Reading Day, December 20th

Books from Mrs. Goode!

Listening to stories in the morning.

Reading with our stuffed animals, pillows, blankets and friends!

We got to choose where to sit!

We could read with friends.

We read for a long time. We are building our reading stamina!

Gingerbread Activities

This week we are reading  gingerbread stories. Today we tried gingerbread cookies, played Gingerbread Candyland Addition and decorated gingerbread magnets. So much fun in first grade!

Gingerbread Magnets.

decorating our gingerbread magnets.

The students loved using the glitter glue.

Adding glitter glue to our gingerbread magnets.

Gingerbread Candyland Addition.

Yum, Yum fresh gingerbread cookies.

The Gingerbread Man

"Run, Run as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!"

This week we are reading about the folktale, The Gingerbread Man. We will be read many different versions looking for similarities and differences.

by Karen Schmidt

by Jan Brett

by Jan Brett

by Lisa Campbell Ernst

The Mitten

This week we read, compared and contrasted the two books:
 The Mitten by Jan Brett

 The Mitten by Alvin Tresselt

Both books have a little boy who looses a mitten in the snow and animals that decide to get warm by climbing inside. The books differ by the kinds of animals and the way the mitten is made.  We enjoyed reading, discussing and thinking about the story this week.

Parachutes

In science we are studying Air. The students did an experiment today with parachutes to see how air can push on things. We made the parachutes out of paper napkins four strings and a paper clip.

Let it Snow!

We have been creating snowflakes in our classroom.  They LOVE folding and cutting. One of my students commented, "None of them are alike, just like real snowflakes!"

Inclement Weather

As the first round of winter weather begins to move through the area, it provides a good opportunity to review the District's procedures for inclement weather, school closings and opening on a snow schedule. Information regarding school closings or schedule changes due to inclement weather will be posted on the front page of the District website as soon as a decision is made. Typically, a decision to close school or open on a snow schedule is not made until 5:00 a.m. on the morning in question.

On days when the District is closed or on a snow schedule, SchoolMessenger, the District’s broadcast telephone messaging system, will call all District families at their primary contact number at approximately 6:00 a.m. to announce a closing or late start. Evening events and activities are typically canceled on days that schools are closed unless otherwise noted on the District website or in the closing announcement.
The School District of Clayton also posts school closings on the following radio and television stations:

• Radio - KMOX (1120 AM)
• Television - KTVI (Channel 2), KMOV (Channel 4), KSDK (Channel 5), KLPR (Channel 11) and KDNL (Channel 30).

School closing information may also be obtained by calling the District Administration Building at 314-854-6000.
Opening on a Snow Schedule
One option for addressing inclement weather is opening on a snow schedule. If the weather or road conditions are not severe enough to warrant cancellation, but problematic enough to cause delays, this option will give students and staff additional time to get to school without having to use a full snow day. The announcement that the District is opening on a snow schedule would be made at the same time and via the same channels that are used to announce school closings. Please review the following items so that you can better understand what would happen if the District opens on a “Snow Schedule:”

• All schools will start one hour late, the same times as on Late Start Days.
• VICC buses and the Meramec bus will pick up one hour late, the same times as on Late Start Days.
• Schools will follow the Late Start Day schedule with the exception that there will be no before-school childcare provided at the Family Center or any elementary school.
• All before-school meetings, programs, sports practices and activities are canceled, including:
  • KidZone at Captain, Meramec and the Family Center/CHS
  • GCC at Glenridge
  • Zero-hour classes as Clayton High School
• All school buildings will be open at the following times to receive students:
  • Family Center/Maryland School – regular “sign-in” time for Late Start Days
  • Elementary Schools – 9:20 a.m.
  • Wydown Middle School – 8:30 a.m.
  • Clayton High School – 8:30 a.m.
• All after-school meetings, programs, sports practices and activities will proceed as scheduled unless additional inclement weather causes the District to cancel after-school and evening activities/programs at some point during the day.

Canceling After-School and Evening Activities
Often the timing of a winter storm will be such that the District will cancel after-school and evening activities in order for students and staff to be able to get home safely. A decision to cancel after-school or evening activities will usually be made by 2 or 2:30 p.m. on the day in question. Canceling after-school and evening activities applies to all District meetings and events, school meetings and events, school clubs, activities, athletic practices and games. KidZone and GCC will remain open until their regular closing times but parents are encouraged to pick their children up early if possible.

Day of Choirs

Today we had an assembly to see the Choirs from Captain, Wydown Middle School and Clayton High School.

Captain's Chorus under direction from Mr. Mayer.

The children sang many songs.

Wydown treated us to some popular songs.

Clayton High School show choir.

Just Right Books

 Students are working on reading "Just Right" books to grow their reading abilities.
What are "Just Right" books? 
These are books your child can read most of the words and retell the story. Plus, they can talk about the book a few days later and tell about their favorite part, connection or have an opinion about the story. We shop for new books to put in our book basket at least once or twice a week. Shopping means to trade in our old books for new books. Many books are at the right level to grow the reader.  Students will have a mixture of Just Right books and picture books in their book basket. Our class knows that it is okay to read the words  in our Just Right books and look at the pictures in our picture books. Many picture books are fairy tales that they know by heart. Some picture books are stories they have heard before and can retell by looking at the picture. The nonfiction picture books are also very popular....especially with the boys.
Also, we know that reading is making meaning of the words. If someone can say words and can't tell what the story is about, then he/she is not reading.  Tonight ask your child to read out loud to you. Talk to them about their story. Ask them questions. You will find they have grown so much since school started!

Crazy Hat and Hair Day

Many children and adults got in the spirit and wore crazy hair or hats at school today.

Thinking Deeply about Books

We are thinking deeply about our reading. Many students are using Post-It Notes to record the many thoughts they are having while reading. Some of the thoughts are: questions, wonderings, noticings, connections, favorite parts, funny parts, or a place where they worked really hard to figure out a word. We share our Post-It Notes with each other and the teacher. Last, we place the notes in our Reading Notebook to save the hard work we do. It is like a scrapbook of our reading work.