Holiday Break

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a HAPPY HOLIDAY!! :) We hope you have a restful break and look forward to seeing everyone again in January!! :) 

*There is no homework over the break!!!

A Note From Miss Julie and the Media Center
1- Cleaning out your old books during the holidays?  RBES is in need of BOOKS for the BOOK SHARE FAIR in the spring!  Please donate books that are appropriate for elementary-age students! Each student will choose one book to keep!

2- Six Flags Read to Succeed reading logs are due on February 15!

1/5- Welcome BACK!

1/8- Report Cards Go Home

1/18- Student Holiday ( MLK Holiday)

Have a great break!!

Upcoming Events for December 14-18

Spelling words: NO SPELLING THIS WEEK!!

Challenge Words: No Challenge words this week!!

Phonics- review from past weeks

Reading: Daily 5 implementation with emphasis on asking and answering questions about details in texts.(Compare/Contrast). We will be reading The Polar Express and other themed stories.We will review comparing and contrasting, main ideas, story elements, as well as beginning, middle and end. I will be working to assess kids one-on-one in reading during the 3 weeks before the holiday break. More leveled readers will be sent home after the break.  Please keep reading  Raz Kids, Headsprouts, and other books at home!

L.Arts: We will still look at ways to "fix up" sentences. We will continue to point out nouns(person, place or thing) and verbs( action/doing). Lastly we will continue to identify conjunctions and how they can help our sentences have better flow. 

Writing Workshop: Finishing up teaching booklets. (Publishing- Covers and binding) Students will turn in a writing sample to showcase this unit. 

Math: Measuring length using non-standard units, inches, and centimeters.

Science: Discuss what went well with STEM snow plow. Students will discuss ways to improve. Share with with one another. 

 Homework 

1. Write a Letter to Santa

2.Math Mystery Picture Addition
3.READ!

Upcoming Events

12/15 - Gingberbread House building Day: Thank you for the donated materials! We look forward to building gingerbread houses with our 3rd grade book buddies.

12/17 - Polar Express Day: Your child is free to bring in a blanket/towel to lie on during the movie and a small stuffed animal (everything must fit inside of their book bag)

12/18 -  LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: End of 2nd 9 Weeks; We will have a class celebration from 1:30 - 2:20. Classroom volunteers will be leading stations with fun holiday activities. Don't forget to bring in a book to exchange! The books should be wrapped. Thanks!
Parents are invited to visit the classroom at 1:30. 

1/5- Welcome BACK!

1/8- Report Cards Go Home

1/18- Student Holiday ( MLK Holiday)

Kindness is the focus for our PBL projects this year in first grade. We will be talking about what we can do as 1st grades to make a difference in our school, community and world by sharing kindness with others. Please see the lime green letter about care packages for soldiers! :) We would appreciate any donations to this worthy cause!!

                              

At Rocky Branch our focus is on finding solutions to our problems. We have been learning some techniques ( Ignore it, talk it over respectfully with the person, try to agree on a win-win solution or get help from the teacher) We are working to be problem solvers by using the wheel of choice that we created as a class and to share our thoughts with each other during class meetings. We have created bonds by sharing strategies that have worked in the past. :)

     

          

Please have your child participate in the Six Flags Read to Succeed Program by reading and recording 6 hours of reading.  Once they have completed and documented their reading, please have them return the completed form to me.  The deadline to submit your reading log is Friday, February 19.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  You can print out the forms below by clicking on the link.

Parent Letter (Print Out)

Reading Log (Print out)

Changes in Transportation

Please use attached forms for changes in transportation. 

FORMS

Week of December 7th - 11th

Here’s a peek at next week:

Spelling words: NO SPELLING THIS WEEK!!

Challenge Words: No Challenge words this week!!

Phonics- review from past weeks

Reading: Daily 5 implementation with emphasis on asking and answering questions about details in texts.(Compare/Contrast). We will be reading Moostletoe and Grinch stories and applying reading comprehension strategies.(Looking at non fiction texts and identifying text features) We will also discuss and identify story elements.I will be working to assess kids one-on-one in reading during the weeks before the holiday break. More leveled readers will be sent home after the break.  Please keep reading  Raz Kids, Headsprouts, and other books at home!

