A few updates -

First grade math - This week we worked on adding three numbers together.  We also worked on reading a story problem three different ways - changing where the missing number was.  Today we started working on 100 charts and looking for the patterns.

First grade phonics - We learned four new glued sounds this week.  We learned ang, ing, ong, and ung.

Religion - Every day we have been reading a Bible story related to Christmas.  Each day we color in a bulb on our tree until we get to Christmas day.  Our promise paper this week continued teaching us about Advent.  We added our third flame to our Advent wreath this week - for the pink joy candle.

Writing - We have been very busy writers!  We wrote letters to Santa.  We have also been busy writing Christmas cards to all of our classroom volunteers.

Reading - Our word work focus is adjectives.  We made an art project called "Awesome Adjectives About Me".  We are also making snowman adjective books.

Today we made an adorable elf project.  I'll snap a picture and post it.  Thank you to Katie Meyer for helping us out.

Art - In keeping with the season, students are working on illustrating the Nativity story in a landscape. They need to include a horizon line, and show part of their story close and part of their story far away. People or objects closer to us look larger, and those off in the distance appear smaller. Have a blessed Christmas. Mrs. Jeanne Ihlenfeldt

Have a great weekend!

I was cleaning Zak's closet last weekend.  I have a ton of size small and extra small short sleeve and long sleeve polos. (mostly red and white...a few green)  I also have three size six uniform shorts.  If anyone wants any let me know.  I'll gladly pass them on to you.  :)

An update from Mrs. Friday -

Social Learning Session #3

Last week we introduced using Social Behavior Maps as they relate to the various
Zones. Attached you will find the EXPECTED behavior social map for “Green Zone
in the Classroom” that we completed as a group. This week we will complete the
UNEXPECTED behavior map for the Yellow Zone in the classroom. One of the main
objectives of this week’s lesson is to emphasize that everyone has thoughts about
unexpected behaviors triggered when someone is in a different zone (other than
Green). Linking these (invisible) thoughts to outward consequences is reinforced as
well. As Leah Kuypers points out in her book, The Zones of Regulation, if behavior
is only addressed by attending to positive behavior, we may not be giving students
all the information they need to see the bigger picture of what they are doing.
Typically, adults assume that children are easily able to “read” people’s emotions
intuitively. However, this is not always the case. Although our students at times
may be purposely misbehaving, at many other times those same students are doing
an unexpected behavior with no awareness of how it impacts others in their
environment. These students may have difficulty understanding that they have
done an unexpected behavior. Using the Zones is a tool to help explain the effects
of unexpected behaviors in a non-threatening way.
Some questions you can ask your child this week:
 How do you get along with others when you are in the different zones?
 In which zone are you most successful?
 What kinds of thoughts do people have when you are in the Green Zone?

Next week we will start to introduce the three types of tools to help students
regulate and move from a Red, Yellow or Blue Zone back into the Green Zone:
1) Calming Techniques
2) Thinking Strategies
3) Sensory Supports

Please don’t hesitate to contact Mary-Beth Friday with any questions, comments or concerns at the
Communication Pathways office: 920-632-4488 or by email: marybeth@communicationpathways.com

Tonight - The students are meeting in school at 6:00.  Please take their coats with you.  They will be dismissed from church after the concert.

This week - We are not having a spelling list.

Spanish - The students do have Spanish homework.  Our next Spanish class is on Friday.

See you tonight!  :)

This week's update from Mrs. Friday -

Social Learning Session #2

We will continue exploring EXPECTED and UNEXPECTED behaviors using the following concepts this
week:
 GREEN THOUGHTS/RED THOUGHTS:
As a visual cue to help students become more observant of their own behaviors we will use
“thought bubble” props. A green thought bubble indicates the teacher/parent/friend is
observing an expected behavior in another, which leaves them with a comfortable feeling. A
red thought bubble indicates a person is observing an unexpected behavior, creating an
uncomfortable feeling in himself or herself.
 EXPECTED BEHAVIORS: These are things we do and say that give people positive thoughts
about us and make them feel good too. Doing what is expected is different based on where
we are and who we are with.
 UNEXPECTED BEHAVIORS: These are things we do and say that give people
uncomfortable thoughts about us and makes them feel icky or mad or bad. Doing what is
unexpected is different based on where we are and who we are with based on the situation.
For example, using a loud voice/yelling might be expected outside at recess, but not in the
classroom.
 SOCIAL BEHAVIOR  MAPPING helps connect behavior, emotions, and consequences:

