Newsletters

Teacher's Notes

This past week, we had our Youth Science Institute Assembly, where we learned about different animals and their adaptations.  We even met a vinegaroon, bullfrog, newt, and bearded dragon!  This upcoming week, we will be getting into the holiday spirit by comparing and contrasting different versions of The Gingerbread Man.   

Reading Workshop

• Unit 3- Learning about the World

  • • New Vowel Teams Can Unlock Even More Words (ai, ay, oa)

    • Looking Closely at a Curious Word Part: The Letter Y

    • Readers Add Their Own Thinking to Their Texts

Phonics

• Concept #39- Beginning W Blends

• Red Words 

  • • saw, both

Writing Workshop

• Unit 2- Topic Books

  • • Spelling by Analogy As You Write

    • Helping Readers Learn More by Giving Examples

    • Studying Photos or Pictures Can Help you Say More

Math

• Unit 3- Adding, Subtracting, Counting, and Comparing

  • • Doubles Plus or Minus 1

    • Open Strategy Sharing

    • Tower Race Day 1

    • Tower Race Day 2

• Make sure to check out this unit's family letter here!

• Looking for additional practice?  

  • • Home Connections Workbook: p. 39-42

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Albanian

Science

• Unit 2- Animal Reporters

  • • My Article About Animals

    • Match Parents and Their Young

    • When I Grow Up

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Music

• Gingerbread House

Theme

• Gingerbread

Important Dates

• Monday, November 17- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 18- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Wednesday, November 19- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Wednesday, November 19- LASD Art Showcase

• Friday, November 21- Living Classroom Lesson

• Monday, November 24- Friday, November 28- Thanksgiving Holiday (No School)

• Monday, December 1- SF Opera Assembly

• Friday, December 5- Art Docent Lesson

• Friday, December 19- Holiday Party

• Monday, December 22- January 2- Winter Break (No School)

Reminders

• Parent Teacher Conferences

  • • Our Parent Teacher Conferences will finishing up  this week.

    • I look forward to meeting with each of you to discuss your student's progress and areas for growth.

• Library on Thursdays

  • • We love our library time with Mrs. Starkey!

    • Please have your student return his or her library books by Thursday to ensure that new books can be checked out each week.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This past week, we started our new science unit all about animal adaptations.  We learned about how different animals have coverings (fur, feathers, or scales) that help them survive.  We also learned about how animals move in different ways!  This upcoming week, we will be meeting some animals and learning about their special adaptations during our Youth Science Institute Assembly.

Reading Workshop

• Unit 3- Learning about the World

  • • When Readers are Really Curious, They Read More Than One Book about a Topic

    • Sharing Books with Others

    • Key Words Help Readers Unlock More Learning About a Topic

Phonics

• Concept #38- Beginning S Blends

• Red Words 

  • • onto, people

Writing Workshop

• Unit 2- Topic Books

  • • Writing More Quickly, Using Words You Know in a Snap

    • Getting our Books Ready for Readers

    • Nonfiction Writers Get Inspired by Reading Other Authors' Work

Math

• Unit 3- Adding, Subtracting, Counting, and Comparing

  • • Drop the Beans

    • Make the Sum

    • Number Rack Doubles

• Make sure to check out this unit's family letter here!

• Looking for additional practice?  

  • • Home Connections Workbook: p. 33-37

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Albanian

Science

• Unit 2- Animal Reporters

  • • Awesome Animal Defenses

    • Using Body Parts

    • Create Your Own Animal

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Music

Theme

• Thankfulness and Gratitude

Important Dates

• Monday, November 10- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 11- Veterans Day (No School)

• Thursday, November 13- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Friday, November 14- YSI Assembly

• Friday, November 14- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Monday, November 17- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 18- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Wednesday, November 19- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Wednesday, November 19- LASD Art Showcase

• Friday, November 21- Living Classroom Lesson

• Monday, November 24- Friday, November 28- Thanksgiving Holiday (No School)

Reminders

• Parent Teacher Conferences

  • • Our Parent Teacher Conferences will be continuing this week.

    • Thank you for signing up!  I look forward to meeting with each of you to discuss your student's progress and areas for growth.

• LASD Art Showcase

  • • We're excited that all of the schools in our district are coming together to celebrate our young LASD artists!   Student art from all LASD schools will be displayed at our first ever LASD Student Art Showcase to be held at Almond School on Wednesday, November 19 from 5:00-7:00 PM.

    • Is your Covington Coyote interested in signing up?  If so, register here by Wednesday, November 12.  Anything that your student feels proud of can be shared.  Please note that participation is voluntary and this event will not replace our Covington Art Show in the spring.

    • Drop off items to our Covington office.  All pieces will be returned after the LASD Art Showcase.

    • Any questions?  Please contact Kathy Lyon (lyon.katherinek@gmail.com) or Abigail Mortimore (abigailhmortimore@gmail.com).

• Library on Thursdays

  • • We love our library time with Mrs. Starkey!

    • Please have your student return his or her library books by Thursday to ensure that new books can be checked out each week.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This past week, we kicked off our new Reading and Writing Workshop units all about nonfiction books, sharing our expert knowledge with each other.  We also worked together to create a school map and guide to share with new families and students (and YOU)!  Make sure to scan the QR codes on the back to hear from us about our favorite places at school.  This upcoming week, we will be starting our new science unit all about animal adaptations.

Reading Workshop

• Unit 3- Learning about the World

  • • Reading Longer Words Part by Part

    • Nonfiction Readers Are Curious About Words

    • Nonfiction Readers Retell to Make Sure They Understand Their Books

Phonics

• Concept #37- Beginning L Blends

• Red Words 

  • • under, down

Writing Workshop

• Unit 2- Topic Books

  • • Researchers Look Closely to Discover and Add Details

    • Researchers Study and Write About How Things Look

    • Researchers Study and Write About How to Use Things

    • Use Sensory Details to Add Describing Words

Math

• Topic 5- Representing and Interpreting Data

  • • Real Object Graphs

    • Reading and Interpreting Data Displays

    • Assessment

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Albanian

Science

• Unit 2- Animal Reporters

  • • Animal Reporters

    • In My Skin

    • Just Keep Moving

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Music

Theme

• Harvest and Indigenous Voices

Important Dates

• Monday, November 3- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 4- Friday, November 7- Covington Book Fair

• Tuesday, November 4- First Grade Priceless Party

• Wednesday, November 5- "Pajama Day" Spirit Day

• Wednesday, November 5- Family Night

• Wednesday, November 5- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Thursday, November 6- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Monday, November 10- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 11- Veterans Day (No School)

• Thursday, November 13- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Friday, November 14- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Monday, November 17- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 18- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Wednesday, November 19- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Wednesday, November 19- LASD Art Showcase

• Friday, November 21- Living Classroom Lesson

• Monday, November 24- Friday, November 28- Thanksgiving Holiday (No School)

Reminders

• My Family Map Sharing

  • • To celebrate our Social Studies unit on geography and the diversity in our class, we're excited to learn more about our own families!

