Author Archives: amy.nelson
Badges Reminder Post from Administration
We are hoping to get some help with an issue we are having at the school regarding missing name badges. As stated in our Handbook, “Everyone is required to wear their name badge to attend class (the name badge must be that of the current school year). Please reinforce having name badges as they create a safer environment at the school. To replace a lost name badge, your child will need to pay $5.00 for a new one. A student without a name badge will be referred to the office to call home. Parents/Guardians will be expected to bring their child’s name badge or pay $5.00 for a replacement. Only then will students be allowed to return to class.” Elementary students are to leave their name badges in their classrooms at the end of the day. Jr. High students are encouraged to leave their name badges in their lockers before leaving. To ensure your child receives a full day’s worth of learning in the classroom, please make sure their name badge is left at school and returned the following day if accidentally taken home. Please note, that you have this week as a grace period to either find your child’s lost name badge or replace it for $5.00. Starting Tuesday, January 16 (one week from today), students who do not have name badges will not be attending class until a new one is purchased or their old one is returned. If parents are working when their children call, they are more than welcome to either pay for a badge using a credit card over the phone or to pay online.
Literacy Center
https://jr.brainpop.com/socialstudies/biographies/martinlutherkingjr/
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Song
Here are some clips on Arctic Animals as well for your reports
Arctic Animals
In House Field Trip and Math Pizza Party Permission Slip
Please sign the following permission slip allowing your student’s participation and if you give permission for your student to sample some of the cheese brought with her.
We also have an opportunity to introduce fractions using pizza! Please sign the permission slip giving your child permission to participate.
Please click here to sign the permission slip
If your name is below you signed the permission slip earlier and you will need to sign again. I apologize I forgot to let Mrs. Nelson know about the pizza permission needing to be added.
Lyndsey
Amoryn
Esen
Brenda
Kelsey Bell
Kristin
Maren
Juan
Homework 1/8-1/12
PRINT THIS Homework Tracker
SCIENCE HOMEWORK:
Please bring 1 item to school on Tuesday January 9th that shows motion.
For example: Yo-yo, ball, trains, toy cars, marble, or an item that if you added force to it could move (window opens and shuts on a hinge, box lid open and shuts etc.)
1- Math Homework:
- Worksheets: Please look in your child’s green folder on Tuesday for worksheets with concepts that have been taught in class. The purpose of this homework is for a quick review, some practice, and a chance for parents to see what their child is learning in math. Please complete every problem this week only.
Please help your child read the directions/example problems and allow them to talk about the problems as they figure out the answers. Math Fluency Timings: Click on the link to see where your child is at on math timings.Then print the page of timing they are working on. Addition and Subtraction Fluency Timings. Print the page they are working on and put it in a sheet protector in your child’s green folder. Time them for 1 minute and 15 seconds twice. Have them use an expo to write their answers that way you can reuse sheets.
- HARDER TIMINGS: If your child has passed off all the other timings here are some new timings I made. They should not have to regroup and should be able to either count on or know it by heart. Print off Harder Math Timings 10-20. Here is the tracker to know where your child is at Timings 10-20. Time them still for 1 minute 15 seconds. Please let me know if you need help with anything.
We are working on the -ook, and -ood word families. We continue working on connections within a text: sequencing, apostrophe’s with not, and -ed & -ing inflected endings. We are also learning about the nonfiction genre studying Animals from Antartica and the Arctic.
Please have students return their Polar Bear and Penguin research paper in on Friday morning so that they can present in class.
You can review the picture below for the week at a glance.
1- Daily Reading Fluency
A Reading for All Learners (Baggy Book) leveled book will be sent home with your child DAILY. Please have your child read the book (or one story from the books that contain more than one story) at least two-three times and then sign the included form. You may supplement your child’s reading using books at home, library books, etc. to fulfill the minimum requirement of 20-30 minutes of reading per day. These are meant to be easier than your students level to work on their sight word and fluency.
2- Reading 20 minutes per day. Track your daily reading minutes on the homework tracker sheet. Make reading every single day a priority. Ask your students questions using the retell rope visual below.
3-January Week 1 Fluency Passage Homework. Due to reading level benchmark testings for mid-year, students will not have their individual leveled reading homework fluency passages until leveling is completed by our grade level paraprofessional.
Please have your student complete their daily reading timing and activities associated on the back with it. They should complete 2 questions on the back each day.
