Mrs. Phillips 1st grade

my news...

2011-01-17T15:16:00.001-06:00

My Dearest 1st Grade Class,

My year this year with you started with a bang the minute the doors opened on the first day of school. Your kids are awesome and I've enjoyed the last semester being their teacher! We've spent these last few months working hard to establish our classroom norms to help make working and learning together easier for everyone. The children have worked hard learning how our reading groups operate, play math games fairly, work independently, ask questions when they need help and to be good problem solvers. In just a short time, I've seen everyone's reading and writing skills progress to the next level and a real sense of community established. With that said, I am confident in saying everyone has had a great start to their year, too!

It's with a heavy heart that I inform you that my last few weeks have not been the healthiest for me. I apologize for not being at school but I hope you know by now that I would be there if I any way could. I just finished radiation treatment and will be starting yet another very aggressive chemo treatment at MD Anderson at the end of the month and expect it to continue on through to June. Mrs. Joonmi Hwang has done a great job internalizing my routine the last few weeks and will continue to do the best she can. She has gotten to know the kids and most of all, loves being in our class! She has agreed to be my long-time substitute and will have no problems stepping in at a moment's notice.

I regret not having better news. I want to remain positive and give myself the healthiest chance I can. Please keep in touch. The children make me the happiest!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Phillips

student-led conferences

2010-11-03T22:37:00.001-05:00

Notes went home about student-led conferences. Be sure to sign up for a conference time! The sign-in sheet is posted outside the classroom. If you are unable to do so yourself, shoot me an email with your preference and I would be glad to sign up for you!

Reading Champions

2010-11-02T22:42:00.004-05:00

You are already filling out a reading log nightly...it would be a worthwhile cause to fill this out, too! Reading lists are due November 30th. Medals will come probably in December or January! Have fun!

Henry Matisse

2010-11-01T21:06:00.000-05:00

This picture does not do their work justice. You will just have to come see it for yourself! To follow-up on the Matisse art a la carte lesson on positive and negative space, I thought it would be fun to make these lovely pots of black and white flowers. They are located on the big bulletin board between the 1st grade and kindergarten hallways.

Fall muffins

2010-10-29T20:45:00.000-05:00

Thank you Mrs. Hanks for baking yummy pumpkin muffins today! They went along great with our pumpkin study today!

reading groups

2010-10-28T20:37:00.000-05:00

Reading groups are plugging along daily. The kids are doing awesome and can see growth in everyone. !Today we used our "witch fingers" to help us track the words when reading...glad I snitched a few from our class party last year!

Picasso self-portraits

2010-10-27T21:29:00.002-05:00

FYI...If you are at school you will not be able to hear the YouTube based music!
The students created a self-portrait using oil pastels emulating Picasso’s style. The main objective was to let our imagination run wild with the many possibilities. We looked at Picasso’s painting, Girl Before a Mirror for inspiration.

High Roller

2010-10-26T21:45:00.000-05:00

Always a new game...gotta keep them actively participating. Today we played, High Roller. I can see such a difference in their ability to add numbers at a quicker pace already!

Spooky Spaghetti

2010-10-25T21:01:00.000-05:00

Please forgive me if I didn't see you at Spooky Spaghetti! There were so many people...and your costumes were very tricky! It looks like everyone had a spooktacular time! I'll be looking for you on Halloween...

garden planting

2010-10-21T22:32:00.000-05:00

Today we paired up with Mrs. Musters' 3rd grade class and planted kale, fennel and beans in the new garden. The plan is to take turns daily to water the garden and write in our garden logs along the way. Ask your child if they have watered yet!

National Symbols

2010-10-20T21:57:00.000-05:00

Today was as good a day as any to make flags and introduce US national symbols...Statue of Liberty, US flag, bald eagle and the Liberty Bell. The whole lesson about the number of red and white stripes, stars, etc. went over their heads a bit...it was evident when we got 22 DIFFERENT looking flags! Some got it. They're cute...all in their own way.

quotation marks

2010-10-19T22:24:00.000-05:00

Today we played around with macaroni to create our own quotes. I'm starting to see quotation marks in their journal writing! :-)

yuck!

2010-10-18T22:01:00.000-05:00

Chemo on Fridays makes a yucky feeling teacher on Mondays. Bear with me...we can do it!

Christopher Columbus

2010-10-15T21:09:00.000-05:00

Today we finally got around to finishing the lesson on Christopher Columbus that we started on Monday. I swear we just don't seem to have enough time during our busy days! We read a couple of books and a short video on unitedstreaming.com telling the facts. It turned into a discussion whether Christopher Columbus deserved credit for discovering America or not...since Native Americans were already there when he landed. Something to think about.

Gourds Galore!

2010-10-14T21:41:00.000-05:00

During reading groups rotations, the children had 2 days to observe the different properties of a collection of gourds. I think their favorite was using the balance to see how many blocks heavy they were!

sticker sentences

2010-10-13T22:13:00.000-05:00

I think fun stickers would make almost anyone want to write...don't you think?

