Friday, February 27, 2009

March 2, 2009

Dear Parents,
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! We will be celebrating that today! This week is a busy week and we have a lot going on! I appreciate you taking the time to read up on our week!

Parent Teacher Conferences
One of my favorite times of the year is here--meeting with all of you to discuss your wonderful children. I love hearing your thoughts and concerns and appreciate the feedback to help your child. Please plan to attend either Wednesday night or Thursday night (March 4 and 5) from 4:00 to 7:30. You may come either night regardless of your last name order.

On Thursday night, I have a special request--if I can ask that any of you that come that evening can come earlier than later. I have an activity I need to be at to volunteer later that evening, so the earlier I finish conferencing, the better it will be for me! I appreciate your help and understanding in this.

Please let me know if you will not be able to attend--we can arrange to conference at a different time! Thanks!

Ultimate Book Battle
Keep reading those minutes. Book Battle Calendars are due back on March 6. Please total up your child's minutes and sign it! Hopefully we can do well--your children would love to win a chance to have Mr. Hansen read to them again!

Read-A-Thon
Please read the note about the Read-A-Thon in your child's homework folder. We are trying to earn more in class minutes! It will also be pajama day today as well. Your child may bring a book (please make sure their name is on it!).


Flat Stanley Activity
We are participating in a Flat Stanley activity. Flat Stanley is a book written by Jeff Brown. In the book, Stanley becomes flat and he is sent in the mail to some friends who do fun things with him. Your child has created their own Flat Stanley and have a letter to mail with him. You will see this in your child's homework folder today. Please brainstorm some ideas with your child of where you could send Flat Stanley and mail him out. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins are great ideas of places to start. Send the letter along with them. If you need some help with this, please let me know! I may have some fun places we could send him to from here.

Your child's Flat Stanley project is due back on March 27th. We will be sharing them in class that day. A special thanks goes to Michelle Fagg for organizing this activity.


Thanks for all your support and patience during this busy time. It is busy here at school and for me on my own level--my National Boards deadline is drawing close! But--your children are wonderful and I am grateful they are my class this year!

Thanks again for all you do!

Miss Merritt


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Writing Prompt

This weekly writing prompt is to give you some ideas of things you can write about at home. To make this time more meaningful, maybe have a writing night once a week and have a writing journal that your child can use at home. Have them answer the prompt (it doesn't have to be polished and perfect--our goal is to just write). Modeling along with your child can motivate them to write more! I find that it usually works best with the kids to give them a time limit (like 10-15 minutes). That way they are writing for a duration and if they go longer, that is fine. But--usually when we have to stop at a time limit--there are a few of them that really want to keep going. Share the writing after as you have your child read it to you. It is not a required assignment, but if you'd like to turn it in you may send in the writing with the homework and I'd love to read it. Maybe I can put up a few selections on the blog each week as we see some excellent pieces! Thanks for helping make your children better writers!

Prompt #2
Opinion Writing
Tell about your favorite treat. It needs an introduction sentence (ie There are many different kinds of treats.), an opinion (ie My favorite treat is a chocolate chip cookie.), at least 3 reasons supporting why (ie Chocolate chip cookies are nice and sweet. When they come out of the oven, they warm my stomach up. Chocolate chip cookies go good with a glass of milk.), then they need a closing sentence (ie Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite treat.)


Prompt Week #1
Narrative Story (needs a beginning, middle, and an end)
Write a story about the wind. It can be a real life story that happened to you or a story that you make up. Make sure to include a beginning, middle, and an end.


May Poems

Seed, Sprout, Flower

A seed is planted:
First a sprout,
then stem,
and leaves,
and buds
come out.
Buds grow bigger,
smelling sweet,
bees and birds come
'round to eat.
Bees and birds
help flowers spread
their new seeds on
the garden bed...
A seed is planted.
~Helen H. Moore

Friends
Tall friends, short friends,
Skinny and wide;
Red haired, black haired,
Side by side.

Old friends, young friends,
And in-betweens;
Moms and Grandpas,
Tots and teens.

From Washington
To Delaware
Friends are found
Most anywhere.
~Janet C. Miller

About Miss Merritt

I am originally from Blackfoot, Idaho. I love small towns! I attended BYU-Idaho for my undergraduate studies and received my Masters degree through Southern Utah University. I recently passed my National Boards and am glad to say I am a National Board Certified Teacher. I love learning and enjoy helping others love it too! This will be my 8th year teaching 1st grade.

I love reading! When I was younger, I used to work in libraries and I have developed a great love of childrens books. I love books by Barbara Park, Eric Carle, and Audrey Wood. I have currently been reading classics like Charles Dickens' Great Expectations.

I love the outdoors as well. I love camping and hiking, but I also love traveling and seeing new places. I am a big fan of the beach and I love swimming! I have been to Thailand a few times (my mom is from there!) and I love to see the world. Every year I have a goal to go on a vacation somewhere new.