Stoplight
     The stoplight works like this: every child has a clothespin.  If a rule is broken, he/she has to move their clothespin to the green light.  The green light is just a warning to remember "Green Light" behavior.  
     The second offense would result in the clothespin being moved to the yellow light.  A clothespin on yellow means "No Mustang Dollar" for the day.
     If a student can't behave the third time, he/she will move the clothespin to the red light and report to Mr. Whittier.  He will call the student's parents and determine what action needs to be taken.  Usually a red light means a missed recess or time in the skills room.
     Each day we put the clothespins away and start over.  If the student has reoccurring red lights he/she will be referred to the Skills Teacher to develop a behavioral plan and/or behavior tracker.

It won't be long until you hear your child talking about "The Daily Five." I would like to fill you in on what The Daily Five is all about, so you don't have to nod your head while wondering what in the world your child is referring to.The Daily 5 is a way of structuring the reading block so every student is independently engaged in meaningful literacy tasks. These research based tasks are ones that will have the biggest impact on student reading and writing achievement, as well as help foster children who love to read and write. Students receive explicit whole group instruction and then are given instruction to individuals and small groups of students.
When it is up and running smoothly, students will be engaged in The Daily Five, which are comprised of:

• Read to Self


• Work on Writing


• Read to Someone


• Listen to Reading


• Word Work

There are very specific behavior expectations that go with each Daily 5 component. We will spend our first weeks working intensely on building our reading and writing stamina, learning the behaviors of the Daily 5 and fostering our classroom community. We will also spend time learning about your child's strengths and greatest needs as a reader in order to best plan for each student's instruction. Therefore we will be inviting reading volunteers into the classroom after we have accomplished this important work. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.
One thing you'll notice that may be a change for you is a direct decrease in the number of worksheets your child brings home. While worksheets keep students busy, they don't really result in the high level of learning we want for your child. Instead, your child will be taught to select "Good Fit Books" or books they can read, understand, and are interested in, which they will read during Daily 5. They will be spending most of their time actually reading, which research supports as the number one way to improve reading. We anticipate the motivation and enjoyment of reading will skyrocket when this gift of choosing their own books is accompanied by extended practice and specific reading instruction for each individual child.

Here’s the “Scoop” on First Grade


• Spelling: Spelling tests are given on Fridays.Spelling homework is sent home each Monday and due by Friday.


• Home Reading: In September your child should start reading books from home or from the library. In First Grade parents can still read TO the children until November. The school Take Home Library will start in October. After that, each night your child will bring home a book that he/she can read to you. Twenty minutes per night of Home reading is required of First Graders. Look for the monthly Home Reading Calendars to track your minutes!


• Math: Our math program Saxon, has a homework component. Each night (Monday-Thursday) your child will be required to complete two homework pages. The homework is a continuation of what we did in class that day. It should be easy and not take more than 10 minutes each night. The homework will come home in a Math folder. It should be completed and returned in the same folder. Students that consistently do homework perform better on tests than students that don’t do homework. Completing homework and returning it to school helps build responsibility in the primary grades.


• Coin Cup: Please put the coins listed below in the container and send it back to school on the first day. Your child will use the coins during math lessons throughout the school year. At the end of the year your child will bring the coins home.


o Pennies-25
o Nickles-10
o Dimes-10
o Quarter-1


• Grades: Quarterly Grade Reports will be sent home. Your child will be grades on weekly Math Tests, Spelling Tests, and Sight Word Tests. This year all Math Written Assessments will be given on Friday Afternoons. PLEASE don’t take off early on Fridays. It is hard for me to make up a lot of math tests because I have to read the test to each student.


• Backpacks: Please send one each day. Make sure your child’s name is on it.


• Friday Folders: Each Friday your child will bring home his/her the Friday Folder.  The Friday Folder will contain all of the papers your child has finished and the Weekly Evaluation. (except Math which comes home in the RED Folder). PLEASE empty and return the Friday Folder each Monday.


• Book Orders: I send them each month. We get free books for our classroom for each dollar spent,


• Sharing: We don’t have Show and Tell. In order to promote oral language development we have Sharing instead. Each day after lunch the students have an opportunity to tell the class anything that is important to them. Please don’t allow your child to bring any toys or valuables to school!


