HAPPY NEW YEAR!

OUR CLASS RESOLUTIONS

I will try to eat more fruit and veggies. - Mrs. Mc.

I want to go to Okemo and try to swim for the first time in a hot tub. - VC

I am going to try to go skiing for the second time and be a better sister. - OP

I would like to get into the 2nd level of horseback riding.  - MC

I will try to be a better friend.  - BB

I want to try to be a better friend too.  - JS
I want to try to play basketball.  - APo

I would like to try a double diamond ski trail. - APe

If one of my friends is being mean to someone else, I will not follow along,

and I will show them how to be kinder. - CL

I will try not to interrupt. - JY

I will try to do a black diamond slope when I ski in Vermont. - JoW

I will try to be a better sister. - JJ

I will try to ski a double diamond in Vermont. - ML



JANUARY MCMONTHLY NEWS

THEME

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's so nice to be back with the children again!  It's hard to believe 2011 is here!  This month we learn how to stay safe and healthy when we study germs (we've already been doing a pretty good job of that this school year!)  We study science principles of Animals in Motion while learning how some animals adapt in winter.  We also continue concentrating on the on-going STAR traits by appreciating one another through Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Our Word Study group words are getting trickier, and as a class, we continue to focus on long vowel sounds.  We are blending these new sounds with all the consonants to increase our vocabularies and help us to spell.  We are also comparing short and long vowels and know this will be especially helpful as we apply these tricky spellings to our writing.  This month, we begin some non-fiction writing with our enjoyable "How-To" unit!

MATH

We have been focusing on the parts that are taken away in subtraction and putting those parts back together in addition, using literature, manipulatives, and real-life situations.

BIRTHDAYS

Tues., Jan. 11:  Ben Bryan

Sat., Jan. 29:  Jeremiah Stafford

HALF-BIRTHDAYS TO CELEBRATE THIS MONTH

Charly Covello (July 18)

Josephine Williams (July 19)

Austin Peck (July 22)

Matthew Lia (July 28)

James Durkin (July 31)

REMINDERS

Fri., Jan. 7:  Scholastic Orders due

Jan. 12 & 13:  Darien Nature Center visits Ox Ridge 1st Grades

Mon., Jan. 17:  Martin Luther King Day/No School

Wed., Jan. 19:  Recycle Programs

SPECIAL NOTES

• Since the cold weather has returned, please label any extra gear, such as boots, snowpants, mittens, and hats.
• Uggs and Merrells have been getting quite soggy on the playground.  If the children wish to play in the snow, kindly send in waterproof snow boots.
• We are enjoying our Superstar of the Week sharing and writing opportunities; regular sharing will still continue on Mondays, time permitting.
• "Box Tops for Education" are being collected by the Student Council.  You will see the red and white rectangular shapes on certain types of packaged food boxes.  Please check the expiration date, have your child cut them out, and send them in with your child so they can help earn $$ (This year, the Box Top proceeds will be helping a family connected with our Darien school district.)
• Thank you, Volunteers, especially during our busy month of December!  Thank you in advance for the second part of the year!
• When we reach this time of year, it is always such a great milestone.  Although January is a relatively quiet month, it is amazing how fast this second half of the first grade goes.  I feel very proud of your children!

DECEMBER SIGHT WORDS

all

are

be

eat

four

he

like

please

ride

saw

see

she

three

was

want

DECEMBER MCMONTHLY NEWS

THEME
Our thoughts anxiously turn to this exciting time of year.  Our passports are ready as we begin traveling to see how some holidays are celebrated around the world.  We have recently enjoyed searching our world map as we investigated the students' ancestors' homelands.  We found that there are many modern-day pilgrims in our class!

HOLIDAY HELPERS
As the holiday season arrives, please help your child know that, while they can feel excited, they need to act like responsible first graders.  They still need to be respectful listeners, try their best, and always be kind to one another.

LANGUAGE ARTS
The students continue their progress and success in reading.  We are comparing short vowels and long vowels and are constantly reviewing our high frequency words.  Starfall.com has been one of the many ways we've been able to practice these sounds in the Computer Lab, along with some cool Smartnotebook activities.  We've also been concentrating on the beginning, middle, and ending of literature we read and of our own stories that we are writing.

MATH
We have been focusing on patterns that repeat, patterns that grow, and with place value.  These skills will help us understand the differences among the ones, tens, and hundreds place.

