Tucson Museum of Art

This week the Tucson museum of Art came in to teach a lesson on the color wheel, mixing colors, and identifying still life, portrait, landscape and abstract paintings. The students then created their own painting in the one of the painting styles discussed. They came out great!

We are continuing our unit on the seasons, characteristics of each and the cyclical nature of the seasons. We will complete this unit by the Thanksgiving break. We have also completed a science unit of rocks and will begin a new unit on plants after the break.

I would also like to thank the parents who have come in to volunteer and donated snacks, dry erase markers and various other classroom supplies.

Seasons

I was a spooky Halloween around room 24. Mrs. Janice came in a read and lead the students in a Halloween art project. Thank you Mrs. Janice! We will now begin a unit on the Changing Seasons. The students will be reading, writing and creating stories about the 4 seasons.

Homework goes home on Friday and needs to be turned in by next Friday. Extra homework will be sent home on an as needed basis. Please inquire if you would like extra work or books for you and your child to work on.

Our Community

We are beginning a new unit on Communities and neighborhoods. We will be learning about people and places within our community and neighborhood. The student’s will also learn about their role in the classroom community and neighborhood. As you travel throughout your neighborhood talk to your child about what they see and who they see in their neighborhood. We will be creating movies and writing about our neighborhood and community. We have taken pictures of the neighborhood around Brichta to aid in illustrating our movies and stories. Feel free take pictures of your child’s neighborhood and have your child bring them in, they can use them in their stories.

I want to also thank the parents and grandparents who have volunteered in the classroom this past week and donated classroom supplies. Dry erase markers seem to be the most needed item this year. Any dontations are greatly appreciated.

Common Core Standards

Today I am in aworkshop for implementing Common Core Standards in Language Arts. Common Core Standards are a nation-wide standardization of educational goals through a collaboration of states. I will be posting more information regarding CCS as the year progresses. You can learn more about them and their impact on your child’s learning by Googling Common Core Standards.

Your child participates in physical education 30 minutes a day 5 days a week. It is an opportunity to not only engage in physical activity, but to learn and see modelling on sportsmanship, cooperative play and problem- solving.

I would like to thank all the families who have donated classroom supplies ( especially those dry erase markers!) and snacks. I would also like to thanks the parents who have spent time in the classroom reading with students.

Parent Conferences

During this past week the students have continued reading and writing about their families. We will finish up our unit on families early next week. In math the students will continue learning about number order, addition, making the number 10, and solving story problems. Next week will be dedicated to parent conferences. Students will be out of school at 11:00 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I will be sending home confirmation of conference times on Monday and Tuesday. Students will be given a reading log where they are required to document the time they spend reading each day.Readingis the cornerstone to learning. The recommended daily reading time is 20 minutes. This may initially be accomplished as time spent reading to your child. As the year progresses your child should read to you and eventually may then read independently. A new log will be sent home every Friday and may be downloaded from the classroom website.

 

 

Families

In this first week of September, the students will be learning about families, primarily their family. This unit will include making digital stories about families. If you have photographs that your student could scan for their stories please bring them in or email them to me.

 

In math the students will continue learning about number order, addition, more or less, and solving story problems.

 

Your child will be engaged in digital storytelling throughout the year. Sometimes they will be creating stories about subjects that are being covered in class, such as Oceans. Most of the time your child will choose their own subject to write about. If you have any imagery, including photographs, please have your child bring them in or email them to me for use. Examples include pictures taken on vacation or a trip to the park.

 

Students will be given a reading log where they are required to document the time they spend reading each day.Readingis the cornerstone to learning. The recommended daily reading time is 20 minutes. This may initially be accomplished as time spent reading to your child. As the year progresses your child should read to you and eventually may then read independently. A new log will be sent home every Friday and may be downloaded from the classroom website.

 

Off to a great start!

