Dear Parents,

Greetings from firstie land!  As I am sure you can imagine, the level of excitement for EVERYTHING Christmas is at an all-time high at school!  I feel like I could maybe peel them off of the ceiling…ha.  But if it’s like this at school, I can only imagine what it is like at home. Prayers for you all!


Yesterday, our Superintendent of all the Lutheran schools in the state of Michigan, visited us for Chapel.  He talked to us about his favorite light, when he was growing up.  He actually brought it…but I think that he meant his favorite light as a grown up, not as a child… ha!  

The season of Advent is about preparing for the birth of our Savior.  When Jesus was born, He brought light and hope into a dark, sin-filled, world.  Have you ever been in a room that was completely dark?  Even the smallest light will shine into a dark room.  Just as Jesus was a light to the world, God calls for US to be a light to others.  How will you share the good news of Jesus with others?  How will YOU shine God’s light for others to see? 


The firsties have really loved the song that they sand for the Advent service, so I am sharing it for you and for them to sing at home! (Hopefully the link works!)


https://www.rightnowmedia.org/content/kidsseries/330438?episode=8


Spelling and memory tests are tomorrow!  Please make sure your firstie is prepared for these.  Also, just a reminder that Book Buddies and Take Home Story Bags MUST be brought back tomorrow.  I don’t think that in the craziness of the holidays, that you want all that school stuff laying around…right?  Thank you for your help in making sure that they are returned tomorrow. 


Blessings to you and Merry Christmas! 


Miss Gallagher

Dear Parents,

Anyone else feeling the effects of the FULL MOON?! Oh my goodness!  Our class, as a whole, is a tad wound up! (It is, however, to be expected with Christmas getting closer and closer...) Prayers for you on the Homefront!


The firsties and the third graders did a wonderful job last night; sharing the message and singing praises to God!  Below is one of my favorite Christmas songs….listen carefully to all the words…it’s really something to think about.  God sent Jesus in LOVE…because He loved us SO MUCH and that certainly gives us a reason to celebrate at this time. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIClNSsPvUQ


Keep those books coming in for our Book Exchange for Christmas!  Remember, (and I am going to be obnoxious about this because I had one in the past that didn’t follow the directions at all and brought in a totally inappropriate book), the books need to be from the authors Max Lucado (and ALL of his books are great!) or Patricia Polocco (and some of her books aren’t appropriate for first graders….so please double check with me!).  We are going to be having a pretty low-key Christmas party and are going to watch the movie “The Muppets Christmas Carol” and I am going to make hot cocoa in my crockpot (with whipped cream and marshmallows and sprinkles) and the kiddos can munch on cookies.  


***I need a few of you to send in homemade cookies for the kids to eat while we watch the movie and I also need fancy coffee cups with the lids for the hot cocoa.  Please let me know if are able to send either of those items in!  Thanks! ***


Don’t forget to send in the $2.00 for the parent gift (which we are working hard on!).  Thank you!


Blessings on the rest of the week,

Miss Gallagher

Dear Parents,

Happy Thursday! Just a quick blog to give you some pictures from our field trip today. Thank you to all that were able to join us!  A good time was had by all…we even had great weather!


We started outside of the log, one-room schoolhouse and we had to provide our own heat! 

 The firsties had to get the wood that was used to heat the schoolhouse.  They lined up; girls in one line and the boys in the other line.  Girls went first, which was very gentlemanly!  We went back in time to December 5^th, 1870. 

Then the kiddos sat the “desks” and had a quick Science lesson.  They also go to write on slates with slate pencils, which they saw was very neat. 

Then the kiddos put on a little “play” (ask your firstie what part he or she played) 

and they got to make a sashay.  Each student got to create their own sashay and pick out their own herbs.  Such smelly fun!  

We then bundled back up and went to the log cabin to see how people back in the 1870s got ready for Christmas. 

Can you see everyone through the trees?

Firsties were again given chores...ask your firstie which one was their favorite.  

"Polishing the bells"

"Pounding the spices..." "Miss Gallagher it smells so good!"

Adding cloves to apples to make an all-natural air freshener

Rolling out "cookies"

"Ironing"

Adding "decorations" to the cabin.

Then we all settled down to listen to a story and enjoy a cookie. 


At the end of our time in the log cabin, we took a quick trip to see the “one horse open sleigh”, singing all the way there! 

All in all, it was a great trip!

Please make sure that your firstie is prepared for our memory and spelling tests tomorrow. 

Have a wonderful evening!

Miss Gallagher

Dear Parents,


We had such a good day, today!  Maybe we should have two-day weeks more often….!  (Just kidding…!) There were, however, LOTS of firsties coughing and sneezing today…I think we went through a whole box of Kleenex today!  I continue to encourage and remind the kiddos to sneeze and cough into their elbow, so germs aren’t spread.  Is that what you do at home? 


