Peek at the Week of April 30-May 4

We will be going to the Book Fair on Wednesday at 11:00.  During this visit each child will make a "wish list" of titles they are interested in.  The lists will be sent home to help with your book shopping.

We start our play practice this week!  Everyone is so excited to work with the other first grade classes on our big show!

Writing Workshop:  Last week we started our Poetry unit.  It is going well!  Each child was given a brand, spanking new notebook and each day we have been learning a new 'technique' to try out.  So far we have tried the following techniques:  list poems, repeated line poems, first-last poems and mystery poems.  This week we will learn a few more formats/techniques.  We will showcase our poety writing on Thursday, May 24th at our Poet Palooza show.

Reading Workshop:  We are studying Characters and reading many books with strong characters.  In the upcoming weeks we will form character 'clubs' and explore series books.  This is a fun way to learn about a new character or revisit a favorite character.


Homework
Monday, April 30
1.  Read for at least 10 minutes
2.  Spring Word Work

Tuesday, May 1
1.  Read for at least 10 minutes
2.  Reading:  Character Colums (use a new book or a favorite book...any book will do)


Wednesday, May 2
1.  Read for at least 10 minutes
2.  Math:  Fluttery Math Problems

Thursday, May 3
1.  Read for at least 10 minutes
2.  Study for tomorrow's test

Have a great week!

• Stephanie Greene, an author, came to visit our school today.  (AM)
• Stephanie Greene showed us some of her books.  Her 2 most popular characters are Owen Foote and Princess Posey.  (ES)
• This week we had a butterfly scientist come to our classroom.  (JN)
• The scientist's name was Max.  (AP)
• The scientist showed us the largest moth in the world.  Its wings had a snake-head pattern.  This protects the moth from predators.  (RM)
• In our class we got to make a butterfly out of body parts.  (RH)
• In art we made lizards for Cinco de Mayo.  (CC)
• The lizards had patterns of shapes.  We used tissue paper to cover the shapes up.  (KD)
• Mrs. Meno worked with us in art this week.  (MF)
• In gym we did more Track and Field with Mr. Bartold.  (KB) 
• We did a relay race using batons.  (SS)
• Mr. Bartold gave us javelins to throw.  Whoever can throw it farthest is the winner. (CH & RH)
• In Writing Workshop we started writing poetry.  We wrote mystery poems, first-last poems, and repeated line poems.  (KN)
• This week we started a new chapter book called The Runaway Dolls.  (BS)
• CH was the captain.  (MK)
• Miss Dineen played a song called "Charles in Charge".  It was from an old TV show.  (EC)
• We are excited to have free choice time in the computer lab.  (TP)
• We started working on the Barnyard Moosical dance.  We are going to be chickens. (BB)
• We hope to have a Mystery Reader today.  (SS)
• Miss Dineen played a song called "Louie Louie" for me so I can sing it to my bus driver.  (RH)
• Today is the last game day of the year.  My mom and some other parents are coming in.  (AP)
• Today we are having a spelling test.  (MF).  We will have 4 or 5 more weeks of spelling work.  (Miss D.)
• We will have an Ice Cream Sundae party for all the summer birthday kids.  (ES)
• AM has been doing a great job being the 'Tube Girl' sorter for our class.  (Miss D.)

Butterfly Science

We had a great butterfly scientist come to our classroom this morning.  He showed us butterflies that are dead, but were really cool to look at.  We worked together to make a HUGE puzzle of the butterfly body parts.  Everyone got to look through a special prism which helped us to understand how butterflies see.  Some butterflies are poisonous to other animals.  Many butterflies are from warm climates. 

Calendar Updates

The last months of school get very hectic! 
 Please take a minute to mark the following dates/times on your calendars.

• Friday, May 11 @ 10:00:  Barnyard Moosical in the Common Room
• Thursday, May 24 @ 2:30:  Poet Palooza in our classroom
• Thursday, May 31@ 1:00-2:30:  First Grade Field Day in the front playground
• Friday, June 1st @ 1:00-2:30:  Rain Date for our Field Day (if needed)

We hope you can come to some or all of our events!

Wear Green for the Earth

This Wednesday, April 25th will be Earth Day at Ox Ridge.  All students are encouraged to wear green.

Peek at the Week of April 23-27

Welcome back from Spring Break!

This will be a busy week with a couple of  fun 'visitors'.  An educator from the Bruce Museum will be coming to do some butterfly activities.  We will also go to the library Friday morning to meet an author named Stephanie Greene. 

This Friday will also be 'Game Day'.  It is always fun to have some time to play with parents and our classmates.

In Writing Workshop we will beging a unit on Poetry.  There are so many kinds of poems to explore!  At the end of the unit  (sometime in May) our class will host a poetry reading called "Poet Palooza".  Parents will be invited to that show.  The date and time will be figured out soon and I will let you know once that is all set.

Homework
Monday 4/23
1.  Read for at least 10 minutes
2.  Spring Word Work

Tuesday 4/24
1.  Read for at least 10 minutes
2.  Poem:  Butterfly Wings

Wednesday 4/25
1.  Read for at least 10 minutes
2.  Math:  Butterfly Size Graph

Thursday 4/26
1.  Read for at least 10 minutes
2.  Study for tomorrow's spelling test

Have a great week!

