Mrs. Dillon's Blog

WEEKLY NEWS FROM ROOM 114

THIS WEEKS NEWS
May 24 - 28, 2010
This will be the last newsletter for the year. I will put my closing letter to you in the Memory Books that the children will bring home on June 4. I have been working on the memory books and this week the children are going to help with some pages for the book. I hope you enjoy reviewing their first grade year.

We enjoyed our trip to the zoo. What a great day we had! Thank you to all the parents who were able to join us as chaperones.

We honored Mary on Thursday with a simple May Crowning in our classroom. The children composed a prayer to Mary and Neil carried the pillow while Ella crowned Mary.

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Monday, May 31, Memorial Day - no school.

UPCOMING EVENTS
We will celebrate Angelina's summer birthday on May 28. Her real birthday is August 11. Happy Birthday to You!

Thursday, June 3 will be a cleaning day in the classroom. Please send one cleaning rag to wash the desks. This will also be the ice cream social. Dismissal will be at 11:30

Friday, June 4, is the last day of school. We will celebrate mass with the school and dismiss at 10:30.

HOMEWORK
This week we will finish the stories in the 1.6 book. Please read "I'll Join You" on Mon. and Tues. night. Read "Leon and Bob" on Wed. and Thurs. night. The phonics skill for the week will be the "oi", "oy" sound as in broil and boy and words with 2 or more syllables. Sight test, spelling test, and workbook pages used for assessment will be given on Friday.
I plan to give the children a 50 word spelling test during the last week of school. It will be a 2 day test. The complete list of sight words from 1.6 will be coming home. There will be a test on those words before the end of the year.

NEW SIGHT WORDS:
always
boy
move
open
school

NEW SPELLING WORDS:
cannot
outside
grandma
something
popcorn
tiptoe
school
always
boy
toy

As always, contact me with any questions. Have a good week
Mrs. Dillon

WEEKLY NEWS FROM ROOM 114

THIS WEEKS NEWS
May 17 - 21, 2010
The stories the children wrote turned out great. They have been reading them to the class. They will be in their memory book so be sure to look for it!
I can't believe how fast this school year has flown by. We only have 14 days of school left!

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Our field trip to Brookfield Zoo will be on Wednesday, May 19. All parents who volunteered to be chaperones should be at the school office about 8:45.

UPCOMING EVENTS
We are going to have a very small May crowning in our classroom this week to honor Mary.
Falcon Idol will be on Friday, May 21. Claire will be representing room 114.

HOMEWORK
Please read "Doggy Art" on Mon. night. Read "Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble" on Tues. and Thurs. night. The phonics skill for this week is the -ou, -ow sound like cow and house. Also, we will cover middle consonants. The sight test, spelling test, and workbook pages used for assessment will be given on Friday.

We have finished our chapter on telling time. I plan on spending the remainder of our days on addition and subtraction practice. Please keep practicing the math facts at home too.

NEW SIGHT WORDS:
almost
knew
picture
thought
took

NEW SPELLING WORDS:
pretty
happy
little
kitten
puppy
better
took
almost
about
round

As always, contact me with any questions. Have a good week.
Mrs. Dillon

WEEKLY NEWS FROM ROOM 114

THIS WEEKS NEWS
May 3 - 7, 2010
We have a number of projects we are working on for the end of the year. The stories the children are writing and illustrating are coming along great. Since May is the month of Mary, we will have a small May Crowning in our classroom. The students will compose a prayer to Mary that we will say at our ceremony. I have a small statue that we will "crown" and put some flowers around.
The pillowcase project is very special. Thank you for sending the pillowcases to school so promptly. The memory book is getting filled with memories. I know the children will enjoy their book for a long time to come.

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Wednesday, May 5, is the last "special" lunch from Calabrias for this school year. Please check your calendars to see if you ordered.

UPCOMING EVENTS
We will celebrate Nick's birthday on Friday, May 7! We will celebrate Will's summer birthday on Tuesday, May 4. His real birthday is June 23. Happy Birthday to both of you!!

May Crowning is Friday, May 7. We will attend the May Crowning and the school will be dismissed at 11:30.
Planning day is Friday, May 14. No school for the children that day.

Fisher Feet Feat will be Friday, May 21.
We will discuss Cinco de Mayo on Wednesday.

HOMEWORK
Please read "Showtime, Your First Play" on Mon. night. Read "Do You Live in a Nest?" on Tues. and Wed. night. The phonics skill for the week is "er," "ir," and "ur: her, first, turn. The sight test, spelling test, and workbook pages used for assessment will be given on Thursday due to the half day on Friday.
We have started chapter 10 in math on telling time to the hour and half hour. Please continue to practice flash cards and money counting.

