights!



Math:

We had a great week in math. We were able to get to a lot of material and the kids responded to the lessons and concepts with the ease and confidence of seasoned mathematicians. This week saw us tackle data charts, which included graphing our favorite superpower (my dream lesson). We also began work with our doubles facts. Wednesday saw us begin a very important concept concerning addition facts. We talked about how addition facts are two numbers between zero and ten and their sum. We also added and subtracted within 20! I know..big week.



Science:

In science this week we graphed and analyzed our weather data from the month of November. We then used this data to answer several questions in our journals. We also dived more into the motion unit this week. We talked about how we can draw motion and also how we can describe the path of motion. The kids had a lot of fun with this. Next week will have us conducting speed trials. Yep, should be a blast.



Phonics:

In phonics this week we took more time to learn word families. This involved several different activities. We also practiced sorting vowels and consonants. We played a few games involving upper and lower case letters and consonant clusters. The kids really enjoyed this.



Writing:



We took time to write some thank you cards to our fabulous interns, Ms. Areddy and Mr. Mo this week. We also continued our work with the five W’s. In addition to all that we sorted, our writing into finished and not finished. You should have seen several pieces of writing come home this week. Now that report cards are out of the way that allowed me to send some of this work home.

As always this was not everything we did this week, just a few highlights, but until next week.,.all told.  

Spelling Words for the Week

Here are our words for the week. The spelling test will be a week from today.  Please let me know if you have any questions.


made
over
may
after
sentence
things
little
place

Pizza Party at Lunch Tomorrow

There is no need to send in a lunch with your child tomorrow because we will be having our pizza party during lunch. However, if they do not like pizza you may want to send a lunch.  We will be eating the pizza in the classroom and then putting the Lego movie on the projector.  I look forward to celebrating the class and everything they have done in this beginning leg of first grade.  

Weekly Wrap-up

What a fast-paced, jam-packed week leading up to report cards going home on Monday. Obviously with report cards going home on Monday, the name of the game this week has been assessment. I have been really pleased with how the class has done with all of this. In fact, I have decided that I would like to celebrate everything the class has done during the first leg of their first grade adventure. So, on Tuesday we will be having a pizza party during lunch to celebrate. I also am planning on screening the Lego Movie for the class. During the movie we will be filling out several graphic organizers related to the movie. Graphic organizers are a big push in first grade and I think this will be a nice way of hitting several birds with the same Lego brick…


I will be providing the pizza for the class. I will need plates, napkins, cups and bottled water and or juice for the kids. If you would like to send in any of these items please let me know. I am sorry for the late notice on this, but as I was reflecting on all the work the class has done and how well they have put up with me, I think they need it. I look forward to hearing from you and now onto the highlights!!!



Math:

We spent a lot of time with measuring this week. This measuring was done primarily with nonstandard units of measurement, i.e. base-ten cubes, paperclips, pencils, etc. We then used what we had learned to solve an open-response problem on Friday.



Phonics:

I have used the consonant cluster topic to springboard into learning more ending sounds this week. The class had a lot of opportunities throughout the week to practice sorting, writing and reading words with similar patterns. They did a great job with this.



Science:

In science this week we learned more about water and its many forms. Tuesday saw us running a very interesting experiment on condensation. I also introduced a vocabulary center so the class could practice some of the words we have been learning in science. Fridaymarked the beginning of the Motion unit of study. I know the class will have a blast with this unit as we move through it. Get it? Move through the motion unit… Sorry folks, it has been a long week. I look forward to hearing from you regarding Tuesday and until next month…all told.

Barnes and Noble Opportunity!!!

Hey parents,

Thought I would pass this wonderful opportunity on to you all, especially with the holidays around the corner.

From Ms I.

Shop at any Barnes & Noble on Sunday, November 30, 2014, or online at BN.COM, and use the Bryant book fair code 11512340. You can bring a copy of the voucher attached, or just have the book fair code with you. Profits benefit the Bryant library. Depending on the amount earned, the percentage profit could be anywhere from 10-20%. 

