Friday, May 20, 2011

May 23, 2011

Dear Parents,

Thanks for all the gifts and notes from the Teacher Appreciation Week. I appreciate your support more than you know. A special shout out to Joanne Timothy and Heidi Sabey for all their work and organization for the week. They made it great for us!

I hope you enjoyed your time off--it was a quick two weeks. The good news is we only have 6 weeks left in first grade! I can't believe how quickly time has gone.

This week we only have a field trip to be aware of. I am sending home a note today that has information about it. In case you miss the note, here's the info:

Field Trip
Our Field Trip to Thanksgiving Point's Farm Country. Any parents are welcome to come. If you would like to come, there are a few things you need to be aware of:

1. Parents need to pay the $3.00 entrance fee. Some of you have sent that already. If you have not, please send that in as soon as possible.
2. There is limited space on the bus. ALL parents who are attending are to meet us at Thanksgiving point at 10:50 am. We will arrive by the barn. Your child needs to ride the bus to and from Thanksgiving Point. They are not allowed to leave with you. We should be finished at Thanksgiving Point by around 1 at the latest!
3. No siblings are allowed on this trip.
4. We will be having lunch at Thanksgiving Point (weather permitting). Please bring your own lunch for yourself.
5. Please have your child dressed for the weather--whether that be a jacket or sunblock. We never know what the weather will be. Part of this field trip is outside.

If you have other questions, please let us know.

Book Orders
I am sending home the last book orders of the year today. Thanks so much for your support in this program this year. We have earned a lot of extra books for our classroom!

In the homework folder, there will be two fliers. I will make a couple more available online if you wish to order from those. There was a Scholastic Kids Pick for Summer and a Leveled Nonfiction. If you wish to order online, here's the information:
Web address: scholastic.com/bookclubs
Class Activation Code: GKHY9

Orders are due next Monday, May 31. Thanks!

Summer Reading with Book It!
The Pizza Hut Book It program has a summer incentive program to help your children with reading. If you are interested in it, check out this website:
http://www.bookitprogram.com/SummerBreak/

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.