    • Students will create their family maps and take turns presenting to the class.

    • Family maps will be due the day of each presentation.  

• Parent Teacher Conferences

  • • Our Parent Teacher Conferences will be starting this week.

    • Thank you for signing up!  I look forward to meeting with each of you to discuss your student's progress and areas for growth.

• First Grade Priceless Party

  • • We are so excited for our grade level's priceless party on Tuesday, November 4 from 3:15-4:15 PM at Wine & Design Studio in the Rancho Shopping Center!

    • Thank you for signing up and supporting our school! 

• Covington Book Fair

  • • Our annual Covington Book Fair is arriving on Tuesday, November 4- Friday, November 7 in the Multi.  Come join our Covington community in celebrating reading while also helping to raise additional funds to support our school!

    • In addition to stocking up on your personal or classroom libraries, there will also be fun activities throughout the week including a Book Basket raffle and daily contests.

    • We'll be having "Pajama Day" Spirit Day and Family Night on Wednesday, November 5.

    • Book Fair Hours:

      • • Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM

        • Thursday: 8:00 AM - 2:15 PM

        • Family Night on Wednesday, November 5 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM

    • Interested in volunteering?  You can sign up here to help out during the week with set-up, decorating, cashiers, and more.

    • As an easier alternative to cash, you can set up Book Fair eWallets for students to spend at the Book Fair.  eWallets can be used during the fair or shopping online and do not expire.  eWallets can even be shared with family and friends to gift money, too!  To get set up, please sign up here.

    • You can also support our classroom with books, too!  I'll be choosing books for our classroom and placing them in our "wish list" box.

    • Throughout the week, our Leadership students will also be collecting gently used books.  A donation box will be in front of the office.  Any money raised from the book basket raffle will go towards new books for this drive!

    • Any questions?  Please contact Book Fair Chairs: Irina Gabudean (igiosan@gmail.com) or Richard Hsu (richard.s.hsu@gmail.com). 

• LASD Art Showcase

  • • We're excited that all of the schools in our district are coming together to celebrate our young LASD artists!   Student art from all LASD schools will be displayed at our first ever LASD Student Art Showcase to be held at Almond School on Wednesday, November 19 from 5:00-7:00 PM.

    • Is your Covington Coyote interested in signing up?  If so, register here by Wednesday, November 12.  Anything that your student feels proud of can be shared.  Please note that participation is voluntary and this event will not replace our Covington Art Show in the spring.

    • Drop off items to our Covington office.  All pieces will be returned after the LASD Art Showcase.

    • Any questions?  Please contact Kathy Lyon (lyon.katherinek@gmail.com) or Abigail Mortimore (abigailhmortimore@gmail.com).

• Library on Thursdays

  • • We love our library time with Mrs. Starkey!

    • Please have your student return his or her library books by Thursday to ensure that new books can be checked out each week.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This past week, we selected our favorite small moment stories to edit, publish, and share!  This upcoming week, we will be starting our new Reading and Writing Workshop units where we will be reading and writing our own nonfiction books.  Make sure to ask your student what he or she knows a lot about to help brainstorm possible topics.

Reading Workshop

• Unit 3- Learning about the World

  • • Curiosity: An Essential Reading Skill

    • Looking Closely to Learn

    • Curious Readers Ask Questions

Phonics

• Concept #36- Beginning R Blends

• Red Words 

  • • her, here

Writing Workshop

• Unit 2- Topic Books

  • • Finding Topics in the World at Your Feet

    • Touching and Teaching Before You Sketch, Then Write

    • Predicting What Your Reading will Want to Learn

Math

• Topic 5- Representing and Interpreting Data

  • • Sorting and Classifying Data

    • Creating Tally Charts

    • Real-Object Graphs

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Mandarin

• Project Based Learning- Welcome to Covington

  • • How can we locate places in our school community?

    • How can we represent different places on our school map?

    • What else do newcomers need to know about places on our school map?

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Music

Theme

• Halloween

Important Dates

• Friday, October 31- Halloween Party and Parade

• Monday, November 3- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 4- Friday, November 7- Covington Book Fair

• Tuesday, November 4- First Grade Priceless Party

• Wednesday, November 5- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Thursday, November 6- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Monday, November 10- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 11- Veterans Day (No School)

• Thursday, November 13- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Friday, November 14- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Monday, November 17- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 18- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Wednesday, November 19- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Wednesday, November 19- LASD Art Showcase

• Friday, November 21- Living Classroom Lesson

• Monday, November 24- Friday, November 28- Thanksgiving Holiday (No School)

Reminders

• Halloween Festivities

  • • Our first graders can come dressed in their costumes on Friday, October 31.  

    • Please keep in mind that your student's costume should not include anything gory or pretend weapons.  

    • Thank you to our party coordinator and volunteers for planning our class party!

    • Make sure to stop by to see our Halloween Parade on the blacktop at 2:00PM!

• First Grade Priceless Party

  • • We are so excited for our grade level's priceless party on Tuesday, November 4 from 3:15-4:15 PM at Wine & Design Studio in the Rancho Shopping Center!

    • If you didn't get a chance to sign up at the Walkathon, you can still sign up here.

    • Not only will this special event help support our school, but it will definitely be a fun time!  

    • Come join the first grade teachers and all your friends for a guided Art Buzz painting class.  You'll get to take home your very own masterpiece!  

• Parent Teacher Conferences

  • • Our Parent Teacher Conferences are just around the corner!  

    • Thank you for signing up.  I look forward to meeting with each of you to discuss your student's progress and areas for growth.

• LASD Art Showcase

  • • We're excited that all of the schools in our district are coming together to celebrate our young LASD artists!   Student art from all LASD schools will be displayed at our first ever LASD Student Art Showcase to be held at Almond School on Wednesday, November 19 from 5:00-7:00 PM.

    • Is your Covington Coyote interested in signing up?  If so, register here by Wednesday, November 12.  Anything that your student feels proud of can be shared.  Please note that participation is voluntary and this event will not replace our Covington Art Show in the spring.

    • Drop off items to our Covington office.  All pieces will be returned after the LASD Art Showcase.

    • Any questions?  Please contact Kathy Lyon (lyon.katherinek@gmail.com) or Abigail Mortimore (abigailhmortimore@gmail.com).

• Library on Thursdays

  • • We love our library time with Mrs. Starkey!

    • Please have your student return his or her library books by Thursday to ensure that new books can be checked out each week.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This upcoming week, we will be editing our favorite small moment stories.  We will also be launching a new "Project Based Learning" experience tied in with our Social Studies unit about geography.  Over the next two weeks, we will be using different kinds of maps as inspiration to create a Covington map and guide to share with new families!