If you are in town, stop in to the Washtenaw B&N at 2pm on Sunday, November 30 to hear Mrs. Idzikowski and Alouicious reading the brand-new Elephant and Piggie book! 

If you shop online, from the Payment page at BN.COM, scroll to the very bottom and choose “Check this box if it is a book fair order.” (If you are signed into your BN.COM account, you may need to click “Change” on the Payment section on the Checkout page, then scroll to the bottom.) The Bryant book fair code is 11512340.

In addition to books and NOOK products, you can also purchase whole cheesecakes made by Cheesecake Factory from the cafe. Each is $40 and contains 14 pieces. Flavors include Eggnog, Red Velvet, Godiva Double Chocolate, Plain and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.

Spelling Words for the Week

Here are the spelling words for the week.  Please practice with your child daily to ensure they get that 100% the first time.  Remember that everyone is always given the opportunity to get 100% in my classroom.  Let me know if you have any questions, comments or concerns about the spelling test.

• school
• father
• never
• keep
• start
• light
• thought
• earth

Weekly Wrap Up

I decided to switch things up a bit this week in the classroom. After Friday’s behavior issues, I wanted to put the class in a better position to succeed. I moved the classroom around and switched the positions of the desks. The kids seemed to respond well to this, so I was pleased. We also had two substitutes on Monday and Friday. This Monday I was in a building data team meeting pouring over results from the NWEA. Friday, I was assessing kids for our upcoming report card. Being out of the classroom is always tough for me, but I was pleased with how the class performed. Let us see what else we were up to this week…onto the highlights!!!!



Math:

In math this week we looked more at the frames-and-arrows routine. We reviewed the material from last week and added more to it. The class used the arrow routine to find the rule and to solve addition and subtraction equations. Tuesday saw us learning how to program our calculators to do skip counting. This worked very well for students to check their work on the frames-and-arrows routine. Wednesday and Thursday was our end of unit assessment for unit three. I will be using the data from this assessment to help with our upcoming report cards. On Friday we spent some time catching up and playing math games. The kids had a lot of fun with that!



Writing:

We continued our push for the 5 w’s in writing this week. We also reexamined our readable and unreadable material. For homework today I want you and your child to come up with a story you could tell across a three page story. On the first page I want to see the 5 W’s: who, what, where, why, and when. This should lead to the second page where additional details are given about the what from page 1. Finally, on page three the story arc should be wrapped up. This is a tight, well-constructed three-page story with a beginning, middle and end. This is our push in writing. Please practice it with your child this weekend.



Phonics:

Consonant clusters were another focus in phonics this week. The kids transitioned from writing simple consonant cluster words, to writing sentences including the consonant cluster word. We also practiced our spelling words quite a bit. The final topic we looked at in phonics this week was the onset and rime of a word. The onset is that beginning sounds and the rime is the part of a syllable which consists of its vowel and any consonant sounds that come after it. The kids were able to play a fun Go Fish game using this concept.



Science:

In science this week we examined water and how it can change forms. As you recall we touched on this a few weeks ago when we talked about water freezing. This week saw us examine how water can change form into a gas through a process called evaporation. This led us to talk about humidly and do an experiment about condensation. The kids had a lot of fun.



If you would like to start volunteering for our center times we would love to have you. I do literacy-based learning centers in the mornings on most days. Here are the approximate times.

• Monday: 9:40-10:30

• Tuesday: 9:40-10:30

• Wednesday 9:40-10:45

• Thursday: 10:00-10:50

• Friday: 9:40-10:30

If you see something that jumps out at you please drop me a line and we will set something up. Everyone is always welcome in my classroom. I look forward to hearing from you and until next week…all told.

Spirit Week

Next week is Spirit Week here at Bryant.  Let's take a look at what the student council selected.

