Conference Sign Up Online

Conferences are Monday, October 28th, 2013

Please use the following link to sign up for a conference time.

www.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F0C4DADA82CA46-conferences 

Thanks in advance,

Susan Gregorash

iStation Results!!

We took the October iStation Test yesterday, here is our growth data!  I am sending home reports with the specific subsections in students folders today.  If you have any questions, I'm only an email away!

I am so PROUD of their growth so far!

Plus 1 or 2 Bingo

Today we had so much fun playing Plus 1 or 2 Bingo, the kiddos wanted to play it at home, so here is everything you need to play.  This game develops number sense by building +1, +2 facts.  

Materials:

Chips or counters

Number line (optional)

Directions - Click Here

Game Board - Click Here

Game Cards - Click Here  (Best to print out on card stock).  We use these primary number cards in lots of games throughout the year, so they will be well worth the time it takes to print and cut out, I promise!  

Be sure to comment on this blog if you play this game at home, and tell us what you think!  Can't wait to hear all about the math learning at home!  

BME - Beginning, Middle End

This week in reading and writing, we have been learning that stories we read and write have a beginning, middle and end.
We read The Little Red Hen and Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and summarized the story by writing down a sentence about the beginning, a few sentences about the middle and a sentence about the end.

Click HERE to download a simple BME reading response sheet, like we use in class.

Points

Some of you have asked, "what are the numbers for in the little circles?"  This post, will hopefully answer this question.

Students earn points (tracked on a website called Class Dojo) for great behaviors in class.  They can earn points for great answers, participation, being SHARP, completing homework, modeling the essential 55, being on time, etc.  In turn, students can also lose points as well for not exemplifying these behaviors.  At the end of the day, their total points are recorded in their folder, and students earn a happy face!  In turn, if a student ends up with no or negative points, they will receive a sad face for the day.  Points start over each day.  A new day, a new beginning!  

Redeeming points - What are they for?

Students can choose to redeem their hard earned points for a reward card good for.

• 10 points - special pencil
• 10 points - rockstar recognition 
• 20 points - stinky feet  
• 20 points - fluffy friend
• 20 points - favorite hat
• 30 points - calendar teacher
• 30 points - be proud read aloud
• 30 points - show and tell

TEACHERS - If you are interested in the reward card files, I will gladly email them to you, just let me know.   I also have additional reward card files that are not mentioned here.  

Apps - Sight Words by Photo Touch

Sight Words by Photo Touch on both iPhone and iPad.  

This is to reinforce the sight word cards that come home daily, to improve reading fluency.  

Students have been trained how to set this app up for THEIR level.  But just incase they forget...

Sound - On

Display hint - Off

If your child is practicing the white cards, then they turn on the 'preschool' library, and turn off all other libraries

If your child is practicing the yellow cards, then they turn on the 'kindergartenl' library, and turn off all other libraries

If your child is practicing the green cards, then they turn on the 'First Gradel' library, and turn off all other libraries

If your child is practicing the orange cards, then they turn on the 'Second Grade' library, and turn off all other libraries

If your child is practicing the pink cards, then they turn on the 'Third Grade' library, and turn off all other libraries

How Much Fat?

In science, we are talking about healthy and unhealthy snacks.  Yesterday our class did an experiment to see how much fat is in the snack foods we eat.   First we looked at fat (oil) and what it looked like on a paper towel.  Then we tested four snacks; pretzels, ritz crackers and potato chips.  You can see our results below.  Students then wrote about the results and what the results meant in their science journals.  We also attached this picture in their science journals.  

Science - Ways to Stop Germs

Today in science, we talked about ways to stop germs.  Ask your child if they can describe three ways to stop the spread of germs!  Ready, set, go!

Just in case, here are 3 ways:

• Wash your hands
• Sneeze into a tissue
• Cough into your arm

There will be a science test on staying healthy at the end of the week!  I'll keep you updated with topics to discuss at home, each day!  

An easy way to find all the posts related to this test is click on 'staying healthy' on the right hand side of this page.   If you are viewing on a mobile phone, scroll down to the bottom and click view as web page, then click on the 'staying healthy' link.  

Apps - Memory Matches

Memory Matches - This app is GREAT for kiddos to practice their subitizing skills.  I don't remember if this app costs anything, so someone can fill me in on that part, and I'll add that to this page.  Don't buy the new version Memory Matches 2, just the regular version, Memory Matches.  It does have scrolling adds, but the kids ignore them.
Once installed, go to options.  Start with size 4X4.  Cards switch it to Numbers/Dot.  Sound either way.
Enjoy!    We haven't played in class yet this year, but we will!

Apps - Letter School

Letter School

Letter school is GREAT for helping kiddos with their handwriting!  

Make sure you BUY it, don't use the lite version.  The lite version only gives you capital letters, I believe.  The FULL version allows you to do lower case letters (also numbers too) and allows you to pick Zaner Bloser handwriting.    When you buy it, make sure you go into settings and change it to LOWER CASE, then Zaner Bloser Style.

Numeracy Routines - At Home & In The Classroom

I've been trying to put into words, the importance of Numeracy Routines.  I want parents and other teachers to be able to quickly understand how and why to use them at home or in their own classroom.  I have also provided links to the resources you would need to get started.   

The purpose of Numeracy Routines is to get students to THINK about numbers (not in addition or subtraction sense) but in the terms of taking numbers apart and putting them together. Knowing what "Three" or "Seven" or "Ten" is. Making connections to what they already know about one number helps them figure out another number. 

