Blenda Smith

Classroom News for February 28th

Hope you all had a wonderful Winter Break.  Here is a look at this week's curriculum highlights: February 28^th – March 4^th

Language Arts skills: identify ways to take notes on nonfiction books.  We will answer the question “How can I remember what I read?”

Books: 

Hi-De-Hi (fiction)

We will read many books written by Dr. Seuss! 

Phonics Focus:  Uu letter/sound association; short and long sound.  Review ou as in round; short o and short u.

Sight Words:  find, out

Handwriting:  Uu

Writer’s Workshop:  We will continue to work with spelling our sight words correctly, as well as using correct capitalization, punctuation, and sounding out our words.  We will be responding to literature that we read and adding details to our writing.

Math:    Measurement: heavy and light

Science:  Dental Health and Germs

Social Studies:  President Day, author study, and National Symbols

Homework packets for February 28 through March 4 will be sent home.

 

Upcoming Dates: 

Monday-Thursday, March 1-4- Book Fair

http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/cptoolkit/publish/pickettsmill

Wednesday, March 2^nd- Dr. Seuss’s Birthday and Read Across America 

 
Thursday, March 3^rd- Pajama Day to celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday and a visit by book illustrator Michael P. White      http://www.michaelpwhite.com/

Thursday, March 10^th- Picture Day

Thursday, March 17^th- St. Patrick’s Day and end of 3^rd Quarter    

 
Friday, March 18^th- Lunch and Learn- 11:30-1:00 Download Digital YOUTH CULTURE                                        

                                 Media Center- check out

Thursday, March 24^th- Report Cards sent home

FEBRUARY 28, 2011

 

Dear parents and boys and girls,

First of all, I want to thank you for the encouragement and support you gave me when I was hospitalized.  The flowers were beautiful and I enjoyed them at home for several weeks afterwards!  Also, the care basket and cards were so enjoyable and appreciated!  You all mean so much to me!  Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers!

Now, I must tell you how sorry I am that I am unable to return to school at this point due to some ongoing health issues.  Believe me, I would rather be at work than dealing with illness.  I miss the children so much and their sweet smiles and precious personalities!  However, I must take the time needed to address the issues I have going on so that I don't end up in "worse shape" so to speak.  Please tell the boys and girls how much I miss them and that I am okay, I just need more time to get well so that I can work effectively.  Also, I can promise you that the boys and girls are in the best hands with Mrs. Keller!  Mrs. Keller knows just what they need to be ready for first grade and they will love her vivacious personality!  She will continue to keep you informed on our class blog. 

Hugs to everyone!

Blenda Smith

SMITH'S LIL' PIRATES SCOOP FEBRUARY 12, 2011

 

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

I sure have missed everyone and hope to be back soon!

Here is a look at next week's curriculum highlights:

Language Arts skills: identify ways nonfiction books present information

Books: 

Looking at Cities (nonfiction) by

Butterfly (nonfiction) by

Phonics Focus:  Ll letter/sound association; soft c sound as in cities; ing as in ring; oo as in look; y says i at the end of a word

Sight Words:  all, will, love

Handwriting:  Ll

Writer’s Workshop:  Practice writing a sentence using correctly spelled sight words, phonetic spelling, spacing, capitalization and punctuation.  Practice choosing a topic and then stretching our idea by adding supporting details and a conclusion sentence.

Math:    Measurement-  height; counting sets to 30; penny, nickel, dime, quarter and their values; fair trades with pennies and nickels and pennies and dimes

Science:  Rocks and Soil

Social Studies:  Presidents’ Day

 

Homework For the week of 2-14-11! Packet will be sent home this week.

Upcoming Dates: 

Monday, February 14^th- Valentine’s Day! Don’t forget your Valentine mailbox and Valentine’s for classmates!

K-2 Science Fair projects due

Wednesday, February 16^th- Jump Rope for Heart (during PE class)

Where: Pickett’s Mill Gymnasium
Time: During Regular Specials
           (Art, Music, Computer
            Lab, P. E.) Times 

 We will officially start collecting the JRFH envelopes on Monday, February 14^th in the Gym office. Each student that returns an envelope will receive a sticker and a heart placed on the cafeteria wall with their name on it.