Parts of a Whole

2010-10-12T22:21:00.000-05:00

Today during reading group rotation, we played a new Envision game called "Parts of a Whole" to introduce subtraction.

Rolling for 50

2010-10-11T21:50:00.000-05:00

Today we played "rolling for 50." It is a game to better familiarize ourselves with the 100's chart and how to move around the board. It was very much like the game, Chutes and Ladders! We learned that if you go forward 10 or backward 10...you will end up directly above or below your starting number! I think playing "Give Your Dog a Bone" (link is on the very bottom of this blog...scroll down) online during reading group rotation helped us to play this game with better ease!

class party

2010-10-11T19:03:00.002-05:00

Hi Parents! Just a quick reminder that our class party is this Wednesday, October 13th from 5:30-7:30 outside at the Mark Twain Pavilion. We are having a pot-luck style dinner. This is a GREAT way to meet all your child’s classmates and their families. Think about something yummy to share...there is a sign-up sheet outside the classroom. Thank you to all those that have signed up already for fruit salad, appetizers, dessert and drinks. We still need more volunteers to sign up to bring a main or side dish to share. If you do not go by the classroom in the morning, please let me know what you would like to bring, and I can sign you up! Thanks and I look forward to meeting you all!

Matthew's Dream

2010-10-11T16:23:00.003-05:00

Today we read Matthew's Dream by Leo Lionni. After being inspired by Matthew's Dream, we listened to classical music and painted our own "dreams." When I get a chance...I will display them in the hallway. We will write about them, too!

garden dedication

2010-10-08T22:08:00.000-05:00

Today was the garden dedication. We had lovely weather! To kick off the event, every child in each class wrote their wish for the garden and they were all buried together to eventually become part of the garden. Very memorable!

Mondrian

2010-10-07T16:20:00.001-05:00

In art ancillary the children learned about Piet Mondrian. They explored straight lines, primary colors, rectangles, squares and grids.

LDC

2010-10-06T13:47:00.002-05:00

This week and last week we have been going to LDC for the first time with Mrs. Diaz. It's been hard to complete our reading group rotations AND go to LDC but we've done pretty well! The children usually listen to a story, have a class discussion, work on a writing project, go to various centers and participate in writer's theater every single day of LDC! This week we've been writing on our peace poems.

rolling for 50

2010-10-05T20:15:00.001-05:00

breaking news...

2010-10-01T20:06:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you heard the news...we finally finished The Trumpet of the Swan and watched the movie today. The kids loved it! Be sure to ask your child how the movie was different from the book.

watercolors!

2010-09-29T22:54:00.005-05:00

Today we broke out the watercolors for the first time! Today we mixed primary colors together to make secondary colors...hence this week's bonus spelling words! It seemed like magic to them! We will be using these often and it is important to get the rules covered so that we can keep them looking great all year long! When we are done with them, they have a "sleepover" at the writing table to dry overnight so they don't get mixed together and all turn brown!

watercolor names

2010-09-29T22:02:00.001-05:00

For obvious reasons, I did not display the children's work for the world to see...so here's mine! The children's names are much more creative...each had a different way of showcasing their own unique blend of colors and shapes. What better way to practice our watercolor skills and make a pretty sign all at the same time!

jars needed

2010-09-27T22:49:00.001-05:00

Is there a baby in your house that eats baby food from a jar? If so, we could use 5 more jars to complete our class set! We use them for painting in class and don’t quite have enough!

double facts

2010-09-24T22:41:00.000-05:00

Today we learned about double facts...you know, 3+3= 6. The kids had a great time showing me what they learned!

International Day of Peace

2010-09-21T20:42:00.001-05:00

Today is the International Day of Peace. Mrs. Blakeslee's 5th grade GT students initiated their wall of peace outside her library classroom. They invited all students to add something to her wall. We shared what peace means to us and our wishes for the world...

nouns/verb sentences

2010-09-20T20:39:00.000-05:00

The children chose 6 animals to write simple noun/verb sentences to describe each picture. All spelling, spacing, punctuation, capitalization and sentence ideas were done independently. They showed they learned a lot!

silly sentences

2010-09-16T20:34:00.000-05:00

The kids LOVE to find mistakes! I write sentences using sight words we've studied, words using recent spelling rules and words that can be easily sounded out. I like to also include spacing problems and lack or misuse punctuation/capitalization. Try this at home...they think it's a game!

addition sticker stories

2010-09-15T23:42:00.003-05:00

Today we were introduced to addition story problems. To make it fun we used stickers to tell our stories. Come check them out outside our classroom!