Reading Workshop

• Unit 2- Word Detectives

  • • Breaking Off the Ending to Solve Longer Words

    • Zooming Out to Retell

    • Celebration

Phonics

• Concept #35- Open/Closed Syllables

• Red Words 

  • • there, done

Writing Workshop

• Unit 1- Small Moments: Writing with Focus, Detail, and Dialogue

  • • Using Punctuation to Direct Readers

    • Fancying Up Books so They're Ready to be Celebrated: Learning from Mentors

Math

• Topic 4- Meanings of Addition and Subtraction

  • • Relate Counting to Addition and Subtraction

    • Creating Addition and Subtraction Situations

    • Assessment

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Mandarin

• Project Based Learning- Welcome to Covington

  • • What's in our school community?

    • What is a newcomer?

    • What do we need to know about guides?

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Music

• Black Cat

• Monster

Theme

• Halloween

Important Dates

• Monday, October 20- Author Visit

• Wednesday, October 22- Unity Day

• Friday, October 31- Halloween Party and Parade

• Monday, November 3- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 4- First Grade Priceless Party

• Wednesday, November 5- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Thursday, November 6- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Monday, November 10- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 11- Veterans Day (No School)

• Thursday, November 13- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Friday, November 14- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Monday, November 17- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 18- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Wednesday, November 19- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Wednesday, November 19- LASD Art Showcase

• Friday, November 21- Living Classroom Lesson

• Monday, November 24- Friday, November 28- Thanksgiving Holiday (No School)

Reminders

• Author Visit

  • • We're excited that Bellen Woodard, author of More Than Peach and Ballet Brown, will be visiting Covington on Monday, October 20.

    • If your student already purchased a book last year, he or she can bring it in to get it signed!

    • If your student didn't get a chance to purchase one last year, the books are now available on Amazon!

• Unity Day

  • • To promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion, our Leadership students are encouraging everyone to wear orange on Wednesday, October 22.

    • They will also be hosting special activities to celebrate this nation-wide event!

• Field Trip and Activity Fund Donations

  • • We're excited for our upcoming field trips and activities this year!

    • To make this possible, we're hoping to receive donations for each student.

    • If you're able to contribute to our Field Trip and Activity Fund, we're asking that the donations be returned to school, along with the signed permission slips by Friday, October 24.

• First Grade Priceless Party

  • • We are so excited for our grade level's priceless party on Tuesday, November 4 from 3:15-4:15 PM at Wine & Design Studio in the Rancho Shopping Center!

    • If you didn't get a chance to sign up at the Walkathon, you can still sign up here.

    • Not only will this special event help support our school, but it will definitely be a fun time!  

    • Come join the first grade teachers and all your friends for a guided Art Buzz painting class.  You'll get to take home your very own masterpiece!  

• Parent Teacher Conferences

  • • Our Parent Teacher Conferences are just around the corner!  

    • Thank you for signing up.  I look forward to meeting with each of you to discuss your student's progress and areas for growth.

• LASD Art Showcase

  • • We're excited that all of the schools in our district are coming together to celebrate our young LASD artists!   Student art from all LASD schools will be displayed at our first ever LASD Student Art Showcase to be held at Almond School on Wednesday, November 19 from 5:00-7:00 PM.

    • Is your Covington Coyote interested in signing up?  If so, register here by Wednesday, November 12.  Anything that your student feels proud of can be shared.  Please note that participation is voluntary and this event will not replace our Covington Art Show in the spring.

    • Drop off items to our Covington office.  All pieces will be returned after the LASD Art Showcase.

    • Any questions?  Please contact Kathy Lyon (lyon.katherinek@gmail.com) or Abigail Mortimore (abigailhmortimore@gmail.com).

• Library on Thursdays

  • • We love our library time with Mrs. Starkey!

    • Please have your student return his or her library books by Thursday to ensure that new books can be checked out each week.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This upcoming week, we will be starting our new Social Studies unit all about geography.  We'll be learning about different kinds of maps, as well as all the different continents and oceans in our world!  

Reading Workshop

• Unit 2- Word Detectives

  • • Word Detectives Don't Give Up: Reread and Look Again

    • Zooming Out to Make Predictions

    • Word Detectives Take an Even Closer Look to Solve Longer Words

    • Watching Out for Compound Words

Phonics

• Concept #35- Open/Closed Syllables

• Red Words 

  • • there, done

Writing Workshop

• Unit 1- Small Moments: Writing with Focus, Detail, and Dialogue

  • • A Mentor Story Sparks New Stories

    • Reading Like a Writer, and Then Writing Like a Copy-Cat

    • Words Matter!  Choosing Precise Words to Bring Writing to Life

    • Rhyme Time!  Using Words You Know to Spell Wonderful New Words

Math

• Topic 4- Meanings of Addition and Subtraction

  • • Subtraction as Takeaway

    • Subtraction as Comparing

    • Relate Counting to Addition and Subtraction

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Mandarin

• Unit 2- Geography

  • • How can a place be represented in different ways?

    • How do I read about a map to learn about a place?

    • How can I locate land and water on a map?

    • How does a place affect the way people live?

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Music

• Pumpkin

Theme

• Pumpkins

Important Dates

• Friday, October 17- Living Classroom Lesson

• Monday, October 20- Author Visit

• Wednesday, October 22- Unity Day

• Friday, October 31- Halloween Party and Parade

• Monday, November 3- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 4- First Grade Priceless Party

• Wednesday, November 5- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Thursday, November 6- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Monday, November 10- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 11- Veterans Day (No School)

• Thursday, November 13- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Friday, November 14- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Monday, November 17- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 18- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Wednesday, November 19- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Friday, November 21- Living Classroom Lesson

• Monday, November 24- Friday, November 28- Thanksgiving Holiday (No School)

Reminders

• Got Maps?

  • • To introduce our new Social Studies unit, we will be looking at different kinds of maps.

    • If you have one that we can borrow this week, please have your student bring it to school on Monday, October 13.

    • Some examples could be a map of your favorite park, hiking trail, zoo, etc.

• Author Visit

  • • We're excited that Bellen Woodard, author of More Than Peach and Ballet Brown, will be visiting Covington on Monday, October 20.

    • If your student already purchased a book last year, he or she can bring it in to get it signed!

    • If your student didn't get a chance to purchase one last year, the books are now available on Amazon!

• Unity Day

  • • To promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion, our Leadership students are encouraging everyone to wear orange on Wednesday, October 22.

    • They will also be hosting special activities to celebrate this nation-wide event!

• Field Trip and Activity Fund Donations

  • • We're excited for our upcoming field trips and activities this year!

    • To make this possible, we're hoping to receive donations for each student.

    • If you're able to contribute to our Field Trip and Activity Fund, we're asking that the donations be returned to school, along with the signed permission slips by Friday, October 24.

• First Grade Priceless Party

  • • We are so excited for our grade level's priceless party on Tuesday, November 4 from 3:15-4:15 PM at Wine & Design Studio in the Rancho Shopping Center!

    • If you didn't get a chance to sign up at the Walkathon, you can still sign up here.

