Gingerbread Houses!

We will be creating Gingerbread Houses on Thursday, December 12th. I am looking for candy donations for this project. In the past, we have used licorice, gumdrops, M&Ms, mini Hershey's Kisses, mini marshmallows, pretzels (rods & windows), mini candy canes, etc. If you would be willing to provide candy for this project, please send it in by Wednesday, December 11th. I will provide the graham crackers and frosting.  Volunteer Sign-ups to join your first grader for this fun project will take place at VolunteerSpot.  Please visit the link in the toolbar above to sign up.  Thank you!

Items Needed...

If you have paper towel rolls or cotton balls that you could donate, we would greatly appreciate it!  If possible, please send them in by next Thursday, December 12th!  Thank you!

Early Dismissal Days Next Week!

Next Monday and Tuesday, November 18th and 19th will be early dismissal days.  Your children will leave at noon.  Bag lunches are available if your child needs one.  Please send in a note if your child will be eating at home.  Thank you!

Winter weather has arrived!

First graders go out each day snow or shine!  Please remember to dress your child appropriately and send in the proper winter clothing- hat, gloves/mittens, scarf, boots, etc.  Thank you!

Parade cancelled :(

Sadly the parade at 1:00 has been cancelled:(  If you need to drop off anything, please do so by noon.  Thank you.

Halloween Parade

We are hopeful that the weather will not be what is forecast for tomorrow.  However wind and rain are in our future.  In the event of rain, the parade will be canceled.  A decision will be made by 10:00 tomorrow morning and posted on the school website.  In the event that the parade is canceled, we will have a small celebration at school.  Due the the volume of families, parents will not be invited.  I am sorry in advance.  Please check the school web address, or this blog to see what decision has been made.  Thank you.

Last Day to Place an Order!

 Today is the last day to place an order online.  Please follow the steps below to place your order online and earn free books for our classroom.  Thank you!

Online Ordering Information
Web address:
www.scholastic.com/bookclubs
 Class Activation Code: GXH64

Dear Parents,

September and October book orders have gone home and are online for you to fill out at your convenience.  Remember, we earn a FREE book for the classroom library every time a parent places an order online, and you get a $5 coupon to use the next time that you place an order.

This month you may place an order from the Seesaw catalog.

Orders are due by Friday, October 18th.  Thank you.

Please Follow Our Blog

We would love to see who is following our blog. If you find this blog helpful and enjoy following what we do in the classroom, please take a minute to "Follow this Blog" by clicking on the Google Follow button to the right of this post. As work and projects are posted throughout the school year, the students become very proud of their hard work and would love to see who is visiting our blog. Thanks!

On a side note, if you choose to "follow by email" (also an option located on the right hand toolbar), you will receive an email notification each time I post to our blog. Simply type in your email and click the submit button. You will then receive email notification of new posts, it is just that simple!

Writing Rubric

On Monday, your child will be bringing home their first graded papers.  Each week a grade is recorded for their spelling test and written assignment.  Spelling papers are graded out of 100, and writing is graded out of 4.  The rubric for written work is outlined below.

Papers that receive a:

4-

• well focused on the topic
• contain clear ideas
• are logically organized
• are written in a logical sequence
• includes a 'growing artist' picture that is detailed, realistic, and matches the words

3-

• somewhat focused on the topic
• contain mostly clear ideas
• are in general, logically organized
• are written with some logical sequence
• includes a less detailed  'growing artist' picture

2-

• may stray from the topic
• contain ideas that may be somewhat unclear
• are less logically organized with some lapses
• are written with few to little transitions, word choice is limited
• includes less detailed  'growing artist' picture that does not match the words

1-

• not focused on the topic
• contain unclear ideas
• unorganized and shows confusion
• shows no transitions or word choice
• includes no effort of a  'growing artist' picture

Parent Conferece Sign Up

 

Please click on this link to sign up for a parent conference in November.  

This year, I will hold conferences on Thursday, Friday, and Monday, November 14, 15, and 18th.  Times vary, so please sign up for a time that is best for you.  Report cards will not be sent home with your child, or mailed to you.  You must sign up for a conference to receive your child's report card.  Conferences will last no more than 20 minutes.  This will give me an opportunity to meet with you, discuss your child's progress and answer any questions that you may have.

A little late, but not forgotten!

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Volunteer to help with t-shirts!

We're using VolunteerSpot (the leading online signup and reminder tool) to organize our upcoming activity. Please follow the instructions below.  You will also notice the new link in the menu bar above.

Please sign up for Tie-dye T-shirts - here's how it works in 3 easy steps:   
1. Click this link to go to our invitation page on VolunteerSpot: http://vols.pt/tV1ufM
2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot)
3. Sign up! Choose your spots - VolunteerSpot will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy! Note: VolunteerSpot does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.

