NEWSLETTER 1-8

Happy New Year!  We are off to a great start in 2016! We have started our unit on maps. We have learned about how maps are made, the directions on a compass and how to use a map key. We’ve also practiced finding different states and countries on our classroom maps. During Peer Helpers, we went on www.googlemaps to find our house and other places of interest. Ask your child where s/he “visited”!  We will continue with this theme for the next two weeks.

READING AND LANGUAGE ARTS

We are taking a close look at Robert Munsch and his books this month. He is great author for first grade because most of his books are hysterical. They also have repetitive parts that help build fluency.

We are writing non-fiction books in writing.  The kids are having fun writing about something they know a lot about so they can teach the class. I told them that if they would like to bring in photos to use for their books they can. I can copy them and send them home. You can also email pictures to me at lkimball@veaziecs.org. Some of the kids are writing about things they do or have outside of school so I thought it would be fun for them to add real pictures :).

MATH

We are working with place value by using base ten blocks and change. We are concentrating on tens and ones. We are also practicing our math facts by doing math minutes each day. I give the kids three minutes to work on twenty-five problems. The goal is to get more done each day. When they get all twenty-five done correctly in three minutes they move to the next level. Any problems that are not finished should be completed at home that night.

ITEMS OF INTEREST

• We are very excited about our FLAT STANLEY project. Many of our “flat” first graders have already left Veazie and are traveling somewhere in the world. We can’t wait to start getting our replies so we can put them on our map! If you haven’t sent in your address yet, please do a.s.a.p.

• THANK YOU for remembering the snow gear!! The kids are loving outside recess!!

• Please make sure your child still has sneakers/shoes for inside. Thanks!!

HAPPY 2016!

It's so great to be back with the kids! They seem like they all grew a ton! I missed them! Now that we are back, I have a few reminders:  PLEASE make sure your child has a winter coat, snow pants, boots, hats, water proof mittens and scarf/neck warmer each day. We will go out twice a day no matter what. However, on the extremely cold days we will not stay out as long as usual. The kids need the fresh air and time to get some energy out. Thank you in advance for your help with this!

We read a great book called THREE WISHES. It was about finding a lucky penny on New Year's Day and getting to make three wishes. We wrote about what we would wish for. 

We talked about goals. We wrote about a goal we have that we'd like to achieve sometime before first grade ends. We had fun making ourselves blowing noise makers after.

We talked about how the word toast has two meanings. We gave toasts to our classmates about what we hope for them in 2016. We wrote our toasts on our toast people. We then made toast...yum!

It was a very busy and productive day...a perfect way to start 2016!

SHARING KIND NOTES

Today was such a fun day! First Graders had been working hard for the past couple of weeks to secretly write kind notes to their classmates. All notes went into stocking folders in the room. We opened our stockings today. It was so sweet to hear all the positive comments from the kids as they opened their notes. It was truly a special activity with some absolutely wonderful students!

After lunch we partnered up with the Pre-K, Kindergarten and Second Graders and went to the "VCS Holiday Cinema". Kids were allowed to go to the free concession and then pick a short movie to watch. They were so cute and thankful!! 

We ended the day with an awesome school wide assembly! We heard the fifth grade and middle school bands, played some reindeer games and sang some songs together. We loved getting to see the One Word video Mr. Cyr put together of everyone in the school. You can check it out here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrVAP771f1Q.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday break. I look forward to working with you and your children in 2016!

FIRST GRADE FAMILY BUS TRIP

The First Grade Families have put together a special bus trip throughout the area to look at Christmas lights. This is not a school sponsored event. However, it is for all families of VCS first graders. The bus will leave the school parking lot at 5:00 and return around 7:00 on Tuesday, Dec. 22, tonight. Make sure you wear your pajamas :)!

TRAVELING THE WORLD

We had fun using our passports to "travel" to Mexico, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands today. We mixed up the Pre-K, Kindergarten, First and Second Grades to learn about each country. We listened to stories, made crafts, played games and shared snacks. It was a great trip!

HOLIDAY FAMILY CRAFT NIGHT

Don't forget about the Family Craft Night Monday, December 21 from 4:30 - 6:30 in the VCS art room. The sample I saw was beautiful! I can't wait to make one! $5 per decoration.

ARCADE ADVENTURES

The middle school made a cardboard arcade. It was incredible! We were luckily invited to check it out and play today. It was amazing to see what they were able to create and how well the games worked. The students were also wonderful with the first graders!!