Weekly Update

Hi Everyone,

What a way to end last week!  Thank you to those of you able to attend our Poet's Tea today. It is hands-down my favorite event of the year.  I am heading into these last three weeks feeling bittersweet...so pleased with how far the kids have come; so sad it's almost time to say goodbye.  

First Grade Music Program:
Our Music Program is Wednesday, May 30th at 7 pm in the Pinebrook gym.  Your child should arrive to the Pinebrook cafeteria no later than 6:45 pm wearing blue jeans and a white shirt.  You may drop your child at our lunch table in the cafeteria, and then proceed to the gym to find your seat.  After the program, I will return to the our lunch table with the kids; please pick your child up from the cafeteria.

Field Day:

Our 1st Grade Field Day will be Tuesday, June 5th from 8:15 am - 12:00 pm. During Field Day, students rotate through various stations set up by our PE teachers, Mr. McPherson and Mr. Lose.  Some stations are inside, some are outside, and some involve water play.  Please watch next week's Thursday folder for specific information about how to prepare for Field Day.

End of Year Celebration:

Our 1st Grade End of Year Celebration will be Friday, June 8th at 11:30 am in our classroom. All families are invited.  More details and a food permission slip to follow.  

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will continue reading Charlotte's Web, which is becoming a class favorite!
• Writing:  We will work on a 1st Grade Memories book.
• Math:  We will continue our measurement unit.
• Science:  We will finish our study of plants.  We will talk about what plants need to grow, identify the parts of a plant, discuss each part's function, and learn about the life cycle of a plant.  Students will bring home their plants.

I hope to see you at our Music Performance on Wednesday!

Weekly Update

Hi Everyone!

Happy Friday!  I am looking forward to time at home at the end of this rainy week. It seems to be a good weekend for a movie marathon.  :)

Homework Update:
There will be no more written homework for the year.  We will continue to review previously learned sight words at school.  Please continue to have your child read each night!

Poet's Tea:
Our Poet's Tea will be Friday, May 25th from 10:45 - 11:30 am in our classroom.   All families are welcome.  I've told the kids the tea is a "fancy" event, so they are welcome to come to school in their fancy clothes that day. During the tea, the kids will each read at least one poem from their poetry anthologies.  After, I will serve cookies, juice, and water.  I sent home a food permission slip today; please kindly return it on Monday.  You are welcome to stay and eat lunch with your child after the tea, or to keep him/her company during lunch.  If you stay through our lunch period, please plan to say goodbye to your child at 12:10 pm in the cafeteria.  This is when our lunch is over, and our normal instructional day resumes.  As an aside, and for my planning purposes, if you know your child will not be in school on the day of the tea, will you kindly let me know?  

First Grade Music Program:
A friendly reminder that our First Grade Music Program will be Wednesday, May 30th at 7:00 pm in the gym at school.  Students should report to the cafeteria no later than 6:45 pm dressed in blue jeans and a white shirt.  The students are working very hard in Music class to prepare for the program.  They are excited to showcase their efforts!

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will synthesize the good reader strategies we have learned this year as I continue to read aloud Charlotte's Web.
• Writing:  We will finish our Poetry anthologies in anticipation of our Poet's Tea. 
• Math:  We will finish our Money unit.  We will count groups of coins.   
• Science:  We will continue our study of plants.  We will talk about what plants need to grow, identify the parts of a plant, discuss each part's function, and learn about the life cycle of a plant.

Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

Have a super weekend!  Stay dry!

Weekly Update

Hello Everyone; Happy Friday!

As Teacher Appreciation Week winds down,  please allow me to say that I am honored to teach your children each day, and I thank you for all the support and communication. Thank you to those of you who donated towards the PTA events for the teachers. They were wonderful!   :)

Meantime, the kids are busy practicing for the International Music Program on May 30th and prepping for our Poet's Tea on May 25th.  It's a busy time of year! 

I have just a few things for you this week...

4th Quarter Interim Progress Reports:
4th Quarter Interim Progress Reports ("interims") will be issued Wednesday, May 16th.  If your child receives an interim, it will be emailed to you on Wednesday, May 16th using the email address on file in your ParentVue account.  You can update and/or verify your email address by logging into your ParentVue account.  

Poet's Tea:
Our Poet's Tea will be Friday, May 25th from 10:45 - 11:30 am in our classroom.   All families are welcome.  I've told the kids the tea is a "fancy" event, so they are welcome to come to school in their fancy clothes that day. During the tea, the kids will each read at least one poem from their poetry anthologies.  After, I will serve cookies, juice, and water.  (Food permission form to follow.)  You are welcome to stay and eat lunch with your child after the tea, or to keep him/her company during lunch.  If you stay through our lunch period, please plan to say goodbye to your child at 12:10 pm in the cafeteria.  This is when our lunch is over, and our normal instructional day resumes.  As an aside, and for my planning purposes, if you know your child will not be in school on the day of the tea, will you kindly let me know?  