Monday:
Backwards Day

Tuesday:
Twin Day

Wednesday:
Favorite Sports Team

Thursday:
Pajama Day

Friday:
School Spirit Day

Pasta for Pennies Final Tally

A big congratulations to Ms. Huff's second grade class for winning the Pasta for Pennies drive.  Our class was among five other classes that raised over $100 each.  Thank you to everyone at home for making this possible.

Spelling Words for the Week

Hot off the presses...Here are our spelling words for the week:

blend
between
than
country
high
plant
every
add

Weekly Wrap Up

It was a brief week here in first grade.  I was out sick on Monday and with the election day on Tuesday this week has just flown by!  I was really pleased with how the class performed with the substitute this week.  It is always a good sign when the class can still be independent and act appropriately even when I am not in the classroom. That is exactly what I expect from this class and they did not disappoint early in the week!   However, Friday was a bit of a disaster behavior wise, so we will have to redouble our efforts next week.  Despite all of this we were still able to cover a lot of material, so let us take a look at that…onto the highlights!

Math:

In math this week we looked a lot at the number line.  We practiced adding and subtracting on the number line early in the week.  Towards the end of the week we began looking at frames and arrows.  If you have been looking at the homework you will see what I mean by these concepts.  Those homelinks do not act as just homework, but offer you a snapshot of the learning your child is experiencing in the classroom.  I hope you are taking advantage of this resource. 

Phonics:

We spent a lot of time with consonant clusters this week in phonics.  The kids had an opportunity to practice with several different clusters.  They really enjoyed practicing these words during phonics. 

Science:

We collected and examined our October weather data this week.  The kids got to look at our weather calendar for October and answer several questions about what they noticed.  They had a lot of fun looking at the data. 

Writing:

In writing this week we focused more on those 5 w’s.  I was very pleased with how they incorporated these concepts into their writing.  I will be looking for more next week!

If you have any questions, comments or concerns please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.  I am always available to talk about your child and how they are doing in the classroom.  PICTURES WENT HOME TODAY.  Please have a wonderful weekend and until next week….all told. 

Lock Down DRILL Today

We had our first lock down drill today.  Please talk with your child about the necessity of these drills and have them recount what we did to help practice today.  We will have several more lock down drills throughout the year.  Please let me know if you have any questions, comments or concerns about these drills.

Spelling Words

Here are our spelling words for the week.  I am sorry I did not submit these on Monday.  I was out sick and did not have my master at home with me.


- people
- first
- water
- been
- called
- who
- now
- find

Weekly Wrap Up

What a busy, busy week we had here in first grade. We thankfully did not have too many assessments like last week. We also were drill and assembly free, which meant we were able to get to a lot. Let’s see what we were up to….on to the highlights!!!


Math:

It was a big week in math. We spent some time exploring doubles facts on Monday. This was the first time we brought doubles facts up, but we will focus on them a lot this year. Tuesday and Wednesday had us tackle our open response problem. This two-day lesson offered us a terrific opportunity to talk about how to best use pictures to help solve story problems. Thursday saw us tackle the number line and how we can use it as a tool to help solve addition and subtraction problems. Friday was catch-up and game day, which always goes over well.


Phonics:

In phonics this week we focused a lot on word families and the patterns they represent. We touched on over eight different word families during the week. We also talked a lot about consonant clusters and digraphs. The kids enjoyed these concepts quite a bit, which means we will do more with them next week!


Science:

We tackled two big lessons in science this week. On Tuesday we learned about cirrus, cumulus and stratus clouds. We even had an opportunity to make models of all these clouds using cotton balls. These fabulous models can be seen hanging in the classroom. On Thursday we talked about how water can change form. Partners got to select one item in the classroom to go into a cup of water that will be placed in the freezer. We discussed the results of this experiment this afternoon. I cannot wait.


Writing:

I have focused on writing these past weeks. I want the class’ writing to improve so we are adding several new facets to our pieces. I spoke about how we are trying to focus more on the setting of the story these past weeks. This week I introduced the 5 W’s and how we should incorporate them into our first page of writing. For those of you unfamiliar with the 5 W’s, they are who, what, where, why and when. I have told the class that I want to see these 5 W’s in the first page of their writing. They have really enjoyed this.



