Spreading the Spirit of Sunrise

Here is the link to help a family in need this winter!  Thank you for your efforts to make this family's holiday season a bit brighter!

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/409094aaea82ea4fa7-spreading

Mrs. Berk

11-21-17

Dear Unicorn Families!

What a quick week!  We learned about Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Tribe.  We had a lesson on how people are unique with Mr. Francart.  We worked hard on editing our writing stories so we can start getting them typed next week.  We finished planting our garden and did an observation as well. 

Next week we will finish up our unit on personal narratives.  We will continue our discussion on directions for a map and start looking at map keys or legends.  We will continue with our mental imagery unit and poetry. 

Books are great holiday gifts.  In your child’s folder last week was a Scholastic book order.  You can order online at www.scholastic.com.  The class activation code is GYL4Z.  You will find my name under Outer Limits School.  If you would like some help on what level books to pick for your child, please let me know.  I am happy to help.  All book orders are due by Wednesday, November 29^th.  I can make sure they are wrapped up so they will not know what they are or I can hand them directly to you at drop off or end of the day.

Reminders for next week.  Homework went home last Friday, and it is due December 1^st.  I sent spelling tests home last Friday and we will take our next test on December 1^st.  There is NO school, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday November 22^rd-24^th.  There will be a regular week the week of November 27^th with an early release day on Thursday, November 30. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.  I am thankful to have your children in my life.

       Mrs. Berk

11-17-17

Dear Unicorn Families!

Our garden is planted, we have started editing our personal narratives, and we started our map unit.  The school year keeps moving along at a very brisk pace.  There are less than 7 school days before we move into December and I am not sure where the time has gone.  Plus, we finally have hooks for backpacks outside our classroom! 

This week we introduced our map unit.  We discussed the difference between a map and a globe.  We talked about North, East, South, and West.  We discussed what a compass rose is used for.  After break, we will start investigating different parts of a map, like a legend.   In writing, we are working on finishing up our narrative unit.  In reading we will continue working on mental imagery and using figurative language when we describe items. 

Books are great holiday gifts.  In your child’s folder this week is a Scholastic book order.  You can order online at www.scholastic.com.  The class activation code is GYL4Z.  You will find my name under Outer Limits School.  If you would like some help on what level books to pick for your child, please let me know.  I am happy to help.  All book orders are due by Wednesday, November 29^th.  I can make sure they are wrapped up so they will not know what they are or I can hand them directly to you at drop off or end of the day.

Reminders for next week.  Homework goes home today, but it is not due until December 1^st.  I will also send spelling tests home but we will take our next test on December 1^st.  We have school Monday and Tuesday, November 20^th and 21^st.  There is NO school, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday November 22^rd-24^th.  There will be a regular week the week of November 27^th with an early release day on Thursday, November 30. 

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

       Mrs. Berk

11--9-17

Dear Unicorn Families!

        Next week we will finally plant our garden.  Hopefully the plants can take root before it gets too cold at night.  The dirt is being delivered Friday morning to school, so along with the help of some volunteers and my kids, we will fill the new garden beds to be ready to plant.  The children have loved watching the lima beans grow in the window and are amazed at how much they can grow in a plastic bag.  We are also growing wheat seeds in the classroom to observe.  While we will continue with plant observations, we finished up our unit on plants this week.  Next week we will start our map unit.  We will start with directions and what are the uses of a map.

       The children are writing every day and have all picked a topic that they will write, edit, illustrate, and publish.  We will share these books and the ones they made at the beginning of the year the last week of December before Winter Break.  We continue to work on mental imagery in reading.  This week the students listened to two poems.  The first they illustrated while I was reading.  The second they illustrated while we were reading together.  We finished up with short U this week and next week we will read and practice words with short e, while we do dictation with short u words to continue practicing reading CVC words. 

       Here are some reminders.  We started Steppers last week.  The kids had a great time running around the field.   If you can help track laps, please volunteer on the FFO website.  Picture retakes are November 15^th and the First Grade Principal’s breakfast is on November 17^th.   Please let me know if you will have any changes for the short week of Thanksgiving.  We only have school on Monday and Tuesday.  I have 8 parents signed up to join us on the field trip.  Others can come as well, you will just have to drive yourself.  Please remember that the school policy is that field trips are only for the children of the grade level.

I hope everyone had a great week

       Mrs. Berk

Sign – Up Genius for field trip and classroom volunteers:

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/409094aaea82ea4fa7-field