BIRTHDAYS
Mon., Dec. 20:          Mia Cappelli
Tues., Dec. 21:          Jack Yurman
Thurs., Dec. 23:        Jacqueline Jaskiewicz
Tues., Dec. 28:          Katelyn Frawley
Fri., Dec. 31:             Samantha Hunt

REMINDERS
Fri., Dec. 3:               Scholastic Orders due
Tues.-Fri., 11/30-12/3:  Conferences, Early Dismissal
Mon., Dec. 6:            Family Traditions due
Tues., Dec. 7:            Field Trip, Maritime Aquarium
Wed., Dec. 8:             Cookie Exchange
Thurs., Dec. 9:           Darren Farrell Author Visit
Thurs., Dec. 16:         Grab Bag gifts due
Fri., Dec. 17:             Holiday Party, Polar Express Theme
Fri., Dec. 17:             Toy Drive ends
Tues., Dec. 21:          Holiday Grab Bag
Thurs., Dec. 23:         Short day, vacation begins
Dec. 24 - Jan 2:         December vacation
Mon., Jan. 3, 2011:    Return to school

SPECIAL NOTES

* I would like to thank all of you for your generosity with the school-wide Toys-for-Tots Drive taking place during the next three weeks.  You are making others very happy this season!

* Superstar News:  Every Friday, a new "Superstar of the Week" is picked at random.  If there is a week that is not good for your child to be superstar, please jot me a note or email, so we won't pick your child's name during that week.  Once a superstar is picked, they can share treasures throughout the week.  A note will go home explaining the details once he or she is picked.

NOVEMBER WORDS
I
black
brown
come
down
find
go
have
here
say
they
we
what
where
who

* Keep practicing old Spelling words and spelling patterns

NOVEMBER MCMONTHLY NEWS



THEME

We turn our focus from tasty treats and fun costumes to crisp weather and the thrill of Thanksgiving time.

LANGUAGE ARTS
Our reading program continues to take us on a decoding journey, blending all the consonants with different vowel sounds and learning tricks to figure out larger words.  Books are becoming more challenging, and we continue to write in our journals and work on some of our own story creations.  We are constantly practicing our speaking skills as well as good listening, especially when our Mystery Guests visit!

We've noticed that the Monday Words Their Way homework can be tricky at times.  If the homework takes up a lot of time, simply choose a handful of words (perhaps 10) to try certain homework choices (such as the Letter Change choice).  The idea is to get used to the spelling patterns and sounds, but not worry so much about memorizing the words.  Take an extra day to finish if your child needs it.  Likewise, if your child would like a challenge, doing more than the sorts each night is fine too, as long as it doesn't feel overwhelming to your child.

MATH
We have been concentrating on the "measurement" of time, money, and length.  Please ask your child how much time has passed between one activity and another to reinforce the duration concept of time.  We continue to use literature and manipulatives to reinforce addition, subtraction, and problem solving.

BIRTHDAYS
Tuesday, Nov. 16:                          Chase Lombra
Friday, Nov. 19:                             Paige Zamsky

REMINDERS
Mon., Nov. 1:                                 Nature Walk (at school)
Mon., Nov. 1-3:                              Book Fair (even Election Day!)
Tues., Nov. 2:                                  Election Day/Staff Dev/No School
Mon., Nov. 8:                                  Family Turkeys Due
Week of Nov. 8:                              Ancestor Info Due
Thurs., Nov. 11:                              Veterans Day
(wear red, white, and/or blue)
Fri., Nov. 12:                                   Veterans visit
(wear red, white, and/or blue)
Fri., Nov. 12:                                   Scholastic Orders due
(just in case you don't find what you wish from the Book Fair!)
Mon., Nov. 15:                                Field Trip
(Fairfield Univ. Quick Center Theater)
Wed., Nov. 24:                                Thanksgiving coming,
early dismissal
Nov. 25 - 26:                                   Thanksgiving, no school
Nov. 30 - Dec. 3:                            Conferences, shortened days

SPECIAL NOTES
* This Fall's Book Fair comes at the same time the monthly Scholastic orders are available.  Due to popular demand, I will still be sending the order forms home (next week) in case you'd like to "elect" another option for some great books!

* Thank you for the Halloween Boo-Grams.  They were most appreciated and were a fun way to start our exciting Halloween day!