It is also extremely helpful to have our student re-tell the story to you. Please also have them do this and you may use the visual aid below to assist with the steps to prompt your student if necessary.
Re-tell the story with as much detail as possible, and in your own words, to a parent, using the guidelines described below:
4- Phonics and High Frequency Words Homework. Practice using any method of your choice to prepare for the weekly spelling test. Click here for some practice ideas: Spelling Study Activities.
Phonics Spelling List:
book
look
cook
took
hood
wood
Review high frequency words:
nose
cute
buy
done
**If your child is absent please have them complete a Waterford session and do a few activities on Wonders. The activities on Wonders are connected to our daily lessons. Thank you.
Click here to access Waterford: Waterford
Click here to access Wonders: Wonders
CWD Mazzie & The Crismer’s visit our class!


CWD Mazzie, a war dog who was abandoned in Kuwait after his service, visited our
first grade classes today.
We learned about the sacrifices many dogs are making to protect the lives of our soldiers. Unfortunately, these dogs can be left behind after their work is done. Mission K-9 Rescue is striving to Rescue, Reunite, Re-Home, Rehabilitate and Repair any retired working dog that has served mankind in some capacity.
This year for one of 1st Grade service learning projects we will be collecting coins to donate to Mission K-9 Rescue. The Coins for K9 Rescue jar will be placed in the front Q1 office for donations from now until we present our funds to the Crismer’s at our Patriotic Program.
As a First Grade we have been learning that everyone can serve and help others through stories such as “The Lion and the Mouse”. Though our children may be young, they too can make an important difference and our small contributions of a coin here and a few coins there will truly add up to something great.
We are also learning about financial literacy principles; for example, we are learning about the principle of saving and we are learning that, to earn money, one must work. We are encouraging our students to do extra jobs at home for family or friends to earn coins to add to our Mission K-9 Rescue fund.
Here is a great article on Mission K9 Rescue that features CWD Mazzie.
CWD Mazzie K9 Hero
**More pictures to come. :o)
Homework 1/3-1/5
1- NO Math Homework this week
**LANGUAGE ARTS HOMEWORK: Due Next Week on 1/11
Polar Bear & Penguin Research Papers and Reading**
We have been studying Polar Bears and Penguins in the classroom for our winter animal unit. Please have your student investigate and write a short one page report on Polar Bears and Penguins using the report paper sent home. In the box they will illustrate their picture of the animals. Here are a few helpful items to help with some interesting facts about the two and a spare copy of the report paper if you need to print an additional one.
Here is the file link below. The final report pages if you need to print an additional copy are page 6 & 7 of the file attachment below:
Winter_Research_Freebie
Here are some safe search engines for this project as well:
Kid Rex
Kiddle
Kid’s Search
QR Code with interesting videos and facts about Polar Bears and Penguins below:
Graphic Organizer the kids can use to draft their report below on Penguins:
Graphic organizer below the kids can use to draft their report on Polar Bears:
Polar Bear Final Report Page below if additional copy is needed to print: 
Penguin Final Report Page below if additional copy is needed to print: 
We are working on the -o_e, u_e long vowel CVCe word families. This week we are woking on nonfiction as our genre. We are working on compare and contrast, and the use of the words is and are within grammar guidelines. We are also working on using commas in our written dates.
You can review the picture below for the week at a glance.
1- Daily Reading Fluency
A Reading for All Learners (Baggy Book) leveled book will be sent home with your child DAILY. Please have your child read the book (or one story from the books that contain more than one story) at least two-three times and then sign the included form. You may supplement your child’s reading using books at home, library books, etc. to fulfill the minimum requirement of 20-30 minutes of reading per day. These are meant to be easier than your students level to work on their sight word and fluency.
2- Reading 20+ minutes per day. There is no need to use the reading tracker this week. Make reading every single day a priority. Ask your students questions about the stories they are reading to help them with comprehension.
American Hero Volunteer Opportunity
We are still in need of some volunteers to portray our American Hero’s.
you could help with this please fill out the sign up form below.
Thank you in advance! We have an information sheet for you
on the American Hero’s. 
This year we will be learning about many of our great American Heroes. We would like to invite those interested to come dressed as one of the characters and share their story with our students. Presenters will visit each 1st grade class for 7-10 minutes.
We hope to help our students create a memorable connection to history and understand the impact these instrumental people had upon our country.
Please sign-up now for the American Hero you would like to represent for our students by clicking on this link: American Hero Sign-up Form