• Snacks: First Grade can be difficult for students at the first of the year. They aren’t used to such a LONG day. You are welcome to send a snack every day with your child. I will let them eat it at morning recess.

Online Ordering Information

Web address: scholastic.com/bookclubs

Class Activation Code: GM2CF

Dear Parent,

Now it's easier than ever to find the right books for your child — and help us earn FREE books for our classroom library at the same time! With new online ordering from Scholastic Book Clubs, you can choose from a much wider selection of books than in the printed flyer. Plus, you can send your orders directly to me online and use your credit card. Best of all, our class earns a FREE book every time a parent places their order online. It's so simple! Here's how it works:

SIGN UP at www.Scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the "Don't have a User Name and Password?" link, then register for your own username and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code shown above. This code ensures that your order is sent to me. SELECT the books you'd like to order from over 500 titles available online...and take advantage of online-only specials and discounts. SEND your order to me online by the due date. Books will be delivered directly to our classroom, as always. Of course, you can still order using the form from the printed flyer. But why not experience for yourself how convenient it is to order online? Ordering online is fast, easy, and secure. Plus our whole class benefits thanks to the FREE books we'll earn with every parent online order.

Go to www.Scholastic.com/bookclubs now to get started.

Thank you,

Mrs. Spring

Theme: Symbols of the USA

Monday - No School
Tuesday - The Statue of Liberty; Computers; Sums of 10.
Wednesday - Library; Drawing Congruent Shapes; Early Out.
Thursday - America The Beautiful; Measuring and Drawing Line segments to the nearest inch; PE.
Friday - American Symbols book; Dental Health presentation; Art; Spelling Test; Math Test; Comparing the size of the unit and the Number of Units Used to Measure and Object.

Important Dates: 2/21 NO SCHOOL; 3/2 February Reading Calendars Due; 3/2 Dr. Seuss Read-a-Thon; 3/7-3/11 SEP Conferences (out at 2:30 all week); 3/15 Spring Picture Day

Spelling Words: once, gave, around, was, eat, tell, our, think

There has been a large number of students turning in homework that isn't complete. Could I please have parents check over it nightly, before it gets turned in? Sentences must start with a capital and end with punctuation. Math sometimes asks for certain colors of crayons. Make sure cent signs are written when they're adding/subtracting cents, etc.

Theme: USA

Monday - Valentines Day; Party; Adding 10 to a Number; P.E.
Tuesday - American Flag; Computers; Comparing and Ordering Numbers to 100.
Wednesday - Bald Eagle; Counting by 100's, Library; Early Out!
Thursday - The White House; P.E.; Sums of 10 and Missing Addends.
Friday - Spelling Test; Math Test; Kids College; Art.

Spelling Words: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

Important Dates: 2/14 Valentine's Day Party; 2/18 Kid's College; 2/21 NO SCHOOL; 3/2 February Reading Calendars Due; 3/7-3/11 SEP Conferences (out at 2:30 all week); 3/15 Spring Picture Day

My student teacher Mrs. Eliason's last day will be Monday. She has been unbelievable! We will really miss her.

Theme: Utah Symbols and Landmarks

Monday - Regrouping using dimes and pennies; Utah Symbols Interactive Presentation; PE.
Tuesday - Telling time to the 1/2 hour; Utah Symbol flip book; Computers.
Wednesday - Library; Dividing a shape into fourths and halves; George Washington Portraits; Early Out!
Thursday - Adding 10 to a number; National Symbols; SUU Orchestra Concert; PE.
Friday - Spelling Test; Math Test; Abraham Lincoln Portrait; Art.

Spelling Words: by,don't, them, went, some, had, very, old

Valentines: I'm sending a note home on Monday with the class names. Don't bring valentines until the 14th please. We will have a party and pass out valentines in the afternoon of the 14th. I will give the children bags to carry them in. This will also be Mrs. Eliason's(student teacher)last day.

Theme: Community

Monday- Hundreds Day! Showing how many more on a graph; Hundreds BINGO; PE.
Tuesday- Identifying and Making Congruent Shapes; School Symbols; Computers.
Wednesday- Library; Groundhog's Day Activity; Counting Large Collections; Early Out.
Thursday- Using concrete and pictorial models to represent two-digit numbers; Neighborhood Landmarks; PE.
Friday- Trading Dimes for Pennies; Building a Community; Spelling and Math Test; January Reading Relay(for all students that read 400 minutes this month).

