Can You Believe We Did All This?   
Mrs. Murphy's First Grade Class
  April 14 - May 8, 2009
Welcome to Our Classroom Website!
DEAR PARENTS....
JUST A REMINDER...
     
       
It is hard to believe the school year is quickly coming to a close.  There will be many exciting events taking place over the next few weeks. We had an assembly on fire safety earlier this week.  We will also enjoy a music program.  Kidder's Annual Talent show and Field Day are coming up at the beginning of June.

         Quarter 4 Fry words are in your child's Spelling/Vocabulary Folder.  Please continue to have your child study all of those words.  They will be tested on them during the week of May 18th. 
  
          Next week, the children will be tested on thier independent reading levels. The children are expected to be reading at level HI.  That information will be included in the report card.  Please continue to read daily, especially over the summer.

           Next week will be our last week for learning centers.  The children enjoyed working cooperatively in small groups.

      
          
1.  Practice weekly spelling and vocabulary words daily.  Spelling Tests will be given on Mondays.
2. Practice Fry Words weekly.
3.  Poetry Notebooks will come home every Friday.  READ A
MINIMUM OF 4 POEMS each week; your child may choose any 4 poems to read.
4.  I do collect the monthly Behavior Calendars.  Please keep them in your child's Home Folder.
5.  Each Monday, a list of homework assignments and important reminders for the week will be sent home.
6.  Accelerated Reader began in October. If your child wants to participate, he/she needs to read the book at home.  When your child is ready to take a test, write the title and author down and send it in. Your child will then take a test on the computer at school.
7.  Remember to READ a minimum of 10 minutes a day and record the number of minutes and number of books on the Magic 200 paper.  Magic 200 is due on the last day of each month.  (Began October 1st)
8. Reading Fluency homework is sent home each Monday and is due back by the end of the week. 
Kidder's Koala'ty Kids
Math
          In Unit 7, we learned about the  geometric shapes: cone, sphere, rectangular prism, pyramid, cube.  We also learned about symmetrical shapes.
           In unit 8, we are practicing money, place value and measurement.
           Addition facts through 9 should be memorized by the end of the year.   We play many games that help students practice math facts. Around the World is our favorite!  Please practice facts at home!
                  
Language Arts
READING -  
     
In Theme 7,  we are reading the stories, Lost!, Leo the Late Bloomer, and Frederick.
       Comprehension skills we are working on include making predictions,  cause and effect, noting details, story elements (character, problem, setting and solution) and summarizing.

WORD WORK -  
       
Each day, we continue to "dance" our way to  becoming more proficient readers and writers!  We are almost done learning the hunks and chunks for this year.  I have truly seen a difference their reading and writing skills. This is the first year my first graders learned the Phonics Dance and I can't tell you how pleased I am with this program!
            
           
WRITER'S WORKSHOP -   
 
   We are now working on writing simple stories with a beginning, middle and end.
    
We continue to  write in our journals every week on various topics.   
       We are still working on our handwriting: using proper spacing between words, only capitalizing the first letter in a sentence (or if the word is a name), letter formation and neatness.   The children will redo any work that is not legible.  
        Skills that are now  being assessed include, using capital letters and punctuation appropriately and spelling "word wall" words correctly in their writing.
        

Social Studies
We are learning about maps.  In art class, the children made maps.  We read the story Me on the Map and made our own version to help us learn to locate our city, state and country on a map. 
Science and Health
We will soon begin our next unit in Science.  We will begin learning about resources and how to conserve them.  This unit goes along with Earth Day, which we celebrated on May 1st.
May
June
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
May
Alex - 7
Steven - 22
6 - Mid term of the grading period
7 and 8- Student Plant Sale
12 - Market Day
13 - Progress reports go home
22 - No School
25 - No School - Memorial Day
27 - Goodyear Farm Visits
2 - Talent Show
4 - Field Day
5 - Field Day Rain Date
9 - Field Trip to North Park
     Hat Day
     Wear Kidder shirt or colors
     Report Cards go home
Kidder is a Healthy School
Just a reminder to send in healthy treats for birthday celebrations.  Stickers, pencils, erasers are a great alternative to snacks!
Specials Schedule

Monday - Gym, Library
Tuesday - Music
Wednesday - Music
Thursday - Gym
Friday - Art
Lunch
11:15 - 11:40
Recess
11:45 - 12:15
Primary Games
Favorite Links:
www.starfall.com
Yahooligans
Ask Jeeves For Kids
Brunswick Schools
Fun Brain Games
dmariemurphy@yahoo.com
dmurphy@bcsoh.org
You may e-mail me any time with questions or concerns.
ACCELERATED READER
Accelerated Reader began in October!
An updated ACCELERATED READER BOOK LIST is available at Kidder Library, Brunswick Library, and on - line at the Brunswick Schools' Website.  Click on the link for Brunswick City Schools above for easy access!
Please check this website every two weeks for
all of the exciting things we are doing in first grade!

This page was last updated:
5-8-09