TPRI testing

2010-09-15T23:40:00.000-05:00

I am about three fourths the way finished with our beginning of year TPRI (Texas Primary Reading Inventory) testing. It is long and tedious...and all done on the handy Palm Pilot! It's come to my attention that some did not realize what I was doing during the testing. One of my students asked me this week what kind of games I had on my phone and a parent thought I was "multi-tasking" while testing the children!!! I promise I am not Facebooking or playing Scrabble during class...certainly not while I test the children! :-)

domino addition

2010-09-15T23:38:00.002-05:00

Kudos to this reading group. They had superior addition skills AND worked cooperatively to get the entire job done...what a winning combination!

teamwork

2010-09-15T23:32:00.002-05:00

During reading rotations I sometimes have a "fun" job for no other reason but to have fun. I was especially pleased to catch this group working together as a team with one shared goal in mind!

number collections

2010-09-15T23:31:00.002-05:00

Job well done!

Open House

2010-09-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Our "Manner Gardens" have been planted...now watch them grow!
I look forward to seeing everyone tonight at Open House. Meet in the cafeteria at 6:00PM for Mr. Baker to introduce the teachers. We will continue the evening in our classroom! Also, Mrs. Norris (GT) and our ancillary teachers will be meeting at 5:30PM in thier classrooms if you would like to get any information about their programs, too.

Pennies for Peace

2010-09-11T22:28:00.005-05:00

For the past few weeks we've been talking a lot about kindness. We've discussed how we can be kind at home, school, in our community, etc. I told them today about a way we could show kindness halfway across the world! To go along with our current planner, 1st graders will be raising money to help build schools and provide community-based education for children in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We will be collecting pennies using a non-profit program called Pennies for Peace through the Central Asia Institute (CAI). Our hope is that this will be a memorable “feel good” experience and will broaden our cultural awareness by making a positive impact on a global scale…one penny at a time! Today we read a new book that was recently published, Listen to the Wind (ask your child about the significance of this title) that beautifully explained what the program is all about. We also watched a short video (I encourage you to watch this with your child) that gave the children a glimpse into another culture very different from their own. The kids are VERY excited and seemed to have grasped the idea that even 6 year-olds CAN make a difference! Spread the word, be creative and start collecting…make it a family project!

3 Cups of Tea

2010-09-11T22:22:00.002-05:00

A couple of summers ago (the only time I can actually find time to read!) a friend suggested I read 3 Cups of Tea. What a wonderfully inspirational book! I knew immediately that Pennies for Peace would be a great program to implement in my classroom and a nice addition to our current PYP planner. After meeting with my team, it was decided that all 1st grade classrooms would participate also! It was a wonderfully successful addition to our program and many of the children wanted to share the idea with their older siblings and their classes, with grandparents, neighbors, etc...1st grade raised a little over $600!!! We've been talking about how kindness can be contagious...it was apparent they really wanted to spread their hope to everyone they knew! The kids today loved hearing the story and learning all about Greg Mortenson's mission to promote peace one school at a time...one penny at a time. I think they could see how it could be possible for children working together to make a difference for children halfway around the world! Last year one of my students impulsively yelled out, "I'm SO doing this!" The others unanimously agreed. This year's class is no different...

3rd week update

2010-09-10T22:13:00.000-05:00

As we continue our 1st planner, “What the World Needs Now” we are learning how to problem solve conflicts that come up over the course of our day and why good attitudes are essential to getting along with others and being a good friend. We are especially enjoying a series of books called “Help Me Be Good.” For whatever reason our class is obsessed with them…luckily there are at least a couple of dozen in the series!

We have a great class…unusually even in the girl/boy ratio! We are focusing on LISTENING to each other and responding to directions the first time they are given. I’ve seen a huge improvement in this area for many of our kiddo’s.

I am proud to say we started our Guided Reading/job rotations the first week of school so our daily routine is very established as we finish our 3rd week! I have 6 reading groups and I seem to be changing them a little bit each day according to each child’s needs! Our first grade reading goal is that each child leave in May at a level 16-18 or higher and a fluency level of 60wpm. I feel that this is private information and I will not tell the children what level they are on (although some children may know to look, and figure it out by my private records, book labels, etc.) I will let you know from time to time what level/fluency rate your child is on. My goal is individual progression, no matter where they are on the spectrum. Learning to read is a developmental process and differs from child to child.

I subscribed to a weekly Scholastic News magazine for each child. They do a great job supplementing to our social studies, science and current events currently in our world. They are a lot of fun and the kids really enjoy reading them. It would be hugely helpful and appreciated by me if you could contribute $5.00 to help me cover the cost. Thank you for those that already contributed.

It’s that time again! Keep a look out for and start saving General Mills Box Tops. At the end of the year we collect them and our school gets money for equipment and supplies! Our collection jar is in our reading corner in the classroom. We are about halfway through our chapter book, Trumpet of the Swan. I want to show the movie after we finish the book! The kids are really enjoying the story and really do want me to read more than a chapter each day…unfortunately, we just don’t have that kind of time!

Thank you for your continued support!