All money is due on Wednesday, February 16, 2011. Please send your child’s envelope on or before this date. The thank-you prizes will be ordered the day of the event and will take 3 to 4 weeks to come in.  The class in each grade that has the largest average # of participants that bring in at least $5.00 for the AHA gets a free afternoon game in the gym…their choice of activity.

This year, we will have some visiting Allatoona Bucs and the Allatoona mascot coming to join us to help us turn ropes. It will be a lot of fun!

Remember to send your child with tennis shoes on Wednesday, February 16^th, even if they do not have
P. E. as a scheduled class. Come and join us if you can! It is a lot of fun.

Friday, February 18^th- Six Flags Read to Succeed reading log due

Monday, February 21-25^th- WINTER BREAK!

Monday-Thursday, March 1-4- Book Fair

http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/cptoolkit/publish/pickettsmill

Wednesday, March 2^nd- Dr. Seuss’s Birthday and Read Across America

 
Thursday, March 3^rd- Pajama Day to celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday and a visit by book illustrator Michael P. White      http://www.michaelpwhite.com/

Thursday, March 10^th- Picture Day

Thursday, March 17^th- St. Patrick’s Day and end of 3^rd Quarter

 
Friday, March 18^th- Lunch and Learn- 11:30-1:00 Download Digital YOUTH CULTURE                                        

                                 Media Center- story and check out

Thursday, March 24^th- Report Cards sent home

****PLEASE SEE IMPORTANT MEAL PAY INFORMATION BELOW

www.MealPayPlus.com  Parents can sign up and monitor students accounts for free. They would receive Low balance alerts directly to their e-mail.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

 

 

TWO UPCOMING PARENTING SEMINARS and MISC. INFO.

 

Please check out the following information about two upcoming parent seminars being offered by our guidance department.

Download Digital YOUTH CULTURE

Download Incredible Years - PM

Also please don't forget:

LAST DAY TO ORDER OUR YEARBOOK IS FEBRUARY 18TH....don't miss out!

 CANDYGRAM order forms due by Thursday...they will be delivered on VALENTINE'S DAY!

 
Please continue to turn in Box Tops for Education! 

 

 

 

MRS. SMITH'S LIL' PIRATES SCOOP FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Well...... I am at home recuperating from a crazy few days in the hospital with lots of tests.  The good news is I am feeling better and hopefully on the road to a great recovery!!!  What the doctors initially thought was a mild heart attack was more than likely a response to a major panic attack!  I had a severe vertigo attack while driving home on Highway 92 and it was a totally, overwhelming experience!!! I am resting a few days at home and will have some follow up appointments, but expect to be back at school soon.  I wanted to give you a heads up for what the substitute will be covering this week and get the homework out to you for the week.  So here it is:

This week's curriculum focus:

Language Arts skills: identifying setting, characters and story elements; retelling and sequencing events

Books: 

The Jigaree by Joy Cowley

 

The Jacket I Wear in the Snow by Shirley Neitzel

 

This Is the House That Jack Built and

 

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat  both by Simms Taback

 

Phonics Focus:  Jj letter/sound association; “ar” the pirate sound; ee says long e; ing as in ring; magic “e” rule; short vowel sounds

Sight Words:  jump, have

Handwriting:  Jj

Writer’s Workshop:  Practice writing a sentence using correctly spelled sight words, phonetic spelling, spacing, capitalization and punctuation.  Practice choosing a topic and then stretching our idea by adding supporting details.

Math:    Measurement- length and height; counting sets to 30; penny, nickel, dime, quarter and their values; fair trades with pennies and nickels and pennies and dimes

Science:  Rocks and Soil

Social Studies:  Presidents’ Day

 

Homework For the week of 2-7-11!

Download Homework For 2.7.11

Download Valentines box homework

Download Valentines class list

Upcoming Dates:

Friday, February 11^th- Media Center story and check out

Friday, February 11^th – Donuts for Dads (new date) 7:10-7:50 am

Monday, February 14^th- Valentine’s Day! Don’t forget your Valentine mailbox and Valentine’s for classmates!

K-2 science projects due 7:10-7:50 am

Wednesday, February 16^th- Jump Rope for Heart (during PE class)

Friday, February 18^th- Six Flags Read to Succeed reading log due

Monday, February 21-25^th- WINTER BREAK!