    • Not only will this special event help support our school, but it will definitely be a fun time!  

    • Come join the first grade teachers and all your friends for a guided Art Buzz painting class.  You'll get to take home your very own masterpiece!  

• Parent Teacher Conferences

  • • Our Parent Teacher Conferences are just around the corner!  

    • Thank you for signing up.  I look forward to meeting with each of you to discuss your student's progress and areas for growth.

• Library on Thursdays

  • • We love our library time with Mrs. Starkey!

    • Please have your student return his or her library books by Thursday to ensure that new books can be checked out each week.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This past week, we learned about the "Sammy Rule" in Phonics.  When there is a one syllable word, with a short vowel, followed by a consonant (s, f, l, z), we double it (ss, ff, ll, zz).  To help remember which consonants fit this rule, we use the saying, "Sammy loves friendly zebras."  Make sure to ask your student about it!  This upcoming week, we will be starting our new Math unit about understanding the meaning of addition and subtraction.  Often times students may think addition means "plus" and subtraction means "minus," without understanding what those symbols actually represent.  So we're going to explore the concept of "joining" and "taking away" with relatable math problems!

Reading Workshop

• Unit 2- Word Detectives

  • • Watching out for Silent e

    • Solving Mystery Words by Thinking of Similar Words You Know in a Snap

    • Watching Out for Vowel Teams

    • Learning to Be Flexible: Try the Vowel Sound Another Way

Phonics

• Concept #34- Compound Words

• Red Words 

  • • some, good

Writing Workshop

• Unit 1- Small Moments: Writing with Focus, Detail, and Dialogue

  • • Using Drama to Bring Stories to Life

    • Using Familiar Words to Spell New Words

    • Editing Capital Letters and End Marks Help Readers

    • Studying a Story to Learn Ways an Author Makes it Special

Math

• Topic 4- Meanings of Addition and Subtraction

  • • Adding as Joining

    • Part-Part-Whole

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Mandarin

Science

• Unit 1- Museum of Leafology

  • • Design with Inspiring Plants

    • Build an Inspired Invention

    • Prepare and Present Gallery

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Music

• Spooky House

Theme

• Bats and Spiders

Important Dates

• Thursday, October 9- Minimum Day

• Friday, October 10- Staff Development (No School)

• Friday, October 17- Living Classroom Lesson

• Friday, October 31- Halloween Party and Parade

• Monday, November 3- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 4- First Grade Priceless Party

• Wednesday, November 5- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Thursday, November 6- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Monday, November 10- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 11- Veterans Day (No School)

• Thursday, November 13- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Friday, November 14- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Monday, November 17- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, November 18- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Wednesday, November 19- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Friday, November 21- Living Classroom Lesson

• Monday, November 24- Friday, November 28- Thanksgiving Holiday (No School)

Reminders

• First Grade Priceless Party

  • • We are so excited for our grade level's priceless party on Tuesday, November 4 from 3:15-4:15 PM at Wine & Design Studio in the Rancho Shopping Center!

    • If you didn't get a chance to sign up at the Walkathon, you can still sign up here.

    • Not only will this special event help support our school, but it will definitely be a fun time!  

    • Come join the first grade teachers and all your friends for a guided Art Buzz painting class.  You'll get to take home your very own masterpiece!  

• Parent Teacher Conferences

  • • Our Parent Teacher Conferences are just around the corner!  

    • Thank you for signing up.  I look forward to meeting with each of you to discuss your student's progress and areas for growth.

• Library on Thursdays

  • • We love our library time with Mrs. Starkey!

    • Please have your student return his or her library books by Thursday to ensure that new books can be checked out each week.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This past week, we started our new Reading Workshop unit, where we are learning all about becoming Word Detectives.  Each day, we receive a secret "mission" from the S.S.D.A. (Super Secret Detective Agency), where we practice certain skills.  We also had our Covington's Got Talent! Show, where we got to see our friends sing, dance, play the piano, and play the violin.  Our first graders did such a great job!  This upcoming week, we will be having our first Living Classroom lesson.

Reading Workshop

• Unit 2- Word Detectives

  • • Noticing and Understanding New Vocabulary

    • Zooming in to Look Closely, Zooming Out to Understand

    • Scoop Up Words You Know in a Snap to Make Reading Sound Smooth

    • Studying Words Closely and Turning Them into Words You Know in a Snap

Phonics

• Concept #33- Sammy Rule (-ss, -ll, -ff, -zz)

• Red Words 

  • • were, does

Writing Workshop

• Unit 1- Small Moments: Writing with Focus, Detail, and Dialogue

  • • Revising by Making Your Characters' Talk

    • Writers Use All They've Learned from Revision to Write Even Better Stories

    • Adding End Punctuation While Drafting

Handwriting

• C Family Letters

  • • c, a, g, s, e, q

Math

• Topic 3- Comparing Numbers within 100

  • • Comparing 2 Digit Numbers Using Place Value

    • Assessment

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Marathi

Science

• Unit 1- Museum of Leafology

  • • Compare Seedlings and Their Parents

    • Smarty Plants

    • Our New Rooms

    • Problem Solve with Plants

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Music

Theme

• Friendship

Important Dates

• Wednesday, October 1- Living Classroom Lesson

• Saturday, October 4- Covington Color Run Walkathon

• Thursday, October 9- Minimum Day

• Friday, October 10- Staff Development (No School)

• Friday, October 17- Living Classroom Lesson

• Friday, October 31- Halloween Party and Parade

Reminders

• Covington Color Run Walkathon

  • • Our annual Covington Walkathon is on Saturday, October 4 from 9:00-1:30 PM.  

    • This event is a fantastic day for our community and one of our biggest fundraisers!   Students can participate by getting sponsors to donate for each lap they walk.  Please encourage your student to ask friends and family for their support!

    • Pledge and permission forms are due by Wednesday, October 1.  The permission portion must be signed in order for your student to participate in the Walkathon.

    • Sign up to volunteer here!

• Library on Thursdays

  • • We love our library time with Mrs. Starkey!

    • Please have your student return his or her library books by Thursday to ensure that new books can be checked out each week.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This past week, we had a lot of fun celebrating the fall season with Apple Fun Centers.  From applesauce, to apple "salad," to lots of books about apples, we definitely had a tasty time!  We also noticed that some of our seeds have started to sprout.  Make sure to ask your scientist about the different parts of a plant.  This upcoming week, we will be working in teams to design a "seed" that can be dispersed in the wind!

