Looking ahead to the week of April 9 (Week A)

Happy almost spring break, everyone!  Enjoy this extra time with your sweet kids!

Hi, families! I hope you all are having a great week!

Field Day:  Please be sure to dress your child appropriately for the weather Friday, April 13.  We will spend much of the day outside.  Students are welcome to wear sunglasses and hats.  They are encouraged to put on sun-screen before leaving their homes that morning.  Students are also welcome to bring a water bottle from home (if they have lost their school water bottle).  We will carry these water bottles around with us during our Field Day stations.  We appreciate all of you, who are able to volunteer!  You make Field Day possible!  

Fun in the Sun:  Plan on joining fellow classmates for some fun in the sun at North Spring Park at 2:30 on Sunday, April 22!  

Looking ahead to the week following spring break:  As historians, students will continue studying the Reconstruction period.  Since this is a short unit, they will not have a traditional test.  They will turn in a booklet, which they will do in class, for a grade.  As mathematicians, they will wrap up their area unit and begin studying data analysis.  We will use Envision (Topic 16) for this unit.  Please check out the family letter below.  As readers, students will study poetry.  As writers, they'll study subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreements.  Students will revisit text-dependent analysis writing.

Thank you again for all of your support!  Have a great weekend!

Extra credit on an upcoming test:  Please show that you've supported our class by reading our blog and staying "in the know!"  If you've read our blog, send Mrs. West an email answering this question in the subject line:  When is Field Day?   - The window has closed for extra credit!

Looking ahead to the week of March 26 (Week B)

Calling all forms for Field Day shirts!  Be sure to turn them in, with your payment, as soon as possible!  Also, if you're able to volunteer, please let Mr. Schirmer know!  Field Day wouldn't be possible without volunteers!

Hi, families! I hope you all are having a great week!

First grade's charity:    Don't forget to send in your loose change or any other monetary donations before March 27!  All proceeds go toward buying a new vest for a K-9 police officer.  

 

Extra Ziploc bags:  If you happen to have any snack, sandwich, quart, or gallon-sized Ziploc bags, which you can donate toward our classroom, we would greatly appreciate it!  We use them for various activities throughout the year and our supply is starting to run low!

Multiplication Quizzes:  Students will start being timed, while taking their multiplication quizzes.  They must be fluent in knowing their facts by the end of third grade.  Please continue practicing facts daily!

Looking ahead to next week:  As historians, students will continue studying the Civil War.  After they test, they'll learn about the Reconstruction Period.  As mathematicians, they will learn about finding the area of shapes.  We will use Envision (Topic 14) for this unit.  Please check out the family letter below.  As readers, students will work on understanding the plot of a story, while drawing conclusions.  Students will take their final SRI test to determine their Lexile levels for the fourth nine weeks.  As writers, they'll study editing skills through daily oral language practice (spelling, capitalization, punctuation, etc).  Students will revisit text-dependent analysis writing, as well as, take their R-controlled spelling post-test.

Thank you again for all of your support!  Have a great weekend!

Looking ahead to the week of March 19 (Week A)

Students enjoyed our first Fun Run!  We raised over $800, as a class, and over $10,000, as a school!  Way to go, Beacons!

Hi, families! I hope you all are having a great week!

First grade's charity:    Don't forget to send in your loose change or any other monetary donations before March 27!  All proceeds go toward buying a new vest for a K-9 police officer.   

Class number:    We have a new student joining our class this week, so our class number will rise to 19.  Please keep this in mind, in case you send in Blinky's Buddy snacks in the future!    

Bookman's Big Top:    We hope you will join us for food, games, and prizes Thursday, March 15, from 5:30 to 7:00!  It's sure to be a fun literacy and curriculum night!   

MAP testing:    Students will wrap up MAP testing next week.  Please remind students to not become anxious.  This is just their time to shine!  We will take the MAP math test March 22.  Encourage your child to get a good night's sleep and eat a yummy, healthy breakfast! 

Looking ahead to next week:  As historians, students will begin studying their unit, "A Nation Divided," which will be about the Civil War.  As mathematicians, they will learn about finding the area of shapes.  We will use Envision (Topic 14) for this unit.  Please check out the family letter below.  As readers, students will work on drawing conclusions and reading for comprehension.  As writers, they'll wrap up their prefix and suffix study.  Students will revisit text-dependent analysis writing, as well.

Thank you again for all of your support!  Have a great weekend!

Looking ahead to the week of March 12 (Week B)

We had so much fun celebrating Read Across America week!  We always enjoy mystery readers!

Students enjoyed combining shapes to make new shapes, as we explore the world of geometry!

Hi, families! I hope you all are having a great week!

A message from first grade:  Our first grade charity runs throughout March and it is to collect money for the Columbia Police Department’s K-9 Unit.  We want to raise money to put towards a new bullet proof vest for one of the police dogs. The last day to donate will be Tuesday, March 27^th.  The Police officers and dogs will be coming to Bookman the following day to collect our donations.  Thank you in advance for donating any of your loose change.  If anyone would like to make a donation in the form of a check, please make it out to Vest'N P.D.P. and write in the memo portion of the check Columbia Police K-9 (South Carolina).  Below is the website for more information!

http://www.vestnpdp.com/

First Grade Students and Teachers

Reminder:  As I mentioned at Open House, please let me know if your child has any upcoming events outside of school (for example:  sports games, recitals, etc).  I do my best to make it to at least one event.  Just be sure to give me enough of a notice and I'll try to be there to cheer my kids on!

Third Grade Friends and Family Lunch:    We hope you can meet us at the Seaside Cafe at 11:35 this Thursday (March 8)!  

Fun Run:    Thank you to all of the family and friends, who have donated toward our Fun Run Boosterthon!  We are close to our school goal, so keep those pledges coming!  Be sure to join us in front of the school Friday, March 9 at 9:30 to cheer on our third grade Beacons, as they run laps to raise money for our school!  

MAP testing:    Students will take MAP testing in the next two weeks.  Please remind students to not become anxious.  This is just their time to shine!  We will take the MAP reading test March 13 and MAP math test March 22.  Encourage your child to get a good night's sleep and eat a yummy, healthy breakfast! 

Looking ahead to next week:  As historians, students will wrap up studying the antebellum period and begin their unit, "A Nation Divided," which will be about the Civil War.  Please keep in mind that there will not be a traditional test for the antebellum period.  Students will complete a booklet in class.  As mathematicians, they will learn about finding the perimeter of shapes.  We will use Envision (Topic 13) for this unit.  Please check out the family letter below.  As readers, students will discuss nonfiction text structures.  As writers, they'll study transition words.  They will independently write an opinion essay, as well.

Thank you again for all of your support!  Have a great weekend!