Kindness Quilt

2010-09-09T23:01:00.005-05:00

As we begin our new planner, “What the World Needs Now” we are learning how to problem solve conflicts that come up over the course of our day and why good attitudes are essential to getting along with others. Check out our “Kindness Quilt” that will be displayed on the gigantic bulletin board between the 1st grade and kindergarten hallways. As each class adds their piece, it keeps growing and growing...just like the quilt in the book, The Kindness Quilt! Go check it out!

reading groups

2010-09-06T07:13:00.000-05:00

I've finished testing the students for their current fluency levels. I use these as a baseline to better help me form my weekly reading groups. Be forewarned...they change OFTEN!!!

Math is Everywhere!

2010-09-04T22:59:00.000-05:00

Great job! The kids reported having a great time with this family project!

writing

2010-09-03T07:22:00.000-05:00

I know it's only been 2 weeks...but I have already seen growth in their writing! We have been working so hard on learning about what makes a sentence. We've learned that sentences start with a capital letter and end with a period (we'll learn about other options soon!). We've learned how to space and have even touched upon what makes a noun. We've been diligently working on handwriting...many showed up writing in all capitals. I've seen progress.

job rotations

2010-09-03T07:09:00.000-05:00

The children have 5 assigned daily "jobs" to complete during our reading group rotation. Many of these follow objectives covered recently in class and are used to reinforce the given concept.

Prince tales

2010-09-02T07:07:00.001-05:00

Just a heads up...apparently this class LOVES to visit with our good friend, Prince. I've seen a fair amount of tattles, a few stories, a secret or two and a few questions about life!

our favorites

2010-09-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

We wrapped up our week by recording our favorite foods, favorite colors, favorite things and how many people we live with onto our very own houses. I think everyone did a great job following directions!

The Goldn Rule

2010-09-01T07:02:00.000-05:00

We read a book that the kids LOVED...Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler! A quote from the book that we really enjoyed was "a slice of nice makes a mile of smile."

isolating sounds

2010-08-31T19:59:00.002-05:00

Reading starts with phonemic awareness -- the ability to notice, think about, and manipulate the individual sounds in words or phonemes. Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in our language that can make a difference in the meaning of a word (like cat versus rat). Today the children were asked to brainstorm for words they heard the beginning /m/ sound and the ending /m/ sound.

Tuesday Folders

2010-08-31T19:40:00.005-05:00

Our Tuesday folders issued by PTO are brown in an effort to become more environmentally friendly. To lessen the amount of paperwork many of you have signed up to receive most PTO/school information via email. If you somehow you missed the paperwork involved and have not received the weekly newsletters that go out by email on Tuesdays, let me know! I love the change but am finding all our week's work does not fit in the slim folders. I will also send red folders in addition to the brown folders...they will only contain work from my class and everything else will be in the brown folders. Here are a few helpful tidbits about the red Tuesday folders:

•sent home every Tuesday with the brown folders
•contains only work from previous week except assignments that go in their portfolios or on bulletin boards for display
•PLEASE, PLEASE go over all work with your child as part of their homework assignment...great way for you to informed on what is going on in class as well as a sense of accomplishment for your child
•bring both empty folders back on Wednesday...

I hope this is clear. Confused yet?

least, between, greatest

2010-08-30T21:10:00.001-05:00

Today we built towers to better understand least, greatest and between!

Bunny Hop

2010-08-30T21:09:00.004-05:00

Today we played a fun game called "Bunny Hop" to reinforce counting on a number line.

reading groups

2010-08-30T21:05:00.003-05:00

I will be reading with all 6 reading groups EVERY day!

Numblers

2010-08-28T12:41:00.002-05:00

We had a lot of fun with this! After we read Numblers by Suse MacDonald, we decided we could hide number's, too! Enjoy our first slideshow of the year!

homework tips

2010-08-28T11:42:00.004-05:00

Here are a few helpful tidbits about the yellow homework folders:
•handed out every Monday (or Tuesday if there was no school on Monday)
•the entire assignment for the week is in the folder...including spelling (will start in a few weeks after we get through review), reading log and/or project
•everything due on Friday
•I check for completion and neatness...unfair to give a grade when parental support varies GREATLY!
FYI...concerning "math is everywhere" assignment for next week...picture below shows a sample of what I am looking for. Look for at least 5 examples (don't let me stop you if you want to do more!) of math in your life. Be sure to check junk mail, grocery ads, catalogs, magazines, neighborhood newspaper on the lawn, etc. Have fun!

pattern blocks/templates

2010-08-28T10:03:00.003-05:00

Along with exploring the pattern blocks with our hands and imaginations, we made patterns with the blocks and even recorded some of our ideas with the templates on paper! Much of our math this week has been introducing and exploring the math manipulatives we will be using this year...one of which is the pattern block template! You wouldn't believe what we can do with one of these...

Scholastic News

2010-08-28T09:19:00.000-05:00

I subscribed to a publication called Scholastic News. We will be getting 4 issues each month. Each one comes with an additional activity to do. They are great at incorporating social studies, science and current events into our busy day. It would help me tremendously if you would please consider contributing $5 to help me with this cause. Thanks, in advance for your support!

