Weekly Updates

Hello everyone,

Next week we will continue to learn about Rights and Responsibilities. This theme will continue throughout October until December. 1C is working very hard on learning to put their best PAWS forward to become a good citizen! Assessments will continue next week and there will be new reading books introduced in reading groups. Books will not go home at this time, but you are welcome to practice literacy by tapping out words, spelling trick words, and reading phrases. Words and phrases are found in the literacy section on this website. In math we will be reviewing how to subitize, make ten, represent numbers 0-10 and count forward/backward starting at any number from 0-50. Extra practice at home would be beneficial and activities can be found in the math section on this website. On Monday 1C will welcome a student teacher from UPEI, Rebecca Richards (Ms. Becca)! She will be with us for 8 weeks and will be working with your child in large and small groups. Ms. Becca is kind, caring and very passionate about teaching. Have a great week!

Crystal

Hello everyone,

Next week we will continue to explore our Social Studies outcomes. I am sending home a sheet for you to fill out with your child to help us learn more about each other. We will also be talking about the flags of the country we were born in. Please let me know what country your child/family was born in by adding it to the sheet. If possible, I would like to have all sheets returned on Tuesday. 1C has also started learning about rights and responsibilities. Each morning, we learn a new right and discuss ways that adults are responsible in ensuring those rights are upheld. I’ll add a picture of the books we’ll be reading over the year explaining in child friendly language what rights are and how we can be good citizens. In reading, writing and math 1C will begin completing assessments in preparation for upcoming Parent Teacher interviews in November. During this time our daily schedule may be a little different than our normal routine. Some assessments will be done individually while others will be done in small groups. Next Friday for Show and Share we’ll try again to have a picture of a group your child belongs to. You can send me a picture and I will print it for you if that is easier for you. Pictures can be no larger than 4x5 and will be stapled to the All About Me display. Have a great long weekend!

Crystal

Hello everyone,

During September in Social Studies, we focused on the theme, All About Me. In October we will be discussing the following outcomes for us as individuals and as members of a community:

1.1.2 demonstrate an understanding of the importance of interactions between people

1.1.2 demonstrate an understanding of the similarity and diversity of social and cultural groups

1.1.3 demonstrate an understanding that people within groups have rights and responsibilities

1C started a new challenge! We set a timer and see how many words we can name that begin or end with a given sound. For example, /p/. So far, our highest count is 14! We have also started to learn number and color words! In writing we are learning the parts of a sentence and using trick words. In math we will continue to explore the concepts previously introduced. We are now counting forward and backwards from 30. On Friday I ask that your child bring in an object to share that represents a group they belong to. A group can be your family unit, cultural group, sport group, community group, etc. I also ask that you send in a small picture no larger than 4x5 of your family. It can be printed on paper if you don’t have a photograph. This will be added to our All About Me portrait wall so we can learn more about each other. Have a great weekend!

Crystal

Hello everyone,

1C has had another fantastic week of learning and building relationships! I forgot to remind you last week to return library books on day 6. This makes it faster for your child to sign out new books on day 1. If they have more than 2 books at home, they may be asked to return them before signing out more. We appreciate your cooperation in returning books to school on time. PAWS cards have gone home, and I encourage you to review them with your child. I’ll also challenge you to catch them putting their best PAWS forward at home. In class I do verbal PAWS and PAWS cards to help foster pride in making responsible, respectful, kind and safe choices. In Fundations we have reviewed alphabetical order, vowels, consonants and tapping and blending words. Next week we’ll begin using the grid to review letter formation and practice trick words. In reading we have explored the glued sounds /an/ and /am/. Glued sounds are 2-3 letters that make one sound. Small reading groups have been wonderful, and we are now working in a large group to practice reading skills such as making/reading words with the glued sounds. In math we will continue to explore the outcomes introduced (N1, N2, N3, N4) and begin to practice printing the number and number words 0-20. On a final note, please remember to check the school news for events and dates that are school wide. This update is specific to our classroom learning.

Special news! We had an author visit today. Elizabeth Retter came in to share her true stories about her dog, Easton. This presentation was a big hit! The stories are magical and entertaining.  She will be at Indigo this Sunday from 1pm-3:30pm with a display of her books and toy Eastons! If you’re free, I encourage you to stop by or look at her website. elizabethretter.com

Have a wonderful weekend!

Crystal

Hello everyone,

It has been another great week in 1C! If you look under the picture tab, you’ll see an example of a lesson that organically arose based on a big emotion in the room. In 1C we are a community and within our community we are all learning and developing at a different pace. I was very impressed with their responses after reading The Bad Seed. We talked about how sometimes frustrations can look like anger, and how it feels to be embarrassed. Your little people shared LOTS of personal experiences of when they felt this way and how they were able to get back to feeling calm and content. We are mistake makers, and mistake fixers!

Next week in math we will continue working on the following outcomes. I encourage you to look on the site under math for activities you can play at home to practice.

·       N1 saying the number sequence, 0-100 forward and backwards starting at any number. Our focus will be 0-20.

·       N2 Subitizing by recognizing at a glance, and name familiar arrangements of 1-10 objects.

·       N3 demonstrating an understanding of counting.