Reading Workshop

• Unit 2- Word Detectives

  • • Word Detectives Are Always on the Lookout

    • Word Detectives Look Closely

    • Looking Closely at Endings

Phonics

• Concept #32- Digraph -wh

• Red Words 

  • • who, what, where, why

Writing Workshop

• Unit 1- Small Moments: Writing with Focus, Detail, and Dialogue

  • • Holding Tight to Small Moment Stories

    • Starting and Stopping Stories to Keep Them Small

    • Telling Stories in Itsy Bitsy Steps

    • Launching a Focus on Revision: Revising by Adding More

Handwriting

• C Family Letters

  • • c, o, a, d

Math

• Topic 3- Comparing Numbers within 100

  • • Comparing Numbers within 50

    • Comparing 2 Digit Numbers Using Simpler, Related Numbers

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Marathi

Science

• Unit 1- Museum of Leafology

  • • Build Your Own Seed

    • Blowin' in the Wind

    • The Seeds Room

    • Compare and Contrast Seeds

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Music

Theme

• Friendship

Important Dates

• Thursday, September 25- Covington's Got Talent! Show

• Wednesday, October 1- Living Classroom Lesson

• Saturday, October 4- Covington Color Run Walkathon

• Thursday, October 9- Minimum Day

• Friday, October 10- Staff Development (No School)

• Friday, October 17- Living Classroom Lesson

• Friday, October 31- Halloween Party and Parade

Reminders

• Covington Color Run Walkathon

  • • Save the date!  Our annual Covington Walkathon is on Saturday, October 4 from 9:00-1:30 PM.  

    • This event is a fantastic day for our community and one of our biggest fundraisers!   Students can participate by getting sponsors to donate for each lap they walk.  Please encourage your student to ask friends and family for their support!

    • Pledge and permission forms are due by Wednesday, October 1.  The permission portion must be signed in order for your student to participate in the Walkathon.

    • Sign up to volunteer here!

• Library on Thursdays

  • • We love our library time with Mrs. Starkey!

    • Please have your student return his or her library books by Thursday to ensure that new books can be checked out each week.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This past week, we started our science unit all about plants.  We went on a nature walk, learned about the parts of a plant, and even planted three different kinds of seeds.  We can't wait to watch them grow!  This upcoming week, we will be kicking off the fall season with Apple Fun Centers!

Reading Workshop

• Unit 1- Building Good Reading Habits

  • • Understanding a Character's Point of View: Learning to Make Inferences

    • Readers Can Retell at the End of a Book

    • Readers Celebrate and Set New Goals

Phonics

• Concept #30- Digraph -th (voiced)

• Concept #31- Digraph -th (unvoiced)

• Red Words 

  • • one, two

Writing Workshop

• Unit 1- Small Moments: Writing with Focus, Detail, and Dialogue

  • • Getting Heaps of Story Ideas and Writing One!

    • Planning by Storytelling then Writing More Stories

    • Writing All the Sounds in Words: Spelling While Writing

Handwriting

• Middle Line Letters

  • • p, j, x, z

Math

• Topic 2- Representing Numbers

  • • Composing and Decomposing 2 Digit Numbers

    • Assessment

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Marathi

Science

• Unit 1- Museum of Leafology

  • • The Plant Parts Room

    • By Wind, Animal, or Water?

    • Design Your Own Seed

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Music

• Apple Core

Theme

• Apples

Important Dates

• Tuesday, September 16- Picture Day

• Tuesday, September 16- Apple Fun Centers

• Friday, September 26- Living Classroom Lesson

• Saturday, October 4- Covington Color Run Walkathon

Reminders

• Apple Week

  • • We can't wait to celebrate Apple Fun Centers this week!

    • Please have your student bring 3 apples to school on Monday, September 15.

    • Apples of various colors and types are encouraged!

• Covington Color Run Walkathon

  • • Save the date!  Our annual Covington Walkathon is on Saturday, October 4 from 9:00-1:30 PM.  

    • This event is a fantastic day for our community and one of our biggest fundraisers!   Students can participate by getting sponsors to donate for each lap they walk.  Please encourage your student to ask friends and family for their support!

    • Pledge and permission forms are due by Wednesday, October 1.  The permission portion must be signed in order for your student to participate in the Walkathon.

    • Sign up to volunteer here!

• Library on Thursdays

  • • We love our library time with Mrs. Starkey!

    • Please have your student return his or her library books by Thursday to ensure that new books can be checked out each week.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This upcoming week, we will be starting our new science unit all about plants.  Along with learning about plants, we'll be planting our very own seeds and observing them as they grow!

Reading Workshop

• Unit 1- Building Good Reading Habits

  • • Readers Notice When They're Confused and Reread to Understand

    • Studying the Pictures to Better Understand Books

    • Readers Make Their Voices Match What's Happening

Phonics

• Concept #28- Digraph -ch

• Concept #29- Digraph -sh

Writing Workshop

• If/Then Unit- How To Books 

  • • Writers Guide Readers with Warnings, Suggestions, and Tips

    • Using Comparisons to Give Directions

Handwriting

• Middle Line Letters

  • • v, w, u, y

Math

• Topic 2- Representing Numbers

  • • Representing Numbers to 50

    • Representing Numbers to 100

    • The Hundred Chart

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Marathi

Science

• Unit 1- Museum of Leafology

  • • Plants Are Amazing

    • Sleepy Seeds

    • From Roots to Fruit

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Music

• Self Portrait

Theme

• Understanding Differences

Important Dates

• Tuesday, September 16- Picture Day

• Tuesday, September 16- Apple Fun Centers

• Friday, September 26- Living Classroom Lesson

• Saturday, October 4- Covington Color Run Walkathon

Reminders

• Covington Color Run Walkathon

  • • Save the date!  Our annual Covington Walkathon is on Saturday, October 4 from 9:00-1:30 PM.  

    • This event is a fantastic day for our community and one of our biggest fundraisers!   Students can participate by getting sponsors to donate for each lap they walk.  Sponsor and permission forms were sent home in Work Folders this past week.  Please encourage your student to ask friends and family for their support!

    • All forms are due by Tuesday, October 1.  

    • Please note: The permission portion must be signed in order for your student to participate in the Walkathon!

• Library on Thursdays

  • • We love our library time with Mrs. Starkey!

    • Please have your student return his or her library books by Thursday to ensure that new books can be checked out each week.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This past week, we worked on building our class community.  We learned all about being inclusive, spreading kindness, and teamwork.  We also had the opportunity to meet with our Big Buddies!  This upcoming week, we will be starting our new math unit all about representing numbers in different ways.

Reading Workshop

• Unit 1- Building Good Reading Habits

  • • Check for Meaning and Fix it Up

    • Middle Matters: Check the Vowels

    • Slow Check: Checking All the Way Through a Word

Phonics

• Concept #27- Long Vowels

• Red Words 

  • • they, any

Writing Workshop

• If/Then Unit- How To Books 

  • • Writers Emulate Features of Information Writing Using Mentor Texts

    • Writing for Readings: Using the Word You

    • Picture Each Step and Choose Exactly the Right Words

Handwriting

• Middle Line Letters

  • • i, r, n, m

Math

• Topic 2- Representing Numbers

  • • Representing Teen Numbers

    • Representing Tens

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Marathi

• Unit 1- Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

  • • Why Should I Be a Global Citizen?