Welcome to Mark Twain!

2010-08-27T15:00:00.002-05:00

We had a wonderful 1st week of school. It was nice to see familiar faces as well as our 3 new friends to Mark Twain! We spent last week adjusting to new routines/rules/schedules while getting to know each other. The kids have done well while settling in and learning new procedures/expectations. After much discussion we wrote and signed our “Essential Agreements.” We will keep these displayed throughout the year. We expect to have a fantastic year! Don't forget to add Tuesday, August 31st to your calendars...there will be a 1st grade coffee with Mr. Baker!

Or 1st PYP planner begins next week. It’s called “What the World Needs Now.” The central idea is…positive attitudes make the world a better place to live in. We will focus on manners and our PYP attitudes/profiles. More to come later. Gifted and Talented will also start next week. We are scheduled to go every Thursday 12:20-1:55. Mrs. Norris is very excited and eagerly waiting to meet her new GT kids!

Our homework routine will also start next week. I will send home a homework packet at the start of each week in their yellow homework folders. Homework is due Friday and will be checked for completion and neatness. Brown information folders with work from the previous week and papers from the office will go home on Tuesdays. PTO is working hard to send most of their information electronically...expect less paperwork. All my updates, daily photos and newsletters will be online on the classroom blog. Please let me know ASAP if you do not have Internet access.

Reading logs will also go out next week...stapled to the homework packet. I will explain in great detail to the children…they are the ones reading…not parents. All I ask is that they read aloud to you for a minimum of 15 minutes M-Th. You may use books from home or public library books. They have an excellent selection of beginning readers and chapter books. Parents may also come by my class before or after class to borrow some of mine…I have a bunch! Please fill out the reading log with completed book titles and your signature acknowledging the reading has been done. These will also be checked for completion each Friday.

Thank you for quickly returning all the paperwork from the office. I still need a few more to complete our class. FYI…the “code of conduct” sheet is found in the middle of the Code of Student Conduct book handed out on the first day of school. I'm missing many of these!

Concerning the blog…I update it almost daily. I’m crazy that way! Most importantly, I post necessary information, dates, what’s coming up, etc. but also enjoy posting fun moments from our day. If you are not an “every day checker” then I suggest checking it once a week. I will not send home a hard copy unless you do not have online access. If this is the case, PLEASE let me know!

Sometimes I have questions for parents and will post surveys on the left side bar of the blog. Please consider participating. Your vote is anonymous to myself and others and will help me better serve the needs of our class!

Thanks again for a great 1st week. Your kids are GREAT!

birthday graph

2010-08-26T23:14:00.004-05:00

We have been finding new ways to better learn about each other every day this week and have found a way to graph this information. Today was no different...we graphed which month we were born. We found out a lot of neat information concerning our birthdays and discovered May will be a busy month!

spider day

2010-08-26T23:10:00.003-05:00

The spider climber is very exciting for 1st graders because they are on the "big kid" playground now...and that means playing on the THE Spider! Unfortunately, too many kids on the spider spells danger. To help with this, one class from each grade level plays on it each day. In 1st grade the day your class has Spanish ancillary is the same day your class can play on the spider. Today and yesterday was our day! FYI...we go to the same ancillary twice in a row!

class read-aloud

2010-08-26T23:06:00.003-05:00

Every day after recess we cool down on the carpet while listening to my read-aloud chapter book I share with the class. Our first novel is a timeless classic, Trumpet of the Swan. It's about a trumpeter swan that lacks a voice in the traditional "Ko-hoh!" sense, and learns to speak to the world with a trumpet stolen from a music store by his father. With the support of a sweet boy named Sam, who helps Louis learn how to read and write, the swan has some rather unswanlike adventures and ultimately wins the love--and the freedom--of a beautiful swan. The kids love the book and I've been able to even sneak in a bit of Geography and new vocabulary...undetected! I plan on showing the movie when we are done...shhh, don't tell!

Penny Dice

2010-08-25T21:18:00.002-05:00

Today we played our first Everyday Math Game, Penny Dice. The main objective of the game was to introduce game playing essential agreements, counting pennies and comparing quantities. This will be the 1st of MANY math games played this year!

reading groups/jobs

2010-08-25T21:16:00.003-05:00

Today I felt brave enough to start our reading groups and job routine! I have not tested all the new kids yet (I have most of the ending year scores from kindergarten). I told the kids the groups change ALL the time...they really do. Levels are constantly changing. I have one group of 3 or 4 kids work with me at the reading table while 5 other groups are working at their assigned jobs in various areas of the room. Jobs are basically centers. I call them jobs or else they will go hog wild! I see every reading group 4 times a week and each group rotates through all 5 jobs. At Open House I will explain this routine further if you have any questions. It takes awhile for the kids to internalize how this routine works...they did a great job! I think we are ready to do it again tomorrow!

dismissal procedure

2010-08-25T20:48:00.005-05:00

Dear Parents:

In order to ensure a safe and orderly dismissal and so that we can account for every child, we respectfully ask all children in grades 1 through 5 be picked up from the cafeteria only...no pick-ups at the door, please. Kindergarten parents may pick up at the classroom at 2:45. If you arrive at school before 2:45, you must get a visitors’ badge from the front office and wait for your children in the cafeteria, front rotunda, or outside unless you are going to Kindergarten at 2:45.

