Read Across America Week

We will celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday on March 2nd, and we encourage you to participate in the following reading spirit days!

Monday, March 2nd- Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!! Dress as your favorite Dr. Seuss character!

Tuesday, March 3rd- Foxiest Socks Day. Wear silly socks.

Wednesday, March 4th- Wacky Wednesday. Wear tacky clothing.....within dress code.

Thursday, March 5th- Grinchiest Green Day. Wear green clothing....NO CAMOUFLAGE! Poster entries due. 

Friday, March 6th- Red and White Day!! Wear red and white clothing.....Cat in the Hat hats are acceptable if you have one. No other types of hats are allowed.

Read Across America Poster Contest

Your child is encouraged to participate in a poster contest in honor of Dr, Seuss! Your child may design a poster to represent his/her favorite Dr. Seuss book. The poster should be child-created (parents you should only help with the building or structure not the creative part of the poster, your child should come up with his or her own idea!) and will need to be turned in to his/her teacher no later than 9:00 am on Thursday, March 5th. Entries will be submitted into the following category: K4-2nd grade. A 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner will be recognized for each category. The students who place first will earn a popcorn party for his/her homeroom class. Make sure your child puts the title of the book on the front of the poster and includes her/his name on the BACK of the poster. Students, be sure to design the poster yourself. Have fun and be creative!!!! 

FYI: Practice Test

On the back of the homework sheet you will find a "practice test" for the grammar and phonics part of the reading test we will have tomorrow. I realized after the test we took on Monday that the children were struggling with the structure of the test and not the actually content. I thought it would be a good idea to give them practice on how to take this part of the test :)

AR STAR!!!

Congratulations to Libby Tompkins for reaching her goal in AR!!!!!! Way to read, Libby!!! Keep it up :)

Study Guide

I sent home a study guide for the next reading test. The test will be on "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "The Tortoise and the Hare". We haven't started to read the "Tortoise and the Hare", so tonight they should only focus on the questions related to "The Itsy Bitsy Spider". Also, on the phonics section we have only learned the /oi/ sound, so again they should only focus on that part. They should know which parts to do, we went over it today. This is not considered homework, but they are encouraged to do it to help them be well prepared for the test.

Flat Stanley

Please check your child's binder for the letter about our upcoming Flat Stanley project. The form I sent home, the envelopes, and stamps are due back on Monday, March 2nd.

Parent Newsletter Feb 23-27

Spelling Words: happy, candy, baby, shady, walk, piece, field, ponies, thief, here, these, were, where, Wednesday

High Frequency Words: before

Sounds/Spellings: /oi/ _oy   /r/  wr_    /f/   ph

Vocabulary: dew, pace, silky

Comprehension Skills and Strategies: Asking Questions, Visualizing, Making Inferences, Cause and Effect, Sequence of Events, Identifying Sound Words ex. swoosh

Language Arts: Singular Possessive Nouns

Writing: Squiggle Line Story #3, Creative Writing

Math: New Concepts; Five minute increments of time, subtracting coins, One-third of an object and group

Reading Test: Monday, February 23rd
Math Test: Wednesday, February 25th
Spelling Pre-Test: Thursday, February 26th
Spelling/Sentence Test: Friday, February 27th

Daddy-Daughter Dance

Just a reminder the Daddy-Daughter Dance will be next Friday, February 27th.

Dr. Suess Week

Please check your child's binder for the letter concerning the upcoming Read Across America week! It's a celebration of Dr. Seuss! I will post more information about dress-up days, projects, and other activities that will be going on that week.

Study Guide

I sent home a study guide for the reading test we have on Monday. They do not have to write the answers. It is just to get them well prepared for the test. You will find 16 questions related to the story The Little Engine That Could (the last question will be an open response questions), vocabulary words, the sounds and spellings we learned this week, and a grammar section. This should have them well prepared for the test! :)

AR Stars!!