* With the weather getting chillier, please label any extra clothing your child brings in.

* Thank you all for helping us get off to a great start with our Volunteer schedule!  The school year gets so busy and I often don't get the chance to say thank you.  The children and I appreciate all your help in the classroom, behind the scenes at home, and with your daily support for homework and encouragement for being grown-up first graders!

OCTOBER MID-MCMONTHLY UPDATE

UPCOMING DATES NOT LISTED ON OCTOBER'S CALENDAR

Fri., Oct. 15:                          Yearbook Orders Due

Fri., Oct.  22:                         School Photo Orders Due

Mon., Nov. 1:                        Photo Retakes

***Word Study Homework Clarification: 
*MONDAY:  Choose only one assignment for Monday's homework.  Keep words in baggy at home.
*TUESDAY:  Study words and word patterns.
*WEDNESDAY:  Study words and word patterns.
*THURSDAY: Study words and word patterns.  Prepare for Friday's Spelling Check-up by spelling words out loud or by writing them down as family member "quizzes" students.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST FEW WEEKS!

We have been very, very busy in first grade so far!
We started learning words in a new way called Word Study.  Some of us tried this in kindergarten.  Now we have new word lists, and we're experts at sorting our words the right way.
We had our first spelling test.
We went into the Computer Lab to try activities with grown-ups.
We started having Superstar of the Week.
We had our first Mystery Guest.  We had fun guessing who it would be.  It was Officer Mark, Mia's Dad.
We also had our first Activity Afternoon.  It was Apple Tasting Day.  It was yummy!

OCTOBER MCMONTHLY NEWS

October has begun with some exciting new responsibilitiesaround the corner - Spelling, homework, small-group reading, and independent activities.  The children are excited about taking these new challenges seriously.  We already had our first Activity Afternoon and are having our first Writers' Celebration the first week of October!  We will continue those efforts as we begin even more grown-up first grade regular activities, such as Literacy Centers, Mystery Guest, Computers and more!  We will also consume apples and pumpkins in our major subject areas as we anxiously await Halloween.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Our reading and writing programs are taking us through many letters, sounds, word patterns, and print concepts.  We have enjoyed investigating the shape, the syllables ("beats"), and vowels in each other's names.  We have jumped right into our balanced literacy program, are learning to choose "just-right" books, and are working hard on our very-difficult writing responsibilities.

MATH

We are beginning to add and subtract numbers to 10 and focus on the parts (the numbers) that make up the total.  We will continue to use literature and manipulatives to reinforce problem-solving.

BIRTHDAYS

Fri., Oct.1:                          Olivia Pistone

Sat., Oct. 2:                        Valentina Cuccolo

REMINDERS

Fri., Oct. 8:                          Scholastic Due

Mon., Oct. 11:                     No School

                                            Columbus Day/Staff Dev.

Fri., Oct. 15:                         Boo-Grams Due

Fr., Oct. 29:                          Halloween Celebration

                                             Wear Halloween colors

UPCOMING EVENTS

Mon., Nov. 1:                       Nature Walk at school

                                             Weather permitting,

                                             wear outdoor clothing

Tues., Nov. 2:                       No School

                                             Election Day/Staff Dev.

Nov.  1 - 3:                           Book Fair (Mon. - Wed.)



SPECIAL NOTES

* Thank you for helping to make the first month of your child's first grade a success!  It was nice to meet those of you who were able to attend Open House.

* A special Thank You goes out to our Room Moms, Marijke Hart and Nancy Lombra, for coordinating our Volunteer schedule.  A special thanks goes out to the rest of you too!  The children and I are excited to have all of you help us in the class (or help out at home too!)  Your time is most appreciated!

* A special thank you to all of you who made our Apple Tasting Day such a success!  We enjoyed some tasty creations.  Apples have 20 to 25 percent more air in them than most fruits, so we're glad to know why our apples floated.

* Thank you for helping your child choose his/her favorite book to share with the class last month.  We enjoyed investigating the selections!

* Box Tops will be collected once again this year.  More info coming!

SEPTEMBER WORDS

Andrew

Austin

Ben

Charly

Chase

Freddie

Jack

Jack

Jacqueline

James

Jeremiah

Josephine

Katelyn

Madden

Matthew

Mia

Nicole

Olivia

Paige

Peter

Sami

Simone

Valentina