Although this was not all that occurred throughout the week, these were the highlights. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please let me know and until next week…all told.

Weekly Wrap-Up

It was a jam-packed week here in first grade. The N.E.D. assembly on Monday morning pushed the spelling test to the afternoon, which was unfortunate since we also had a math unit assessment.  I was really proud of how the kids handled and performed on this difficult afternoon.  You should be very proud as well.  Tuesday saw us at DeBucks corn maze and pumpkin patch.  This was a wonderful experience for the class and the chaperones.  A big shout out to Dana, Ryan and Ruth for volunteering because we could not have done it without you!  I hope you all enjoyed the pumpkins at home. Also please take advantage of our fabulous new healthy snack sign up sheet Kelly created for us.  

Let’s see what we were up to this week, onto the highlights…

Math:

We began the week assessing what was retained from unit two.  I looked over the results and the class is on a very good path with their math instruction.  After we finished up with the assessment on Monday, we dove into unit three on Tuesday.  If you looked over your unit three family letter (which I highly recommend since it is a fabulous resource) that I sent home on Tuesday, you saw that we have started work with number stories.  We also worked more with solving addition and subtraction stories that have an unknown number.  On Friday we played a little catch-up on some work we missed over the week. 

Writing:

We had a writing assessment on Monday that was sandwiched between our spelling test and math unit assessment.  I do not like to overload students with so many assessments, but we were up against a deadline.  We also spent time focusing on the setting of a story and how we can incorporate that into the beginning portion of our writing.  I used a graphic organizer to help the kids organize their thoughts from our trip to DeBucks.  I will be looking to utilize graphic organizers more in the classroom as they are a wonderful tool and are emphasized heavily with the Common Core State Standards. 

Phonics:

We focused a lot on vowels and consonants in phonics this week.  This involved several different center activities that the kids completed independently to practice the concepts.

These were the major highlights, but by no means all that we did.   It was a jam-packed week and the class performed brilliantly.  Until next week….all told.  

Healthy Snack Sign Up

Parents,

Thank you so much for sending in snack to the classroom.  Kelly Vautour, one of our fabulous room parents has generously created a healthy snack sign up sheet.  Please use the link below to sign up for a date to bring in a healthy snack.  Please make sure the healthy snack is washed, cut and ready to go.  Unfortunately our schedule does not allow me much time to prep snack in the classroom, so the more prepared it is the smoother it goes.


Thank you so much Kelly!




https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wLCyKX2OXmbuJieV_Jzs7JB1feyfyOcd4GblUfmsQTY/edit#gid=0

A.L.I.C.E Protocol Meeting

Parents please take note of this information session that is being held on Tuesday.  This was taken from our Thursday notes...

Learn about the A.L.I.C.E. protocol for AAPS staff, for keeping students as safe as possible should an armed intruder enter any of our school buildings. Tuesday, October 28 at 6:30pm at Pioneer High School in the Schreiber Auditorium.

DeBucks Corn Maze

We will be heading to DeBucks tomorrow morning.  Our bus will leave at 10:00am sharp and we should return by 1:15pm.  Please make sure to send in proper jackets and footwear with your child, as it is expected to be wet.  An extra pair of socks may be a good idea also.

In the event it is too wet for the field trip DeBucks will contact us in the morning to reschedule.  I am not expecting that to happen though.

I know we will have a great time.


Thanks,

Michael Hagen

Weekly Wrap Up

I have said it before and I will say it again, it was a fantastic week here in the marvelous world of first grade. We had a fire drill on Thursday and I was thrilled with how well the class performed. In addition to that, we also had our fall wild walk on Wednesday, which was a bit wet, but still a whole lot of educational fun. A reminder that tonight is movie night and we will be screening Frozen (hold for applause). Please come on out and help support the Bryant/Pattengill PTO. I was at this event last year and it was a real blast. Unfortunately I will be unable to attend this year due to a prior commitment, but please come on out! I am sure most of you have probably NOT seen Frozen yet… We are also still collecting coins for the Pasta for Pennies drive. You have all been incredibly generous with this important fundraiser. The class collection box is as heavy as Thor’s hammer! We will be collecting coins through October 24th, so please keep sending them in if you are able.