Spelling Test and Friday Assessments

Tomorrow is our first spelling test.  Each Friday your first grader will take at least 2 assessments, and on occasion 3.  Friday testing will consist of a spelling test and a written prompt.  On occasion, I may give a mini math assessment.

Spelling tests will test the words that your child brings home each Monday.  This list is the last page of the spelling packet that goes home the first of the week.  (The words on cardstock are high frequency words and should be cut out, stored at home and practiced often.)  Spelling tests will be graded out of 100 (10 points per word).  Students may earn an additional 3 points (1 per bonus word) if they get all 3 bonus words right.  An 80 or above is an acceptable score in first grade.  Less than 60 is a failing grade. 

Written assessments in the form of a prompt will be given each Friday.  Written assessments are graded 1, 2, 3, 4.  The rubric of each will be outlined in an upcoming weekend blog post.

Spelling tests and other Friday assessments will be handed back on Monday. 

Still time to order...

As you know, today was picture day.  If you forgot to send in money, or wish to still order, orders can be placed online at WMF Photography through Friday, October 4th.  Pictures will arrive some time before or around Thanksgiving break.

Picture Day Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is picture day.  No worries- our pictures will be taken before gym at 9:50.  If you have order forms and money please be sure to send them in to school in your child's B.E.E. Folder tomorrow.  I will collect forms when I check your child in tomorrow morning.  

 

It is also a library day tomorrow.  Please send in your child's library books. Thank you.

Now Collectin Box Tops

We are now collecting Box Tops for Education.  We are competing with the other first grade classes to see who can collect the most box tops!  The winner will receive something special.  Box tops can be collected until October 18th!  Last year our school raised over $3,000 in box top collections for our school.  Thank you in advance for your donations!

Open House is tonight!

Banford Open House will be tonight, Thursday, September 26th from 6:00-7:00.  Please pick a bee up if you are able to donate classroom supplies.  There will be bees on our blue reading table with specific classroom supplies needed in our classroom.  I would 'bee' so thankful is you are able to provide an item (or two)!

***Your children are looking forward to showing you all of the fun and exciting things they are doing and learning in first grade!***

Early Dismissal Tomorrow

Don't forget!  Tomorrow is an early release day for your child.  School gets out at noon.  Please make sure that your first grader knows if they need a bag lunch tomorrow.  If so, they will be able to get one on their way out the door.  Thank you.

Your child will have a math lesson most Fridays.  Each lesson has a homework page that goes with the lesson.  I know how busy weekends can be, so I am making math homework on Fridays optional. If your child completes the assignment, please "buzz" it back to school in their B.E.E. Folder on Monday.  Thank you!

Math Fun!

Today we played a game called, "Shake Those Disks"!  This game helped us identify different combinations that make 6 and review strategies that help us find number pairs!

Alphabet Review and ABC Song!

The first week of school was spent review the alphabet.  We reviews how letters make sounds, and how those sounds come together to make words.  We worked hard to sign each letter and learn this song.  We hope you enjoy!!!

Email Me!

Those of you who have already signed up for our classroom text messaging reminders, thank you.  This means that you should have received my text Friday afternoon asking you to email me from the email you wish for me to contact you at.  Thank you if you have already emailed me.  If not, please email me at sknowlton@ccsdk12.org as soon as possible .

If you have not yet signed up for our text messaging service, please do so (see previous post). 

Water Bottles

WATER ONLY bottles are allowed in your child's back pack, cubby, or at their desk.  I will encourage students to bring water bottles home each Friday for a thorough cleaning, if they do not bring them home nightly.

Classroom policies to help us be more effecient

The following are some classroom policies that will help our classroom run smoother and more efficiently.  Your help is greatly appreciated.

• We drink water at snack time.  Juice is not a choice at snack time. 
• Except in the case of an accident, children do not have time to change clothes in the bathroom during the day.  Shorts can be worn under pants for a quick change outside of the bathroom.
• Please have your child wear sneakers on Gym (2 and 4) days.  We won’t have time for footwear changes before special.

Receive important classroom notices via text message!

In an effort to save paper and avoid important notices falling out of folders, you can now receive important class messages by text message.  If you do not sign up for this service, please notify me.

To sign up for classroom notifications you will need to:
 

1.  From the phone you wish to receive the message on, text the message @mrsknowlto (this is not a typo, it is my name without the n) to 512-861-8757.  Once you do this,
2. A text will be sent for you to reply with your full name.

3. Once you do this, you will receive a message that you have been added as a member of our class and will receive all texts that I send from my school computer.

4. When I send a notification it will say- Mrs. Knowlton: “message will appear here”

On average, 3-5 messages will be sent per month. If at any time you feel that messages are becoming too frequent, or you no longer wish to receive text notification, simply send in a note, call (386-8561 ext.299, or email me at sknowlton@ccsdk12.org and I will remove your name as a member of the class.

 I appreciate your willingness to try new technology. I look forward to a great year full of open communication.

Meet Mrs. Knowlton!

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