·       N4 representing numbers in a variety of ways.

We have started learning Fundations skills by having writers workshop and practicing with sentence starters. For example, I like… and they have to write one word by tapping it out. Ex. I like cats. Those that were able also wrote a sentence on their own with no starter. We have also had learning centers on printing letters/sounds and trick words, reviewed how to use the Fundations grid and played with rhyming cards. Next week I will review how to use the magnetic letter board. FYI, I haven’t called these centers Fundations. Last year I found the word Fundations was stressful for some. By introducing it slowly using learning centers that are play focused the experience has so far been happy and successful. Eventually we’ll begin a structured lesson as a whole group and hopefully the enthusiasm will remain. During independent reading time I have started small reading groups. These little readers are blowing me away with how much they have retained from kindergarten! Groups will continue next week but I will not be sending books home at this time. I encourage you to look at the site under the literacy tab and use the ideas to help build their phonics skills. Fun Friday next week will be our first Show ‘N’ Share! Your little is invited to bring in an item from home they would like to share. Some weeks there will be a theme, but next week it is their choice. Items must fit in their backpack, and they are responsible for taking care of it. If they take it out for recess and misplace it, I cannot go look for it. They can check the lost and found that day and the next week. If you have any questions, please reach out. Have a wonderful weekend!

Crystal

Hello everyone,

Wow! 1C is off to a great start for this school year. This week we learned the routine of the classroom and reviewed the PAWS matrix expectation with great success. This class is helpful, kind, respectful and working hard to keep themselves and their peers safe. Next week we will continue to build relationships, learn about each other during our share circle, begin printing letters and numbers, and reviewing counting strategies such as pointing to the counter and saying only one number at a time. As the weeks go on the expectations will continue to build with the addition of the Fundations program beginning and reading groups. I am undecided if reading will go home as homework but will keep you updated. Any other homework will be our choice. You can do what works for your family. On the website you will find a lot of ideas that you can easily and quickly do at home. If you do establish a homework routine, I recommend no more than 15-20 minutes, and it includes one game and one pencil/paper activity. Below are a few things to make note of.

·       Check the communication bag each night.

·       Create your online account to complete the needed forms electronically. Call the school office for help, if needed.

·       Send in your early closure form by Monday if you haven’t already done so.

·       This will be the last paper copy going home. I will post the weekly news each Friday on the class website.

·       Picture days are September 15th-16th

·       September 13th is Grandparent Day. Give extra hugs and love to your special people.

Each Friday we celebrate Fun Friday! If there is no school on Friday we will celebrate Fun Thursday instead. This means 1C will have a little work time and LOTS of fun time. Eventually we’ll bring in items from home to share but I will let you know when that begins. I look forward to meeting you all at the BBQ on September 16th! Have a great weekend!

Crystal

Welcome Families,

Welcome to 1C! This year we are reducing the amount of paper going home by having an individual blog for each classroom. Please visit the school website, sherwood.edu.pe.ca/, and under the heading About, click on Staff Directory & Sites then click on Crystal Macintyre and it will take you right to my blog. Each Friday I will post a brief update on curriculum goals for the following week and other communications you will need to support your little person. The site is user friendly on smartphones, laptops and tablets! There are two EAs assigned to work with students in our class this year, Jessica Weatherbie and Karina Saez-Enriquez.

A few things to ensure you do during these first few days of school:

§  Return all forms signed by Friday, September 11th (read carefully, write your child's name one each and sign your name in all places)

§  Create your online account to submit the required forms electronically. An email was sent from the school with directions on how to do this.

§  Check the school website sherwood.edu.pe.ca/

§  Check our class blog, 1C Crystal MacIntyre

§  Please keep the communication scribbler/notebook in the homework bag. When you write a note, please date it at the top of the page and keep the book open to that page. I will not look at any closed books. Also, it’s very important that your little person knows they have the responsibility to give me notes each morning. As time goes on, I will not check each bag and it will be up to them to give me notes. 

§  Please have a filled water bottle each day and heat lunches at home. We do not have access to a microwave.

  8:25-35 arrival time, 2:30 dismissal (Red Boot Room)

  Specialist Classes

§  Day 1,3, 5 Physical Education (Ms. Daun) 

§  Day 2,4,6 Music (Ms. White) Library

§  Day 1 Library (Mr. Duncan)

  Recess 11:15-11:45 & 1:15-1:30

§  We go outside for recess rain or shine unless it is pouring rain or -20 with the windchill. Please ensure your child has warm clothing, clothing for wet weather and a complete change of extra clothing in the bag each day.

      Bus Safety (Please review these with your child)

§  Be at your stop 5 minutes before it is scheduled to arrive

§  Wait for bus to come to a complete stop and have its RED lights flashing

§  If you have to cross the road, establish eye contact with driver 

§  Wait for the driver to beckon you to cross to road

§  Always look both ways before entering any roadway

§  When safe to do so, walk at a brisk pace

§  Always cross the road in FRONT of the bus

§  If you hear the bus horn, get off the road immediately

§  Absolutely no headphones, cell phones, or other distractions during the process

§  Stay focused until safely seated (or safely off the roadway when disembarking) 

I look forward to a fantastic year! 

Crystal