Weekly Update

Hello First Grade Families!

Can you get over the weather this week?! We enjoyed some extra recess on Tuesday and Wednesday so we could enjoy the sunshine. I hope you were able to enjoy it too! :) It sounds like the kiddos spend some extra time outside at home as well!

Pinebrook STEAM Expo:
STEAM Expo is coming Friday, March 2nd! This is our last call for volunteers and materials for this fun day. If you are able to help, please volunteer by clicking HERE.

Read Across American Spirit Week:
In honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday on Friday, March 2nd, we will celebrate Read Across America Week all next week at school. Each day has a special book and theme to celebrate both Dr. Seuss and the joy of reading:

• Monday: Whoville--Crazy Hair Day
• Tuesday: Fox in Socks--Wear Wacky Socks Day
• Wednesday: Cat in the Hat--Crazy Hat Day
• Thursday: The Sleep Book--Pajama Day
• Friday: The Places You'll Go--College Shirt Day

Pinebrook Read-a-Thon:

Monday, February 26th will mark the start of our Pinebrook Read-a-Thon. All money raised will be used to purchase books for classroom libraries and additional reading resources. Please refer to the flyer I sent home yesterday in your child's Thursday folder for complete information about the Read-a-Thon. At this point, please concentrate on helping your child create his/her personal fundraising page, which he/she will use to track both reading time and donations. I will give 2 Puma Paws to any student who creates his/her personal page. 

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading- We will wrap up our Nonfiction reading unit by learning to bring our reading to life and sound like and expert in a topic. 
• Writing- We will continue to work on writing small moment stories with independence
• Math- We will continue our place value unit and learn to compare and contrast with greater than, less than, and equal to
• Science-Students are researching a Virginia animal to create a presentation
• Social Studies- We will continue to learn about Famous Americans like George Washington Carver, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington.

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

I'm not sure about the weather this weekend, but I hope you have something fun planned! :) 

Weekly Update

Hello Parents,

We had so much fun at our Valentine's Day Party and during our 100th Day Celebration! I hope you enjoyed the pictures on our Twitter. All the students tell me that celebrating the 100th Day was their favorite day of the year!

Pinebrook STEAM Expo:
Thank you all for the supply donations for our annual STEAM Expo! Please keep them coming! We have a particular need for pipe cleaners, index cards, straws, construction paper, and tape. We are looking forward to STEAM Expo Day on Friday, March 2nd! The 1st grade team is in great need of volunteers to help with this event. Please consider spending part of your day with us to see your child's creativity in action! Don't be intimidated about volunteering...we provide all directions, and all materials for each activity. A teacher is present in each classroom at all times. Please sign-up to volunteer by clicking HERE

Focus Areas for this Week:

• Reading- We will explore finding the meaning of new words in nonfiction books
• Writing- We will begin a new writing unit to learn how to write about small moments with writing with focus, detail, and dialogue
• Math- We will begin our place value unit
• Science- We will continue to work on our Winter Changes PBL by researching a Virginia Anima and creating a presentation
• Social Studies- We will learn about Famous Americans like George Washington Carver and Abraham Lincoln

Please reach out with questions, comments, and feedback.

I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend! 

Creative Volunteers Wanted!

Happy Monday!

As part of our STEAM Expo, each classroom door is to be decorated to show our grade level's theme. Since First Grade's theme is Fairytales, our classroom door should be decorated to look like a fairytale. Some students have been making decorations during indoor recess that can be used, but I am looking for volunteers to come in, who like to be creative, to cover the door with paper and to help draw/create a fairytale scene and use the decorations that our students used. Doors need to be decorated by Monday, February 26th, so if anyone is interested/available to come in anytime next week (February 19-23)  to help out with this special project, please let me know :)

Thank you!

Weekly Update

Hello Parents!

I hope you all had a good week! It was certainly short! We have several things that we didn't get to this week because of the weather, so many of our work items will be shifted to next week.

Here's the rest of our classroom news:

Valentine's Day Party:
One final reminder...our Valentine's Party is Wednesday, February 14th from 12:15-1:20 pm in our classroom. All families are welcome to attend. I sent home a food and photo permission form on Tuesday in your child's homework folder. Please have your child return that permission form by Monday, February 12th so I can make any necessary accommodations if need be. Our wonderful room moms have been working hard to plan this Valentine's Party and it looks like we could use a few more volunteers to help out! Here is the link to see what is still needed for the party: Valentine's Party Sign-Up Thank you!

100th Day Celebration:
The 100th day of school is coming! We will celebrate this special day on Thursday, February 15th. I have some super cool, really fun stations planned for the 100th day!

Comfort Cases Packing Party:
Thank you so much for the stuffed animal donations for our Comfort Cases. The Pinebrook community has collected many items and we are ready the pack the cases on Saturday, February 17th. Our community-wide "packing party" is from 9:00am-12:00pm here at school. Please consider joining us for this meaningful, rewarding event. :)

Pinebrook STEAM Expo!
Thank you for the supply donations for our annual STEAM Expo! Please keep them coming! We have a particular need for pipe cleaners, index cards, straws, construction paper, and tape. We are looking forward to STEAM Expo Day on March 2nd! The first grade team is in great need of volunteers to help with this event. Please consider spending part of your day with us to see your child's creativity in action! Don't be intimidated about volunteering...we provide all directions and all materials for each activity. A teacher is present in each classroom at all times. Please volunteer by clicking HERE

Report Cards:
Marking Period 2 report cards should have been sent out via email yesterday, Thursday, February 8th. Please take the time to review your child's report card. If you have any questions/concerns, please let me know.

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading-We will continue exploring and learning how to read nonfiction text. We will practice retelling fiction stories, as well as, fun Valentine's Day and 100th Day reading activities. 
• Writing- We will practice handwriting, editing, and learning how to write about small moments. 
• Math-We will finish learning about Fact Families and begin our Place Value Unit. 
• Science/Social Studies- We will continue our Winter Changes PBL unit and also start learning about Famous Americans.

Have a great weekend!  See many of you at our Valentine's Day Party on Wednesday!