The building is bustling with a lot of people and this will ensure that teachers know the whereabouts of all children at all times. Thank you for helping us keep your children safe.

John Baker

Principal
Mark Twain Elementary
713-295-5230

summertime memories

2010-08-24T22:29:00.002-05:00

We took a moment to share our favorite summertime memories and recorded them on paper plates! There seemed to be a lot of boating and water park fun to beat the heat. Notice our patterns around the edge!

Prince...

2010-08-24T22:24:00.002-05:00

I told the kids about Prince today. Kids have a lot of tattles/stories to tell...and I am not always available to hear them! I told them to consider writing down the facts and zipping them into Prince's mouth or just whisper them in his ear. They agreed that it helps to just say what you need to say, get it off your chest and move on! I caught a few doing just that!

I Like Me!

2010-08-24T22:09:00.004-05:00

Today we put the finishing touches on our self-portraits we created on the 1st day of school after reading a wonderful story, I Like Me! Come check out our "I'm Happy to Be Me" poems that accompany them...we are proudly displaying them outside our hallway!

tally marks

2010-08-24T22:05:00.002-05:00

Today we reviewed consonants and vowels and at the same time practiced using tally marks for the vowels/consonants on our name tags and a friend's name tag, too.

name graph

2010-08-24T21:53:00.002-05:00

We graphed how many letters were in our names today onto a bar braph. It brought on a good discussion about which column had more, which had the least, any even, etc.

1st Day of School

2010-08-23T21:49:00.003-05:00

We had a GREAT 1st day! We read several books...one of their favorites, Bono Goes to School...was about a monkey that had all sorts of problems at school, decided to make better choices and earned a star from the teacher at the end of the day. We even read the 1st chapter of our teacher read aloud, The Trumpet of the Swan! We graphed how we were going home today, shared what we did over the summer, decided what our essential agreements for the classroom should be, drew our self-portraits, started our math routines and decorated our helper tags. All in all, the day was a big success...we even had a fire drill! The kids must be exhausted... I know I am!

homework for parents!

2010-08-23T21:35:00.003-05:00

Please, please, please fill out all paperwork in the big manila envelope ASAP. The office really needs the information quickly and will hound me DAILY for it.

welcome to 1st grade!

2010-08-20T23:03:00.000-05:00

Welcome to 1st grade! I am thrilled to be teaching your child. The first grade team has planned many fun and exciting lessons for your child. Our main focus is on reading and math, but we will be doing lots of science and social studies as well. At Open House I will explain further and in depth about what we have planned for the year and how we spend our time in the classroom. For now, I want to welcome you to my class and explain a few routines to get you and your child through the first few weeks in my class.

The first few weeks are tricky…we have to go over a lot of routines new to your child! This week we will start every morning with a “fun activity sheet” to help establish the routine of putting away their backpack, lunches, folders, information sheets, etc. and then getting straight to their desk to start their assignment. This will help them internalize our morning routine. Starting next week the children will be writing in their journals until 8:30. Soon, I will be soliciting for volunteers to stay during journal time each day so that I may work with small groups…so look at your schedules and consider helping out (we won’t start volunteers until be have Open house). Children LOVE to have their moms (dads and grandparents, too!) help out in the classroom…hint, hint!

We will be starting our spelling program next week. Every Monday the children will be given a list of spelling word and sight words. There will be a spelling test every Friday. I will also include several challenging bonus words from current social studies, science and PYP lessons for those that are interested. J We will have lessons during the week concentrating on these words as well as daily spelling homework. All homework will be due on Friday.

Last year the state of Texas adopted a new math program (Envision/Investigations). It is very organized, thoughtful and many games are included. I will use daily math time to introduce all the routines we use in math as well as incorporate the other math program Mark Twain purchases in addition to the required program. I’ve used the Chicago Everyday Math program for 9 years in kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade…I know both programs will prepare the kids for next year. Everyday Math homework is called “Home Links” that go right along with what we learn each day in class. Home Links also include weekly letters to the parents and answers for the homework for the following week…keep an eye out for it! Keep these as a reference tool…I know you will find these very interesting and helpful when working with your child at home. Home Links are sent home in the yellow homework folder on Mondays and are due back Friday. They will be checked for completion.

A homework packet will be sent home in a yellow folder next Monday to give you an idea of what to expect each week. The routine will be similar every week. I am asking that your child (not parent) commit to reading at least 15 minutes each night (Mon. - Thurs.). A reading log will be sent home to list book titles read and a parent signature. From time to time we will break from our normal homework routine to do a simple project at home instead. Again, homework folders are due on Friday.