Thank you and on to the highlights!!!



Math:


We covered quite a few subjects in math this week. If you are looking at the homelinks I send home throughout the week you know we are dealing with the change-to-more diagram. We also learned about the change-to-less diagram. Both of these diagrams are important scaffolding steps to introducing number models and number sentences. Fittingly enough, we also learned about number sentences this week. We will be taking our end of unit assessment next week, so I am looking forward to how well this information was internalized.


Science:


In science this week we theorized about living and nonliving things. We went on our fall wild walk and collected leaf and soil samples from our environment. We also observed birds, squirrels, muskrats and a host of insects that seemed particularly interested in us. The kids had some wet feet afterwards, but I am pleased we were able to get to this lesson.


Writing:


In writing this week we continued reinforcing beginning, middle and ending. However, I began to focus more on the beginning aspect of the story towards the end of the week. We also took a look at our past writing to see which pieces were completed and which pieces needed to be finished. We also talked more about sentence structure and capitalizations.




As always please let me know if you have any questions, comments or concerns; until next week…all told.

Flu Season

As I am sure you are all aware there are a few infections floating around the classroom right now.  I quickly wanted to let you know about the cleaning procedures I have as part of our daily routine.  At the end of each day the children wipe down their tables and chairs.  We also wipe down all the tables and surfaces that we interact with on a daily basis.  In addition to that cleaning I routinely throughout the day will take a clorox/lysol wipe and disinfect the door knobs, light switches, water fountain and bathroom handle.  I try to stay on top of this as much as possible, but it is a constant battle.

That being said I am in desperate need of disinfectant wipes for the classroom.  We had some generous parents send some in early in the year, but we are running very low.  Considering these infections in the room I would like to step up our procedures a bit, but will need additional supplies.  Thank you so much for your help.

Spelling Words for the Week

Our spelling words for the week:

many
use
do
then
other
about
will
up

Fall Wild Walk

We will be going on a fall wild walk tomorrow.  Please make sure to send your child in with boots, if they have them.  Hopefully it will not be too bad out.


Thanks,

Michael Hagen

Weekly Wrap-Up

What a quick week here in first grade! It went by in a flash, which means we were able to get a lot done! A quick reminder that we have an upcoming field trip on October 21st. I have one chaperone set up, but I am definitely looking for a few more. Corn maze, pumpkins, first graders and a bus – I mean you cannot beat that! I hope to hear from you. Also, we have movie night coming up on October 17th. We will be screening a relatively unknown Disney title by the name of Frozen... Well, enough of the housekeeping issues, onto the highlights!!!



Math:

We had a good time in math this week. Our curriculum is really ramping up which means more partner work, more journal work and more critical thinking. This week saw us revisit our open response problem involving all the ways to make 10 that we started last Thursday. These two-day open response lessons offer an opportunity for us to really go in-depth into a problem and go over strategies to solve it. We also learned a new game called High Roller, which has the kids practicing the counting on strategy. We also touched on calculators and unit labels. Thursday saw us examine the change to more diagram. Keep an eye out for homework dealing with this concept. Like I said, it was a very good time. I look forward to what next week will bring.


Phonics:

Plurals, plurals, plurals was the steady focus in phonics. We practiced them exclusively at the star center throughout the week. As I tell the kids the way to get to Carnegie Hall is to practice, practice, practice. They do love that line.


Social Studies:

We talked a lot about what makes us special and what makes us different. The kids were able to illustrate this on worksheets and also in their social studies journals. In addition, we also reinforced our class motto of You'll Never Walk Alone. I cannot tell you how pleased I am with this class and how they are embodying that motto.


