Mary Castle Primary STRETCH Class

Instrument Project Presentations

2011-12-15T15:16:00.000-05:00

Giant Map of North America

2011-11-23T15:12:00.000-05:00

Pointing to cities that they share a name with too.
curled up inside Alaska

Scavenger hunt

Native American Picture Writing

2011-11-13T15:09:00.001-05:00

First Grade Geometry

2011-11-11T16:01:00.003-05:00

Students in first grade have been learning about shapes. They have been working on creating 3-D shapes out of toothpicks and clay. Here are some of their creations and writing.

Sharing our Instruments

2011-10-28T15:57:00.000-05:00

Students from Mrs. Padgett's class came to visit our classroom. They are also beginning a new project on instrument. Our students were able to share with them many interesting tidbits they had learned during our project work.

Writing Celebration

2011-09-10T17:18:00.001-05:00

Students celebrated their Launching unit in Writing Workshop on Friday. This unit in writing was designed to introduce the students to how the workshop works. They were encouraged to write about anything they chose. I was pleased to hear personal stories, informational books, poetry, mysteries, and more. We listened to everyone share who was willing, and afterward enjoyed popcorn and water as a snack. Look for their writing to come home in the next week. In our next unit we will be focusing on All About books.

Instruments

2011-08-31T17:17:00.002-05:00

Students use the international instruments to create their own rhythm and beat during Choice Time.

New Manipulatives

2011-08-26T20:33:00.000-05:00

Our class has received some new building manipulatives this year. We will be rotating our two sets every six weeks and getting two new sets. the students have really enjoyed making new structures during their Choice Time in the morning.

Math

2011-08-25T20:27:00.000-05:00

Students in this math group work on a problem assigned by Ms. Guynn.

Mondays Musings

2011-08-22T20:38:00.000-05:00

Monday’s Musings

Welcome back to the second week of school. I have enjoyed getting to know each of the students and many families over the last week. Each Monday I will try to send out a listserve to keep you informed as to what is going on in the classroom each week.

· Homework- please check your child’s blue Monday folder today. It contains important information regarding homework this year. I wanted to get started with spelling, but I was unable to pre-test everyone for this week. Typically the spelling words will be connected to your child’s small group for reading for the week, but we may need to make some adjustments so that all students are appropriately challenged. Please let me know if you feel that the words were extremely easy or very hard this week. I am still getting to know the students’ strengths and weaknesses.

· Assessment- I have begun assessing the children in different areas. All first grade students have had a simple word test for reading, and I am starting to do DRA’s on them to determine appropriate reading levels. Reading groups this week were based upon last spring’s levels, so there will possibly be movement between groups over the next couple of weeks. I gave the 2^nd grade students a math assessment today to determine what they need to be working on for our first unit. We will begin with the third grade math textbook, and I will be carefully monitoring any gaps in knowledge so that we can plan for small group instruction.

· Snacks- Mrs. Johnson has determined that we will not be having snacks this year during instructional time. Please do not send in any extra food with your child other than what is needed for lunch. We will not be having a specific time allotted to eat it.

· The Week Ahead

o Reading Workshop- focus on making predictions and answering questions. Small group work will also center on characters and graphic organizers

o Writing Workshop- Launching the workshop and developing ideas.

o Math Workshop-

§ 1^st grade- computation strategies for addition and subtraction

§ 2^nd grade- numbers and operations, algebra

o Social Studies

§ Second Steps- anger management

§ Community Building

Choice Time

2011-08-22T18:14:00.004-05:00

The first activity that the children enjoy in the morning, is Choice Time. This occurs from the time they enter the classroom, until about 8 am. Choice Time is the time when students are free to explore, play, and create whatever they want in the classroom. Some of the more popular activities during this time include:

~playing with the international instruments

~reading

~building with dominoes

~using the pentominoes

~playing with the pretend money

~chess

and many more!!!

More Getting to Know You

2011-08-19T19:25:00.001-05:00

In math this week, students are completing surveys and asking each other questions. This allows them to practice both math skills like graphing, as well as providing a way to get to know their new classmates.

I am good at...

2011-08-18T20:10:00.001-05:00

Today the students wrote pieces about what they are good at. This is always a great activity for the children to get to know each other, as well as for me to understand them a little better.

Classroom Paintings

2011-08-17T20:00:00.000-05:00

On the first day of school, students worked together to create a painting that will be hung in our classroom. The students were divided into 4 groups, and each group given a blank canvas and paint. Some groups worked together developing a plan before beginning to paint, others dove right in with each child painting something important to him or herself. I hope you can visit our classroom to see the final four art pieces. They are truly beautiful and a part of our clssroom family.

Important Dates

2011-08-09T18:08:00.002-05:00

To get our year off to a great start we have our, “Meet Me on a Monday” on August 15^th from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Our “Meet Me on Monday,” will give you and your child an opportunity to meet your teacher, visit the classroom, tour the building, find out about your child’s ISTEP scores, order spirit wear and explore the opportunities for volunteering your time, resources and/or talents with our Parent Faculty Organization. We need you as a volunteer to help in our classrooms and work with individual students. While in the classroom be sure to log on and sign up for the school and classroom list serve. List serves allow you to be notified of school events, and other important school and township information. This is a wonderful time to greet and meet other families in our school community. Our first day of school is Tuesday, August 16^th 7:35 a.m-2:35 pm Tuesday full day for students (Breakfast begins).

Please join us for our “Back to School Night” on Tuesday, September 20^th from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. “Back to School Night all grades” gives our teachers an opportunity to present classroom curriculum and procedures while being able to meet you. While you’re here, we would like to explain to you what to expect this year at Mary Castle. Your child is going to have a fantastic school year. We can do great things for students together.

School Supply List

2011-07-06T21:39:00.002-05:00

The following is a copy of the district supply list. The items I have listed with an asterisk in red are optional, and not really needed for my classroom. Save yourself some money this year!!! :) We will be sharing many of our items, and there may be a couple additional supplies that I will be requesting. Also, if boys could bring markers and girls could bring colored pencils, that will more than suffice. You do not need to buy both.

MSD of Lawrence Township
School Supply Lists – School Year 2011-2012
GRADES K-2

Book bag with no wheels
*****24 #2 yellow pencils (if possible, sharpened) I have a lot left over from previous years
2 large glue sticks
1 box colored pencils (Crayola preferred)
1 box 24 ct. crayons (Crayola preferred)
1 package of markers (Crayola preferred)
*****2 yellow highlighters (Sharpie brand, please)
1 pack of dry erase markers (4 pack, EXPO brand please)- just one marker will be fine!
*****1 pkg. of 3 x 5 index cards
*****1 pkg. of 3 x 3 post it notes
8 2 – pocket folders (plain – no characters, please)
1 box gallon size zip lock bags
1 box quart size zip lock bags
2 boxes of tissues- 1 box will be fine!!!
1 ream of white copy paper – for book making and observational drawing

Class Picture

2011-06-03T18:58:00.001-05:00

Last Day of School Party

2011-06-02T19:18:00.002-05:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Our theme for our end of the year party was Charlotte's Web. We ate snacks related to the book and rotated through several centers. Students created words out of pipe cleaners, did puzzles, made a web to describe themselves, and made a spider out of food.

