Tuesday, May 5, 2009

May 4, 2009

Dear Parents,

I realized last night I forgot to type this yesterday! Sorry for my slowness!

This week is an exciting week because we are doing a lot of fun things in our classroom!

Foothills Fundraiser
We are still collecting money for one more week! The younger grades have been ahead, but I think the upper grades are trying hard to catch up! If you have any extra change or dollar bills lying around, send them in during this week. Thanks for your support of our fundraiser for Primary Children's Hospital.

Thanks!
Thank you so much for your support during Teacher Appreciation week! I appreciate all your thoughtful donations and the things you have done for our classroom. Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated! Thanks to Katherine Rose for organizing things for this. Also thanks to both Katherine Rose and Kim McCann for throwing our celebration pizza party last week! I appreciate all your support that has been given me this year.

Bookorders
These are the last orders of the year that I will be sending home. There are some great deals on summer reading material! Summer is a great time to let your children read for fun so the don't lose the growth they've gained during this year!

You can order online or by sending in the money to me. Please send in checks made to Scholastic. Thanks!

To order online, go to the Web address below and enter our class’s personalized user name and password.

www.scholastic.com/parentordering

Class User Name: missmerrittsclass
Password: Foothills

Remember, placing your online credit card order is completely safe and secure.

Plus, when you shop online, you can take advantage of exclusive online-only offers and choose from an expanded selection of books and software. Of course, you can always use the printed flyer instead and have your child hand in a Book Club order form and payment at school.

Butterflies
Our caterpillars are changing! We are watching the process of metamorphosis. All of them should be in their chrysalis by the middle of the week! Your children are excited to watch them turn into butterflies. To learn more about painted lady butterflies, check out this site: http://www.earthsbirthday.org/butterflies/bflys/activitykit/2.html

Thanks for all you do for your students and our classroom! I appreciate ya!

Don't forget to check the blog during the next few weeks to find out about fun activities that will be happening in our classroom!

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.