Baby Emerson is here

I went into labor around 6 a.m. Sunday morning. I delivered Emerson Isabell Simmons at 3:35 pm on Sunday, February 20, 2011.

8 lbs. 6 oz.

19.5 inches long

Beautiful and healthy baby girl!

I feel so truly blessed!

Happy Valentine's Day!

What a great party!

Thank you to all who helped out!

Musical Class Picture

They did such a great job!

I am so proud of them!!

February 3 Snow Days

Hi Parents,
I am so sorry about the conference confusion with snow days. Truth be told, I thought I could call you guys at home, but with an almost 2 year old, that wasn't really possible. I apologize. I will be sending home a mini progress report along with some of your child's writing samples. If you have any questions or concerns, please call, e-mail, or set up a time to meet. I am available at 7:30, 10:30 (students are at morning recess), 11:30 (my plan time) and 3:30.

January 28 Baby Shower

What a fun way to end a Friday! The students and I enjoyed treats and punch in celebration of me having a baby. Thank you so much M.N. for hosting!

January 26 100th Day

Snack Time!

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The students took a paper that had the number 100 on it and turned it into something. Pretty cool!

Happy 100th DAY!

100th Day Activities:

• Finding 100 items on a work guide
• Turning the number 100 into something (picture on blog)
• Eating a snack that consisted of 100 items (THANK YOU FOR YOUR FOOD DONATIONS!!)
• Counted out 100 beans and then made a picture out of them
• Made a 100 shape book
• Made a 100 day hat

I am 100% thankful for all of your support!

Edible Dug Out Houses

The students made their own Dug Out home. We pretended the cupcake was a part of a hill and then the students "dug out" a place for a home.

The cupcakes were egg free thanks to an online recipe where you just had a can of pop to the cake mix. They turned out amazing, I recommend trying it!!!

Edible Log Cabins

We have been studying early Kansan Homes. Today the students made their very own log cabin out of pretzels and frosting. They had so much fun!!!

January 21 Newsletter

Parent Information:

• Thank you for all of the book in a weeks! WOW, I think the incentive chart is really going to motivate the first graders. Thank you for taking the time to read with your child:)
• Don't forget Friday is sight word test day. How is your child doing with their sight words? About 1/2 of the first graders have already passed the whole 3rd quarter sight word book, WAY TO GO!! Thanks for practicing sight words at home:)
• Don't forget to practice those math facts at home. The top half of the rocket math page is blank, you could set the timer for one minute and have your child practice the top half at home.
• Thank you for signing up for parent teacher conferences. Almost every family has signed up. GREAT!! I will send home the official time I have your family coming.
• The first grade musical is just around the corner. If your child has a speaking part, please, please, please practice with them! If you have any more questions, please ask the music teacher Mrs. Borth (borthd@usd231.com) She can answer any of your questions better then I can :)

Ask Your Child About:
Reading: oo like in foot
Guided Reading: tested sight words and worked with small groups
Math: Place Value
Social Studies: Early Kansan Homes: dugout, sod house, log cabin, and frame house
Writing: writing letters and thank you letters

Next Week's Specials:
Monday: D day, P.E. and Music
Tuesay: A day, Library
Wednesday: B day, P.E. and Music
Thursday: C day, Computer
Friday: D day, P.E. and Music

Mark Your Calendar:

• Monday, Jan. 31 to Friday, Feb. 4: Our Parent Teacher Conferences:) (Thanks again for your flexibility!!)
• Thursday, Feb. 10th: First Grade Musical at 2 pm and 7 pm
• Wednesday, Feb. 16th: Early Dismissal at 1 pm/ Parent Teacher Conferences for the district from 2-8 pm
• Thursday, Feb. 17th: No school/ Parent Teacher Conferences for district from 2-8 pm
• Friday, Feb. 18th: No School
• Monday, Feb. 21st: No School, President's Day
• Tuesday, Feb. 22nd: Long Term Sub Takes Over until April 28th

Appreciation Station:

• C.W.

