Pennies for Pasta

Our school is currently participating in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Pasta for Pennies fundraising program. To learn more about the program and ways you can help, visit The Moseley News page. You can also visit the school's online donation page if you would like to make a contribution. As of today, our class has raised approximately $73 dollars in just two days! What a great way for the students to learn the character traits of caring and generosity.

Doubles Facts

A strategy to help children learn their math facts at home is to help them learn the Doubles Addition Facts (1+1=2, 2+2=4, etc.) as well as their related subtraction facts. For example, if I know 4+4=8, then 8-4=4. We have previously learned the Double Facts in class and are now working on Doubles Plus 1 and Doubles Minus 1. For extra practice at home visit the interactive flascards pages Doubles Addition, Doubles Subtraction, Doubles Plus 1, and Doubles Minus 1.

Spin and Spell

Are you looking for a way to help your child with spelling? In addition to practicing our weekly word wall at phoincs words at SpellingCity, you can visit Spin and Spell to help your child learn common, everyday words. Through this interactive website, your child will choose one of five categories: In and Around the Home, What We Wear, What We Eat, How We Get There, and The Animal Kingdom. Each category has numerous pictures to choose from. Once your child chooses a picture, they choose the correct letters to spell the word. The game is great because it allows the students chances to correct any misspellings and the students have the choice of having the word spelled for them.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

As a reminder, school will not be in session on Monday, January 18th, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This week we have been reading various books about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his contributions to society. In particular, we have been focusing on the character trait of fairness. Through art and writing, the students are expressing their "dreams" for the future. Here are a few of the students' "dreams":

• to go to the moon
• to plant trees and flowers over the entire world
• to give people love
• to help children get food
• to give everyone clothes
• to treat everyone the same no matter what

The students also created multicultural handprints as graphic organizers to list five facts they learned about Martin Luther King, Jr.

Shark Numbers: Place Value

During the third six weeks we have been working on furthering our number sense and Place Value through the use of Base Ten Blocks. Students have been building numbers with various objects, including the Base Ten Blocks, drawing reprentations of the numbers with sticks (ten longs) and dots (one units), and comparing numbers. In comparing numbers, students have been taught to look at the tens place first. Whichever number has the largest number in the tens place has to be the greatest number. If the numbers in the tens place are the same, then the students compare the ones place to see which is the greatest. To help your child identify numbers based on the Base Ten Block system, visit the Shark Pool Place Value game to have them identify the represented number. During the upcoming six weeks, we will be looking at numbers to 99.

Art in Motion

This week in math we have been identifying and exploring 3D shapes. In science we have been experimenting with motion. So, today we combined both in an art project. The students rolled spheres, or ping pong balls, covered in paint across their paper to make various designs. As the students worked, we discussed the attributes of various shapes and if they will roll, slide, or do both. The students are currently reflecting on their learning through writing. Enjoy a quick slideshow video of the students experimenting with shapes and motion.

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Money Matters

This six weeks we have been learning more about money; in paticular, we have been focusing on coins and their relationship to the penny. Students should be able to recognize a penny, nickel, dime, and quarter by sight and identify their value. As a part of the value, students are expected to know that a quarter is the same as twenty-five pennies, etc.

To help your children learn, we have been practicing the following poem in class:

Penny, penny, easily spent,
Copper brown and worth one cent.
Nickel, Nickel, thick and fat.
You're worth 5,
I know that.
Dime, dime, little and thin.
I remember, you’re worth 10.
Quarter, quarter, big and bold.
You're worth 25 I am told!

In addition to helping your child with this fun poem, you can visit ABCTeach to print the coins for your child to practice with at home.

The Polar Express: All Aboard!

The Polar Express arrived at Moseley this morning for all of the students to enjoy. As soon as we heard the train whistle, we jumped on board to be the first ones to experience the magic of the Polar Express. We enjoyed a special story time in the library with Mrs. Oliver. After listening to The Polar Express, we enjoyed a special treat of hot chocolate prepared for us by Mrs. Cato and Mrs. Fredd. In class, we graphed pictures from the story and answered questions. We also sang along to the music from the motion picture version of the book as we worked like busy little elves.

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Adding It All Up

We have been practicing addition and subtraction all year but this six weeks we have an increased focus on math facts. The students are expected to become fluent in their facts by answering addition facts within three seconds. Currently we are working on sums up to 10; by the end of the year we will be practicing sums up to 18. You can help your child practice their addition facts online at Math Fact Practice. Through this site, you can set timed goals for your child as well as track their progress.

