FIRST GRADE NEWS FOR NOVEMBER
It’s difficult to believe the first quarter has gone by already. Yet, here we are, evaluating your children’s progress and planning for the next leg of the journey through first grade. One thing is very clear to us -- we couldn’t have better traveling companions than you and your children!
Highlights of First Grade Happenings
Friday Reader Days
October 12th was one of many opportunities for parents to share books with their child’s class. Many parents have signed up to read on November 16th. All times are in the morning. Sign-up slips for the rest of the year will be sent home in the future.
Crafts
First graders have enjoyed making “Mr. Bones”. Second graders were peer coaches for this activity as students read to perform a task. Many thanks to parents for supplying the Q-tip bones. Thanks to second grade for this great activity.
Health and Safety
First graders studied fire safety last month. Please continue to talk to your child and discuss your family plan. This is a good time to be sure your child knows his/her phone number and address. Howard County’s child abuse prevention unit will be taught to all first graders prior to winter vacation. A parent resource sheet regarding this topic will be distributed at conferences.
Book It
First graders are still participating in Pizza Hut’s Book It program. A letter explaining the program was sent home in October, along with a sheet of monthly slips to sign. Please track how much your children read or are read to. The goal is 60 minutes per week. At the end of each month, return the bottom slip. If your children read 60 minutes per week, they will receive a certificate for a free personal pan pizza.
Thank you
Thank you to the many parents who helped make the Harvest Festival so enjoyable.
Homework
The second homework calendar (November) was sent home today. Please remember to have your child write a sentence telling what they did, when no other written activity is required. Please continue working with your children on letter sounds, sight words, reading stories, handwriting and story writing. Also, please continue to reinforce math skills and concepts based on the work your child brings home.
Thanksgiving
As part of our social studies unit, the children will participate in a feast of foods similar to those of Native Americans in Massachusetts at the time of the first Thanksgiving. Room mothers may be calling you for a donation. Don’t worry—no wild turkey, deer, or clams are on the menu.
American Education Week
We look forward to seeing you on visitation day, Monday, November 12th. We are scheduling some typical first grade activities and hope the students won’t be too excited by your presence to demonstrate expected first grade behavior.
Please remember: this is a parent visitation day. Younger siblings create a distraction in the classroom.
Conferences
Your child will be bringing home a slip on Friday Nov. 9th with the scheduled time for your parent/teacher conference. Each conference will be scheduled for 15 minutes. Please be prompt. We will do our best to stay on schedule, too. During your conference, you will receive a reading packet to help reinforce reading skills at home. Also, you will receive the Howard County “benchmarks” for reading expectations so that you will know exactly what your child will be learning and what each reading level means.
Online information
Please note that the first grade monthly newsletters and homework calendar may be found on our website: www2.hcpss.org/bpes/. Let us know if for some reason you are unable to access this information.
November Dates to Remember
Nov. 2nd - Professional Work Day – School closed for students
Nov. 12th - First grade visitation day
Nov. 14th - Field trip to Rose Hill Manor
Nov. 16th - Friday Readers-Birthday Bash-Native American Feast
Nov. 19th - School closes 3 hours early for Parent/Teacher Conferences.
Nov. 20th - School closes 3 hours early for Parent/Teacher Conferences.
Nov. 21st - No School – Parent/Teacher Conferences
Nov. 22nd - No School – Thanksgiving Holiday
Nov. 23rd - No School – Thanksgiving Holiday
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