I will be celebrating my daughter's graduation from college next weekend in Arkansas. I will not be at school on Friday, Monday and Tuesday, May 7, 10, 11. The class will be in the most capable hands of Mrs. Phelan.
I'm not sure if I will get a newsletter out before Thursday. I will do my best.

I want to wish all the moms of my students a very Happy Mothers Day. We are so grateful for all the moms in our lives: mom, grandma, aunt, Godmother, and dear friends. May God bless all of you.

NEW SIGHT WORDS:
each
once
other
under
which

NEW SPELLING WORDS:
her
turn
hurt
girl
first
bird
once
which
slower
slowest

As always, contact me with any questions. Have a good week.
Mrs. Dillon

WEEKLY NEWS FROM ROOM 114

THIS WEEKS NEWS
April 26 - 30, 2010
The stories that the children are writing and illustrating are in full swing. Thanks for your help in getting their creative juices flowing and helping them think of an idea for their story.

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Please send in the pillowcase and the $10.00 for the memory book at your earliest convenience. Thank you to those who have returned these things already.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Our first "summer birthday" will be Claire on April 30. Claire's real birthday is June 21. Happy Birthday to you!
Mary celebrated her birthday on April 22, not the 21st as I wrote in the newsletter last week. So sorry!!!

Friday, May 7, is the May Crowning. We will attend the May Crowning in church and then the children will be dismissed at 11:30.

April Book Report is due on April 29.

The Illinois Board of Education School Evaluation will take place on April 29 - 30.

HOMEWORK
Please read "Jordan Makes a New Friend" on Mon. and Tues. night. Read "Ice Cold Birthday" on Wed. and Thurs. night. The sight test, spelling test, and workbook pages used for assessment will be given on Friday.

We will complete our chapter on Money in Math. The test will be this week. Please let your children practice counting any change you have in pockets or purses.

Our new chapter will be on telling time.

NEW SIGHT WORDS:
before
cold
full
off
would

NEW SPELLING WORDS:
born
fork
short
for
or
torn
cold
would
walked
sleeping

As always, contact me with any questions. Have a good week.
Mrs. Dillon

WEEKLY NEWS FROM ROOM 114

THIS WEEKS NEWS
April 19 - 23, 2010
We are really in the home stretch now. We only have 7 weeks of school left. We are going to keep working very hard and make the most of every day in first grade.
NOTES AND REMINDERS
Thank you to everyone who has sent in the new, standard size, white pillowcase in a zip lock bag and for the $10.00 for the memory book. Please send yours in as soon as possible. Thanks!
UPCOMING EVENTS
We want to wish Mary a happy birthday on Wednesday, April 21 and Ella a Happy Birthday on Sunday, April 25!!
I will send home the summer birthday sheets with a day designated to be your child's birthday in the classroom. On that day they can bring a birthday treat to share.
The band concert will be on Tues. April 20. The School Bake Sale is on Fri., April 23.
The April Book Report is due on April 29.
HOMEWORK
We are beginning the last reader in our series, Level 1.6. Please cover the new reader with the book sock. Thanks.
Please read "Bluebirds in the Garden" on Mon. and Tues. night. Read "The Garden" on Wed. and Thurs. night. The phonics skills this week are controlled "r" like "car, far" and the "ly" ending like loudly, slowly. Sight test, spelling test, and workbook pages used for assessment will be given on Friday.
We will continue chapter 9 in math on money. The children will be introduced to the quarter and review the penny, nickel, and dime. Get ready for your kids to empty the change out of your pockets and count it!! Please remind your child to practice the flash cards.

I'm going to begin a big writing assignment this week. The children are going to create their own fiction story: write it, illustrate it and compose an author page. This is quite an undertaking but the stories are priceless. I need you to talk to your son or daughter and help them to decide what they would like to write about. For example: I like giraffes so I'm going to write about a giraffe family who moved into a new house and met all the neighbors. I don't want them to write anything at home - just help them to develop an idea- a storyline. I want them to be able to "see" a beginning, middle, and end in their story. We will write a rough draft at school. I will help them edit, then I type the stories and they illustrate each page. You will see the finished story in their memory book that I've started working on for everyone. Please return the bottom piece of this column on Monday, April 19, with the "idea" for the story. As always, contact me with any questions. Have a good week. Mrs. Dillon

NEW SIGHT WORDS:
much
shall
these
wish
work

NEW SPELLING WORDS:
far
dark
car
star
yard
start
work
these
sadly
softly

-------------------------------------------------
Name____________________________
I am going to write about: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

WEEKLY NEWS FROM ROOM 114

THIS WEEKS NEWS
April 12 - 16, 2010
Welcome back after the Easter holiday. I hope you all had a relaxing time away from school. We only have 8 weeks left of school. It's so hard to believe that this first grade year with your children is almost over. We still have much to learn so I know that the children will be as eager to learn during these last weeks as they were at the beginning of the year.