Science:

We spent time in science this week recording the weather in our science journals. We also took time during centers to practice sentence structure using class created sentences featuring science vocabulary.


All in all it was a great week. I look forward to what next week will bring on this fabulous, fun-filled adventure we like to call...FIRST GRADE.







Until next week.....All told.

Pasta for Pennies

Bryant will be taking part in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Pasta for Pennies drive.  Each child will be bringing home a small cardboard box to collect change at home.  Please send the box with change in with your child everyday to add to the class total.  The class that raises the most money will be receiving a pasta lunch provided by Olive Garden.

I will be sending home the box today along with a flyer explaining the program.  Please send in change if you are able.

Thanks,

Michael

Belated Weekly Wrap Up

I am terribly sorry I was unable to post this sooner.  I was out on Friday and this wedding has officially put me in catch-up mode.  Again, my deepest apologies.



Onto the highlights...

Math:

It was a big week in math that saw us decomposing numbers within ten.  We focused exclusively on this topic throughout the week.  I also introduced the "turn-around rule" for addition problems, which the kids really enjoyed.  A big focus with our new math curriculum is for kids to show how they arrived at an answer.  This has been tricky for some students early on because they say they do the math in their heads, but we need to show how we arrived at answers.  This is setting the groundwork for how they will complete problems as they go through the upper grades.  I know the kids will do great.


Phonics:

Plurals was the name of the game.  We practiced adding s to the end of words and on Friday the kids learned which words require an -es to denote a plural.  The kids found this a bit confusing and I agreed with them, but we got to learn it!  We will practice more with it next week.

Science:

In science the kids took a look at the weather data we collected throughout the month of September.  We used this data to answer several questions in our weather journals.  Towards the end of the week we started touching on our new science unit: collecting and examining life.  This included a discussion about living vs. nonliving things.  The kids had some very surprising answers.

Until Friday...all told!

DeBucks Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch

I sent home a permission slip yesterday for the DeBucks corn maze and pumpkin patch.  The trip is on October 21st from 10:00-1:15.  Please send the permission slip back in immediately along with the $6 for each child.  If you are interested in chaperoning this trip please let me know ASAP.  You will need to go through a background check through the office in order to go on the trip.  This is a new policy last year, so the sooner the better.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,

Michael

Spelling Words for the Week

Here are the spelling words for the week.  I have been composing these spelling words based on the Fry First 100 list.  If children know these 100 words they are able to read roughly 50% of words in any book.  Therefore they are very important to be able to read, write and spell correctly.  

were
when
your
said
each
how
which
there

Picture Day Tomorrow!

It is picture day tomorrow.  We are tentatively scheduled to begin at 10:10am.  Please let me know if you have any questions.


Thanks,

Michael Hagen

Spelling Words for the Week

I apologize I did not get these out yesterday.  Unfortunately something unforeseen came up at the end of the day, which led me to not being able to get the spelling words in the folder.  Here are the spelling words for the week:

• words
• what
• but
• all
• not
• an
• she
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Weekly Wrap-Up

Another fantastic week here on planet first grade! We were able to get to a lot of material and the kids responded quite well. I was particularly pleased with how they handled the math assessment we took on Tuesday and Wednesday. Look for more on that in the math section. We also have picture day coming up next Wednesday, so everyone practice those smiles!!! Now onto the highlights...


Math:



It was a big week in math that saw us complete unit one. The culmination of this unit included an assessment that the class completed independently. I am still looking at the data, but I was really pleased with how everyone responded to the assessment. This is a new task for the kids and a big departure from kindergarten, but they did great! We also spent time on Monday working on counting larger numbers. The class got to play Rolling for 50 with a partner, which was a lot fun. Finally, on Thursday we introduced the "turn-around rule." The kids were able to practice this concept in their math journals. As usual, we spent Friday catching up on math items from the week and playing math games.



Phonics:


We worked on several concepts in phonics this week. The kids practiced writing rhyming words by themselves. They also examined how they can change the first letter of a word to make a new word. This has been a big focus this week.