Finally we created a giant web using yarn. I started and told the students what I loved about this year, and then tossed the yarn to another student. Each child got to share something they loved about the past school year. In the end we were all connected to each other before we said our goodbyes.

Charlotte

2011-06-01T18:55:00.000-05:00

This uninvited guest spent the morning in our classroom, and was affectionately named "Charlotte" in honor of the book we were reading at the time. The girls were excited to try out their new drawing techniques, and I was just happy to get rid of the spider by the end of the day.

Drawing Lesson

2011-05-30T18:49:00.003-05:00

Hannah's mom was kind enough to come in two different days at the end of the school year to give the children some lessons on drawing. The first day she taught the children some drawing techniques to add texture, and the second day focused on drawing faces. The children were very excited to try out their news ideas and had a lot of fun.

Field Day Pictures

2011-05-29T18:38:00.000-05:00

Tuesday's Thoughts

2011-05-24T07:10:00.000-05:00

Tuesday’s
Thoughts

Reading Workshop- This week we will finish up with Charlotte’s Web. The students have really enjoyed reading and discussing this book. We are focusing on comprehension and vocabulary, although other skills may spontaneously be interweaved into the lesson as we discuss the story together.

Writing Workshop- We have been using writing workshop this week to finalize our phase three of project. Some students are working on Powerpoints, others on writing scripts for plays or movies.

Spelling- no new words this week, only a dictation test.

Math Workshop- first grade is working on a pretend vegetable garden this week. It incorporates geometry, measurement, and computation. Second grade is working on decimals and fractions.

Field Day is Wednesday rain or shine. Please be sure to have your child wear tennis shoes that day, and they may want to bring a change of clothing too.

The volunteer breakfast is also Wednesday morning. Please plan on attending if you are able. This breakfast is for anyone who has helped in any way this school year. I’d love to
see you there.

All library books are now due.

Reading Outside

2011-05-23T07:24:00.000-05:00

Ooey, Gooey, Oobleck

2011-05-20T19:14:00.002-05:00

We made oobleck in class after we read the book by Dr. Seuss: Bartholomew and the Oobleck. It was about a king who wanted a different type of weather to come down from the sky. Oobleck came down and got stuck on everything. When the students first saw the oobleck in class, they thought it would be a liquid, but then they were surprised when they touched it and it seemed like a solid. We debated about which form of matter it really was. It is actually neither a solid or liquid but has properties from both stages of matter. Formally it is known as a non-Newtonian subtance. This means that when a small amount of force is used, it acts like a liquid, but when more force is applied, it acts like a solid.

Oobleck Recipe

2 cups of corn starch, 3 drops of green food coloring, enough water to make a thick mixture (about the texture of pancake batter) It usually takes 1 part cornstarch to .5 parts water.

Chess

2011-05-10T13:57:00.003-05:00

Students are learning to play chess in class. We started with just a few pieces and have gradually added more and more.

Tuesday's Thoughts

2011-05-10T13:44:00.002-05:00

Tuesday’s
Thoughts

Reading Workshop- We started reading Charlotte’s Web on Monday as a whole group.
This is a new experience for the class with everyone reading the same book together. Different groups will still be doing different types of activities, and some will be
reading with parents or me for more support. We will have large and small group
discussions over the book as well.

Writing Workshop- Students have free choice writing this week. Many are still working on poetry, but others have moved on to writing books again. Many are
working together, and a few are interested in writing chapter books.

Spelling- Everyone has a different list this week based on words they have been spelling incorrectly in their daily writing. A few students are instead studying Greek roots for vocabulary practice.

Math Workshop- First grade is reviewing perimeter, area, and comparing fractions this week. We will still be working hard reviewing math facts. Second grade is continuing to practice adding, subtracting, and reducing fractions. There will be a quiz on Friday.

Project- Students are researching their areas of interest and have decided on the method of sharing what they have learned.

Thinking Skills- We are working with sudoku this week again. Many students have expressed an interest in chess recently. I am gradually teaching the pieces and their movement to the novice players, while the more experienced ones are enjoying playing each other and then practicing with the new learners

Thank you to everyone who has turned in the form to help with Field Day. I know Mr. Beattie is still looking for volunteers.
I need some extra volunteers on Friday this week. We will be doing a messy science activity from 12:00-1:00. Please let me know if you are interested in helping.

MEC is collecting magazines for recycling. Each pod in the school is competing to see who can collect the most. Please continue to send in any recycling you have at home to earn money for the school.

Lunch times have changed this week. Our class will now be eating lunch from 10:45-11:15 each day. Please be aware of the time change if you are planning to eat with your
child.

Project Research

2011-05-05T23:39:00.000-05:00

Students use the laptops to research their individual interests in project. Some students are looking into a specific disease, some are comparing soap and hand sanitizer, others are researching diseases around the world or ones that are not common anymore.

Tessellations

2011-05-03T14:18:00.003-05:00

Students in first grade math this week are working on tessellations as a culmination of their geometry unit. We have been learning about slides, flips, and turns, as well as the different shapes in math.

Monday Musings

2011-05-02T14:11:00.000-05:00

Monday’s
Musings

Reading Workshop- We are focusing again on cause and effect this week. This last month we are together, We will be reviewing many topics we have previously
studied in Reading Workshop. The homework this week is a fairy tale and has a related cause and effect worksheet to go along with it.

Writing Workshop- Students have free choice writing this week. Many are still working on poetry, but others have moved on to writing books again. Many are
working together, and a few are interested in writing chapter books.

Spelling- Everyone has a different list this week based on words they have been spelling incorrectly in their daily writing. A few students are instead studying Greek roots for vocabulary practice.

Math Workshop- first grade will be working on their tessellations this week and finishing up any menu math work. We will have a review DMR test on Friday that will be over measurement, regrouping, fractions, and algebra. We will also be working hard reviewing math facts this week. Second grade will be taking their math test on Wednesday over chapter 25. All students were allowed to take home books today.

Project- Students are using the laptops this week to research their topics to present their findings. Hopefully we will be able to finish up with stage three in the next week or so and be able to share what we have learned about germs.

The play performance will take place on Wednesday, May 4^th at 10:15. We will also have an encore performance in the LGI Room on Friday May 6^th at 2:30 pm. I will record the performance and post it on the website if you are unable to attend. I hope to see you there!