Expected Behaviors  Make other people have comfortable/positive feelings of you 

Creating positive consequences  Leading you to have positive feelings about yourself

Unexpected Behaviors  Make other people have uncomfortable/possibly negative

thoughts about you  Creating more undesired consequences  Leading you to have more

negative feelings about yourself

Everyone does Unexpected Behaviors throughout each day, typically not on purpose. The

POWER of being a Social Thinker comes from being able to recognize that you have done

something unexpected. Then changing your behavior to something more expected; which can

change people’s thoughts and feelings about you back to being comfortable and more

positive.

Looking forward to meeting with parents this Thursday to explain more about these sessions!

Please don’t hesitate to contact Mary-Beth Friday with any questions, comments or concerns at the

Communication Pathways office: 920-632-4488 or by email: marybeth@communicationpathways.com

Samantha Snowbell and some of her letters  

A few updates -

First grade math - We just started unit 5.  We are working on adding and subtracting numbers up to 20.  We have been working on story problems.  We have also been matching equations to make-a-ten pictures.

First grade phonics - Today we started unit 7.  We will be learning 4 more glued sounds -ang, -ing, -ung, and -ong.

Handwriting - The first graders are continuing with writing the letters in the correct places and forming the letters correctly.  This week they worked on a review page, as well as the letters g and j.  The second graders have started learning cursive.  It had been challenging, but fun for them.  So far they have practiced the letters i, t, u, w, e, l, and b.

Religion- We have been reading a passage out of the Bible every day that has something to do with Christmas.  We have been building our Jesse Tree.  We have been working out of our Promise Papers.  We have been learning about Advent.

Science - I am excited!  Our first Einstein Kit of the year should be here by tomorrow We are going to do the butterfly kit.

Reading - The students have been working hard in their reading groups and daily five centers.  This last week our word work focus was verbs.  Next week our focus is going to be adjectives.  The students love work on writing! Thank you to the Hills.  They brought in blank Christmas cards.  The students are loving them!

Our elf, Samantha Snowbell returned this week.  The students love finding her in the morning.  Each night when she returns to Santa she has a lot of letters to bring Santa from the students.  :)

Here are a few updates from the specials - 

Art - In art class we have been working with shapes and practicing painting skills. We are learning how to draw pictures using basic shapes. We will be building on this idea as we learn how artists look for the basic shapes they see in things to help them draw. Blessing to your families this advent season. Mrs. Jeanne Ihlenfeldt

Spanish - 1st/ 2n: Animals on the farm (we've been working in partners on how to

spell the animals).

We learned about Saint Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe. We decorated the Spanish classroom with flowers because of what we learned happened to Juan Diego. Their Feast Days are both this week (Dec. 9 and Dec. 12!).

Gym - We are working on dribbling a basketball with our eyes up.  Included in this is how high to dribble, where to dribble, and how to move when we dribble.

***Reminder - There is a meeting at 6:30 tonight for all families of students in grades 1-4.  The meeting is to introduce the social skills curriculum and Mary Beth Friday.  

Have a great night!  :)

One more thing...We are going to NDA tomorrow.  If you haven't returned your permission slip yet, please do so tomorrow.  Have a great night!

The first graders have math homework tonight.  It's the back side of a worksheet that we did in class today.

The second graders have phonics homework tonight.

Weekly Spelling Lists -

First Grade - Phonetic List - Beginning Blends
crab
spin
skip
frog
plum
slam
grab
flip
snap
plus

First Grade - High-Frequency List - Words 71-80
no
make
than
first
been
its
who
now
people
my

Second Grade - Phonetic List - nk, ng
wink
sing
sink
king
long
ring
hang
bank
wing
drink

Second Grade - High-Frequency List - Words 241-250
paper
hard
near
sentence
better
best
across
during
today
however

***Electronics Day was a hit today!  The kids did a great job!  I took some pictures.  I'll post them when I get a chance.  Now we need to vote on our next reward.  I'll let you know what the students choose.