Spelling Words: could, take, laugh, drink, has, of, far, walk

Thanks so much for ordering books this month. I was able to get 7 more sets of books/cd's!

Important Dates: 1/31 100th Day of School; 2/1 January Reading Calendar Due; 2/9 School Reading Incentive Party; 2/10 Domino's Pizza Fundraiser; 2/18 Kid's College; 2/21 NO SCHOOL

Theme: Sink and Float

Monday- Doubles plus one facts; What sinks? What floats? PE.
Tuesday- Doubles plus one facts; Predicting sink or float; Computers.
Wednesday- Doubles plus one facts; Library.
Thursday- Adding double digit numbers without regrouping; Thick or thin liquids; PE.
Friday- Math and Spelling Test; How can you make something float? Art.

Spelling Words: him, please, her, upon, why, fast, for, down.

This week's spelling homework asks students to cut out LETTERS from magazines, newspapers, etc. They only get credit if this is done correctly. They shouldn't find the words, just the letters to make the words.

Important Dates: 1/31 100th Day of School; 2/1 January Reading Calendar Due; 2/9 School Reading Incentive Party; 2/10 Domino's Pizza Fundraiser; 2/18 Kid's College; 2/21 NO SCHOOL

Theme: States of Matter

Tuesday: Fact assessment; Counting dimes and pennies; Solids; Computers.
Wednesday: Library, New Addition Fact - "Double plus one;"
Thursday: Liquids; PE; Doubles plus one addition facts.
Friday: Gas; Math test; Combining shapes to make new geometric shapes;Art.

Spelling Words: NO Homework this week! It is a review week. I will be sending the words home on cards so you can practice reading and spelling them at home this week.

Our class did so well on DIBELS! It was the highest scores I have ever seen!!! Thanks for all your hard work at home.

IMPORTANT: I had 8 students turn in math on Friday and it wasn't completed. PLEASE make sure you check over the work each night so they don't have a "late" assignment.

Theme: Matter

Important Dates: 1/13 Domino's Pizza Fundraiser; 1/13 DIBELs Testing; 1/17 NO SCHOOL; 1/31 100th Day of School; 2/1 January Reading Calendar Due

Monday: Using a Ruler to Draw a Line Segment; P.E. Properties of matter.
Tuesday: Sorting Common Objects; Art; Introduce Matter.
Wednesday: Adding Two Digit Numbers Without Regrouping Using Dimes and Pennies; Early Out; Library.
Thursday: Adding Two Digit Numbers Without Regrouping Using Dimes and Pennies; P.E.; Domino's Pizza Fundraiser; States of Matter; DIBELS.
Friday: Drawing a Picture to Solve a Problem; Spelling and Math Test; Spelling Packet Due; Art; Martin Luther King Jr; Spirit Day!

Spelling Words:
sleep, they, up, as, use, give, how, Saturday


Miscellaneous:
We will be doing our Winter DIBELs testing on Thursday. Please make sure that your child is well rested and eats a good breakfast that morning.

Don't forget to read each night for 20 minutes. Each month needs to have a total of 400 minutes. Homework is part of your child's grade.

There are still students coming to school not dressed appropriately for the weather. PLEASE send your child with a COAT. Mr. Whittier likes for the students to be outside for recess if at all possible, even when it is cold outside. They need the break with the fresh air and sunshine!

What a fun day back! I enjoyed catching up with the students today. It sounds like everyone had a great time off from school. Now back to the grind. Thanks for all of the nice Christmas gifts. You are very thoughtful.

We have an addition to our classroom! Her name is Mrs. Eliason. She will be student teaching with me for the next 5 weeks. She is wonderful!

This Week's Theme: Winter (And aren't we glad we have that kind of weather this week)

Tuesday - Winter words and winter poem; Subtracting 2 from a number; Computers.
Wednesday - Library; Winter Tree Photo; Subtracting 2 facts; Early Out.
Thursday - Winter Book; Making Tally Marks; Counting by 5's; P.E.
Friday - Math Test, Spelling Test; Art.

Spelling Words: an, yes, cold, now, who, about, today, Friday