Next week is the book fair. Our class will be visiting the fair on Monday morning.
If you would like to send in money at that time, please place it in an envelope or baggie so that it will not be lost. Flyers came home today, but there will be many more books there not listed on the flier. You may also come and take your child to the fair if that is easier for you. Recess, lunch, or first thing in the morning are the best times for me to allow your child to go with you.

Parachute Pictures

2011-04-29T13:42:00.006-05:00

This week was Istep testing for third grade and up. Our class merged with Ms. Dorsel and Mrs. Merchant's second grade students. We played thinking skill games, read silently, watched a movie from Spanish, and exercised a lot in the gym. Here are some pictures from our parachute games.

Cinquain

2011-04-28T23:38:00.000-05:00

Golfing
Hit the ball in
putting, slicing, driving,
iron, putter, driver, 3 wood,
Fun Sport

Wednesday Whatnots

2011-04-27T11:09:00.001-05:00

Wednesday’s
Whatnots

Reading Workshop- this week we are finishing up our fairy tale study. I’m sure you have heard all about our play we are putting on from your child. Next Tuesday our class will be performing “Live: It’s Fairy Tale News!” at 10:30 a.m. in the gym on the stage. I hope you are able to join us. The children have been working hard
to memorize their lines. If you have any costumes or props at home, your child may be asking to bring them in. I will let you know by Friday of particular outfit needs for Tuesday. You do not need to buy anything.

Writing Workshop- We are busy selecting poems to put together in a class poetry book. Soon we will have a writer’s celebration for the students to culminate their poetry unit. Details will follow shortly if you are interested in attending.

Spelling- no new words this week. We will have a sentence dictation
test on Friday

Math Workshop- first grade is continuing their study of geometry and working three dimensional shapes this week. We will also be beginning tessellations Thursday.
Second grade is continuing to use fractions this week, focusing on equivalent fractions and ordering fractions in chapter 25

Project- we are in stage two, and students are currently researching their areas of
interest. Students are looking into diseases from around the world, diseases that have been mostly eradicated, specific disease research, comparison of soap and hand
sanitizer, vaccinations, dental hygiene, and disease prevention

ISTEP for grades 3
and up began this week. Related
Arts times have been adjusted, and the schedule may
look different in every subject this week.
All 2^nd grade students in STRETCH will be joining my class
during testing so that their 3^rd grade classmates can focus on
ISTEP. On Tuesday we played some
thinking skill games and watched a movie from Spanish class. Today we had silent reading time and
played in the gym with the parachute. On Thursday, we will again head to
the gym for some extra exercise and reading.

Earth Day

2011-04-22T14:33:00.002-05:00

Today we read a book called One Child. I met the author many years ago, and his message was that anyone can make small changes to change the world. Today our class worked in the courtyard between pods 1 and 2. We did general cleanup, pulling weeds, throwing trash away, and getting rid of old dead growth from last season. What a difference this short time working, made to brighten it up.

I Forgot My Parachute- a Haiku

2011-04-21T14:32:00.000-05:00

Mist encases me
as I plummet through the clouds
then suddenly...SPLAT!

Playground Poem

2011-04-20T14:30:00.000-05:00

On the
playground
I
swing
on the
swing
when
I
swing
it
makes
me feel
like I am
flying
flying
flying.
My feet
touch the
sky.
I go
up.
up.
up.
into
the sky.

Whirlycopters

2011-04-19T21:40:00.000-05:00

On Monday we did a lesson in science using whirlycopters. These paper creations are similar to helicopters and the seeds that fall from the maple trees. Students loved comparing the different copters, and I hope you had fun with the three versions at home.

My goal for this lesson was to not only look at motion, but also for the students to understand variables and that scientists need to perform an experiment more than once.

Weekly Update

2011-04-18T22:06:00.000-05:00

Monday’s
Musings

Welcome back to another full week of learning. I can’t believe that April is halfway over, and the end of the year is near. Here are some notes for the week:

Reading Workshop- continuing our fairy tale genre. This week we’ll be looking more at how authors weave different fairy tales together. We will be working on learning a script for a fairy tale play in the next couple of weeks. By Friday, we will have read through the script and assigned parts so that students can begin learning their lines over the weekend. Your child also should have brought home a paper on Friday which details the activities we are doing in class for guided reading. You will see this every Friday, and I hope it gives you more information about our everyday learning.

Writing Workshop-
today we wrote sensory poems based on emotions. Students will have time to work on
their free verse poetry for the rest of the month, but we will be focusing
more on specific types of poems this week such as haikus and concrete
poems. Soon we will practice reading and recording our poems, as well as famous ones, for you to upload to your favorite mp3 player.

Math Workshop- first grade is continuing their study of geometry and working on symmetry with pattern blocks this week. We will also be exploring tangrams after reading Grandfather Tang’s Story on Thursday. Second grade is beginning a review on fractions this week.

Science- today we did an experiment on
motion using whirlycopters. Students will be bringing home three
different designs to study for homework tonight. This is a very fun activity for the
whole family, so I hope you will be involved in testing the copters on
speed and rotation. You may keep the whirycopters at home. All that needs returned for homework is the worksheet with the chart on it.

Project- we are in stage two deciding on our areas of focus.

Wednesday is an early release day. Students will be released from school at 3 pm.

Please be sure to return spring picture orders if you are interested in purchasing them.

Germ Experiment

2011-04-12T08:37:00.005-05:00

Last week our expert, Mrs. Randle, left us some agar plates to conduct our own experiments. The students picked three places in the school to swab and see if anything grew on their plates. Here are their results.

This is the plate from the bathroom urinal handles.

This is what grew from the floor swabbing.

Here is the swabbing from the walls around the building.

The fuzzy growth is fungi, and the others are unknown at this time.

Weekly Update

2011-04-11T20:33:00.000-05:00

Monday’s Musings

q I hope everyone enjoyed our beautiful weather this weekend. It sure was nice to get outside and play in the sunshine. Here are some notes about the week ahead.

1. Reading Workshop: Focusing on more specific fairy tales and how authors merge multiple tales into one story. (For example, today we read the original story Shrek and compared it to the movies.) finishing up summarizing stories in paragraph form.

· guided reading groups this week include: Double Fudge, Freckle Juice, Henry and Mudge, Magic Tree House, and Animal Ark.

2. Writing Workshop: continue with poetry, focusing on rhythm and feelings

3. Spelling: first grade: shape words, second grade: vocabulary

4. Math Workshop- first grade: plane shapes in geometry, second grade: solid shapes and vocabulary.

5. Project: more phase two experiments, narrowing focus of inquiry for individuals and groups

q Planners are coming home today for all students. There will no longer be a weekly separate homework sheet for writing books read. Please record the books your child reads in the planner on each day under the section of reading. You should check the planner each night and initial it.

q Library books are due tomorrow (Tuesday)

q Celebration: we have reached 10 passports (compliments) and will be having a celebration tomorrow in which the children do not have to wear their shoes. Congratulations!!!

q Please check the blog if you have not done so recently, for news and photographs.