After the school voting on who they all thought did the best at hiding their “Tom the Turkey”, we have our winners!  There is a student winner and an adult winner!  Brooklyn won for the student winner and Mrs. Friebe won for the adult winner!  They will be receiving their “prizes” tomorrow!  If you participated, thank you! Such FUN!

Brooklyn's Tom the Turkey

Mrs. Friebe's Tom the Turkey is the bottom one...hiding in the leaves....

We read the book “The Carpenter’s Gift” today and they kids just loved it!  It is a story about the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and how it is chosen, how it is decorated, and what is done with it when Christmas is over.  Do you know what they do with the tree once Christmas is done?  They use the lumber to help build houses for Habitat for Humanity.  How awesome is that?!?!  I looked it up and I believe that the lighting of the tree this year is this Saturday.  If you are around and able, please watch it with your firstie. J

We did a science experiment today!  Ask your firstie about it! They loved making predictions and seeing whether or not they were correct.  

I am sending home a book order tomorrow, for December.  It will be due pretty quick in order that the orders get to school in time for Christmas.  The order will be due by no later than December 4^th.  Don’t forget that you can order and pay on-line with our classroom code QHHQ7. 
The firsites are bringing home the turkeys that they created.  Please check out what they are thankful for!  

Finally, if I don’t see you before Thanksgiving, have a FANTASTIC one!  I pray that you are able to take some time to relax and spend some quality time with friends and family. 

Side note, my high school football team will be in the state championships again this year!  SO exciting!  100%, I will be tuned in to watch the Big Reds win! 

Blessings on your week!

Miss Gallagher

Dear Parents,

Happy Wednesday!  BRRR…..! It is SO super cold outside!  I am not complaining, just merely giving my observation after being outside for recess!  Don’t forget to have your kiddos bring in all of their snow gear to go outside and play.  Also please double check with your firstie that they have extra clothes…just in case of an emergency.  

Now that we are into the 2^nd quarter, please take a few minutes to check your child’s grades on Fast Direct and as always, let me know if you have any questions.  

We had a good time on our field trip to City Market yesterday (I am sure that you heard all about it, right?)! Thanks to the parents that were able to drive!  Also, THANK you for sending in your firstie’s booster seat if you weren’t able to drive.  Every firstie had theirs…it was awesome! If you haven’t checked out City Market yet, please do so!  It is such a great local place to shop!  Below are some pictures from our trip….enjoy!  Our next field trip will be next month to the Chippewa Nature Center.  Please watch for details coming out to you soon! 

Miss Kim telling us about City Market

 

Apple tasting...we got to try to four different kinds of apples.  Ask your firstie which one was their fav!

Hmmmm.....will this taste good?

"This one is SOUR, Miss Gallagher!"

We read our “main” story today out loud in class and I have to say that I was impressed!  They are really coming along…..keep practicing at home!  

If your firstie checked out a book buddy, they are due tomorrow!  Please send it back in.  Thanks!

Blessings on the rest of your week! 

Stay warm! 

Miss Gallagher

Dear Parents,

Happy Wednesday!  Whoa! What a blustery day is has been…..but we still plan on going outside to get some fresh air and enjoy the sunshine! 

Has your firstie told you what we are learning about in Religion class?  We have been learning about Moses and how he helped to free the people of Israel (God's people) from slavery.  Moses asked the Pharaoh over and over again to let them go and each time Pharaoh refused.  And when Pharaoh refused, God sent plagues to the people of Egypt.  There were plagues of water turning into blood, and darkness all the time, and sickness, and swarms of flies, etc….each plague was bad, but the last one was the worst.  God told Moses to kill a spotless lamb and take the blood from it.  Then they were to use the blood to paint it on the door frames of Israelites’ houses.  When they did that, they were protected from the angel that God sent to kill all of the first born sons.  The angel passed over the home of the Israelites and God saved them…..the Passover.  We celebrate the Passover because Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins.  He was spotless and pure, and He shed His blood and because of that WE are saved!  As a reminder of that awesome gift, the firsties “painted” our door frame with blood too! 

If you get a chance to, check out the firsties’ artwork in the hallway by the Gym…it is SO NEAT!  

 

How are the math flash cards coming along?  The goal is try to have the firsties NOT rely on their fingers but rather practice mental math and knowing those math facts.  The more that they practice, the more they will have those math facts at their fingertips.  Please keep practicing at home (and it doesn’t need to be more than a few minutes at a time…!) Thank you for continuing to work on this at home. 

I had 5 firsties not get their homework done again last night.  Parents….PLEASE check your kiddo’s folders EACH AND EVERY NIGHT.  PLEASE help your kiddo make sure that their homework is completed EACH AND EVERY NIGHT.  They are learning and they are learning to become more responsible and more independent and they need your help with this.  

The Harvest Dinner is THIS SUNDAY!  It is also Reformation Sunday! Hope to see you at church and/or the Harvest Dinner. 

Blessings on the rest of your week!

Miss Gallagher