September 21, 2012

This week I taught the class how to pray a PATH prayer.  In this type of a prayer we spend time in Praise, Apology, Thanksgiving, and asking for Help.  I want to share some of the praises that the kids raised to our God.  "God You are ... awesome, Savior, our strength, incredible, almighty, marvelous, and You died for us"  Our memory this week reminds us that our God loves and cares for us so much that He promises to take care of us for eternity.  "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29,  Jesus came so that we would have forgiveness and new life with Him forever.  For this we PRAISE GOD!

A Look Ahead:
Memory: Psalm 56:3
Religion: Crossing the Red Sea and wandering in the wilderness
Literacy Centers:
                            Poetry:  Around the Apple Tree and sequencing
                            Phonics: Building short i words
                            Names:  Choosing end marks for sentences
                            Writing: Publishing our first book
                            Alphabet: Alphabetically order
                            Math:  Making number sentences
                             Computer:Spelling: Lesson 6
Grammar: Nouns
Math: Addition facts 'Doubles to 18' (ask about the our "Doubles" song)
Science:  Begin Animal Unit
Social Studies: People who Help us at School
Art: Andy Warhol

FRIDAY:  JOHNNY APPLESEED DAY, On September 28 we will be celebrating Johnny Appleseed's Birthday.  
PLEASE have you child bring an APPLE to school on FRIDAY.  Thank you for those who have volunteered to come in and help us.  Please come to the classroom at 8:55. 

THURSDAY, October 4 PICTURE RETAKES:  If your child did not get their picture taken or you want a retake please bring in your order form or old pictures on Thursday, October 4.

HELP WANTED: I could use some help copying and putting together some guided reading books.  If you are able to come in and help please email me.  I will show you how to copy and make the books.  This is something that I will need help with all year.  If many people volunteer we can share the work.
Thanks!

The gym is now complete with a new floor and bleachers.  To celebrate the blessing God has given us we invite you to Volleyball Pack the Gym, wear your Bobcat red and cheer on the volleyball teams at 4:30 and 5:30.

 I encourage you to praise our AWESOME, MARVELOUS, INCREDIBLE, ALMIGHTY, SAVIOR AND STRONG GOD this weekend in church.  If you haven't been please feel free to join us at Zion.  The service times are Saturday at 5:00 and Sunday at 8:00. 9:30 and 11:00.  Chapel of the Cross has  Monday service at 7:00.

In HIM,
Amy

Enjoy some highlights of our week in pictures!

Both First Grades worked together to create this giant masterpiece inspired by Victor Vasarely

 We are painting abstract self portraits in the style of Paul Klee.

Paul Klee portra

 

We are working on our handwriting, using the magic c to make letters.

 We had an experiment where we ate every part of a plant, seeds, roots, stems, leaves and flowers,

The spread of plant parts.

Charlie ate all his plant parts!

Calvin joins the empty plate club eating all his plant parts.

 We are working in phonics on consonant clusters.  Here we are sorting the clusters.

 

Pastor Rouland was our special guest reader!

Pastor Rouland read about school safety with Officer Buckle and Gloria.

September 14, 2012

Mr. Marolf uses the phrase "We are Bobcat Nation!"  He 'signs off' the daily announcements by proudly saying that we are Bobcat Nation!  The kids love it.  Just say to your first grader WE ARE and wait for the response.  

Yet we ARE so much more.  Our Bible verse for this week tells us that God CHOSE us.  We are HIS CHILDREN!  We learned in Religion how Jacob was forgiven and how Joseph forgave his brothers.  We are FORGIVEN!  We see and feel daily that  God is love.  We are SAVED!  How wonderful it is that God chose us to be HIS CHILDREN we are LOVED!

A Look Ahead:

Memory: John 1:29

Religion: Moses

Grammar: Writing Sentences

Spelling: Lesson 5
Reading: Literacy Centers
  writing: begin a story about what we do each day
  name: sort vowels in our names
  poetry: look for consonant clusters in the poem, A Seed
  phonics: build words with the -est, -end, -elt, -en, and -et chunks
  alphabet: change the beginning letter to make a new word
Math:  addition sentences, addition facts: doubles, ordinal numbers (I will retest counting to 100)
Science: Seeds and how plants grow, we will eat plant parts and have a TEST Friday, over p. A18-A53, books will go home Wednesday
Social Studies: School Rules
Art:  more Paul Klee

BLUE BOOK BAGS:  Your child will come home each Monday with a different BLUE BOOK BAG.  I am using this BLUE BOOK BAGS instead of having the students do book reports.  My goal is to expose the class to various genres of books as well as have them spend time being read to and/or reading own their own.  Please feel free to keep the BLUE BOOK BAGS all week and weekend.  Please make sure the bags are brought back on Monday so that the next child can read the books in that bag.

LEVELED READING BOOKS:  Each Monday your child will bring home a book that is on your child's level and your child should be able to read it with minimal help.  Please have your child read these books, they should even read them several times.  This helps to build fluency and self confidence.  Please send the books back on Friday. Each week your child will receive a new book.