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Music

• Family Portrait

Theme

• Our Families

Important Dates

• Monday, September 1- Labor Day (No School)

• Tuesday, September 16- Picture Day

• Tuesday, September 16- Apple Fun Centers

• Friday, September 26- Living Classroom Lesson

Reminders

• Permission Slips for Ms. Preethi

  • • As Ms. Preethi mentioned at Back to School Night, she'll be recording some of her lessons to receive feedback from her advisor for her teaching credential program.

    • If you didn't get a chance to sign your child's permission slip (included in the Back to School Night folder), please return it to school by Tuesday, September 2. 

• Work Folder

  • • Please take the time to go through the items in your student's Work Folder.

    • Encourage your student to reflect and share what he or she learned from the activities.

    • Please support your student by having him or her return it to school on Monday.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • If you haven't gotten a chance to read the letter from Mrs. Marquis, you can find it here!

    • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This past week, we continued learning more about what it's like to be in first grade by building our classroom community.   We are working on being responsible, celebrating others, and learning from our mistakes.  We also discovered many connections that we have with our new friends... Our "Getting to Know You" sharing activity was a lot of fun!

Reading Workshop

• Unit 1- Building Good Reading Habits

  • • Readers Get Stronger by Reading More and More

    • Readers Build Good Habits for Solving Words

    • Sticking to Good Habits Takes Practice

    • Reading Partners Build Good Habits Together

Phonics

• Concept- Kindergarten Review and Routines

  • • Three Part Drill

      • • Producing sounds with visual cards

        • Auditory/kinesthetic practice with sand trays

        • Blending sounds

    • Vowel Intensive

      • • Identifying vowels in words

• Red Words 

  • • on, and, to, for

Writing Workshop

• If/Then Unit- How To Books 

  • • Writers Answer a Partner's Questions

    • Writers Label Diagrams to Teach Even More

    • Writers Write as Many Books as They Can

    • Writers Reflect and Set Goals to Create Their Best Information Writing

Handwriting

• Rooftop Letters

  • • h, b, k, f

Math

• Topic 1- Counting to 120

  • • Counting Larger Collections

    • Review and Practice

    • Assessment

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Dutch

• Unit 1- Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

  • • More Traits of Citizenship

    • Volunteering

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Music

• Heart Banner

Theme

• Our Class Community

Important Dates

• Friday, August 29- Minimum Day

• Monday, September 1- Labor Day (No School)

• Tuesday, September 16- Picture Day

• Tuesday, September 16- Apple Fun Centers

• Friday, September 26- Living Classroom Lesson

Reminders

• Permission Slips for Ms. Preethi

  • • As Ms. Preethi mentioned at Back to School Night, she'll be recording some of her lessons to receive feedback from her advisor for her teaching credential program.

    • If you didn't get a chance to sign your child's permission slip (included in the Back to School Night folder), please return it to school ASAP. 

• Getting to Know Your Child Questionnaire

  • • If you haven't gotten a chance to complete our questionnaire yet, follow this link.

    • Please submit one per family.

• Work Folder

  • • Please take the time to go through the items in your student's Work Folder.

    • Encourage your student to reflect and share what he or she learned from the activities.

    • Please support your student by having him or her return it to school on Monday.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • If you haven't gotten a chance to read the letter from Mrs. Marquis, you can find it here!

    • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

After a summer filled with much eagerness and excitement over meeting our first grade class, I was thrilled to see everyone on the first day of school.   In order to get to know each other, we learned how to work together with a puzzle activity and started the day with our Morning Meeting.   We discussed our hopes and dreams for first grade (make new friends, have fun, learn new things, etc.) and what we can do to help each other fulfill those this year.  To emphasize the importance of the "Coyote Way," we collaborated in teams to create posters on how to make good choices.  To build our classroom community, we also painted a class mural with the saying "We are Better Together."  This was a great start to the school year and I can't wait for the upcoming week!

Reading Workshop

• Unit 1- Building Good Reading Habits

  • • Readers Take a Sneak Peek

    • Readers Use Phonics to Solve Hard Works

    • Readers Read it Again!  Rereading to Make Reading Sound Smooth

    • Readers Reread and Think More

Phonics

• Concept- Kindergarten Review and Routines

  • • Three Part Drill

      • • Producing sounds with visual cards

        • Auditory/kinesthetic practice with sand trays

        • Blending sounds

    • Vowel Intensive

      • • Identifying vowels in words

• Red Words 

  • • the, was, is

Writing Workshop

• If/Then Unit- How To Books 

  • • Writers Study the Kind of Writing They Plan to Make

    • Writers Use What They Already Know

    • Writers Become Readers

Handwriting

• Rooftop Letters

  • • l, t, h, b

Math

• Topic 1- Counting to 120

  • • The Tens Numbers

    • Counting by Ones

    • Counting Small Amounts

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Dutch

• Unit 1- Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

  • • What Can Citizens Do?

    • We Are Good Citizens

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Music

• Self Portrait

Theme

• Back to School

Important Dates

• Thursday, August 21- Back to School Night

• Friday, August 29- Minimum Day

• Monday, September 1- Labor Day (No School)

• Tuesday, September 16- Picture Day

Reminders

• Getting to Know Your Child Questionnaire

  • • If you haven't gotten a chance to complete our questionnaire yet, follow this link.

    • Please submit one per family.

• Getting to Know You Sharing

  • • We're excited to get to know each other and practice our public speaking!

    • Please help your student place no more than 5 items in the paper bag that was sent home in his or her Work Folder and return to school on Monday, August 18.

• Stuffie Week

  • • Please have your student bring a stuffed animal to school on Monday, August 18.

    • We will be doing fun activities with our stuffed animals throughout the week!

• Back to School Night

  • • I'm excited to see all of you at Back to School Night on Thursday, August 21.  

    • This will be a special evening to bring our families together and learn more about our first grade class!

    • You will also be able to sign up for a variety of volunteer opportunities like our Languages of the Month, Art Docent lessons, Living Classroom lessons, class parties, field trips, and more!

• Seesaw

  • • I'm excited that our class will be using Seesaw this year to share, celebrate, and reflect on our learning. 

    • You can sign up using your student's specific QR code or via the email invite.

• Work Folder

  • • Please take the time to go through the items in your student's Work Folder.

    • Encourage your student to reflect and share what he or she learned from the activities.

    • Please support your student by having him or her return it to school on Monday.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • If you haven't gotten a chance to read the letter from Mrs. Marquis, you can find it here!

    • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

To My Students

I cannot wait to meet all of you on the first day of school!   Along with getting to know your classmates, you will also get to explore your new classroom.  I know that all of you are going to love your special book bins, flexible seating options, and our classroom library, where you will discover so many great books to read.  I am also excited for all of you to try out our Design Station, where you will use your imagination and creativity to build fun objects!