Germ Expert

2011-04-06T20:09:00.000-05:00

Today Mrs. Randle came to speak to our class about germs and her job. She works in a lab at Wishard Hospital which analyzes medicines to see how effective they are against strains of germs and also tests the cultures that are sent in from your doctor's office for things like strep, etc.

She brought in some agar plates that she had set up for us yesterday. On one, she had rubbed her hand on the bottom of her shoe and then placed her dirty hand on the agar. Then she washed her hands thoroughly and placed her clean hand on the other plate. Here are the results:

This is the agar plate that had the dirty handprint. It grew lots of germs: staph, fungi, and bacteria. The thumbprint was where all of the fuzzy growth is.

This is the agar plate with the handprint after washing her hands. It did not grow anything.

Students also made observational drawings of the agar plates and also of the microscope that she brought in. It had all the same pieces and parts as the microscopes we use here in the classroom, except it was biocular and an oil immerison microscope.

Students enjoyed looking at the prepared slides that our guest speaker brought to share. She also showed us a website that had animated characters that looked like real germs. The children really enjoyed seeing them come alive.

www.giantmicrobes.com

Geometry

2011-04-05T08:03:00.000-05:00

First grade students are currently learning about plane shapes. These are the 2-D shapes like circles, squares, rectangles, pentagons, etc. Today we did an activity called Hold and Fold that challenged the students to make as many shapes as they could out of a square piece of paper. We talked about congruency and symmetry, as well as the root words in the shapes like penta, hexa, etc.

Weekly Update

2011-04-04T08:01:00.000-05:00

Monday’s Musings

I am so glad to welcome everyone back from their vacation. I hope each of you enjoyed spending time with your children and families over the break. We have two months left of school, and so much to accomplish. April is sure to be one of my favorite months this year for teaching. Three of my favorite units will appear in April: geometry, poetry, and fairy tales. This week we will focus on:

1. Reading Workshop: The Three Little Pigs, summarizing stories in paragraph form.

2. Writing Workshop: begin poetry and looking at things through a poet’s eyes- not through a scientist’s eyes.

3. Spelling: more homonyms and self-selected words.

4. Math Workshop- first grade: plane shapes in geometry, second grade: solid shapes and vocabulary.

5. Project: phase two experiments, expert speaker on Wednesday.

q Scholastic book orders are due on Friday, April 8^th.

q Library books are due tomorrow (Tuesday)

q Toys…many of the students have been bringing in toys to play with, especially during indoor recess. Now that the weather is getting nicer, we will be going outside most days unless it is raining. Please have your child keep all toys and stuffed animals at home from now on unless it is a special celebration day.

q Shoes- Page 12 of the Student Handbook…For safety reasons students should wear shoes that will stay on their feet. Flip flops, things, backless shoes and platform shoes are unsafe and should not be worn at school.

Have a great week!

Weekly Update

2011-03-21T06:46:00.000-05:00

As we enter our last week before spring break, here are some reminders on what we will be working on this week.

Reading Workshop- mini-author study on Patricia Polacco
Writing Workshop- beginning mini-lessons on paragraph writing to include main idea and at least three supporting details.
Spelling- focus on homonyms and self- selected word study
Math Workshop-
~1st grade finishing up regrouping with subtraction
~2nd grade wrapping up geometry
Project- continue with phase two, experiments and surveys

Project Germs

2011-03-02T10:11:00.005-05:00

We are entering phase two of our project about "Germs". Today the students learned about the importance of handwashing and how easily germs are spread. I had received a germ glow light kit from Mrs. Bastin that has a bottle of fake germ powder that glows under a black light. We used this kit for our exeriments today.

First I passed around "Chester the Raccoon". I had liberally sprinkled the germ powder all over him. The students noticed he was dusty, but didn't think anything about it. After they had all touched him, I shared that Chester was sick and infected. That meant he had a lot of germs on him. We used the black light to see the germs on their hands. Even one student who had barely touched Chester still had enough germs on her hands to glow.

I had the students wash their hands, but told them not to use soap or warm water. They rinsed their hands quickly and dried them with paper towels as usual. They were surprised to see that there were still germs on their hands. We discussed how to properly wash our hands and how important it is to use soap, hot water, and scrub them for an appropriate time, etc.

When we looked at their hands this time, most of them had washed off all of the germs. However we were still able to see students who had not washed their wrists or under their fingernails. The interesting part for them was realizing that even though they washed their hands free of germs, there were germs now showing up in their hair, on their clothes, and especially on their faces. This let them see how much the germs had spread over their bodies in the short time since they had been infected.

Now that the student understand how to use this kit, we will be able to have them design their own experiment to test hypotheses.

April Willy: Illustrator Visit

2010-12-07T20:47:00.005-05:00

The students at our school were fortunate to have a visit from illustrator April Willy on Monday. Ms. Willy has illustrated such books as Three Cups, Full Moon Maxi, and others. She showed our young authors some drawing techniques, as well as read from some of her books. Students had the opportunity to recreate one of her drawings from the book Full Moon Maxi. She emphasized the importance of planning ahead and taking your time to do your best.

Please visit her website at http://www.aprilwilly.com/

Boxtop Store

2010-11-21T20:24:00.005-05:00

Students have been hard at work this week working on Project. They have cleaned out the bookstore space in order to organize their Boxtop Store. We still need to finalize our grant that they are writing to the PFO for more school supplies. The children also worked on advertising this week and wrote jingles and a script for a commercial. Mrs. Roy came and videotaped the children on Friday. We are all anxious to see the finished product. Some students also worked on print ads.

Writer's Celebration

2010-11-19T20:40:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who attended our first Writer's Celebration of the year. The students worked very hard on their All About books. Many of them too 3-4 weeks to complete their books, and did a lot of research before finishing them. I know you are as proud of them as I am.

Map of Asia

2010-11-17T20:35:00.000-05:00

We had a great time learning about Asia this week and exploring the giant room size map. Students practiced finding countries, mountains, bodies of water and more by playing Simon Says. We also learned a little bit about longitude and latitude. Did you know the tallest mountain is in Asia? Also, the largest lake by volume is located there.

Show me the Money

2010-11-16T21:28:00.002-05:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

We have been practicing making amounts of money in as many combinations as possible. Today we used a program on the smartboard and the students showed me their coins as each item for sale was displayed. We also practiced trying to make the amounts with the fewest and the greatest amount of coins possible. You can try this at home with real coins for even more everyday learning.

