Weekly Update: 2/4-2/8

DODGE: On Wednesday, students will be kicking off our animal research projects by seeking out animal tracks at Dodge Nature Center! We WILL be outside trekking in the snow, so please make sure your child comes to school with winter gear ready to go!

SPELLING: Our next spelling test will be on Thursday, February 7th. Here are our spelling words for the week:

CONFERENCES: Thanks to those who came to conferences last Thursday! Our final night of conferences will be on Tuesday, February 5th from 3-8 p.m. Visit this link to view or change your conference time.

NEW SCHEDULE: With the start of a new semester, our schedule has changed a little bit. We have finished our semester in Spanish class and will now have Media/Library time on MONDAYS. Making the shift to semesters has allowed our students to maximize their learning. It is hard to learn a language with half-hour sessions! Take a look at our updated schedule below:

KINDNESS DAY: Keep on the lookout for a special note from Mrs. Huettl in our Somerset E-News for information about how Somerset will be celebrating Valentine's Day!

MYSTERY READERS: We have had SO much fun with our Mystery Readers this year! There are still PLENTY of slots open, so spread the word! We love to have parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins...all of our classroom family's special friends for a visit! Please click THIS LINK to sign up!

SELF TALK: With or without realizing it, all of us have a voice inside our minds that speaks to us whenever we make a mistake or struggle with something. We have spoken A LOT about "mindset" and how we can help foster a growth mindset in our children, but the REAL power lies in a child's inner voice, or self talk. A growing amount of research is showing that self-compassion is linked to not only better mental health, but higher levels of motivation and achievement! This week, we chose to be mindful of our self-talk, and are working on flipping the script of our inner voice when we make mistakes or encounter a challenge.

We have also been starting each morning with a positive affirmation during circle time. Each morning, a student chooses a number and we say that positive affirmation together. Then, we reference it throughout the day whenever we need a reminder! :-) 

Be on the lookout for positive self-talk and don't forget to catch yourself if you happen to slip into negative self-talk. Children learn the most from our own modeling and actions! 

100th DAY OF SCHOOL: With all of those crazy cold days, our 100th day of school will now be on Friday, February 22nd.

LAST WEEK:

(Ask your child these questions about school!)

• MATH: 
• Finish these patterns:
• 14, 24, 34, 44, __, __, __
• 56, 66, 76, 86, ___, ___, ___

• READING:
• What is "CAFE?"
• C: comprehension
• A: accuracy
• F: fluency
• E: expanding vocabulary
• Which area of CAFE are you working on while you read?

• SOCIAL STUDIES:
• Fill in the blanks: "A community is a place where people live, ____, and have ____ together."

A PEEK AT THIS WEEK:

(Looking ahead...)

• MATH: 
• I can measure objects using standard and non-standard units of measurement.

• READING:
• I can compare and contrast two topics, characters, or books. 
• I can read and write words that end in -ng and -nk.

• WRITING:
• I can add details to my writing.

• SOCIAL STUDIES:
• I can describe how communities have changed over time. 

UPCOMING DATES:

• 2/5: Winter Conferences (3-8 p.m.)
• 2/6: Dodge Nature Center (Chaperones needed!) 11:45-1:30
• 2/12: Somerset Smart School Series
• 2/14 Kindness Day! 💚
• 2/15: Jump Rope for Heart
• 2/15: 100th Day of School! 

FUN in First Grade! (Photos)