1. Mrs. Kurth’s Classroom News December 7 th - 11 th, 2015

2. Dates to save: December 11 th : Gingerbread Houses 1:30 – 2:00 December 22 nd : In School Read-a-Thon in the a.m. Class Christmas Party at 1:20-2:20 December 23rd-January 3rd: Winter Break ***SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION on Monday, January 4th

3. Gingerbread Houses Thank you so much for the ice cream buckets! We had help from the middle school to get the houses put together. We are still in need of volunteers to help us decorate this Friday Please use this link below to see how you can make donations as well as to volunteer on the day of the event! Copy and paste the following link to sign up: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c4faaab2da4fe3-first2 We also really need frosting! If you could help us with this portion, we would really appreciate it!

4. Holiday Party The holiday party will be here before we know it. These are the volunteers I have for this party: Linda Althoff, Jesi Wytonik, Joy Vervais, Sharie Thoelke, Heidi Thorp, and Megan Gibas If you were wishing you could have helped with this party, please consider helping with the gingerbread house decorating. There’s plenty of room!

5. Tiger Way Celebration We have 4 celebrations this year to recognize how our students have been following the Tiger Way. Our second one was this last Friday. Congratulations to Crosby and Brita for receiving an award for Respect! I also want to thank all of the other students who have been showing the Tiger Way as well!

6. Outside Recess As the weather starts to cool down, it is important to send appropriate outdoor attire for your child. We will be going outside everyday unless it rains or there is a significant wind-chill. Please make sure you label everything that comes to school. Many clothing items will be similar (if not the same). Thank you in advance for helping us sort out our cool weather clothing.

7. December Birthdays We will celebrate your child’s birthday here at school If you decide to send store bought treats or goodies please send 24 of them. If it's a weekend day we will celebrate the Friday before or Monday after. We will also celebrate ½ birthdays. If this doesn’t work for you we can celebrate it in May. Please let me know which day you will choose if it falls on the weekend or holiday break. 4 th – Ben 14 th – Jackson 24 th – Ella 28 th – Priscilla ½ Birthdays: 24 th - Sarah

8. Upcoming Academics: This will change each week!

9. Reading: Reading and Spelling: Lesson 8 Main Story: Dr. Seuss (Biography) and Two Poems from Dr. Seuss (Poetry) Word Wall Words: after, draw, pictures, read, was, write Comprehension Strategy: Text and Graphic Features; Questions Phonics: Review Short e words; clusters with s (ex: snack, swim, stick, string, skip) Grammar: Singular and Plural Nouns Vocabulary: Antonyms Writing: Descriptive Writing; ideas; sequencing

10. Spelling Review Spelling Words: yes, let, red, ten, bed, get, sled, step, *after, *was Your child will also be asked to write a sentence with some of these words in them in addition to words that follow the short e and clusters with s. Be sure to practice words with these patterns so he/she will be prepared for this part of the test.

11. Math Concepts for this week in class: Identifying coins and determining coin values Anticipated Homework: Monday: 3.12 Counting Coins Tuesday: 3.13 Favorite Colors Wednesday: No Homework Thursday: 3.14 Domino Top-It Friday: None

12. Word of the Week Extra: Each week, your child can receive a sticker for their sticker book by writing down our special word/phrase of the week along with a parent signature. They love stickers! Phrase of the week: Gingerbread Houses

13. More Math…. Here is the link if you need to reprint homework pages: http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/parents/1st-grade/em-at- home/unit_3/http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/parents/1st-grade/em-at- home/unit_3/ Things you can practice at home if you are looking for additional ideas: -Telling time to the nearest hour -Counting combinations of pennies and nickels and dimes

14. Family Journals Family Journals are due each Monday. Please use the next empty page to complete your response to your child. I also encourage you to use the letter format to allow your child to see and experience that format.

15. General Homework Expectations Mondays: Spelling words and word wall words will come home (practice these words to be ready for the spelling test on Friday Wednesdays: Wednesday work: students complete the comprehension page as well as practice reading the words on the opposite side. When you feel your child is confident in knowing the words and has completed the comprehension page, please return it to the classroom. It is due by the following Tuesday at the latest. Monday through Friday: Math homework will be sent home each day, except Wednesdays. I expect each page to come back the following day.

16. Volunteering Sign Up With Students http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c4faaab2da4fe3- volunteer Sign Up Without Students www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0C4FAAAB2DA4FE3- volunteer2

17. Volunteering The media center is also looking for volunteers to help shelve books. In the past, some parents have volunteered in the library right before coming to our room to volunteer. Please contact them beforehand to see if they have an available opening. Thank you for ALL your help! We couldn’t do it without you!!!

18. Digital Days Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5 Phy. Ed. (Wear your Tennis Shoes) Music MediaComputer Music ComputerP.E. MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6

19. Contact Information Angie Kurth 1 st GradeTeacher – rm. 102 763-972-6200 ext.4102, angie.kurth@delanoschools.org angie.kurth@delanoschools.org Classroom Website/Blog: http://www.delano.k12.mn.us/elementary- school/gradesstaff/first-grade/mrs-kurth