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will synthesize the good reader strategies we have learned this year as I begin to read aloud one of my favorite children's classics, Charlotte's Web.
• Writing:  We will begin our Poetry anthologies in anticipation of our Poet's Tea. 
• Math:  We will continue our Money unit.  We will count groups of coins.   
• Science:  We will begin our study of plants.  We will talk about what plants need to grow, identify the parts of a plant, discuss each part's function, and learn about the life cycle of a plant.

Questions, comments, and feedback are always welcome!

Donor's Choose Request- Wobble While You Work!

Hi Parents, 

Teaching first grade is the best job ever! I absolutely love what I do, and I embrace all the challenges that come with it. One big challenge is finding ways to keep my students’attention for prolonged periods of time. First graders’attention spans are short and their little bodies are in constant motion! To that end, I am moving toward a flexible seating classroom environment.  With flexible seating, students aren’t confined to traditional desks and chairs.  Instead, they choose a workspace based on their individual physical needs…think standing desks, wiggle cushions, stability balls, yoga mats, scoop rockers, and more! There is a lot of research out there that supports flexible seating. 

While it’s counterintuitive to think that a classroom can be calmer, quieter, and more productive with kids on the floor, on wobble stools, and on stability balls, research supports this is a more effective way for students to learn.  Bodies in motion = minds in motion! I have seen it with my own eyes in many of the classrooms at Pinebrook, and I am ready to introduce this initiative in my own classroom.  To help in the acquisition of these flexible seating choices, I have created a crowd funding project with an organization called Donors Choose.  Donors Choose is specifically for teachers trying to raise funds for various classroom projects and needs.  Please will you consider donating to my project to bring flexible seating to our classroom? You can click the link below to view my project and make a tax-deductible donation.  If you give to my project in the next 7 days, Donors Choose will match any donation up to $50.  For me to receive this match, you must enter the promo code RIPPLE on the Donors Choose check out page.  If you are feeling especially generous, and plan to donate more than $50, please separate your donation into amounts of $50 or less.  Use the RIPPLE code for Donors Choose to match each of your donations.  This will help me fund my project even faster! Thank you so much for considering this request. 

https://www.donorschoose.org/project/wiggle-while-you-work/3289425/?utm_source=dc&utm_medium=directlink&utm_campaign=teacherhub&utm_term=teacher_5353599&rf=directlink-dc-2018-05-teacherhub-teacher_5353599&challengeid=21176140

Weekly Update

Hi Everyone!

Happy Friday!  It finally feels like Spring and Summer!  It's been wonderful to leave our jackets inside and enjoy  recess in the warm sunshine!

Following is your weekly update... 

Mark Your Calendar for Our Poet's Tea:
Please mark your calendar for our Poet's Tea on Friday, May 25th from 10:45 - 11:30 am in our classroom.  All families are welcome.  The tea is the culminating event in our poetry unit.  During the tea, each student will read at least one poem from his/her poetry anthology.  After, I will serve cookies, juice, and water.  (Food permission form to follow.)  I've told the kids the tea is a "fancy" event, so they are welcome to come to school in their fancy clothes that day.  You are welcome to stay and eat lunch with your child after the tea, or to keep him/her company during lunch.  If you stay through our lunch period, please plan to say goodbye to your child in the cafeteria at 12:10 pm.  This is when our lunch is over, and our normal instructional day resumes.

Pinebrook Mission Survey:
Earlier this week, Mr. Thiessen emailed a survey to the Pinebrook community to gather your thoughts about our school's mission/vision.  If you haven't completed the survey, you can do so by clicking HERE.

Spring Pictures:
If your child had his/her individual picture taken last month, please follow the enclosed directions if you would like to purchase any of the portraits.  If you do not wish to purchase any pictures, please return all the pictures to school with your child.  

End of Year Literacy Testing:
I am continuing our end-of-year literacy testing.  Please be sure your child is reading every day...weekends included.  Your child should read out loud to practice decoding and fluency, and then practice retelling the story in sequence using characters' names and providing as many details as possible.  Ask your child to make a connection to the story.  Ask about the author's message...What is the author trying to teach us in the story?  Ask your child to identify his/her favorite part and state why.   

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will talk about the sequence of events in stories.  We will retell story events using the words "first", "next", "then", and "last."
• Writing:  We will continue exploring poetry and poetry writing.
• Math:  We will continue our Money unit.  We will explore features of coins and practice counting groups of coins.
• Social Studies:  We will work on a super secret project for the moms. :)

Please reach out with questions, comments, or feedback.  


Enjoy your weekend!