Reading is so important in First Grade.  The best way to become a good reader is to READ, READ, READ!  Thank you for helping your child become a good reader.

Please pray for my oldest daughter, Hannah, as she will be having knee surgery on Wednesday, Sept. 19.  Her surgery is at 4:30 so I will need to leave school early.  My sister and Zion preschool teacher, Mrs. Hoehner, will be coming in to sub for me.  I plan on being back to school Thursday while Hannah rests at home with Grandma.

As I think about the Bible verse for this week, "You did not chose me, I chose you." John 15:16
I am so grateful to God.  We all want to be picked for the team.  Before I was born God had picked me for His team.  He chose me to be His child.  He loves me and makes me His through Baptism.
Spend an hour or two this weekend worshipping and praise our God, we loves us, forgives us, and choses us to be HIS FOREVER.  Zion students come see Mrs. Kuhlmann, Grace's mom, at the children's message!

In HIM,
Amy

Enjoy the pictures that help tell about our week!

Working on a group project with both First Grades

Painting Cool Colored Circles 

Look for the First Grade Class Victor Vasarely Project in a Hallway Near You

Passing out our special writing pens

We have begun our Writer's Workshop

Writing a story about her new house. 

Writing a story about soccer practice .

Writing about the soccer game, they lost 3-5 but still had fun!

Moving in Music 

Practicing Left and Right

Using chalk while making castles like Paul Klee

Coloring carefully

Using bright colors like Paul Klee

Cup stacking during P.E. while the bleachers are being installed.
(The rain kept us inside)

Practicing cup stacking

Moving inside during PE

Dancing in Music

Beginning Sounds Books

Thank you Mrs. Helmkamp for helping us make Beginning Sounds Books!

We worked in groups to make our books.

Take a look at them!!!

Charlie, Lucas, Kayla, Nikki, Kaitlyn

Kendyl, Jack, Erica, Anderson, Colin

Katie, Grace, Isaiah, Gigi, Gabriel

Guy, Henry, Gabby, Gracyn, Calvin

Mrs. Bernhardt's class,

I am very sorry for all of the glitches in getting these videos loaded correctly and available for you. It was a learning experience for myself. Hopefully next time is should go a little easier.

Blessings, Mrs. Helmkamp

September 7, 2012

You are your child’s PFD!! 

In confirmation this week I learned that I am my child’s PFD, personal faith developer.  As parents we are given the task of developing our child’s faith.  Do not fear you are not alone in this task.  The Holy Spirit will help you along with Zion Church and School.  You may wonder what a PFD does; 

Pastor Rouland gives three responsibilities:  

set an example, be authentic, and be faithful.  

May God bless you in your job of PFD! 

A Look Ahead:

Religion: Joseph and his family 

Memory: John 15:16

Reading: Literacy Centers

     phonics: build words with short e chunks, en, et, e.g.

     alphabet: work with ending sounds in words

     writing: write a book about plants and their colors

     math: ordering numerals and writing numbers to 20

     name: working with beginning sounds

     poetry: Read A Color poem

     computer: www.tinyurl.com/zionshapes

Spelling: Lesson 4

Grammar:  Exclamation and Question Sentences

Math:  We will be working with money, identifying numbers, and putting numbers into sets

Science: Plants and their parts

Social Studies: Schools have rules

Art: Paul Klee

We have started our guided reading groups and I feel this week went well.  Next week your child will bring home a paper book.  Please have your child read the book and then sign the form.  Your child should read this book every night and return it on Friday.  Rereading the same familiar book will help build fluency.

I hope you enjoyed the Blue Bag Books.  Please return the books on Monday so that others will be able to take them home.  I have noticed many of you have been reading and marking the September Reading Log, keep up the good work.

Please take a second and sign the HIGHLIGHTS form.  I only need a parent's signature to earn points towards free classroom stuff.

HELPERS NEEDED: On Friday, September 28 our class will celebrate Johnny Appleseed's Birthday.  We will spend the morning doing fun 'apple' activities.  I could use a few extra hands.  Please email me if you are able to spend the morning with us.  I will need help from 9 to 11.  Thanks in advance.

Please join me this weekend as we worship our Savior in church.  I hope you have begun noticing your child participating more in the service.  Be your child's PDF.  Give them the opportunity to worship together with their christian family.

in HIM,

Amy

Enjoy pictures from our week

Mrs. Helmkamp teaching us how to make beginning sounds book using iPods and computers.
Look for the books on my blog soon! 

Building Words
Thinking about what chunks to use!

Writing Center

Math Center: Graphing

Guided Reading Center

Geoboards in Math

Observing a plant and it's parts

Drawing and labeling a plant

Observing the roots

Dancing and Praising Jesus 

Phonics lotto game: ending sounds

The lotto game was fun!

More ending sounds lotto

More praising GOD

Looking at our new class pet: TADPOLES

Coloring Abraham, Sarah and Isaac: God blesses us with our families

Weaving warm and cool colors

Making OP ART in the style of Victor Vasarely

Matching ending sounds of the Smartboard

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