To The Parents

I am really looking forward to meeting all of you and having the opportunity to work with you throughout this school year.  I know that you are probably just as excited as your first grader for the first day of school, so it is my goal to make this a welcoming and memorable experience for everyone.  In order to ensure that all of you are updated on the happenings of our class, I will post a weekly newsletter on this website.  So, each week, you will find our classroom newsletter posted on this page.

Important Dates

• Monday, August 11- Back to School Picnic

• Wednesday, August 13- First Day of School

• Friday, August 15- PTA Volunteer Sign-Up 

• Thursday, August 21- Back to School Night

• Friday, August 29- Minimum Day

• Monday, September 1- Labor Day (No School)

• Tuesday, September 16- Picture Day

Teacher's Notes

This past week, we had a lot of fun at Field Day... From bubbles and face-painting, to the much anticipated bouncy house obstacle course, it was definitely a day to remember!  This upcoming week, we will be reflecting on our favorite first grade memories with our memory books, as well as making the most of our last three days together!

Reading Workshop

• If/Then- Fairy Tales, Folktales, Fables and Fantasy 

  • • Readers Compare and Contrast Books

    • Think About Books that Go Together

Writing Workshop

• First Grade Memory Books

Math

• Unit 1.11- Picture Book Project

  • • Solving Each Other's Number Stories

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Thai

Character Strong 

• Month Ten: Kindness

• Make sure to check out this month's family newsletter here!

Theme

• Summer

Important Dates

• Wednesday, June 4- Last Day of School

Reminders 

• Last Day of School

  • • We will have an earlier dismissal on Wednesday, June 4 at 11:30 AM.

• LASD Universal Meals 

  • • Here's a link to our June breakfast and lunch menus.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This past week, we celebrated the culmination of our Social Studies unit with our American Symbols on Parade performance, as well as our third annual "Our America" potluck.  Thank you all so much for helping our students celebrate the diversity of our community and what truly makes our country special!  This upcoming week, we will be finishing our fairy tales.  Make sure to ask your student about the characters, setting, problem, magical elements, and moral of his or her fairy tale!  And of course, we're excited to wear our tie dye shirts for Field Day!

Reading Workshop

• If/Then- Fairy Tales, Folktales, Fables and Fantasy 

  • • Readers Understand People Are More Complex Than Characters

    • Imagine New Versions of Fairy Tales

    • Readers Learn Alongside Characters

Writing Workshop

• If/Then- Writing Our Own Fairy Tales

  • • Writers Collect and Record Traits from Familiar Fairy Tales

    • Writers Work Toward Independence

    • Writers Revise with Independence

Math

• Unit 1.11- Picture Book Project

  • • Creating and Solving Our Own Number Stories

    • Completing and Sharing Our Number Stories

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Korean

Character Strong 

• Month Nine: Creativity

• Make sure to check out this month's family newsletter here!

Theme

• Summer

Important Dates

• Friday, May 30- Field Day

• Friday, May 30- Minimum Day

• Monday, June 2- Author Visit

• Wednesday, June 4- Last Day of School

Reminders 

• Field Day

  • • We had so much fun tie dying our shirts!  Please have your student wear his or her orange tie dye shirt on Friday, May 30.

    • Since our students will be out in the sun for a variety of activities, sunscreen, a water bottle, and a hat is highly recommended.

    • We will also be having a Minimum Day with dismissal at 12:15 PM.

• Author Visit

  • • We're excited that Bellen Woodard will be visiting Covington on Monday, June 2.  She is the incredible 14 year old award-winning author of "More Than Peach," which we read in Project Cornerstone this year.

    • Bellen also just launched a new book, "Ballet Brown."  If you would like to purchase a signed book for your child, please use this link by Thursday, May 29.  Books will be delivered to students after the author visit.

• Yearbook Orders

  • • Just wanted to let you all know that the yearbook team ordered a few extra yearbooks for families who may have missed the deadline.  Here's a link to purchase one!  

    • Once you purchase it, your child's name will be on the list and they can come to the front office at the end of the day on Monday, June 2 to pick it up.  Please keep in mind that if you would like to get one, you need to do so as soon as possible since there are only a few extra yearbooks.

• Last Day of School

  • • We will have an earlier dismissal on Wednesday, June 4 at 11:30 AM.

• LASD Universal Meals 

  • • Here's a link to our May breakfast and lunch menus.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This upcoming week, we are extremely excited to sing our favorite patriotic songs for all of you at our American Symbols on Parade and celebrate together with our third annual "Our America" Potluck! 

Reading Workshop

• If/Then- Fairy Tales, Folktales, Fables and Fantasy 

  • • Readers Read with Drama and Expression

    • Readers are on the Lookout for Different Kinds of Characters

    • Readers Consider Roles of Characters

Phonics

• Concept #62- Bossy R /ur/

Writing Workshop

• If/Then- Writing Our Own Fairy Tales

  • • Writers Use Tools and Charts to Revise Fairy Tales

    • Add Dialogue to Showcase Characters' Voices

    • Writers Utilize Familiar Fairy Tales as Guides

Math

• Unit 1.11- Picture Book Project

  • • Analyzing and Editing Put Together/Take Apart Stories

    • Analyzing and Editing Change Unknown Stories

    • Analyzing and Editing Comparison Stories

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Korean

Character Strong 

• Month Nine: Creativity

• Make sure to check out this month's family newsletter here!

Theme

• American Symbols

Important Dates

• Thursday, May 22- American Symbols on Parade and "Our America" Potluck

• Friday, May 23- Living Classroom Lesson

• Friday, May 23- Minimum Day

• Monday, May 26- Memorial Day (No School)

• Friday, May 30- Field Day

• Friday, May 30- Minimum Day

• Wednesday, June 4- Last Day of School

Reminders 

• Tie Dye for Field Day

  • • As an extra fun activity, all of our first graders will be tie dying shirts to wear for Field Day!  Our class will be tie dying orange shirts to show our school spirit!

    • Please have your student bring a plain white t-shirt to school by Monday, May 19.

    • If you could also write your student's name with a Sharpie on the collar that would be great!

• American Symbols on Parade

  • • Save the date!  We can't wait to perform our favorite patriotic songs for all of you on Thursday, May 22 at 9:00 AM in the Multi.

    • Please have your student dress in red, white, and blue!

    • We're also excited to celebrate the diversity of our community with our third annual "Our America" Potluck!  If you're interested in contributing, you can sign up here.

• LASD Universal Meals 

  • • Here's a link to our May breakfast and lunch menus.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This past week, we had an extra fun Art Docent lesson inspired by Eric Carle!  We created butterfly collages with paper painted by other first graders.  And to continue to pay it forward, we designed textured paper with paint and a variety of special tools, too!  This upcoming week, we will be learning more about different American symbols and reflecting on which one we feel like best represents our country.  

