Weekend Update

Another busy week! We used the laptop computers in the classroom, along with visiting the computer lab. This week they will visit the Starfall website along with Tumblebooks. We have been listening to different versions of favorite nursery tales such as Goldilocks, and Chicken Little. This week we will read Chicken Big. The children are writing their own stories, using their own experiences, their own drawings, and their own spelling! We are learning that stories have a beginning, middle and end, and have lots of details. In Reading Streets we are already on story three. Reading groups begin this week. While some children are in reading group, others are working in centers. Ask your child about his/her centers for the day. The discovery center will open tomorrow. In this center, the kids will examine and write about natural treasures they have brought from home. Help your child look for really interesting treasure, like bird nests, feathers, sparkly rocks etc. Soon we will be able to study beautiful fall leaves.

Weekend Update

I hope everyone enjoyed this beautiful almost-fall weekend. The weather for the upcoming week is looking pretty good as well. I know the kids watch the weather on TV, as several of them predicted thunder showers for Thursday. Luckily, the weather forecasters were wrong; just the thought of thunder showers was scary for some of our first graders. On Wednesday we all went over to the Smart Room (computer lab) so I could teach the kids how to log on and use Kid Pix. The teaching computer and Smart Board were not working properly, but to my surprise, Mrs. Longval and I were able to help everyone log on and get to Tumblebooks pretty quickly. These kids are definitely digital natives. You can use Tumblebooks at home by going to the Bartlett home page, then information center, and then find Tumblebooks under reading on the right side of the page. We will also be using Starfall, another site available by going to the Information center page. In other news - watch for the family newsletter for Reading Streets which goes home on Monday, math homework should begin this week, and Scholastic book orders are due on Friday. Picture day is Friday, as is the first day of fall.

Update

Our first week of school was wonderful, in spite of all that rain! Just a few reminders as we begin our second week of school. PE is Monday, so kids need their sneakers and play clothes. Friday is library day, each first grader is allowed to check out one book, and they are due back every Friday. We checked out our first books this last Friday. This week we begin our Reading Streets program, and we begin our math books. I also plan on introducing the children to the computer lab. Week two - here we come!

First Day Happy Gram

We had a wonderful first day of school - the children were awesome! We read books about making friends, and about our talents. Every child had a talent to share, and they wrote them down. These papers will be hanging up in our classroom, and will go home later in the fall. We were lucky to be able to go out to play - the apples and carrots were a big hit at snack time and we learned how to get a lunch and eat in the cafeteria.

Speaking of lunches, you should have received a letter in the mail with your child's account number and a password to check his/her account on line. I have the account numbers, but not the passwords. For that information, you need to contact Megan Bizzarro, food service director. Her number is 603-666-5311, and her email is mbizzarro@goffstown.k12.nh.us. The children are allowed to charge milk and lunches assuming their account is up to date. If you don't want them charging for any reason, you can let me know. Applications for free and reduced lunches are going home on Wednesday.

Remember to hand in the Tell Me About Your Child sheet - send any notes in the homework folders - and enjoy your evening.

Corrected Welcome Letter