L.Arts: Fix it up: Sentence correction (capitalization, punctuation, does my sentence make sense, plural/possessive noun, personal pronouns) How can I use conjunctions (FANBOY) and recognize nouns vs. verbs?

Writing Workshop: Working on teaching booklets about things we are 'experts' at. We teach with our pictures by adding details, labels and words. We will make sure our table of contents matches our book. We are publishing our teaching books to share with one another. 

Math:Reviewing 2D shapes and learning about 3D shapes. How are they alike and how are they different? What are defining attributes and non defining attributes of shapes?

Science: Creating Snow Machines out of Legos. What will I need on my machine to move the most snow? How can I improve my idea?

 Homework 

1. Going on a Shape Hunt (find examples of 3-D shapes around your house)

2.Reading Comprehension Passage (Ian Builds a Snowman)

3.READ! :)

We will take our final Measures of Academic Progress Assessment on Tuesday from 9:30- 11:00 am. The focus will be on mathematical standards. Please make sure your child gets a good night's sleep on Monday evening and a healthy breakfast on Tuesday.

Happy Holidays! We will be making gingerbread houses with our book buddies on Tuesday, December 15th. We need your help! We need donations of  candy and tubs of white icing to decorate our gingerbread houses with. Please send unopened bags of colorful candy (gumdrops, jellybeans, cinnamon dots,

M & M’s, Skittles, Hershey Kisses, marshmallows, etc.), tubs of white frosting (Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker, etc.) students can use to decorate their houses with. Thank you so much for your help! Happy Holidays! *We have enough graham crackers now!

Kindness is the focus for our PBL projects this year in first grade. We will be talking about what we can do as 1st graders to make a difference in our school, community and world by sharing kindness with others. More information on this project to come. Thank  you in advance for any help you can offer. 

                              

It's Secret Santa Time!  

If you would like to help with this year's Secret Santa, please use this Secret Santa Survey Link to complete a short survey.  Mrs. Porter will contact you about how you would like to help.

You can help by:

• Purchasing a specific gift or gifts from a child's wish list (anywhere from $10 - $200).
• Making a financial contribution to Secret Santa.
• Volunteering your time to organize the Secret Santa boxes and items.
• Volunteering your time to shop with donated money.
• Volunteering your time to write follow-up thank you notes.

Speak Up Survey

Rocky Branch Elementary School would love to have ALL parents and students complete this survey about our school. 

Thank you for taking the time to participate! :) 

http://www.speakup4schools.org/speakup2015/

At Rocky Branch our focus is on finding solutions to our problems. We have been learning some techniques ( Ignore it, talk it over respectfully with the person, try to agree on a win-win solution or get help from the teacher) We are working to be problem solvers by using the wheel of choice that we created as a class and to share our thoughts with each other during class meetings. We have created bonds by sharing strategies that have worked in the past. :)

     

          

Please have your child participate in the Six Flags Read to Succeed Program by reading and recording 6 hours of reading.  Once they have completed and documented their reading, please have them return the completed form to me.  The deadline to submit your reading log is Friday, February 19.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  You can print out the forms below by clicking on the link.

Parent Letter (Print Out)

Reading Log (Print out)

Changes in Transportation

Please use attached forms for changes in transportation. 

FORMS

Snack Reminders

-Please send a healthy snack {low in sugar} to school with your child every day.

-Due to having 5 minutes for snack time, please send in only one snack.

-Please only send a small water bottle for your child to have with his/her snack.

Upcoming Events

12/10 - 5th Grade Musical

12/11 - Grinch Day: Have your child dress in their Grinchiest Clothing for a fun-filled celebration

12/17 - Polar Express Day: Your child is free to bring in a blanket/towel to lie on during the movie and a small stuffed animal (everything must fit inside of their book bag)

12/18 -  LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: End of 2nd 9 Weeks; We will have a class celebration from 1:30 - 2:20. I will be coordinating this small celebration.:)  Remember that if you would like to help out, you must be volunteer trained. 

1/5- Welcome BACK!

1/8- Report Cards Go Home

1/18- Student Holiday ( MLK Holiday)

Have a great weekend!!