First Grade News

October 9 - 13

A Glimpse at Our Week...

ELA:

Module 3: Amazing Animals
- - - Text Features
    - Ask and Answer Questions
    - Story Structure
    - Writing Form: Research Essay
    - Grammar: Sentences Parts
    - Spelling: Digraph sh

Social Studies:

Exemplifying Good Citizenship

Math:

Problem Solving Addition & Subtraction to 10

Science:

Magnets

Mark Your Calendar

10/9..............No School

10/12............Picture Day

10/12............Library Books Due

10/13............Math Homework Due

10/16-19.......Book Fair (more to come)

10/19.............First Grade Family Picnic 10:40-11:40 (Backgound Check Required- see below)

10/26...........50th Day of School (more to come)

School Events: Background Checks

If you plan to attend school events such as class parties, family picnics, awards, grade level programs and more during the school year, you will need to complete a GCISD Volunteer Background Check. The background check and approval will be required at school events for all adults in attendance. The approval process takes several days. We highly recommend that you complete your background check soon. A new background check is required each school year. We have a grade level picnic scheduled for Thursday, October 19 from 10:40-11:40 and we want all of our first grade families to be cleared for attendance. The background check form is linked below.

Link: GCISD Volunteer Background Check

Picture Day

Picture Day is Thursday, October 12. All students will be photographed for the yearbook. Order forms and money will not be needed on picture day. In approximately two weeks, families will receive an email from Glamour Craft with your child's proof image. There will be a code to use allowing you to view your child's picture. You will be able to a select background and purchase a picture package at that time. Wearing solid colors or small simple patterns is recommended by photographers.

Hooray for Fall

Temperatures are expected to be a bit cooler in the coming weeks. Weather permitting, our classes go outside for recess at 10:45 each day. You are welcome to send a light jacket, sweater or sweatshirt to school with your child on chilly days. Please label any outerwear with your child’s name. If your child misplaces an item, there is a Lost & Found located in the cafeteria. Please contact your child's teacher to allow your child time to check the Lost & Found for items that go missing.

Under the Big Top

XD week was a blast! We enjoyed the decor throughout the building and the classroom connections to the circus theme were so much fun. We loved reading and retelling circus literature, acting as reporters as we wrote about circus acts, rotating through circus themed math stations and more. We even experienced carnival games in the foyer. Thank you to the many volunteers that helped make the week a success!

PTA News:

Fall Conferences

October is Fall conference time. Be on the lookout for information from your child's teacher about how to sign-up for a conference time. Conference topics will include assessment data, current progress and ways to support learning at home. We look forward to visiting with you about the exciting things we see happening with your child during the school day!

Checklist Items

Read homework books nightly
Record minutes spent reading on the Read Across Texas recording sheet
Math homework is due each Friday
Return library books each Thursday
Send a fully charged iPad to school each day
Send a healthy snack to school each day
Place "just in case" clothing in your child's backpack

Home Practice Tips

Are you looking for ways to support your child's learning at home? Here are a few practice ideas that you may try at home:

Read 20 minutes daily
- - - homework books
    - library books
    - Kids A - Z app
Practice retelling a story
Identify elements of a story (characters, setting, problem/solution)

Practice addition and subtraction facts to 10
Practice skip counting by 2, 5 and 10
Practice counting forward and backward from any number
Sequence numbers (least to greatest & greatest to least)
Practice writing cvc words (i.e. cat, ten, fit, dot, bug)
Write a letter to a relative
Keep a journal

If you are looking for fun ways to practice writing, try writing words....

in shaving cream
with an expo marker on a sliding glass door or window
with an expo marker on a mirror
with a wet paintbrush on the sidewalk

Schedule Information

School begins at 7:40 each morning
Lunch will be at 10:15 - 10:45
Recess will be at 10:45 - 11:15
First graders will go to Specials (PE, Music and Art) from 1:25-2:10
Walkers will be dismissed from the courtyard doors. Please carry your car tag so teachers are able to identify you quickly.
Car riders will be dismissed from the back of the school. Remember to display your child's car tag on the dashboard or in a front window if your child is a car rider.

Meet the First Grade Teachers

In order of appearance...

Top Row: Emma Ackels, Amy Hisel & Sheri Thompson

Middle Row: Valeria Carrasco (Dual Language)

Bottom Row: Valeria Hernandez (Dual Language)

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