Writing:



In writing this week we worked on spelling the best we can and moving on. Often kids will get tripped up on a difficult word and are unable to complete the story as a result. This lesson was designed to provide the kids with a way to keep the story moving, even when there is a tricky word. The class also received alphabet linking charts to help with their writing. In addition to the alphabet charts I added a personal word wall for the kids to write down hard to remember words. These tools will be very helpful as the writing lessons continue.



Science:



In science this week we examined how the sun warms. This included a fabulous experiment regarding several bags of ice outside. The kids loved answering questions about how the ice melted in their science journals.



Social Studies:



In social studies this week the kids had an opportunity to illustrate ways we get along in school. We also had a fun icebreaker activity I used when we switched desks today. As always we reinforced our PBIS concepts and of course our YNWA concepts!





If you have any questions please let me know. All told for the week!

Spelling words for the week:  you, that, was, for, one, had, fix and what.  Homework tonight is to practice these words with your child.  Our spelling test will be next Monday.


Thanks,

Michael Hagen

We are desperately low on snack in the classroom.  I have had some very generous parents donate quite a bit of snack early on, but we have exhausted that quickly.  The kids really do enjoy a quick break in the morning and afternoon, so please send in that snack.


Thanks,

Michael Hagen

We had another fantastic week here on planet first grade.  We had testing, Constitution Day and science…oh my. We will finish up our NWEA testing for the fall next week, but the class has done fantastic so far.  As soon as parent results are ready I will let you know. 

September 17^th was also Constitution Day and we celebrated in an appropriate way—We made a class Constitution.  This was an entirely student driven exercise with the exception of the first rule: You’ll Never Walk Alone.  YNWA is a phrase you will hear a lot from your child over the course of the year.   This is a message I will be teaching and reinforcing throughout the year.  My message is that in Mr. Hagen’s classroom we are family.  We are a group.  We are a team.   These kids will always have a bond that connects them.  We help one another out.  We support one another and if they can remember that and keep that message in his/her heart then he/she will never walk alone.  I believe it is an appropriate and positive message that I look forward to exploring more with the class.  This is a great group of kids and I am so excited to be their first grade teacher. 

Now onto the highlights…

Math:

In math this week we organized a lot of data using tallies.  The class worked in small groups to sort and tally several types of animals.  We also tallied how everyone gets home at the end of the day.  We also spent time exploring some mathematical manipulative materials.  We capped off the week by talking more about number stories. 

Phonics:

We have been making ABC books dealing with beginning sounds.  Although this sounds a bit rudimentary for first graders I am adapting the assignment to meet the individual learners.  We also spent time with rhyming words, spelling words and changing the first letter to make a new word.  

Science:

We practiced using our thermometers to check the temperature of three different cups of water.  We also recorded our findings in our journals.  The class had a blast with that lesson.  We also began looking at the collecting and examining life aspect of our science curriculum.  We will spend more time on that next week. 

We have P.E. on Monday's, Wednesday's, Thursday's and Friday's.  Please make sure to send in gym shoes with your child or they will SIT OUT from P.E.   I do not like to see this happen, because these kids need that movement, so send in those shoes.

Thanks,

Michael Hagen

I am pleased to report that the class did a fantastic job with the NWEA today.  The testing session is 60 minutes, which is a big departure from last year.  In kindergarten the testing session lasts only 30 minutes.  I was very proud of the class, as you should be at home.

Also, picture order forms are in the kids folders today.

Let me know if you have any questions.


Thanks,

Michael Hagen

I cannot believe we area already two weeks into the school year!!!  Time is really flying here in the classroom.  It was another amazing week with the kids that saw curriculum night on Tuesday, a fire drill on Thursday and a host of other adventures throughout the week.  The kids began work in their math journals and science notebooks, which was a real treat.  I also sent home school folders, complete with phonics homework for the weekend.  Please send that folder back to school EVERYDAY to ensure a steady stream of communication from the classroom.  Let's see what else we were up to this week...ONTO THE HIGHLIGHTS!!!