Congratulations to Huck Murray and Emory Senn for reaching their goals in AR!!!! Wonderful job, guys!!! Keep it up :)

Squiggle Line Stories

During our Writing Workshop each day we work on a "squiggle line" story. I give them a squiggle line at the beginning of the week that they have to turn into a picture and then write a story about what they drew. The children absolutely love it! They are so excited about writing these stories, their excitement just fills my heart with joy!! Through writing these stories they are learning about the different stages of the writing process, how to edit and revise, story structure, and how to make a story more interesting! I do not take grades on these. This activity is more about getting them interested in writing and how to organize a story to make sense. The stories have turned out wonderfully! I am sending home a copy of their first story so you can read and enjoy them too; I have to keep the originals for their writing portfolios. There will be more to come :)

Test

Don't forget that we have a math test and the spelling pre-test tomorrow!

Oral Reading Grades

Since we have started our Hardback reader the Oral Reading Assessment has changed. I am sending home the reading test along with the new oral reading assessment today. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me :)

AR Star!!

Congratulations to Isabella Helms for reaching her goal in AR!!!! So proud of you, Izzy! Keep it up :)

Graded Papers

Graded papers went home today. There wasn't many papers since we did not have a lot of test last week and because all of the extra activities we had going on :) Grades will be updated in Achieve this afternoon :)

AR Stars!

Congratulations to Weston Garrett and Carter Nelson for reaching their goal in AR!!!! Way to read, guys!! Keep it up! :)

Parent Newsletter Feb. 17-20

Spelling Words: try, why, fly, tried, pie, flies, tonight, might, right, high, with, there, their, February

High Frequency Words: into, before, yellow

Sounds/Spellings: Hawk Card, Sound: /aw/, Spellings au_  aw   augh   ough 

Vocabulary: dining car, fine, yards, riddles

Comprehension Skills and Strategies: Asking Questions, Visualizing, Making Inferences

Language Arts: Quotation Marks, Singular and Plural Nouns and Pronouns

Writing: Squiggle Line Story #3, Creative Writing

Math: New Concepts; Five minute increments of time, subtracting coins

Reading Test: Tuesday, February 17th
Math Test: Thursday, February 18th
Spelling Pre-Test: Thursday, February 19th
Spelling/Sentence Test: Friday, February 20th

Monday is a holiday, YAY!!!!!!!!!!!

AR Test

Some students were unable to take their AR test today. I have their folders and they can take it first thing in the morning! We were having so much fun with our science experiment and party that we lost track of time :)

Reminder

Valentine's Party is tomorrow at 1:45! If you have signed up to bring an item please send it by this time tomorrow. Thank you

FYI for Chaperones

If you are a chaperone for the field trip, please be sure to check your child's binder. I have sent home a letter that list your responsibilities as a chaperone. It also includes the procedures you should follow once you get to school, the time we are leaving, and general information :)

Valentine's Cards

We made our Valentines Mail Bags today! The kids can start bringing their Valentines tomorrow. Please be sure they have one for each child in the class. I posted last week a list of the boys and girls in the class. I will also send a copy home today :)

Graded Papers

Graded papers will go home tomorrow. I did not have enough time today to get all the test graded from Friday :) Thanks for understanding

Weekly Reminder

This Week:

• No Spelling Test!
•  We will begin our first Hardback Reader! :) 
• Valentine Party is Thursday, Feb. 12th at 1:45! 
• Field Trip Friday! 
• Last day to send money for the King and Queen Drive for Children's Hospital is Thursday, Feb. 12th. It is going very well!! 
• Cookie Dough Orders are due Feb. 11th. 
• Chick-fil-a Orders due ASAP! If your child checked out Friday, I will send home the order form on Monday!

I am going to try my best to get the test from Friday graded tomorrow and hopefully sent home but they may come home on Tuesday. 

It is going to be a wonderful week at PLAS!!! :) 

Newsletter Feb 9th-13th

Spelling Words: No Spelling this week!

High Frequency Words: are, brown, how, about, around, long, know, want, by

Sounds/Spellings: /ow/ Cow Card  Spellings: ow and ou_  /n/ New Spelling:  kn_

Vocabulary: meadow, kite, perhaps, try, thud, crashed

Comprehension Skills and Strategies: Predicting, Summarizing, Cause and Effect, Reality and Fantasy

Language Arts: Quotation Marks, Alphabetical Order

Writing: Squiggle Line Story, Creative Writing

Math: New Concepts; 10 Addition Family, Adding Two Digit Numbers

I will let you know the testing schedule as the week progresses. Due to having the Valentine Party and our Field Trip the tests may be pushed back until next week. We will NOT be doing spelling this week! :)

****Reminder: Students must take at least 1 AR test a week for a daily grade.

Thank you for all you do!