We had a wonderful first week of school! The student learned the schedule very quickly and by the end of the week were engaged in the first thematic unit-I Can, which sill continue into the second week as well. This coming week in math we will be working on number order, shapes and creating systems of counting. We have also begun working on our first two songs using the glockenspiels-Hot Cross Buns Happy and Sad! The classroom newsletter will be going home on Monday as well as a new reading log. Remember the logs are due every Friday. Please feel free to stop by and say hello and see what your child is up to!

Welcome to the 2011-2012 School Year!

Hello. This week will be exciting as your children and I get to know each other. They will learn about the classroom, reading, math, digital storytelling and meet new and old friends. I will be sending out a newsletter on Monday with news, policies on homework and a classroom wishlist. I look forward to seeing you on Monday!

Planetarium Field Trip

The first grade classrooms of Ms. Hill and Mr. Randy Cueto will be going on a field trip to the Flandrau Planetarium on the U of A Campus. We will participate in hands-on science experiments and view a show within the planetarium. This field trip will be in support of our upcoming unit on space sciences. Permission slips are due this Friday. There are two forms that need to be filled out. Please contact me if more forms are needed.

Saguaro National Monument

The first grade classrooms had a great field trip to the Saguaro National Monument. The students went on a hike through the desert and wash and toured the wildlife displays. There was even a rattlesnake hiding out in the cactus garden! Of course accompanying the learning was the excitement of a hilly bus ride. All in all the students had an educational and fun time.

Visit from Ranger John

In preparation for our field trip to the Saguaro National Park, Ranger John vistited our classroom. Ranger John gave a preview of what we are going to see and do March 15th. The students in Mrs. Hill’s and Mr. Randy’s first grade classes will researching the Sonoran Desert in the upcoming weeks.

Saguaro National Park Field Trip

Mrs. Hill and Mr. Cueto will be going on a field trip to Saguaro National Park on Tuesday, March 15. We will be leaving the school around 10:00 a.m. and returning around 1:00 p.m. We will eat a picnic lunch at the park.

The park has a curriculum-based program called “Desert Wonders” for first graders that explores the plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert and their unique adaptations to desert living. We will be hiking through the desert so please have your child wear long pants and close-toed shoes.

We will be going on a district school bus. If you are planning to be a chaperone for the trip, you will need to plan to drive to the park because there will be limited space due to two classes riding on the bus.

Please sign the attached permissions slip and fill out the form below. If your child will be buying a sack lunch from the cafeteria, we need to know by Friday, March 4. Please return both forms by then.

There is no charge to the students for this trip.

Click to download the permission slip here.

Brichta 50th Anniversary

I would like to thank all the parents who were able to join in the celebration of Brichta’s 50th Anniversary. A brief video of the first grade music program and the songs were played for the audience. If you have a chance please feel free to stop by and view the student movies about their classroom, friends and school. I will updating the Showcase page as quickly as possible. The students have written, edited and recorded over 210 digital stories so far. I hope to yousee you soon!

Parent Conferences

Parent conferences will be held September 14, 15, 16. A sign up letter will be coming home that is to be returned to the classroom. Please contact me for special scheduling requests.

Week of August 30, 2010

Curiculum Night is Tuesday, August 31. It will begin in the cafeteria at 5:30 pm. Classroom visitations will rotate from 5:45-6:15 and from 6:15-6:45.

We are beginning our third week of school. The students are still learning about things that they can do, play and enjoy. They are reading and writing and creating digital movies on these topics. Be sure to check out the Student Showcase page for examples of student work. In math students are adding single digits and focusing on number sense. We will begin a science unit on plants as well.

Thank you to all the parents who have been able to donate classroom items and snacks.

First Week of School

Hello. This week will be exciting as your children and I get to know each other. They will learn about the classroom, reading, math, digital storytelling and meet new and old friends. I will be sending out a newsletter on Friday with news, concepts covered. I look forward to seeing some of you on Monday!

Summer 2010

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. Lots of sun and fun. I’ve been swimming, biking and napping a lot. I am finishing up a week-long technology camp here at the Westward Look resort. I’ve been learning more about Digital Storytelling and the writing process. I am eager for the new year to start and meet all of my new students. I will see you in August.