Curriculum Update

2010-11-02T12:38:00.003-05:00

Welcome to November! I hope everyone is enjoying our new chillier and brisk weather. The children are moping about having to wear jackets outside for recess now, but we are at least having some sunny days.

Reading Workshop- for reading this week we are working on context clues. Students also have letters and a response sheet to complete in class on a book of their choosing. Many students have moved up a reading level since our last reading conference, and I am pleased with the growth I have observed. We also started some new centers this week that include the listening center, big books, partner reading, computer, and word games.

Writing Workshop- this is our second week working on our All About books. I am overwhelmed with the variety of meaningful topics this class has chosen to write about. I see such wonderful connections between their writing and lives. We have included diagrams and another "different" kind of comparison page to our books.

Math Workshop- Among the many groups that exist for math, one group is continuing on with number sense: even/odd, comparing and ordering numbers, another group is working on number riddles and trickier word problems related to number sense, and the third group has begun money.

Project- We are deep in phase two of project, finishing up our market research. Next I hope to begin moving and setting up the store. We will also be working on writing some scripts to begin creating some commercials to promote the store.

Walk-About

2010-10-29T14:34:00.001-05:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

What a fun time was had by all on our annual Walk-About! I always enjoy connecting with families and students this day, and was pleased by the turnout we had. It was a little chilly, but I think we all survived. Students also learned some fun facts about water as they finished the event. Thank you to our PFO for their organizational skills! I hear the students raised quite a bit of money that will be put to good use by the school.

Math Conceptual Unit

2010-10-25T23:07:00.000-05:00

We have started a new conceptual unit in math this week. Students are learning about comparing, ordering, and even & odd. We took a pre-test today to see what everyone's starting point is, and will divide into groups from there. After our test, the students practiced comparing numbers with a game. We will work on this same concept tomorrow with a different, but related game, and start more traditional paper pencil work as well. Remember, every unit begins with hands-on learning moving towards paper/pencil activities. Every day students will practice math facts, complete a DMR (Daily Math Review), participate in a mini-lesson, and play menu math games to reinforce the core curriculum concept.

A picture of our Math Vocabulary Wall

Pajama Day

2010-09-20T11:41:00.000-05:00

On Monday the class had earned 21 compliments and voted to have pajama day as their reward. They had lots of fun and we still managed to get in all of our regular activities like Reading and Writing Workshop.

Choice Time

2010-09-07T14:36:00.002-05:00

In previous years I have assigned centers each morning for the students to complete as they arrive at school. This gives all children something to work on as soon as they come to the classroom, and is especially effective for those who are arriving at staggered times.

This year I am trying something a little different, and giving the students more say in what they do in the morning. We still have centers, but we are calling it "Choice Time" because the children get to pick what they work on. I have been keeping notes aobut what they choose, and it is interesting to see how they make their decidions. Some people pick the same thing everyday, and others pick different activites. Some students choose what their friends pick, but many are completely independent in their choices. Typical activities include: reading, writing/drawing, listening center, legos, computers, art, math drawers, project work, etc.

Popular choices today were: painting outside, store (project), computers, and legos. Reading and writing are usually top choices, but apparently not today :)

Caterpillars

2010-09-02T12:46:00.007-05:00

Mrs. Laudadio brought in some new critters to our classroom this week. We have quite a few caterpillars making a home here. They eat dill weed, and are getting fatter every day. One has started his pupa stage already. These caterpillars look very similar to Monarch Butterfly larvae, but they are fact another butterfly variety called an Eastern Black Swallowtail.

For more information on the species click here:

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1356

Musical Math

2010-08-31T15:25:00.004-05:00

We have continued our learning of addition and subtraction strategies for math. Today we practiced counting on and counting back again, using some instruments. Students had fun using them to count each number that was added or subtracted. A bonus was that they couldn't use their fingers, something I had not thought of when I planned the lesson. They truly had to think and try to hold the numbers in their heads, even though the music was helping.

Doubles Painting

2010-08-30T15:15:00.000-05:00

In math we are continuing to explore addition and subtraction. Today we worked on adding a doubles fact. A double is the same number added together, like 5+5 or 7+7. Students then used that knowledge when they were painting and predicted the answer before folding their papers. Each side was covered by the same picture and the students wrote an equation to match the painting.

Attribute Shapes

2010-08-27T15:27:00.000-05:00

We have been learning about how things are the same and how they are different. Students have been comparing the attribute shapes by color, size, shape, and thickness. They are trying to decide how many shapes there really are, and I noticed that the triangles are confusing them. There are more than one type of triangle, and they are in different sizes. The discussion today revolved around the students trying to convince each other on how many unique triangles existed in the set.

Math

2010-08-24T18:12:00.000-05:00

In math we have started some groupings and while some children remain with me in our classroom, other students go to one of the other Primary STRETCh classrooms for their daily math instruction. In our classroom, the children are learning about computation and learning their addition and subtraction math facts. One way to help the children learn their facts is to let them really explore and work with the numbers. We try to be very hands-on and let the students understand the "whys" behind the learning instead of just memorizing facts.

2010-08-23T15:07:00.000-05:00

Today we read the book All the Colors of the Earth. We continued our talk about how people and things are alike and different. This book focused on skin color and hair and described them in such rich beautiful language. Students used the skin tone paint to create their personal skin color and then we compared them. We wrote about ourselves and shared our similarities and differences regarding talents, appearance, likes, and dislikes.

First Day of School

2010-08-17T15:34:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful first day of school. The first day is always filled with procedures and rules, but I tried to add some other fun little activities in also. We read a story about another first day of school called, Brand-new Pencils, Brand-new Books, and talked about what made the book a fiction book. I was impressed at the students’ predicting and inferencing skills throughout the story.

We did not get to play on the playground for recess, but we still went outside and played in the yard outside the classroom. Students had fun playing tag, catching bugs, and writing on the sidewalk with chalk. Afterwards we met as a Primary STRETCH team in Mrs. Merchant’s room and discussed with the children how we will rotate for math. This will not start until next week however.

Students reviewed Mary Castle Expectations and procedures for Related Arts today. Tomorrow they will begin with Spanish. This afternoon students will have a chance to play a math game and practice Reading Workshop. I will begin assessing their reading levels later this week.

For homework tonight, please have your child practice and memorize the lunch code. Your child will use this every day, either in the café or on the computer to log on. It helps the lunch line move more smoothly when everyone is prepared.

There was some confusion with the supply list this year. We had hoped to use the Primary STRETCH list for grades 1-3, but some families used the general school list. Please review the Primary list and see if there is anything you may still need to purchase. I apologize for this inconvenience.

I will see everyone tomorrow.