Math:

In math this week we investigated the number line in more detail.  The kids played several games utilizing the number line as well.  We also began work with dry erase slates (please send in dry erase markers for your child) to answer math questions quickly and quietly.  On Thursday the kids practiced the game, Top-It.  I have sent home directions for this game if you wish to play it with your child over the weekend.  We will play and adapt this game a lot over the course of the school year.  We also had our first open response lesson in math.  These lessons give the class an opportunity to share and learn from their classmates in an interesting and dynamic way.  Finally, we spent Friday catching up on the week and playing some fun math games.  

Phonics:

We practiced stretching out and writing words this week, which works nicely with our writing curriculum.  The class also worked with syllables and did several activities clapping out friends’ names (see homework).  We will continue to work with these beginning concepts as we move throughout the beginning of the year.  While some concepts may seem a bit elementary (no pun intended), it is important for all students to be proficient in these skills as we move throughout the curriculum.  

Science/Social Studies and Health:

The class had a ball filling in their weather journals this week.  These lessons can be a bit tricky as it is important for everyone to stay together; otherwise the calendar is filled with errors.  In social studies we practiced working with partners and how we can work together to accomplish tasks.  In health we went over different feelings and how we can feel healthy in a mental way. 

We got to a lot but there is more to do!  I cannot wait to see everyone back on Monday, with the school folders.  Thank you and have a fabulous weekend.  

If you have accessed my blog can you please send me a confirmation email?   I would like to have an idea of who may need paper copies of announcements and classroom news.


Thanks,

Michael

We are in need of dry erase markers for our math curriculum.  If you are able please send in one or however many you would like.  Thank you.

It is curriculum night tonight!  I hope to see you all at 6:30.   Please let me know if you have any questions or if you cannot attend.


Thanks,

Michael Hagen

I elected not to send homework this week.  Unfortunately our Friday folders have not arrived yet.   I am hopeful we will get them next week and I can send home some math and phonics homework.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Wow, what a fantastic first week in the classroom.  This is a fabulous group of kids and I could not be more pleased with how they adjusted to the first grade classroom this week.  We spent a lot of time working on routines.  These routines included centers, learning positions, walking in the school, etc.  These routines are crucial at the beginning of the year.  As in kindergarten a class that picks up on routines quickly is able to be more independent.   The more independent they are the more time I have for one-on-one instruction and small group instruction.  Needless to say I was impressed this week, but will be looking for more next week.

A quick synopsis of what we learned this week:

Math:

We spent a lot of time on skip counting and using the number line.   We also practiced our morning routines like attendance and counting the days of school.  On Thursday the class got to learn about and explore their math toolkits.  They had a lot of fun!  Next week will see us begin work in our math journals.

Science:

We learned about what weather is and how we describe it.  The kids and I also worked together to write a poem about tornados.  On Friday we learned more about meteorologists and the work they do.  We also got to begin work in our science notebooks.  The kids had a blast drawing the weather for Friday.  We came up with all kinds of ways to show the heat in the picture.  This included drawing steam lines coming off of people, ice cream melting and sweat everywhere!!!

Writing:

We had multiple opportunities to write over the course of the week.  We also began our Writers Workshop on Friday.  I modeled a story from my own life and the kids worked independently afterwards.


All in all a fantastic first week!  I cannot wait to see what the adventure brings next week.

As always if you have any questions please contact me at hagenm@aaps.k12.mi.us.

I brought in bananas for snack yesterday and Judah's mom was generous to send in watermelon on Tuesday.  If you can send in a fruit or vegetable snack for the entire class next week that would be fantastic.  Bryant rules state that we can only have fruits and vegetables for class snack the first two weeks of school.  If we do not have snack for the whole class I try to allow the kids that brought a lunch to finish something they may have not eaten.  A fruit or vegetable snack would be fantastic for next week though.  

Thank you so much and let me know if there are any questions.  

Thanks,

Michael Hagen