I hear this year our home communication folders will be brown again…they have been red in the past. They will be sent home every Tuesday. They will have notes from the office about events around school, important dates/information, and ALL (except work I decided to display) of the work done in class the previous week. Many notes this year will be sent electronically. Please go over all work with your child. They are proud of their hard work and are eager to share their knowledge with you as you become more familiar with what is learned in class and how well he/she is doing.

The bell rings at 7:50 and class begins right away. Every child should be on time in the mornings. If not, a tardy slip from the office is needed to enter class if arriving at 8:01 AM or later. This is an HISD policy and Mr. Baker is strict about following this procedure. If your child is sick and misses school, a note needs to be brought to me within 3 days of returning back to school.
*** Please fill out all paperwork in the big manila envelope ASAP. The office really needs the information quickly and will hound me DAILY for it…hint, hint. J

I have a classroom blog (www.mrsphillipsatmarktwain.blogspot.com) and update it almost daily. I’m weird that way. The kids, parents, grandparents, etc. LOVE the constant and updated information about our class. Be sure to sign the media release enclosed in the manila envelope so I can include your child in this exciting experience! If you are not wanting your child involved in this project, please let me know in writing immediately. Much of what you see will be information concerning what was done in class each day, class work, quotes from the children, upcoming event information, etc. I do not use any names…sometimes initials. If you need a better idea of what I am talking about…visit and decide for yourself. Currently, it has last year’s class (not much as I was out ill almost the entire year), all of the year before and even a bit from the year before that! Feel free to comment as you wish on our blog (I will show the kids how to do this, too!)…please be aware they are first sent to my school email for approval by me before being publicly posted.

I look forward to getting to know your children! I am confident that we will have a successful year! Please plan now for a babysitter and attend Open House on Tuesday, September 14th 6-7 PM (and ancillary & GT at 5:30PM) so that I may explain how my classroom works in more detail and give you the opportunity to ask questions. Please know that I am very open to answering your inquiries and listening to your comments/concerns. I have time during my ancillary time at 1:55-2:40 PM, before school at 7:30am, and after school at 3:15pm after carpool duty (except Wednesday when I attend a school-wide faculty meeting and Thursdays when I plan with my 1st grade team) to have parent conferences. I am ALWAYS available through email and it will be checked several times each day. My email address at school is mphillip@houstonisd.org (please note there is not an “s” on my email address). Please do not hesitate to contact me.

WOW…that’s a lot of information…but not too much! I look forward to getting to know everyone and sharing my class with you.

Thank you in advance for your support,

Mrs. Phillips
mphillip@houstonisd.org
www.mrsphillipsatmarktwain.blogspot.com

*** The weather is very hot. We have a daily 30 minute recess after lunch. Children are permitted to bring a water bottle to take outside.

sneak peek

2010-08-20T22:55:00.000-05:00

Today was the last official day back to school...and boy have I been busy! Take a peek at our classroom...this is probably the cleanest the room will be all year! I can't wait to meet everyone!

Yippee!!!

2010-03-12T14:39:00.003-06:00

Have you heard the news? I will be returning to school April 6th...doctor and Mr. Baker approved! Rejoice and be glad in it!

here it is...

2010-02-24T20:39:00.003-06:00

Here is the finished project! My last minute idea made barely made it to the Bash catalog! Also, I will be offering a swim party at the YMCA May 14th after school open to all students in my class and their siblings! If everything goes well with my chemo on Monday I look forward to seeing everyone at the Bash!

Starry Night takes flight

2010-02-23T20:24:00.004-06:00

Today was a special day...I came to school and actually did something...I miss everyone terribly! We worked on our class Bash item. This consisted of remembering what Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night looked like and letting it inspire us to use those same "starry" colors to paint origami peace cranes! Stay tuned to see what this evolves into...

thank you

2009-12-25T10:49:00.000-06:00

Thank you for the lovely Christmas gift! It fills me with PEACE, STRENGTH and JOY!

Holiday Party

2009-12-17T10:39:00.002-06:00

I loved seeing everyone wearing their pajama's for Polar Express Day! It looks like everyone had a fun time at the holiday party, too! Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to everyone!

I couldn't miss a party...especially if I get to wear my monkey pajamas to school!

One More Time...

2009-11-14T23:06:00.003-06:00

Thank you to TK's grandma for coming to read books to the children today. What a treat!

I happen to be at school today to catch this Birthday-Gram! Happy Birthday IF.

thank you

2009-11-01T11:29:00.007-06:00

Thank you to all for the warm wishes and prayers sent my way! Keep them coming. This beautiful ornament with the quote, " Anything is possible...the power is already in you." was left on my desk with no name attached. I would love to thank the sender. :-)

It was a BIG treat bumping into many of my 1st graders on Halloween night. It looks like y'all had a wonderful night!

reading groups

2009-10-29T14:20:00.003-05:00

It was great for me to get back into our reading groups! The kids are of course are doing great...it's nice for me to be able to sit! Mrs. Wisniewski has done a fabulous job keeping to my routine and moving the kids along to the next level when needed. Today we used our "witch fingers" to help us track the words when reading...glad I snitched a few from our class party last week!

author's chair

2009-10-29T14:18:00.003-05:00

I'm pleased to report that the kids have caught the "bug" to write! They've had a fabulous time sharing their short stories and tales...