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Your children might have told you about a memory book that I make for all my first graders. It is a keepsake of papers, events, photos, classwork, achievements, and certificates that each child completes during first grade. They will help me with some of it but the majority of each book is put together after school hours. It is a beautiful finished product that I hope you will treasure. I purchase the necessary materials at the lowest price I can find. Soon I will send a note home asking you to donate the amount needed to cover the cost of each book along with a request for another first grade project we do.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Special Lunch from Pappys will be on Wednesday, April 14. Check to see if you ordered.
I will be sending home a summer birthday sheet. Any children who have a summer birthday will be assigned a day before school is out that will be their "birthday" in school. On that day they will receive the birthday treats I give and they can bring a treat to share with the class.

HOMEWORK
Please read "The True Story of Abbie Burgess" on Mon. and Tues. night. Read "The Bravest Cat" on Wed. and Thurs. night. The phonics skills for this week are the "ew, ue" such as blew and blue and plural ending with -es like matches. Sight test, spelling test and workbook pages used for assessment will be given on Friday. This concludes our 1.5 book. I will send the complete word list home this week and I will be giving the complete sight test on 1.5 during the week of April 19.
In Math we will begin chapter 9 on Money. I will be using play coins to help the children learn to count money. Any practice at home on this is always helpful. Let your children count the coins in your purse or pockets.

NEW SIGHT WORDS:
because
better
give
people
put

NEW SPELLING WORDS:
new
grew
drew
blue
true
glue
give
put
fixes
washes

As always, contact me with any questions. Have a good week!
Mrs. Dillon

WEEKLY NEWS FROM ROOM 114

THIS WEEKS NEWS
March 29 - 31, 2010
Only 3 more school days until we have Easter vacation. We will be discussing Holy Week.
I will send my next newsletter on Monday, April 12, with all that weeks information.

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Ella did a great job as star of the week. We have completed our Star of the Week program for the year!!

With our zoo trip coming up in May, any parent who has volunteered to chaperone must be complete in all 4 aspects of the Protecting God's Children program. The following message went home from Mrs. Reed on a school news letter on-line.
All individuals who plan to volunteer for any of our extracurricular
student programs or be involved with our students in any school or parish-sponsored capacity, including field trip chaperones, room parents, in-school and out-of-school volunteers, must participate in the Archdiocese-mandated "Protecting God's Children" program. For information and to register, visit http://www.sjfschool.net/protect.htm. All volunteers must complete the CANTS Form and the Code of Conduct Form. These can be turned in at the school office.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Wed. will be our last day of school before Easter. We will have a prayer service at 1:30 with dismissal at the regular time.
We have a few children with a birthday in the summer. I will send home a note with a date in April or May when we will celebrate each of their birthdays.
I will also be explaining some of our end of the year projects that I do in first grade ~ Memory Book, stories the children write, and the pillowcase project. All this will be explained in April.

HOMEWORK
Please read "Chompy's Afternoon" on Mon. night. Read "Dinosaur Babies" on Tues. night. The phonics skills for the week are "y" as a vowel, and compound words.
I will only be giving a sight test and spelling test on Wednesday for this week.
We will be finishing level 1.5 the week we return from Easter. That means we only have 1 more reader to go through!

In Math, we will finish chapter 8. We will begin Chapter 9 on Money after Easter.
We made more flash cards on Thursday that were added to the bag. We will finish making the rest of the cards with facts to 12 this week.

NEW SIGHT WORDS:
animals
even
heard
most
their

NEW SPELLING WORDS:
baby
funny
many
my
why
fly
even
most
without
nobody

As always, contact me with any questions. Have a good week.
Mrs. Dillon

WEEKLY NEWS FROM ROOM 114

THIS WEEKS NEWS
March 22 - 26, 2010
Easter is right around the corner. How time flies. After Easter, I will be sending home some information about 2 very special projects we work on for the end of the school year. The St. Baldrick's event was a great success. Nellie also donated her hair to Locks of Love! What a great way to help support cancer survivors. I'm so proud of all of our participants.

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Erin did a great job as our star of the week. Our new star of the week will be: Ella . Please bring in your pictures on Monday.
This will be our last star of the week for the year. It's hard to believe that we've gone through the whole class already!

UPCOMING EVENTS
We want to wish Ryan a Happy Birthday on March 24 and Neil a Happy Birthday on March 28!!!

Our class will attend the book fair on Monday, March 22 between 11:00 -11:30. Parents are welcome to be at the fair to help your children select books. Due to the book fair, lunch will be in the classroom starting Friday (Mar. 19 - 25) through Thursday.

Thanks again for all the egg cartons that you sent to school. We will be making our Easter project with the egg cartons this week.