Winter Party and Edible Frame House Pictures

Building a Frame House

This table wanted to build a city

January 14 Newsletter

Parent Information:

• A HUGE thank you for working with your child on decide their 3rd quarter goal. They were due today and I received every single students' goal! Yippee!! Thank you so much. On a side note, I noticed that I may have suggested a goal for rocket math that is too low, meaning some students have already passed their 3rd quarter goal so if you would like discuss with your child a higher rocket math level goal, e-mail me by next Friday and I will change it. One parent has already recognized this and has changed their child's goal.
• Book in a week should be ready next week. I appreciate all of your parent input. I am going to make everyone a new bag and put a incentive book chart in the bag, some comprehension questions, and a book on their level. Happy Reading :)
• Don't forget to check out the tipi pictures below this post. The students and I had a lot of fun trying to build an edible tipi. I am going to post more pictures this weekend :) (Winter party and frame house pictures)
• I am working on scheduling conferences earlier then the district has planned for us. (I am due the day of conferences) I will be sending out a sign up sheet. Please return as soon as possible :)

Ask Your Child About:

• Reading: Goo Card: oo spelled oo, u_e, u, ue, and ew
• Guided Reading: sight words
• Words Their Way: sorting words and writing with sm, sp, and sk
• Math: Place Value- the 10 rule and working at words of fun ;)
• Rocket Math: a one minute timed addition test
• Social Studies: studying early Kansas Native America homes: a tipi, earth lodge, grass lodge, and frame house
• Writing: introduction to writing a letter ( more next week)

Next Week's Specials:

• Monday: No School
• Tuesday: D day, P.E. and Music
• Wednesday: A day, Library
• Thursday: B day, P.E. and Music
• Friday: C day, Computer

Mark Your Calendar:

• Monday, Jan. 17: No School
• Thursday, Jan. 10: First Grade Musical at 2:00 and 7:00
• Wednesday, Feb. 16: Early dismissal: 1:00
• Thursday, Feb. 17: No School, Parent Teacher Conferences
• Friday, Feb. 18: No School
• Monday, Feb. 21: No School: President's Day
• Tuesday, Feb. 22: Mrs. Mann takes over my class until April 28th

Appreciation Station:

• C.W.
• A. P.
• C. S.

January 12 Making Edible Tipi Houses

A special thank you to A.P. and C.S. for supplying the materials to make the yummy tipi houses.

January 7 Newsletter

Hi Everyone!

• I hope you all had a wonderful winter break. It is hard to believe we are starting 3rd quarter! To clear up any confusion about my maternity leave, I am due February 17th and plan on working until the 17th. The 17th is the day of conferences, so I will be sending out a schedule to have conferences earlier. I will be back from maternity leave April 28th (Thursday). Katie Mann will be my long term sub. She was Mrs. Schmuhl's (another first grade teacher) long term sub during her maternity leave earlier this year. Mrs. Mann is WONDERFUL! I am leaving the students in GREAT hands!!
• Thank you for all of the 3rd quarter goals! If you haven't had a chance to decide yet, don't worry, they aren't due until January 14th.
• The goals assembly is Monday at 1:00 in the primary pod. Every student in the class made their 2nd quarter goal. WOW! Go Team Simmons!
• Don't forget to send your child's 3rd quarter sight word book with them on Fridays :) I only tested sight words for those students who brought their book back today.

Ask Your Child About:

• Reading: We learned more long O spellings: oa and ow. The students logged on to Raz Kids as well.
• Guided Reading: I started testing sight words for 3rd quarter. If your child brought their 3rd quarter book today, I tested them :) If they did not bring their book, I did not test them.
• Math: Counting to 100. Knowing what is one less, one more, and in-between numbers to 100. We also stared Rocket Math last quarter. Rocket Math is a one minute timed addition test. Our goal is for students to know their math facts. This is a fun way to practice and remember math facts.
• Social Studies: Kansas Native American shelters: grass lodge, earth lodge, tipi, and frame house. We will also be studying these shelters next week as well :)

Next Week's Specials:

• Monday: Computer (C)
• Tuesday: P.E. and Music (D)
• Wednesday: Library (A)
• Thursday: P.E. and Music (B)
• Friday: Computer (C)

Mark Your Calendar:

• Monday, January 10th: Goals Assembly at 1:00
• Monday, January 17th: No School, Martin Luther King Day
• Thursday, February 10th: First Grade Musical 2:00 and 7:00
• Wednesday, February 16th: Early Dismissal at 1:00 Conferences from 2-8
• Thursday, February 17th: MY LAST DAY, Conferences 2-8
• Friday and Monday, February18th and 21st: NO School

Class Wish List:

• Fruit snacks and stick pretzels to make a tipi
• Frosted Mini Wheat's cereal and a can of white frosting to make a grass lodge
• Gumdrops and toothpicks to make a frame house
• Any old toys for the class store