***Reminder - We are headed to NDA on Thursday.  Please remember to return your permission slip.

Now back to the game...Go Pack!

The students have done it again!  They have completed another PBIS/CHAMPS challenge!  They have earned 300 Faith Shields.  The incentive this time was for an electronics day.  We will do this at the end of the day on Monday.  The students may bring an an electronic device from home.  (ipod, DS, etc.)  They will stay in their backpacks until 2:30 on Monday.  If you don't feel comfortable sending a device, don't worry.  We have ipads that the students may use.

The first time I challenged the students with 200 Faith Shields.  The second time I challenged them with 300 Faith Shields.  I think we'll bump it up to 350 for the next incentive.  :)

Have a great weekend!

Weekly Spelling Lists -

First Grade - Phonetic List - Short u Words
bus
cut
nut
bug
run
tug
snug
bump
drum
plug

First Grade - High Frequency List - Words 61-70
into
has
more
her
two
like
him
see
time
could

Second Grade - Phonetic List - Consonant Clusters (Blends)
flat
glass
plant
dress
front
bring
glad
cliff
grand
cluck

Second Grade - High Frequency List - Words 231-240
night
picture
being
study
second
soon
story
since
white
ever


Social Learning Groups -
Next week, Thursday, December 11th, there is going to be a meeting for all 1st-4th grade parents about social groups.  We have a great resource, Mary Beth Friday, and she is going to be teaching the students about social learning.  Kay will be introducing her and talking about what the students will be learning at the meeting.

When Mary Beth is here she is going to take all of the students in 1/2 in groups of six.  She will be coming to our classroom on Wednesdays and Thursdays for the next (I think) eight weeks.  She is starting to work with our classes this week.  Each week she will send a summary of what she will be talking about in the groups.  Here is the info for this week -

Social Learning Lesson #1

Our initial session will work on introducing the following concepts from the Think
Social! curriculum by Michelle Garcia Winner:
 SOCIAL SMARTS: The type of “smarts” in our brains that we use whenever
we are around other people. Social smarts help our brains to know that
others are having thoughts about us and we are having thoughts about them.
We use social smarts in school, at home, and EVERYWHERE!
 SCHOOL SMARTS: Different types of “smarts” in our brains that we use
for school learning. Things like math smarts, computer smarts, music
smarts, science smarts, and many more.
 EXPECTED: These are things we do and say that give people positive
thoughts about us and make them feel good too. Doing what is expected is
different based on where we are and who we are with.
 UNEXPECTED: These are things we do and say that give people
uncomfortable thoughts about us and makes them feel icky or mad or bad.
Doing what is unexpected is different based on where we are and who we are
with based on the situation. For example, using a loud voice/yelling might be
expected outside at recess, but not in the classroom.

In order to foster self-regulation and emotional control, concepts from the Zones
of Regulation by Leah M. Kuypers were introduced. There are four zones that we
will use to describe how our brain and body feel:
 BLUE ZONE: Your body is running slow, such as when you are tired, sick,
sad, or bored.
 GREEN ZONE: Like a green light, this is when you are “good to go.” If you
are in the green zone you may feel happy, calm, and focused.
 YELLOW ZONE: Proceed with caution and slow done in this zone! This zone
describes when you start to lose control, such as when you are frustrated,
overwhelmed, silly, wiggly, excited, worried, anxious, or surprised.
 RED ZONE: This zone is reserved for extreme emotions such as terror,
uncontrolled anger, and aggression. When you are in the Red Zone you are
can be out of control, have trouble making good decisions, and must STOP.

Please don’t hesitate to contact Mary-Beth Friday with any questions, comments or concerns at the
Communication Pathways office: 920-632-4488 or by email: marybeth@communicationpathways.com



***One last note - Lunch recess -
We got an e-mail today that very few people have signed up for lunch recess duty for December.  If at all possible, I personally beg you to sign up.  :)  If people don't sign up, the teachers have to do lunch recess duty.  If we have to do duty, we don't have time to eat lunch.  So, I selfishly beg you...if you can...please sign up.  :)


Have a great night!