New Classroom

2010-08-15T23:54:00.001-05:00

I have been working hard on getting our classroom ready for this school year. I found out Friday night that we will be in a new classroom, and not the science lab like anticipated. We are now located in pod 3, room 304. This weekend was spent moving all of the materials into the new space and making it nice for all of you. The exciting news about this classroom is that we have a smartboard. I can't wait to start using it with the students.

Meet Us on Monday is tomorrow, Monday the 16th from 4pm-6pm. You are welcome to bring your school supplies with you and leave them in the classroom. I can't wait to see you all, and am looking forward to meeting your family. See you soon!

School Supply List

2010-08-01T12:14:00.002-05:00

Here is a copy of the supply list for Primary STRETCH. That includes grades 1-3.

1- clear view (front pocket) 1 in. binder

1- ream white copy paper

1- sturdy plastic pocket folders (green, red, blue)

1- composition notebook*

1- spiral notebook/wide ruled (with pockets)*

1- 8” x 5” plastic art box *

1- set of Prang watercolor paints*

2- boxes of 24 crayons

1- set of 8 washable classic colored markers

1- set of colored pencils

4- boxes #2 pencils (sharpen 1 box if possible)

2- pink erasers

4- glue sticks

1- bottle of rubber cement

1- 12 in. wood ruler (in./cm.)*

1- pair of Fiskars scissors*

1- box of facial tissues

* Please write name with permanent marker

Summer Greetings

2010-06-23T11:59:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone! I have missed you, and have enjoyed the chance encounters I have had so far this summer running into students when we are out and about. Even though it's summer, I have been working hard attending meetings and doing staff development. We will be moving to a new classroom this fall, and right now it is a mess! Soon I will be posting supply lists and class information. I may even be able to show you what our new classroom looks like. I hope you are all having fun and playing outside a lot. Remember to read and I will see you soon!

Dr. Seuss Day

2010-03-02T14:20:00.003-05:00

Today is the birthday of a beoved author and illustrator, Dr. Seuss. Our class celebrated his birthday, as well as had our compliment party by wearing pajamas and slippers all day at school. Students were treated to a Dr. Seuss lunch with green eggs and ham.

We did many different activities in class to commemorate this great man. Students listened to The Cat and the Hat book and completed a writing prompt about how they would react if the Cat visited their house. I also created a packet of activities filled with puzzles and information. During indepedent work time, students could choose from a list of activities including listening to a book on tape, jigsaw puzzles, board games, Suessville.com online, a crossword puzzle, and others.

Writing Friendly Letters

2010-02-16T16:06:00.003-05:00

Today in Writing Workshop we learned about how to write Friend'y Letters. Students used this time to practice their new knowledge to send a thank you letter to Dr. Jay thanking him for his visit a week ago. I am very happy with the thought and care that the children put into their letters to him. I am sure he will be pleased to receive them soon.

Valentine/Friendship Day

2010-02-12T16:03:00.001-05:00

Chinese New Year

2010-02-11T15:59:00.000-05:00

Today we had a guest speaker who taught the students about Chinese New Year. They enjoyed hearing about the beast who was afraid of the color red, and practiced saying some words and phrases in Chinese. Learning about another culture and their customs was intriguing to the students and we are grateful to our parent volunteer who shared about his family's life.

Dr. Jay

2010-02-08T15:54:00.000-05:00

We have been working on learning about teeth as part of our latest project. Dr. Jay came and visited our classroom to help us answer questions we had about our mouths and teeth. We learned that we should brush our teeth in small circles, molars are prone to getting cavities and that teeth are stronger than bones.

Colts Pep Rally

2010-02-05T15:52:00.000-05:00

The school had a pep rally to cheer on the Colts at the Superbowl. It was fun

to see almost everyone dressed in their blue and white.

Flat Stanley

2010-01-22T12:48:00.008-05:00

Students in our class took home a Flat Stanley over winter break, and have been returning him complete with some great adventures and stories. Apparently Stanley has visited lots of places recently.

First we sent him off with Mrs. Williams when she traveled to Hawaii. He had lots of fun kayaking, water sliding, tubing, and going on a zipline through the jungle. Then he was off to visit some new friends in New Jersey. He had lots of fun in their kindergarten class.

Flat Stanley also did a lot with our students here in town. He made cookies, slid down banisters, played with the family pets, went to Sam's Club, played piano, visited a poinsettia farm, and even met Santa Claus when he was delivering presents.

He also took some trips out of town and went skiing, before heading off to Panama City beach.

I know Stanley is up for more adventures, and we can't wait to hear what else he has been doing on his travels.

Teeth Drawings

2010-01-21T13:07:00.002-05:00

This week for project work we did observational drawings of our own mouths. Students used mirrors to draw their teeth as best they could. Some of them counted their teeth to make sure the correct number was included in their depictions.

Students also worked on conducting surveys within our own class and have come up with many questions they are working to answer in the coming weeks.

Help for Haiti

2010-01-18T13:16:00.000-05:00

For the remainder of January and throughout the month of February, Mary Castle will be donating 100% of the proceeds collected through Box Top’s to help with the relief of Haiti. Please continue collecting your Box Top’s and attach them to the form that will be coming home with your child. For each form you return to Mary Castle, $1.00 will be collected for assistance and relief. What a great opportunity to get involved and help make a difference in the countless lives of those that need our help the most. Thank you for your support!

Also we will work with the Red Cross an international organization as we collect coins and donations from our students, staff and parents. Beginning next week we will have Spirit Days in which students can participate by making donations of any amount. A penny, any coin or amount is appreciated.

Tues. Jan. 19th Hats Day
Wed. Jan. 20th TEAM Day
Thurs. Jan. 21st Slippers and Socks Day (Bring these items to school to wear in the classroom)
Fri. Jan. 22nd Mis-Match Day

Friday, January 29th we will sell popcorn for 25 cents. Our first Popcorn Friday will be organized by the students in Pam Hasse’s classroom.

MLK

2010-01-15T15:33:00.002-05:00

Today we began discussion about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was. We read a book about why we celebrate this important holiday and I reminded the children we would not be in school on Monday. We also talked extensively about how things have changed, how they used to be versus today. This is usually a very hard concept to understand since the students don't have much experience with prejudice. We also watched a video that was given to me by a parent years ago called "Our Friend Martin" It shows some very realistic and sad portayals of what life was like and could have been like had Dr. King not changed things. I talked about the events in the movie several times, and stopped at two points to emphasize what I wanted them to understand. We will be discussing Dr. King in more depth next week as well.

Place Value

2010-01-13T15:46:00.005-05:00

We have started a new unit in Math Workshop on place value. Place value is part of number sense, and helps us understand counting, writing, and grouping numbers. It will provide a foundation for students to work with bogger numbers as we learn double digit addition and subtraction.

