Toast to 2017!

It was so wonderful to see my Connected Combo today.  I missed them!  I loved the break and time with my family....but I also have the best job in the world.  It was great to be back! We started 2017 at school with a toast....well, toast at least.  As part of our morning snack, we ate toast and "toasted" the new year!  We reflected on 2016 and discussed resolutions.  We, of course,  did some school 2017 goal setting.  




Resolutions are more likely to be kept if we write them down and have friends and family hold us accountable.  The students made a 2017 flip book to guide our reflection and goal setting.  I sent home your child's flipbook on Wednesday!  Please take a look and we can help each other out!  Happy New Year!

 First, students wrote the best part of 2016.  Look at this cutie!  She said "being in the combo!"  Melt my heart!  On the 0 page, students picked something they wanted to stop doing.  In the sample below, a first grader wrote "I will stop talking while somebody is talking."  The 1 page is for a personal goal, like keeping bedrooms clean!  Parents, you really want to check that page out.  The last page was for school goals.  Lots of children wrote to "challenge themselves."  How exciting is that?  Can't wait to see what the year brings!

Merry, Merry!

Pajamas, Presents, Polar Express....and SUGAR!
What a great last day before break.  The children in pajamas always starts the Christmas break out right!  They were adorable and comfy.  We started our morning by reading the Polar Express and wrapping Christmas presents. We also had cupcakes and hot coco.  Yum!  I wasn't sure if they would get enough sugar in the afternoon!  The morning passed by so quickly.  Time flies when you are having fun.  We finished our literacy centers, read Christmas books to each other, had a little time for some math, but before we knew it parents were there to decorate gingerbread houses.  Thank you for coming in and enjoying the sticky fun with us.  I hope you have a beautiful holiday.

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Christmas Kindness

Grinch Day got the Connected Combo discussing the meaning of Christmas. One way the students thought they could show their spirit for the season was by giving kindness. We decided to become the "Random Acts of Christmas Kindness Class." We have been sneaking all around the school and community "R.A.C.K. ing" people.

Our first R.A.C.K. was for Mrs. Crum. We gave kind notes to Mrs. Crum.  Then, we wrote more notes for Mrs. Wolverton.  And, since the weather has been chilly, we gave the cross walk guard some hand warmers.  We also delivered surprise candy canes to an 4 different classroom.  Plus, we gave as many compliments and smiles as we could!

The children couldn't get enough of the R.A.C.K.ing. They were just full of ideas. So, we had a homework assignment to perform a Random Act of Christmas Kindness. I was amazed with the responses. Thank you parents for supporting this project. The children were so proud of themselves and their kindness. Here are just of few of the wonderful acts of homework kindness.

Christmas on Chromebooks

When we checked out the Chromebooks this week, we used them to warm up for our math hour.  The games linked below have fun Christmas themes and practice addition and subtraction fluency.  Enjoy!

1. Reindeer Cafe

2. Cone Crazy

3. Add with Santa

4. Hidden Picture
5. Math Fact Lights
6. Wake the Elephant 

 Addition and subtraction fluency is an objective assessed on the next report card. After Christmas break, it is only two short weeks until the end of the quarter. I will have to be assessing several of our reading and math objectives right away. Any extra practice over the holiday on addition and subtraction will be beneficial.

Busy Little Elves!

The Connected Combo sure has  Christmas spirit.  They have been enjoying every minute of the season.  We have been writing, reading, doing math, creating art, and singing....all about Christmas.  Like I said, these first and second grade elves have been hard at work.  This post has just a few of our Christmas themed activities.

We had many Christmas literacy and math centers.  At the writing center, students used ads to "shop" for gifts for friend and family.  There was also a sight word Christmas tree where students took word ornaments off the tree and wrote the high frequency words in their very best hand writing. We had Christmas riddles and a Christmas stamp match center.  For math, we had a station called "Fa La La Fact Families," "Gingerbread Bump," and so many more.  There were tons of math and literacy games to practice all the skills we have been learning.  Mrs. Niemeyer needs to ask Santa for some more card stock!

Another favorite activity has been reading by the fire.  We loved listening to Christmas stories on our iPods.  Also, our iPads have great reading apps like EPIC and Reading Rainbow.  There were so many holiday stories to choose from.