Georgia O'Keefe

2009-10-28T21:23:00.005-05:00

Today we learned about Georgia O'Keefe. We found out that her clear, bright paintings show the beauty she found in the simple, natural things around her. We also found out she loved to paint flowers...up real close...and so do we!

tube request!!!

2009-10-28T21:14:00.004-05:00

If you have any toilet paper tubes at home to contribute...we could use them! We will be using them next week! I'm NOT giving you permission to wrap any houses on Halloween...

busy, busy, busy!

2009-10-28T10:29:00.002-05:00

Get your calendars out...and make note of the followingdates. It's a busy time of year!

October 30 - March of Dimes Reading Champion envelopes due
November 3 - PTO Meeting 6:30 pm
November 4 - early dismissal
November 6 - Pop ‘n’ Kid campout
November 11 - student-led conferences
November 16-17 - Book Fair at Barnes & Noble 3:00 pm - 8:00 pm
November 20 - fieldtrip to Museum of Fine Arts
November 25-27 - Thanksgiving holidays

Postman Roulin

2009-10-27T23:34:00.000-05:00

More van Gogh...Postman Roulin. The kids really do love to watercolor!

finished!

2009-10-26T23:29:00.000-05:00

I felt nervous about not being there...but I found out you can paint without making a mess even when I am not there! The kids had to finish their backgrounds since we didn't quite finish last week. Mrs. Rangel is my picture elf when I'm not looking...

My news...

2009-10-26T10:12:00.001-05:00

My year this year started with a bang the minute the doors opened on the first day of school! Your kids are awesome and I've enjoyed the last 10 weeks being their teacher. We've spent these last couple of months working hard to establish our classroom norms to help make working and learning together easier for everyone. The children have worked hard learning how our reading groups operate, play math games fairly, work independently, ask questions when they need help and to be good problem solvers. In just a short time, I've seen everyone's reading and writing skills progress to the next level and a sense of community established. With that said, I am confident in saying everyone has had a great start, too!

It's with a heavy heart that I inform you that my last week has not been the healthiest for me. I apologize for not being at school but I hope you know by now that I would be there if I any way could. I am still undergoing more tests at MD Anderson and hope to be back shortly. Mrs. Amanda has done a great job internalizing my routine and will continue to do the best she can. She has a teaching degree, knows the kids and most of all, loves being in our class! When and if the time comes, she has agreed to be my long-time substitute and will have no problems stepping in at a moment's notice.

I regret not having better news. I want to remain positive and give myself the healthiest chance I can. Please keep in touch. The children make me the happiest!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Phillips

PS - I have about a week's worth of photos that still need to be added to the blog. I have a secret elf that takes pictures when I'm not around...you know I'm good for a few blog posts when I find the time!

Spooky Spaghetti

2009-10-24T23:25:00.000-05:00

i will be out...

2009-10-21T23:17:00.000-05:00

class party

2009-10-20T23:13:00.000-05:00

A big thank you goes out to all the parents that helped organize our class party and to all the yummy food that made our pot luck supper so successful! The weather was beautiful and I believe everyone had a fabulous time! Well done.

Picasso witches

2009-10-20T23:01:00.000-05:00

I cannot claim credit, the kids drew hilarious witches in Mrs. Cowan's art class...I believe some had Picasso in mind!

Class Party TONIGHT!!!!!!!!

2009-10-20T07:27:00.002-05:00

Please forgive my absence on the blog...things are crazy right now. I just want to remind everyone that tonight is our class party. Everyone is encouraged to bring a family favorite dish...homemade or store bought! I hope to see everyone tonight...it should be a great time!

van Gogh's sunflowers

2009-10-19T22:35:00.000-05:00

Today we started painting our own version of van Gogh's famous sunflowers after reading, van Gogh and the Sunflowers. This may be a 2 day project...

Art a la Carte

2009-10-16T11:35:00.004-05:00

Thank you to Mrs. Dong for preparing a lovely art lesson covering warm and cool colors. She can well prepared and the kids had a fabulous time.

self-portraits

2009-10-15T23:37:00.002-05:00

Self-portraits were recently finished in the computer lab.

Matisse, part 2

2009-10-15T23:34:00.002-05:00

Christopher Columbus

2009-10-15T23:28:00.002-05:00

negative numbers

2009-10-15T23:19:00.004-05:00

We've been skip counting crazy lately using number lines and 100's boards. Today we ventured into uncharted waters...negative numbers! I think they did pretty good. Your child should have worn home their number line "bracelet" on their wrists showing negative numbers all the way to -40!!!