Street excavations, writing, and other first grade news.

This past week was an exciting one in room one. The big trucks and other equipment were very active right outside of our windows digging up the street. The whole building shook! The kids did a good job ignoring all this and staying on task, however. We finished the first unit in math, and are more than halfway through our first unit in Reading Streets. We also started science, and wrote our first real stories. We learned that stories need a beginning, a middle and an ending, so the kids were asked to be sure that their stories had all of these. I like to keep the children's writing for a semester, so I (and they) can see their progress. I will send these stories home so you can see them too, but please send them back. You may notice errors in spelling- at this stage in the writing we are focusing on content. As the children become more proficient spellers, this will be reflected in their writing.
This week September turns into October, which of course means fall and Halloween! Today I took out my fall decorations, including a mobile made by my daughter in first grade 26 years ago! I think I will borrow the concept for my students - so watch for a family heirloom coming home some time in October. I hope yours lasts as long as mine has.

Technology and Other News

I hope your first grader was excited about our first use of the computer lab on Friday. They did very well signing on and getting right to work on Kidspiration. We adults have had a few more problems. Parents have been unable to reach me via email, and I think it is because you have been trying to click on my address on the Bartlett website. I tried this myself, and it did not work! If you use your email, and type in my address - mstarvish@goffstown.k12.nh.us, it should work. Let me know if it does not. Re: Power School, you will be mailed from the office a login and password, probably in October. In the meantime, notices will be sent home on Thursdays. I sent home lunch account numbers on Friday - please help your child learn his/her number, and you can use it when you send in money for their accounts. On some non-tech matters:
Homework folders are very important, right now for sending home important messages. Please make every effort to send the homework folder in your child's backpack every day. Math homework will begin shortly. If your child brings home an incomplete worksheet, he/she does not have to complete it unless I have written homework on it. If you want to help them complete it, that is fine of course. Remember to read Summer of Riley.
And finally - No School On Tuesday - due to primary voting at our school.

First Day of School

Well, we survived the heat - and are finished with our first day. The children were wonderful - we kept things very low key. They did have art class, listened to several stories, and wrote about their talents. They also practiced their reading. Tomorrow we will do more writing and hopefully do some real math. Thank you for sending in the Tell me about your child sheets - I will send more home in the homework folders on Friday if I did not get yours. A few things to remember: Water bottles are fine to bring to school, and they can be refilled at the bubbler during the day. The kitchen keeps track of lunch and snack money, and sometimes children order something when they really should not be. If you discover your child is ordering and eating food from school when you are sending food in from home, just let me know. Menus are going home tomorrow. Stay cool!