Reading Workshop

• If/Then- Fairy Tales, Folktales, Fables and Fantasy 

  • • Readers Pay Attention to Magical Elements

    • Readers Pay Attention to How Characters Do Things

    • Readers Become Storytellers

Phonics

• Concept #61- Bossy R /ir/

Writing Workshop

• If/Then- Writing Our Own Fairy Tales

  • • Writers Determine the Moral of Their Story

    • Writers Stay Focused and Keep The Quality Up

    • Writers Become Editors to Help Their Partners

Math

• Unit 1.9- Numbers Greater Than 20

  • • Adding 2 Digit Numbers

    • Composing and Decomposing Numbers to Solve Story Problems

    • Card Collections

    • Shape Sticker Problem

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Korean

• American Symbols

  • • How do people use the American flag as a symbol?

    • What symbol best represents the United States?

Character Strong 

• Month Nine: Creativity

• Make sure to check out this month's family newsletter here!

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Dance

• Liberty Bell

Theme

• American Symbols

Important Dates

• Friday, May 16- SF Opera Assembly

• Friday, May 16- Multicultural Fair and Spirit Day

• Thursday, May 22- American Symbols on Parade and "Our America" Potluck

• Friday, May 23- Living Classroom Lesson

• Friday, May 23- Minimum Day

• Monday, May 26- Memorial Day (No School)

• Friday, May 30- Field Day

• Friday, May 30- Minimum Day

• Wednesday, June 4- Last Day of School

Reminders 

• Multicultural Fair

  • • Our beloved Multicultural Fair is coming back on Friday, May 16 from 5:00-7:00 PM on the Covington Blacktop.  

    • Make sure to stop by to visit the different country booths and see many special performances!

    • We'll also be having a special Multicultural Fair Spirit Day, where students are invited to wear traditional attire to school to celebrate their cultures and traditions.

• Tie Dye for Field Day

  • • As an extra fun activity, all of our first graders will be tie dying shirts to wear for Field Day!  Our class will be tie dying orange shirts to show our school spirit!

    • Please have your student bring a plain white t-shirt to school by Monday, May 19.

    • If you could also write your student's name with a Sharpie on the collar that would be great!

• American Symbols on Parade

  • • Save the date!  We can't wait to perform our favorite patriotic songs for all of you on Thursday, May 22 at 9:00 AM in the Multi.

    • We're also excited to celebrate the diversity of our community with our third annual "Our America" Potluck!  If you're interested in contributing, you can sign up here.

• LASD Universal Meals 

  • • Here's a link to our May breakfast and lunch menus.

• Library on Mondays

  • • We love our library time with Mrs. Starkey!

    • Please have your student return his or her library books by Monday to ensure that new books can be checked out each week.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This past week, we published our realistic fiction books.  This upcoming week, we will be starting our new Reading and Writing Workshop units about fairy tales, where we will definitely get to use our imagination and creativity!

Reading Workshop

• If/Then- Fairy Tales, Folktales, Fables and Fantasy 

  • • Readers Understand Stories and Become Characters

    • Readers Identify Emotion and Ask Questions

    • Readers Imagine Characters' Worlds

Phonics

• Concept #60- Bossy R /er/

Writing Workshop

• If/Then- Writing Our Own Fairy Tales

  • • Writers Can Use Their Imagination to Create Fairy Tales

    • Writers Visualize Specific Settings for Their Characters

    • Writers Create the Problem and Solution

Math

• Unit 1.9- Numbers Greater Than 20

  • • Adding Multiples of 10

    • Adding Ones to Regroup

    • Adding Ones and Multiples of 10 to Compare

    • Subtracting Multiples of 10

Social Studies

• Language of the Month

  • • Korean

• American Symbols

  • • What symbols represent the United States?

    • Do symbols mean the same thing to everyone?

Character Strong 

• Month Nine: Creativity

• Make sure to check out this month's family newsletter here!

Art

• Starting Arts

  • • Dance

• Bald Eagle

Theme

• American Symbols

Important Dates

• Friday, May 9- Art Docent Lesson

• Friday, May 16- SF Opera Assembly

• Friday, May 16- Multicultural Fair and Spirit Day

• Thursday, May 22- American Symbols on Parade and "Our America" Potluck

• Friday, May 23- Living Classroom Lesson

• Friday, May 23- Minimum Day

• Monday, May 26- Memorial Day (No School)

• Friday, May 30- Field Day

• Friday, May 30- Minimum Day

• Wednesday, June 4- Last Day of School

Reminders 

• Yearbook Orders

  • • It's hard to believe the school year is almost over!  We're literally down to the last few weeks of school, which means it's time to purchase your child's yearbook.  In order for his or her yearbook to arrive on time, please purchase it here by Friday, May 9!

    • If you have any questions, feel free to email our yearbook coordinator, Elizabeth Sazegari (Civatie@yahoo.com).

• Multicultural Fair

  • • Our beloved Multicultural Fair is coming back on Friday, May 16 from 5:00-7:00 PM on the Covington Blacktop.  

    • Make sure to stop by to visit the different country booths and see many special performances!

    • We'll also be having a special Multicultural Fair Spirit Day, where students are invited to wear traditional attire to school to celebrate their cultures and traditions.

• Tie Dye for Field Day

  • • As an extra fun activity, all of our first graders will be tie dying shirts to wear for Field Day!  Our class will be tie dying orange shirts to show our school spirit!

    • Please have your student bring a plain white t-shirt to school by Monday, May 19.

    • If you could also write your student's name with a Sharpie on the collar that would be great!

• American Symbols on Parade

  • • Save the date!  We can't wait to perform our favorite patriotic songs for all of you on Thursday, May 22 at 9:00 AM in the Multi.

    • We're also excited to celebrate the diversity of our community with our third annual "Our America" Potluck!  If you're interested in contributing, you can sign up here.

• LASD Universal Meals 

  • • Here's a link to our May breakfast and lunch menus.

• Library on Mondays

  • • We love our library time with Mrs. Starkey!

    • Please have your student return his or her library books by Monday to ensure that new books can be checked out each week.

• P.E. on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • • Please have your student wear sneakers on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you,

Miss Gibo

Teacher's Notes

This upcoming week, we will be starting our new Social Studies unit about American symbols.  We'll begin by taking a closer look at the Statue of Liberty and ultimately determine which symbol best represents our country!

Reading Workshop

• Unit 5- Meeting Characters and Learning Lessons

  • • Breaking Multisyllabic Words into Parts to Read Them Well

    • Readers Check Up on Words They Know in a Snap

    • Comparing Feelings Across  Books and Our Lives

Phonics

• Concept #57- Contractions

• Red Words

  • • been, our, other

Writing Workshop

• Unit 4- From Scenes to Series

  • • "Meet the Author" Page

    • Getting Reading for Final Celebration

    • A Celebration of Series Writers

Math

• Unit 1.9- Numbers Greater Than 20

  • • Comparing 2 Digit Numbers

    • Modeling 2 Digit Numbers

    • Decomposing 2 Digit Numbers

    • Representing 2 Digit Numbers in Different Ways