You can also help by pointing out addition and subtraction situations in the real world. Examples include:

• There are five chicken nuggets on your plate. If you eat three, how many will be left? 5-3=2
• There are three people in the blue car. There are four people in the green car. How many people are there in all? 3+4=7
• I have six buttons on my shirt. You have four buttons on your shirt. How many more buttons do I have on my shirt than you? 6-4=2

Christmas Tree, Oh, Christmas Tree

When the weather outside is frightful, the classroom sure seems delightful! When the weather outside is too cold, we stay inside for indoor recess. Typically we play board games, but on one special day, we decorated our classroom Christmas tree. The students chose book cover ornaments for their favorite picture books to hang on the tree. We topped it all off with snowball ornaments and a snowflake on top. The students worked hard to space out the ornaments to ensure that everyone had enough room for their ornaments!

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We Rock!

December has been a busy month for us all so I am a little behind on my posts. A few weeks ago we visited the science lab to experiment with the properties of rocks. We found the mass and circumference of our rock, observed their colors when wet and dry, if they sink or float, and if they can be scratched by various objects. We also explored different types of soil by smelling, touching, and observing sand, clay, and loam. Enjoy a quick slideshow of our lab experience.

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Playing to Learn

Each day I meet with several small groups for guided reading. These groups are need based groups that target specific skills the students are working on. While I am meeting with small groups, the rest of the class is actively involved in independent learning. In our class we accomplish this through Literacy Stations. Literacy Stations are fun centers filled with age-appropriate learning materials targeted to reinforce reading and writing concepts previously taught in class. The students rotate to two stations per day with a partner. Students independently choose their own activity within their station. Station choices include ABC/Word Study, Big Books, Listening, Drama, Poetry, Writing and Handwriting, Pocket Chart, Classroom Library, Creation Station, Buddy Reading, and Computers. Enjoy a short video below of the students working in their various stations.

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Parent Communication

Our Parent Communication Resource Board has been updated. The board is located in the first grade common area. Here you will find our most current newsletter which is full of first grade activities as well as what we are learning. You will also find additional "Jet to Success Reading Logs" for your child to fill out as they read just for fun. As a reminder, the more your child reads, the better reader they will become. Our class gets to move our jet to a new cloud for every fifty books that are read. The "Jet to Success" reading contest is meant to encourage the love of reading. The contest's purpose is only successful with encouragement from home as well as school. On the board you will also find the first grade "wish list" which has specific items that are needed in our classes each day. If you are able to donate any items, they would be greatly appreciated. Donated items may be given to your child's teacher or placed in the donation bin on the Parent Communication Work Station shelves. Thank you for your continued support of our classroom and the entire first grade!

Giving Thanks

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We ended our week of Thanksgiving festitivities with a small celebration. Instead of having traditional turkey and dressing, we had turkey sandwiches and sweet treats. Thank you to all the parents who generously donated items for the feast. Also, thank you to Mrs. Gardner for sharing her photos from our special day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Handy Turkey

This isn’t just a turkey,
As anyone can see.
I made it with my hand,
Which is a part of me.
It’s made with lots of love
Especially to say,
Hope you have a very

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

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Place Value: Numbers to 60

As we continue our study of place value, we are increasing our numbers to 60. The students rotated through various stations to build numbers ranging from 40 to 60. From buttons to macaroni to marbles, the students had hands on experience in building, drawing, and writing numbers using tens and ones. This helps students have a more concrete number recognition.

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Google Earth

During Social Studies this week we are studying the physical characteristics of Earth. As we compare maps and globes, the students will compare various landforms such as hills, plains, and mountains as well as discovering that the Earth is mostly covered in water. Google Earth is a great tool to use at home to give the students a concrete view of the Earth as well as its landforms and bodies of water. Google Earth is a downloadable tool that we use in class which can not only show pictures of Earth from space but can pinpoint all the way down to your street address. The students love exploring their world using this tool.

Be a Friend to Trees: Ways We Use Plants

As a part of our plant studies, we read about and brainstormed ways that we use plants in our everyday lives. From the air we breathe to paper to even chocolate, we could not live without plants.

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Honoring Veterans

To honor local Veterans, we made a poster for a local restaurant showing our support for all of the men and women who have helped protect our country. Our poster said, "Veterans, thank you for lending a hand. We are proud of you." Each student traced their handprints and we worked together to put them on the poster.

This six weeks in Social Studies, we have been learning about rules for the community, state, and nation as well as our public officials. This week we are studying symbols of both Texas and The United States.

Exploring Plants

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