New Years Resolutions

Welcome to my linky party New Years Resolutions... Lets see how this works with my class and how it works with me.

Personnal Goals for 2012
1. Become a better cook.
2. Organize my home and always put things back where they came from. Everything has a home.
3. Stay on time with the things that need to mailed out such as letters to family and friends, birthday cards, packages.
4. Keep up with blogging and blog hopping.

Professional Goals for 2012
1. Organize my classroom and always put things back where they came from.  Everything has a home.
2. Turn in all completed tasks on time be proactive about my tasks.
3. Keep a running reflection journal that will help guide my next steps.
4. Keep up with blogging and and blog hopping.

As you can see my organization skills are less than perfect.  This doesn't mean that I can't find my things or complete my tasks but I always wait till the last minute to complete anything.  This year is the year of being proactive!  Getting tasks complete before they need to be done!  Wish me luck!  I am writing this so my parents can see too!  Happy New Years to you all.  What are your resolutions this year!

Bagel's Return to the North Pole

Well is the holiday season has come and gone.  It is time to put away all our Christmas creations, traditions and most importantly (to our class) our Elf on the Shelf, Bagel.  

Bagel came to us on December 1st and moved around the classroom from day to day after flying to the North Pole at night to give reports of good or bad behavior.  Bagel has taught our children in our class to keep their listening ears on and to keep working hard at their day to day academics and behavior.  Its has been a lot of fun watching my class ooh and aww over Bagel and his magic.  My students watched as he flew from one end of the classroom to another to watch us and how we are doing.  

With one little mishap of one student daring another student to touch Bagel led our class into a week long lesson of how to write a letter.  Once Bagel was touched it took 3 days for my students to come up with a plan to write a letter to Santa asking Santa for Bagels magic back.
     (The letter will be photoed and entered here. I am currently in California visiting my mom and the letter is in Maine)  

Once that was written through a teacher directed lesson it was time for our class to write their own letters to Santa.  Yes a snail mail lesson.  One of my students did ask however why don't we just text Santa Mrs. Smith its much easier. I had to laugh and proceed with my letter writing lesson. After a few days of outlining a letter Bagel brought back special Dear Santa paper from the North Pole and the kids were able to write their own letter to Santa.  I was so pleased with the outcome.  Read-Alouds we read while working on our Santa Letters were...

Click on book

Click on book

The letters to Santa were sent home to you the parents so that you can do as you wish but all the letters were nicely written.  I am very proud of the class for taking the time to do that!

Now as the season has come to a close we will hopefully be writing to our friend who has moved to Budapest.  We also close the Christmas season with a farewell to Bagel and a save return to the North Pole.  Thank you for a wonderful month of fun and great wishes!  See you next year Bagel for another 1st grade class!

Trying to Win a contest

Even though our classroom is 1st grade I have found a wonderful blog to follow.  She is running a contest that I am trying to win.  So please take a minute and wish me luck!

I copied her picture here so that you can look at the things we could win to enrich our strong students in our class!  Keep your fingers crossed.

Good Morning- Decemeber 19

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  For the next 4 days we will be working very hard on learning about silent e, temperature, writing letters, long ago and today and remembering to use our polite manners.  Please take a few minutes each day to remember that our students are learning and during the vacation our students really need to practice reading daily.  This time of year it reading is easily to forget that our students really need to practice reading.  Reading is apart of our day everyday and now is the time to make sure that our kids have the same experience.

Our first set of class pictures!

Check out our Yankee game swap!

The kids had so much fun!

23 Very Happy First Graders!

Ok Who is going to steal this one!

Twister Rocks!!!!

Dear Santa Letter

We have been working very hard writing our Dear Santa letters.  Its been so wonderful to see the children as their face lights up when writing their letters.  We have been working on what goes into a letter.  The things that these kids have come up with are great! I will attach a few letters as they are written.

We are looking forward to making our Gingerbread (Gramham cracker) houses.  We have plenty of food/candy to go with it.  I can't wait to post a few letters and a few pictures of our houses.

I will be sending these letters home so that you all can see what your children are asking for.  Their ideas are great.  I hope that  you enjoy the letters as much as I enjoyed teaching how to write a letter.  The next letter that we will be sending is to our friend Patrick.  He is moving to Budapest at the end of December and tomorrow is his last day in our class.  Please take the time to write letters to family members over Christmas vacation.  The kids would love to receive snail mail back!

Check back over the weekend for updates on our letters and houses!

Tuesday December 13, 2011

Good Morning


Question of the Day:

What would you buy your mom or dad if you had all the money in the world.

Mrs. Smith- Mom Lake
Ben- Mom jewelery
Caleb- Mom- bunny
Gage- Dad- goalie
Ashton- Dad boat
Marshal Dad- car
Samuel- Mom earrings
Emma- Mom diamonds
Keaonna- Mom necklace
Mckenna- Dad Giraffe
Karysa- Both laptop
Olivia- Mom- makeup
Gabe- Dad- bike
Samantha- Mom - ring
Tate Both- car
Sommer-Both iPod Touch
Jayme- Mom candy cane
Ryan- Dad SUV
Kiara- mom make-up
Mya- Both- a new kid from an orphanage
Carolyn-Mom- jewlery
Patrick- Dad- iPod
Joey- Dad-

Games we would love to have

Hi Ho Cherry Oh
Connect Four
Crazy Eights
Guess Who
Don't Tip the Waiter
Don't Spill the Beans
Yatzee
Pictionary
I can do that
Busy Town
The Game of Life
Scrabble Alphabet Scoop Word Game
Uno
Animal Memory
Checkers
Rack-O
Sorry Sliders

We Are Back and Running- December 5, 2011

Good Morning Class

Today is Monday December 5, 2011.  We have Art today.  WE also will be working on Check for Understanding, Writing, and Math.  We will be talking about Family Traditions.  If you are reading this today.  Talk to your child about Family Traditions.

Finish this sentence... of the Day

Caleb- Santa is coming to town.
Karysa- Santa is bringing toys.
Gage- Santa is watching.
Cullen- Santa is married to Mrs. Claus.
Joey- Santa is big and nice.
Jayme- Santa is jolly.
Tate- Santa is riding his sleigh.
Olivia- Santa is coming soon.
Ryan- Santa is goes around the world.
Mrs. Smith- Santa is mysterious and magical.
Patrick- Santa is getting ready for Christmas.
Samantha- Santa is funny.
Ashton- Santa is writing and checking his list.
Marshal- Santa is so busy he has elves who helps make the toys.
Mya- Santa is eating our cookies that we left for him.
Sommer- Santa is friendly.
Emma- Santa is going to a house in his sleigh.
Samuel- Santa is


Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Mrs. Smith