HOMEWORK
Please read "What a Sight" on Mon. and Tues. night. Read "Lost in the Museum" on Wed. and Thurs. night. Sight test, spelling test and workbook pages used for assessment will be given on Friday.
The phonics skills for this week are long /i/ with the -igh and -ie spelling and singular possessives such as Dad's game.
In Math we will work with numbers that are greater than or less than, also numbers that are before, after, or in-between other numbers.

I'm sending home the Handwriting book we've used since the beginning of the year. We have completed the book but that doesn't mean the children should stop practicing printing their letters. Remember that old saying: practice makes perfect!

NEW SIGHT WORDS:
been
first
found
start
together

NEW SPELLING WORDS:
lie
pie
tie
night
light
right
been
found
cat's
dog's

As always, contact me with any questions. Have a good week
Mrs. Dillon

WEEKLY NEWS FROM ROOM 114

THIS WEEKS NEWS
March 15 - 19, 2010
We will celebrate the feast of St. Patrick and St. Joseph this week. Hopefully the weather will start to feel like spring.

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Lucas did a great job as star of the week. Our new star of the week will be: Erin. Please bring your pictures in on Monday.
Please keep eating those eggs. We can only use the cardboard type of egg carton ~ no styrofoam.

UPCOMING EVENTS
March book report is due on March 19.

Wednesday, St. Patrick's Day, the children can wear a "Touch of green" which means, green socks, sweatshirt, hair ribbons etc. The same goes for Friday, St. Joseph Day, when the children can wear a touch of red.
The St. Baldrick's event will be on Thursday, March 18. We have several boys who are getting their heads shaved that day. They are: Ryan , Anthony ,Will , Matthew , Ryan , Will , Jack , and Declan . Thanks for being involved in this great event!

HOMEWORK
Please read "Baby Otter Grows Up" on Mon. and Tues. night and "Foal" on Wed. and Thurs. night. The phonics skills for the week are long /o/ with the oa and ow spelling and words with the -ing ending.

We have begun chapter 8 in math which is on Place Value. We will continue with that. Look for some math homework sheets this week.
The children took the written counting test on 2's, 5's, and 10's and did very well. Anyone who did not score a 100% will retake the test until they have mastered it. I will also be giving the oral counting test this week.

NEW SIGHT WORDS:
around
her
new
old
show

NEW SPELLING WORDS:
grow
growing
float
floating
show
showing
around
old
coat
yellow

As always, contact me with any questions. Have a good week.
Mrs. Dillon

WEEKLY NEWS FROM ROOM 114

THIS WEEKS NEWS
March 8 - 12, 2010
The third trimester is underway! I wanted to let you know our classroom total of pages read during the Olympic Reading contest with Mrs. Funk ~ your children read 13,282 pages in the last 4 weeks. That was terrific! Thank you so much for all you do.

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Mary did a great job as star of the week.
Our new star of the week will be: Lucas . Please bring your pictures in on Monday.

ALL EGG CARTONS SHOULD BE AT SCHOOL NO LATER THAN MARCH 19. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN EATING EGGS!!!!!

UPCOMING EVENTS
The St. Baldrick's fundraiser is Friday, March 19. Turn in the necessary pages in order to participate. Make sure you have registered on line in order for your child to participate.

HOMEWORK
Please read "A Big Day for Jay" on Mon. and Tues. night. Read "Lost" on Wed. and Thurs. night. The phonics skill this week is long /a/ using the -ay and ai spelling. We will also cover contractions again. Sight test, spelling test and workbook pages used for assessment will be given on Friday. The children did very well on the sight test from all the words in the 1.4 book. Those tests will be sent home on Monday with the rest of the Friday reading tests.

Spelling sentences are sent home with some corrections indicated. I have asked the children to look at our word wall while they write sentences and spell those words correctly. They have a folder in their desk with all the word wall words. They should use it while writing their sentences. Please go over their sentences with them. Explain what mistakes you see, or have them tell you what needs to be corrected. Some sentences are not a complete idea. They are really improving in their sentence writing skills, but help from you is appreciated.
In Math this week, we finish chapter 7 on estimation and counting by 2's, 5's, and 10's. There will be a written and oral test on counting by 2's, 5's, and 10's soon. Any practice at home will be most helpful. Some children are confused when the counting starts on numbers other than 2, 5, or 10. Drill on counting and give them a new starting point (ex. start with 15 and count by 5's, or start at 8 and count by 2's, or start at 40 and count by 10's) We count to 100.

NEW SIGHT WORDS:
don't
from
hear
live
when

NEW SPELLING WORDS:
say
play
may
way
wait
rain
when
from
don't
I'm

As always, contact me with any questions. Have a good week.
Mrs. Dillon