For this unit we will be using a Marilyn Burns Replacement unit. It is very hands on, and has a lot of writing in it as well. So far we have talked about the 0-99 chart and patterns the children have noticed. They have practiced different grouping strategies, with an emphasis on grouping by tens. Yesterday we learned how to play two new menu math games: Cover a Flat and $ Signs. The first is played much like Race for a Dollar and involves rolling a die and exchanging groups of 10 cubes for a stick worth the same amount. Whoever can get 10 sticks to trade in for a flat wins the game. $ Signs has the children using the clock to time 1 minute increments, and then counting the $ signs they draw in that amount of time. Counting is done two different ways and is encouraged to be grouped in tens once again. We will be learning other games in the weeks to come to practice these skills.

Veterans Day Poppies

2009-11-17T15:02:00.004-05:00

We learned about Veterans Day last week and made poppies to honor our servicemen.

"Veterans Day: In 1918 on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the war of all war was declared at an end. November 11th was set aside as Armistice Day in the United States, to remember the sacrifices that men and women made during World War I in order to ensure a lasting peace. In 1958 this holiday was renamed Veterans Day in the US.

The Poppy was chosen to honor Veterans because it reminds us of a place called Flanders Field in Belgium where many soldiers from the first World War died in a bloody battle in a field of poppies. The poppies grow there between the crosses that mark their graves.
On Veterans' Day and Memorial Day, groups raise funds for their charitable activities by selling paper poppies made by disable veterans. A Poppy is a red flower which is worn to show others that you are remembering those who died for their country. "

Money Games

2009-10-27T15:01:00.005-05:00

This week in math we started a new unit of focus on money. Although we will still be doing some worksheets during this study, many of our activities will be based on role playing and manipulative games. We learned two new games today to practice recognizing coins and exchanging values of coins.

In the sock game two students play together and take turns reaching into a sock to pull out a coin. The other student is challenged to find the same coin just by touch. It sounds like a very simple game, but the kids really love playing it. In the process they internalize the names of the coins quickly.

The second game is called Race for a Dollar. Students take turns rolling a die and getting coins on each turn. For example if a 4 is rolled, then the student takes 4 pennies and places them on his game board. In each turn more coins are added to the board, and students trade in pennies for nickels and dimes, then quarters, and eventually a dollar. Whoever makes the dollar first wins the game. This game helps students learn about money combinations and equivalencies.

Frog Pond Game

2009-10-20T13:58:00.004-05:00

We have begun playing a new menu math game today to encourage logical thinking. The Frog Pond Game is an adaptation of a Chinese logic game. It encourages students to think creatively, look for patterns related to the number ten, and refine strategies based on change. The game consists of a game board and 10 plastic frogs that are placed on the lilly pads. The two students take turns picking up either one or two frogs on their turn. It is their choice of how many to select. The goal is to be the person who picks up the last 1 or 2 frogs.

Butterfly Release

2009-10-19T23:46:00.000-05:00

Today we said good-bye to our butterflies. We had 9 caterpillars spin chrysalises, and we waited patiently for them to emerge in the butterfly pavillion. Five of the butterflies were released today, but unfortunately not all of them survived. The students were very excited to crawl inside the tent with the insects. They loved seeing them up close.

We are finalizing our insect book this week and I hope to have it shipped and bound over Fall Break. I for one am glad to finally be done with all the little critters in our classroom. Thank you for your support, and for graciously sending in bugs for the last few weeks. I know the children have enjoyed this project and learned so much.

Pumpkins

2009-10-16T14:53:00.003-05:00

Today First Grade had another Fun Friday rotation and we learned about pumpkins. Did you know that the largest pumpkin ever recorded weighed as much as a small car?

Students practiced estimating and graphing today, as well as subtraction word problems. We learned about the life cycle of pumpkins too.

Eric Carle Painting

2009-10-14T20:23:00.002-05:00

We had so much fun being messy and creating our Eric Carle paper. We will soon be starting our book about insects using this paper. Students finger painted, marble rolled, made collages, spatter painted, and used brushes to paint their designs. Look at some of our work.

Thank you to Mrs. Rich who was our parent volunteer who helped out, and to Mrs. Simmons the art teacher who loaned us her room for the afternoon.

Walk-a-Thon

2009-10-13T08:09:00.000-05:00

We finally had our walk-a-thon on Tuesday. Fortunately the weather turned out beautiful, and we were able to enjoy the activities. The students were very excited to see their parents and guests. The walk-a-thon is the biggest fundraiser for the school and the PFO uses the money to provide teachers materials and field trips. Thank you for all your support!

Insect Project

2009-10-01T19:58:00.000-05:00

We have been working hard on our insect project and learning about lots of different kinds of critters. Today the students used the paint program on the computer to draw different insects. We also took time in the afternoon to do some research and conduct surveys. They asked the other classes questions about animals that are commonly mistaken for insects like worms, spiders, etc. The they used a new program on the computer to create graphs showing their results.

Insect Expert

2009-09-21T13:51:00.004-05:00

Today Mrs. Wright from the Indy Parks department visited our classroom to talk to the students about insects. The children have been busy finding insects almost every day and some are bringing them to school to share. Today we learned about the different body parts of insects and sang a song to help us remember and identify them. We also went outside to look for insects and found many great specimens. Some of the critters the students found were: moths, butterflies, crickets, grasshoppers, cicadas, and a roly poly. We decided the roly poly wasn't really an insect because it had more than six legs. We also learned that all bugs are insects, but not all insects are bugs.

Fun Friday: Apples

2009-09-18T14:05:00.004-05:00

Today was another Fun Friday in first grade. This time our focus was apples. We did many activites for math and patterns, We read books about apples and watched a Reading Rainbow video about apples and cooking. Students also got to enjoy an applesauce treat at the end of the day. Yum!

We also found a huge praying mantis during our spelling test today. We kept it in our classroom for the afternoon, but decided to let it go at the end of the day. I was worried it might have babies over the weekend, and I did not want to return to class on Monday to a room full of tiny insects. My father found one once when he was a small boy and put it in a showbox in his closet. My grandmother found the box a while later and hundreds of baby bugs flew out scaring her senseless!

Yoga

2009-09-17T14:14:00.004-05:00

Today in class we did some yoga poses. The students really enjoyed doing the different exercises. Their favorite was the one that had them standing on one foot and reaching one hand to the ceiling. Some of us were very wobbly, but everyone had a lot of fun. We will be doing more of this once the weather turns colder and we are unable to go outside.

Doubles Painting

2009-09-11T14:20:00.000-05:00

We have been learning about computation class the couple of weeks. One strategy that helps the students is using what they know about doubles to solve other problems. A double is a problem such as 5+5 or 8+8. We practiced our double facts by painting and making prints.