I will be out tomorrow. Kim Garrett will be my substitute. The math, spelling, and sentence test will be given tomorrow but I will give the Oral Math test when I return on Monday.

If you do need to contact me for any reason email me at haleystinson@rocketmail.com  :)

Lunch after ASF Field Trip

After the field trip we will have lunch at Chick-Fil-A at East Chase in Montgomery. The children will be able to order a 4 count ($3.50) or 6 count ($4.00) chicken nugget meal with a choice of fries, fruit, or applesauce. Drink choices will be white milk, chocolate milk, or apple juice.  I sent home a form today to fill out and return.  The money for this is due on Monday, February 9th. 

Sign-up List for Valentine's Day Party

Below is the list of the items you need to send for the Valentine's Day party on February 12th. If you are unable to send these items please let me know. Anyone else not listed is more than welcome to send extras!

Sweets: Robin Tompkins
Chips and Dip: Aileen Gardiner
Salty: Amy Garrett
Drink Boxes: Sandi Walters
Plates and Napkins: Kathy Helms

Thank you all!

Valentine's Day Party

The Valentine's Day Party is scheduled for February 12th. I will post the list of who is bringing the items for this party later in the week.

Here is a list of the students in my class:

Boys
Joshua James Gardiner
Weston Garrett
Will Hasson
Huck Murray
Carter Nelson
Luke Sikes
Brady Walters
Evan Zhao

Girls
Anna Kate Hardin
Isabella Helms
Carly Henderson
Jaylyn Luker
Amy Ramage
Caroline Renfroe
Emory Senn
Lexie Terry
Libby Thompkins

Field Trip Reminder

The field trip to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival is on February 13th. We are going to watch Alice in Wonderland. We are scheduled for the 9:30am performance. The drivers I have for this trip are: 

• Kate Murray
• Kellie Henderson
• Robin Thompkins
• Candace Nelson
• Shannon Senn

Drivers, if plans have changed and you are unable to drive please let me know ASAP! Thank you! 

AR STAR!!!

Congratulations to Joshua Gardiner for reaching his goal in AR!! Way to read, Joshua!!! Keep it up :)

Kellogg"s Cereal Book Codes!

Kellogg's Brand Cereal has Scholastic Book codes on specialty marked boxes. Three codes equals one free book! If you have any that you are not using send the code with your child! This will be a cool way to build onto our Classroom Library! Thanks

Newsletter Week of Feb. 2nd-6th

Spelling Words: amuse, pupil, July, human, music, use, cute, confuse, bugle, mule, could, want, won't, Tuesday

High Frequency Words: very, good, now Review Unit HF words: no, their, away, saw, blue, one
:
Sounds/Spellings: Goo Card  /oo/ sound Review Spellings:  oo, _ue  u Introduce Spellings: _ew and u_e   Introduce: The Foot Card, Sound /oo/ as in foot Spelling oo

Vocabulary: tour, pond, subway, chopsticks, hum, birds of prey

Comprehension Skills and Strategies: Making Connections, Predicting, Asking Questions, Clarifying, Summarizing, Sequence, Drawing Conclusions, Making Inferences

Language Arts: Sentences of Different Lengths (using "and" to combine sentences), Writing Names of Cities, States, and Countries, Using Commas in a Series

Math: Review: Addition and Subtraction family 9, counting, before and after numbers, thermometer, dozen, telling time,  liquid measurements, ruler, between numbers, Half Dozen, between but not consecutive numbers, the quarter, finding one half of a number, centimeter, one fourth, dollar, half dollar, adding 3 numbers, combining quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, counting by threes. Introduce: Quarter past, combining quarters and dimes, Telling time: 45 minutes past

Reading Test: Wednesday, February 4th
Math Test: Friday, February 6th
Spelling Pre-Test: Thursday, February 5th
Spelling and Sentence Test: Friday, February 6th

Please be sure your child is taking at least one AR test a week. I am taking their highest AR Test Grade each week for a Reading Daily grade.