Which Pumpkin Will Rot First?

Today room 4 viewed their pumpkins! Room 4 guessed the jack-o-lantern would rot first. They guessed right! Our rotting experiment was a success! After 7 days in a warm classroom;

Pumpkin 1- the WHOLE pumpkin was unchanged.
Pumpkin 2- the jack-o-lantern was VERY rotten
Pumpkin 3- the pumpkin cut into 2 pieces had also started rotting

Family Trees

First graders are sponge painting family trees! Monday Homework Envelopes  have an explanation letter, and a place to record a brief family memory. First graders will use the note to write a story. Please send in 1-3 family photos we can tape to their trees in the hall. Photos will be returned.

Pumpkin Science

Room 4 is watching pumpkins! Monday we carved a small jack-o-lantern, cut a pumpkin in half, and left the third alone! Our experiment is to observe which pumpkin will "rot" first? We learned how a pumpkin grows from a seed to a "ripe" pumpkin ready for eating. Today we predicted the jack-o-lantern will rot first! We will share how our experiment is progressing!

Dorris Ranch Field Trip

Our field trip was absolutely delightful today. Please enjoy our photo story! First graders went back in time and became pioneer children who traveled to Oregon walking next to a covered wagon over the Oregon Trail. Homesteaders were granted 600+ acres --free-- if they had a family, and 300+ acres if they were single. It was a hard life, but settling the Oregon Territory is how our community started. Small farms grew and brought business to this part of the Willamette Valley we call Springfield. The Native American's in our area were called the Kalapuya. They were friendly and helpful to the first pioneers.

Self Portraits

Room 4 completed self-portraits today! I am beaming with pride! Your first graders are amazing!

Papa's Pizza Fundraiser Tonight!

Tonight is Ridgeview's Papa's Pizza Night. Bring the room 4 coupon when you purchase your pizza. Room 4 will earn the $ for our classroom. You may order by phone and use the coupon when you pick-up your pizza as well.

There will be another pizza fundraiser envelope with BLUE coupons for sale! This is for the PTO general fund. Classrooms will receive 20%. It is a separate event, but coinciding with Ridgeview's Papa's Night to help others in the community save too!

Thank You!

Thank you room 4 parents! First grader's liked; parents eating with them, eating food from home, eating in the classroom, eating in the classroom, eating at the cafeteria guest table, taking their parent through lunch line, eating with another family, and having a parent at recess! Room 4 parents ROCK!

Bring Someone You Love to Lunch

Every year Ridgeview invites parents to eat lunch at school with their child. First graders invite you Monday, October 12th. Please arrive outside room 4 before 11:20. If you are buying the hot lunch you will need to pay in the office first, they will give you a slip of paper to give Mrs. Crump in the cafeteria. I will match parents with kids that bring in their lunch first, then parents who are going to eat the school lunch next. Please be aware ALL first grades have adults coming to lunch, so you may choose to eat in the cafeteria or the classroom. We are limited in space and seating, but we truly want you to enjoy your child! I will have plastic table cloths for quick clean-up, and the custodian will have carts and garbage cans in the hall for the take-out food. Please be aware, recess begins at 11:40. We return to the classroom at 12:05. It may be helpful to say goodbye on the playground, K's and first graders still experience separation difficulty. Please be aware I will eat in the classroom with my children who have no guest. It will be a special day!

Homework and Good Fit Books

Today Homework Envelopes and Good Fit books are coming home together. Please note, they both return on THURSDAY. You received your child's Reading Log on Friday. Fill out the log as you and your child read the stories coming home today. REMEMBER, we read, and go back to read again. You may choose to read 1 book a night, or 2 books a night, etc. The more students reread the same text the easier the task becomes, and the faster they are able to read. Do not hesitate to read to your child. This is the first step in building a reader for life!

Sink and Float

Room 4 is experimenting with water. Today we made a "T" chart of things that sink, and things that float. Using everyday classroom objects each first grader tried each object and recorded their findings.

Sharing

Sharing started this week. Boys and girls may share 1 story or 1 "thing" from home. Please do not send anything too precious or breakable. We are enjoying all the stories and many "lovies". This is a magician's cape. We had a great discussion about his magic tricks!

Thank You!

Thank you parents! I appreciate parents attending Room 4 First Grade Information Night. We discussed homework and reading to your child. Please continue to follow my blog for more updates on curriculum.

Parent Information Night

Tuesday September 29th

5:30-6:15 pm

Room 4 

Parents are welcome to drop in for a very informal visit about first grade!

Curriculum

First graders are starting to get into their daily routines. This week extra support reading groups started with Mrs. Daly and Mrs. West. All students at Ridgeview Elementary receive extra support if they qualify. Extra support groups are taught during the reading blocks at each grade level.

Whole group reading is taught from 8:45-9:15 am. Small group instruction begins at 9:15 and continues throughout the morning. All first grade teachers have small groups. We teach the district adopted HM reading program, and supplement as needed. My class is practicing reading habits daily. Each child has a reader, and additional stories in their "book box". This week we practiced "partner reading." Partners sit "back-to-back" for silent reading, "knee-to-knee" for shared reading. In addition we are practicing reading "stamina". First graders take out their book box reading mat stack up their books on the left side. During independent practice readers select a book, read it, review a part they liked, and choose a new book. First graders are trying to read for longer amounts of time.

Happy First Week!

Whew! Room 4 read, wrote, and practiced color groups and centers. We are a community of workers and learners.

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Day 2

What a fun project! Room 4 read Pete the Cat books today. We made our own "cats". MEOW!!!

September 9, 2015

Our first day in room 4 was a success! First graders sang songs, played on the "modified" playground,  (our school is building a new music room), and ate lunch in the cafeteria for the first time! Our class went to music, and started an art project. WHEW!  What a busy day. Thank you parents for making this a perfect day.

Meet the Teacher Night

Welcome to room 4! I am Mrs. Mary Stein, your first grade teacher. I cannot wait to meet you! Please bring your school supplies and signed permission slips to room 4 Tuesday September 8th from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Your desk will be waiting for you.