Highlights of the Week April 13

• Yesterday we had 3 third graders come to talk to us about South America.  (BB)
• We finished reading "The Meanest Doll in the World".  (MF)
• In gym we played Homerun Derby.  (JN)
• We saw a fun show with dancers from Brazil.  (TP)
• Yesterday we had some moms come in to talk about recycling.  (KB)
• We are having spelling tests today with Miss Roxbury.  (KD)
• Yesterday we finished writing our Laura Numeroff circle story books.  (RH)
• This week RH was the captain.  Next week CH will be the captain.  (RH)
• In art we finished our self-portraits.  (KN)
• In gym we played a baseball game.  (AP)
• Yesterday and today Kindergarten had off so we didn't have to wait to walk into the cafeteria.  (BS)
• This week was the 100 year anniversary of the Titanic setting sail. It was on April 10th that the magnificent ship set sail from England in Queenstown on its way to New York .  Tomorrow, April 14th, would have been the day the ship hit the iceberg.  (CH)
• After April vacation we are going to start writing poetry.  (RM)
• Today we might have a Mystery Reader.  (MF)
• This afternoon we are going to spring clean our classroom.  (Miss D.)
• Today we have new websites to try out in computer lab.  One is called Yepi and the other is called Fun Brain. (BS)

Computer Zone

Fun Brain is a website that has TONS of fun games.  Try the Mad Libs (click on the Reading tab) if you want to have a good laugh!  RM showed us this site.

Yepi is another fun site recomended by AP.

South American Presentation

Some 3rd graders came to our classroom today to share their group's Social Studies project.  They made a scrapbook of a pretend vacation to South America.  In the scrapbook there were many cool pictures and lots of interesting facts.  We always like having the older Ox Ridge kids share their work with us!

Peek at the Week of April 9-13

There is no school for students on Monday, April 9th.

We will be "wrapping up" many projects and units this week so that we come back to a fresh start after Spring Break.

Homework
Tuesday 4/10
1.  Read for at least 10 minutes
2.  Spring Word Work

Wednesday 4/11
1.  Read for at least 10 minutes
2.  Math:  Farmyard Story Problem (This will take some imagination!)

Thursday 4/12
1.  Read for at least 10 minutes
2.  Study for tomorrow's spelling test

Have a great break!  See you on April 23!

VIP

There are some Very Important Papers coming home with your child today.  I am worried that with the long holiday weekend, they could get overlooked. 

Your child should be bringing home their usual stapled packet of weekly work.  The top white sheet is a letter from all the elementary principals about class placement.  The next sheet is a pink letter from Mr. Allen about our musical.

Have a great long weekend!  I'll see everybody on Tuesday!

Highlights of the Week April 5

• Two people came in and talked to us about 'Safe Talk' and 'Stranger Danger'.  (AM)
• We were able to ask questions and tell stories.  (KD)
• The ladies from "Kids in Crisis" taught us that everyone has the right to be Safe, Strong and Free.  (Miss D.)
• We practiced how to do a 'safety yell'.  A safety yell is used when you need help. (SS).   It's different than a playground yell.  (Miss G.)
• They acted out different situations and showed us how to stand up for ourselves.  (SS and RM)
• They showed us some 'moves' on how to keep yourself safe and how to report to grown-ups we know and trust.  (RH and KD)
• In gym, we tried to get an in-the-park homerun in a Tball game on the outside field.  (BS)
•  We played Capture the Flag in gym.  (KD)
• Miss Dineen made big letters for us to color in for a secret year-end project.  (MF)
• Yesterday Miss Dineen announced that we are going to be chickens in the First Grade Moosical. (RH)
• In library we checked out new books.  This week we will not go to library because there is no school on Good Friday.  (KN)
• In music we played the xylophone and tambourines.  (MK)
• We saw the oregano seeds sprout.  (KB)
•  This week MF was the captain.  Next week I will be the captain.  (RH)
• We started a new book study.  They are all called "If You Give a ______ a ______".  The books are written by Laura Numeroff.  In Writing Workshop we are planning out our own versions.  They are going to be really funny.  (CH & KB & SS & RH)
• Many families are going to celebrate Easter on Sunday.  (Miss D.)

Tubes Please!

Please send in any cardboard toilet paper or paper towel tubes.  These tubes will be used in Miss Dineen's Fairy Tale class this summer.  It's a great way to recycle!  Thank you!

Peek at the Week of April 2-6

There is no school this Friday, April 6th in honor of Good Friday.  Next Monday, April 9th there is no school for students.  Enjoy the Easter weekend!

We will be starting a new unit in Writing Workshop called "Authors as Mentors".  We will be reading and learning about Laura Numeroff, the author of the "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" series.  We will use the inspiration of her silly fiction stories in our own unique versions.


Homework
Monday 4/2
1.  Read for at least 10 minutes
2.  Spring Word Work

Tuesday 4/3
1.  Read for at least 10 minutes
2. Math

Wednesday 4/4/
1.  Read for at least 10 mintues
2.  Study for tomorrow's spelling test

Have a great week!