Dear Parents,

So…..it’s been a little while, I know.  I am sorry about that.  I am sure that you noticed the giant pile of papers that came home with your firstie today…. I have been a little behind.  

Thank you for great Parent/Teacher Conferences!  I very much enjoyed meeting with each of you and I am so grateful for your support and dedication to the growth of your firstie. Please continue to keep our whole class in your prayers! Thank you!

The weekly “Take Home Stories” came home today.  Please return them on Friday; that way you and your firstie have all week to read them!  Happy reading!

For our Thanksgiving “feast” next week, please bring all perishable items THAT day (Tuesday, November 22^nd ).  If your firstie signed up for items that are non-perishable, feel free to send them in at any time.  I am looking forward to our little celebration!

A few Tom the Turkey pictures have been coming in… and they are AWESOME! I have a secret to tell you… I asked the office staff if I would be able to hang the pictures again this year, on the windows in the office and  said only if THEY could participate too!  I course, said yes (giggling silently to myself….I guess adults wanna be creative once in a while too, huh?) Here are a few examples…

We are just rolling along in Math.  We are learning different strategies to help us solve problems….especially word problems.  One strategy that can always be used is drawing a picture!  They can also use a time line or do mental math.  Also, the ten-frames that were sent home can be utilized!  Use whatever is available for counters…buttons, blocks, legos, cotton balls, etc…

Memory this week is a little more wordy, so please make sure that it gets studied every night in preparation for the test on Friday. 

The weather has been amazing! I hope that you have been able to get outside and enjoy it!  To close, here is a picture of Josie among all of the leaves at my house….can you see her?!  

Blessings on your week!

Miss Gallagher

Dear Parents,

We started our day with Chapel today.  Pastor spoke to us about All-Saints Day, a day in which Christians that have died, are remembered.  He spoke to us about how we can rejoice that WE are saints!  (Though sometimes it might not feel that your firstie is one…..)

Has your firstie told you about what we are learning in Religion class?  We have been learning about Moses and the Israelites and how they were finally able to escape from Egypt!  But as they wandered around the desert, they complained about their lack of food.  Some even thought it would be better if they were back in Egypt…as slaves!  God heard their complaints and provided for them what they needed.  He rained down manna from Heaven!  He sent them quails!  He gave them what they needed, when they needed it.  And if we think about it….doesn’t He do the same for us?  Maybe that is hard to recognize sometimes, but God in His perfect wisdom, always gives us what we need, when we need it.  We can thank Him for that!   

We talked about all of the things we can be thankful for, in fact, we made a list….on the pumpkin that we grew in the garden!  I have to tell you, though, that I was surprised at some of the things that they said….check out the pumpkin if you get a chance and you will see what I mean!

We learned about a new Unthinkable….”Topic Twister Meister”.  Ask your firstie what he tries to get us to do (this is sometimes hard for firsties….) sometimes!  Just to review, we have learned about these Unthinkables so far…”Rock Brain”, “Glassman”, “Mean Jean”, and now “Topic Twister Meister”.  Go through these with your firstie from time to time, so that they stay fresh in their brains AND so that they understand that these “Unthinkables” will try to get them at home too! 

Thank you for your support for ALL FOR BOOKS, the program that we do once a year to raise money to purchase more books for our school library.  I am happy to report to you……THAT FIRST GRADE WON AGAIN THIS YEAR!!!   (Sorry to yell it, but I am just a little excited…..ha!)  So because first grade raised the most money, I get to choose a book to add to our classroom library!  Wahoo! The book I chose is Mother Bruce written by Ryan T. Higgins.  It is hilarious!!!

Don’t forget about the spelling and memory tests tomorrow!  

It has been wonderful getting to share your firstie’s progress during conferences! 

“Flat Luther” is about to leave the building!  He will be leaving with Peyton tomorrow and he will be with for one week.  I am so excited to see what adventures he will have being with all of you!

Tom the Turley came home today….did you see him?  This is meant to be a fun family project, so please don’t stress about it!  Work together and I am looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

***I am sorry that I am posting this so late….I literally fell asleep on the couch at 9:00! WHAT?!?!

Blessings on the rest of your evening!

Miss Gallagher

Dear Parents,

Happy Reformation Day! What WOULD it have been like to live in the time of Martin Luther?  Hmmm…. He didn’t go along with what many others were thinking and doing….would you have gone along with what he was saying?  Would you have listened to him?  Or would you have continued to follow the Catholic church?  I am not going to get political at all here, but it IS something to ponder! 

Last Friday, at our little harvest party, we did a science experiment, made a bat bookmark

 (To go along with our song vowel bat!!), tried our little hands at picking out little flies and bugs out of the spider web WITHOUT touching the yarn

 (Though, because nothing really happened when they touched the yarn, the firsties weren’t really making a huge effort…LOL!) and handing out our treats  I think that a good time was had by all!    

Below are the pictures of our science experiment…..I put a candy pumpkin in equal parts of different kinds of liquids.

                                                          The first one was water

                                                     then milk (look at the bottom of the jar)

                                                                         then oil

                                                                 and finally vinegar!

The pictures were taken after about 2 hours of the candy sitting in the liquids, but the students started to notice changes happening to the pumpkins after about 10 minutes….The interesting thing (to me anyways) was that the pumpkin changed the quickest in the water…..hmmm……

Many thanks to Mrs. Freehling and Mrs. Johnson for coming to help out!  Thanks also, for sending in treats to share!  The firsties loved to pass them out and to receive them as well!

This week is going to be a short week because there is no school on Friday.  Don’t forget that our tests will be on Thursday! 

Blessings on your week and I will see you all very soon!

Miss Gallagher