Quick Look

One activity I do is called “Quick Look” with ten frames. The reason we do this is so students see groups of objects and not have to count each dot individually.

I show a ten frame( like this one) for 3 seconds then ask “What did you see?”

• A student might say “I see 5”, and I’ll ask…”How did you know?” “I see 3 on one side and 2 on the other and I know that’s 5.”
• Another student might say “I saw three at the top and two at the bottom. Three and two is five.”
• Still another student might say “I saw three on one side and I slid one from the other side..that’s four with one left on the other side and that’s five…four and one is five.”

Click HERE to download a set of ten frames.  Just print and show to your kiddo(s)!  

You can even do this magnetically, like I do in my classroom.  All you need is a cookie sheet, small round magnets, you can find them at wal-mart and dot stickers.  I put red dots on one side and yellow dots on the other side of the magnet.  Then create a ten frame with a sharpie marker or cool colored tape.  Then using the circle magnets, make an arrangement of dots on the magnetic ten frame and continue as above.  

Dot Cards 

I love using dot cards in my classroom!  I use them just the same as I do with the ten frame cards.
Click HERE to download a set of dot cards from 1-9

For teachers... my activities come from It Makes Sense! 

The Five Finger Rule

The "Five Finger Rule" can help you find a book that is "just right" for you!

1. Open to a page of the book.
2. Begin reading.
3. Each time you come to a word you don’t know, hold up 1 finger.
4. After you finish reading the page, check to see how many fingers you are holding up.      

Too Easy: 0 - 1 fingers
Just Right: 2 - 3 fingers

Too Hard: 4 - 5 fingers

Here's the chart we made as we learned about this strategy. 

I found a great bookmark that I shared with my class to help them remember this strategy.

Click here if you would like to download the bookmark.

Once students find a 'just right' book, they are able to put that book in their their individual book boxes. 

What Makes A Good Teacher?

On the first day of school, I asked my kiddos, "What makes a good teacher?"   The question itself was, unexpectedly, hard for them to grasp....  I had to ask the question, what makes a bad teacher? And then tell them "ok, you don't want that, so what do you want?"  Making that connection helped them verbalize what they wanted!  My goal is to be exactly what they want!!

Meet the Teacher

Hi!  My name is Mrs. Gregorash and I am SO excited to be part of the Best First Grade Team Ever!  More importantly, I am THRILLED to be your teacher.  It’s going to be a fun year full of lots of learning and new adventures and I can’t wait to see what the year has in store for us.  I want to know ALL about you, but first I am going to tell you a few things about me.

I was born and raised in Fairfax, VA and I am the youngest of three.  I have an older brother, Kevin, and an older sister, Kim.  When I graduated from High School, I went to college at George Mason University, in my hometown! 

This will be my 13^th year of teaching, 11 years in second grade and 2 years in first grade.  I LOVE teaching first grade because I know exactly where students need to go, the experience in 2^nd grade helps me challenge students to go above and beyond! 

I am married to a wonderful man, Mr. Gregorash, who works at Collin College!  We have the most adorable and silly three-year old little girl named Madison, we like to call her Maddie.  I love them both so much!  We love spending time together, taking Maddie swimming and playing with our black lab named Edo. 

I am so excited to be your teacher and for you to be a part of this AWESOME, all-star class!   

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

Favorite Color         Green

Favorite Hobby        Scrapbooking

Favorite Stores        Michaels, Kohls, Teacher Tools in Allen

Favorite Fast Food    McDonalds

Favorite Restaurant  Anything Mexican

Favorite Drink         Vitamin Water, Diet Coke

Favorite Sport         Baseball

Favorite Animal        Dog

Favorite Author       Tomie dePaola

Level It Books

TEACHERS!!
I just found the best app for creating classroom libraries!  You can have multiple libraries too!  I created a library of Books on CD so I know what books I have on CD and how many copies!   I also have a library of Read Aloud Books, sometimes when I am not in my classroom, I need to know if I have a book, with this App, the books are all there!  My next task is to create a library of my classroom books... that will take a while!   The app is called Level It, it's $2.99 and well worth more!  With this app, you can also check out books to students.... or even other teachers!
Hey teachers, let me know how you like this app, please comment below!

First Week Books

Yes it's SUMMER and Yes I'm already thinking about school!  

The beginning of the school year is a great time for some fun books!  Here are some of my favorite stories to read to brand new first graders!  

The night before first grade is about a girl named Penny who is going into first grade.  Here is a page I found for students to make connections.  I found an awesome reader's theatre script to use for this book!  

Everyone has first day jitters, even me!  

After we read the story we talk about our first day jitters, 

then we write about them using the page below!     

Also check out this activity guide all about 

First Grade Jitters, that I found online!  

    

This is an activity I do close to the end of the first day or during the second day.  Before reading, I draw a huge hand with a heart inside.  Then I introduce the vocabulary words for the Kissing Hand.  Click here to download the vocabulary words.  After reading the story, we fill out the hand with all the different emotions and feelings students have felt during the day.  

Wallace Bleff gives an imaginative report about how he spent his summer vacation.  After discussing what could have really happened on his vacation, I ask my students to write about and illustrate their favorite memory from summer vacation.

Non Fiction Project - WOW!!!

Here is our completed research about polar bears.  We used a website called big huge labs to create a magazine cover with our information.    Students are excited to use this website on their own to create other exciting things!

Text Features

TEXT FEATURES

We are learning about Non Fiction Text Features.

• Fonts - are the first text feature we are learning about.  Different fonts help important text stand out.
• color
• italic
• Size
• bold
• bullets  (for items in a list)