Fun Friday: Bubbles

2009-09-04T14:53:00.002-05:00

Today students learned about bubbles. All of the first graders gathered together this morning to hear a bubble story. Each teacher had a different activity in their classroom related to bubbles. In my classroom, the students did a measuring activity and used the results to complete a puzzle. They also were given a piece of bubble gum and we tested to see who could and could not blow a bubble, as well as who could blow the biggest bubble. Another room had the students blowing traditional soap bubbles which they then got to take home. They also blew bubbles in another station, but this time used a straw and a bowl of soap to create mountains of bubbles. The final teacher created bubble and frog puppets to connect to the story we read this morning. We sang songs and read poems about bubbles, graphed our favorite activity, and watched a bubble movie that helped us learn about surface tension and why bubbles are round. They really liked seeing the experiments with the people inside the bubbles.

It was a great day for all!

Insects

2009-09-04T14:33:00.006-05:00

Today we started our FOSS kits and our new unit on insects. Each student received 3-4 mealworms to keep on their table area. We will be watching to see what changes occur over the next few months. (Don't tell them if you know what's going to happen.) We made lots of observations today and noticed our mealworms have segments, six legs, and either mouthparts or antennae. We learned that they need air, water, food, and space to live. Students will be documenting their observations in their science journals as we progress through this unit.

Germs Make Me Sick

2009-09-01T19:08:00.001-05:00

We have been talking a lot in class about staying healthy. We frequently wash our hands during the day, and students are expected to use hand sanitizer each time they enter the room (morning, after recess, after specials, etc.) We have reviewed how to properly cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough and how to avoid spreading germs. Today we watched a Reading Rainbow movie called "Germs Make Me Sick". The students were excited to see live germs and learned some valuable information from the film.

Please remember that if your child is sick, that they must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school. As much as I want all the students to be here in class, I would rather they stay home and recuperate. I am hoping that with the recent headlines about flu season and H1N1, we will be able to remain healthy and it will not be the pandemic it is predicted to be.

I do not typically send home make-up work unless the child is absent for several days. Most of it can be made up in class, although much of what we do revolves around classroom discussions, games and activities that can't be done at home. If you are looking for ways to occupy your child while they are home, they can practice their reading, write a story about being sick, or practice their math facts. This depends on how they are feeling though, and is not to say I am encouraging you to make your child do homework.

I wish you all a safe and healthy year.

Golden Tickets

2009-08-26T07:20:00.000-05:00

As we have been talking about the Mary Castle Expectations, we have implemented our school wide positive behavior program. If a teacher sees a student following the expectations, he or she can give that child a golden ticket as a reward. These tickets will be placed in a bucket in the office and drawn each day. Those whose tickets are drawn will have their picture taken and name announced on the morning announcements. Many of our students in first grade have already earned their first golden ticket!

Reminders

2009-08-24T09:21:00.001-05:00

~Green folders should be emptied daily and returned with just the homework reading sheet. I would like to see what your child is reading each night.
~Please be sure to send lunch money with your child each week.
~Spelling test will be on Friday. I will read the words to your child and s/he will write them down on a paper. This week all the children have the same words, but next week they will be different.
~Daily snacks may be sent in with your child. Feel free to keep a couple day's worth in the backpack, but tell your child not to eat them all at once. One snack is all that is needed each day, not fruit and a granola bar.
~Mondays and Wednesday are PE days, so don't forget to wear tennis shoes.

Great Thinking

2009-08-19T20:01:00.003-05:00

One area we focus on in STRETCH is the students' thinking skills. We have many games and activities for the children to choose from, and I also plan lessons to teach specific skills and strategies. For example, we will learn about chess later this year, reasoning, and different kinds of logic. This week I have a pattern set displayed and the students were challenged to create as many different designs as possible. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were building in 3D rather than making a flat design. This is the first time I have seen this in first grade using these specific materials and I was rather impressed. Here are some of there creations.

First Day of School

2009-08-18T21:30:00.004-05:00

I am happy to have shared a great first day of school with my new students. We made new friends today, and saw some old buddies from kindergarten as well. A lot of today revolved around discussing the Mary Castle Expectations, and going over procedures in our classroom. We practiced lining up and walking in the hallway.

We also read the book Chrysanthemum, and talked about our own names. We played a game to learn our friends' names and how they are spelled, and we also made a class graph to show how many letters each name contained.

I am hopeful that the buses run smoother tomorrow and students arrive home safely and on time. Everyday they should get better. See you all soon!

Student Assessment

2009-07-23T13:45:00.000-05:00

The first grade teachers will be assessing all incoming first graders just before school starts this year. This will help us make decisions regarding your child’s reading and writing levels, and will allow us to match students with “just right” books from day one. We may also complete a short math evaluation as well if there is enough time left. This process will take approximately 20-30 minutes per child. If you are able to attend, please stop by Mary Castle Elementary on Friday, August 7th. I will be assessing students from 9am–12pm and from 2pm-6pm, in the Media Center. If you would like to reserve a specific time, please call the MEC office at 849-5672. You may also email me at michellesmelser@msdlt.k12.in.us. I hope to see you there.

News Pics

2009-06-15T22:50:00.003-05:00

New photos have been added to the class Shutterfly site. You will need your password sent out by Mrs. Dorsey to access it. I will try to add the rest of the photos I have saved at school sometime this week.

Hope you are enjoying your summer!

Summer Library Hours

2009-06-11T21:57:00.001-05:00

Don't forget that you can visit the school library during the month of June. Open hours are every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30-5:30. The whole family can check out books and take quizzes on the computer. You might also want to practice math facts while you are there.

Theme Days & Thinking Skills

2009-05-22T21:43:00.006-05:00

I think the students enjoyed the different themed days this week. On Tuesday we had silly sock day. On Wednesday it was hat day. Thursday was sports day, and today many students dressed as their favorite book character. They were lucky enough to have Miss Viola Swamp as their substitute today too.

We have had a busy week preparing for the end of the year. One thing we have been working on this week is Thinking Skills. We revisited analogies, and did a couple new ones too. Logic Links was a game using clues and deduction that the students really enjoyed on Thursday. We also worked on some more logic grids that we started a couple weeks ago.

Field Day

2009-05-21T13:36:00.000-05:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Teacher Appreciation Thank You

2009-05-11T14:25:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to thank you all again for the wonderful time I had last week. I really enjoyed the children's gifts of cards, books, sweet treats, and others. I am so fortunate to have such caring and thoughtful friends and students. Although the year is not over quite yet, I know I am sad to see the children growing up and preparing to leave first grade. It has been a fantastic year, and I have watched the students learn and accomplish so much. These last two weeks will fly by, so I hope I have the chance to tell each of you goodbye before summer. If not, then I wish you well, and I hope to see you in the fall.