Phonics Poem- Cinderella

Cinderella

Cinderella, dressed in yella,

When upstairs to kiss a fella.

Made a mistake and kissed a snake.

How many doctors did it take?

**Now count to 100***

Identify words from the -ake family, then brainstorm more words that end on -ake.

Kids Can Cook- Jack Frosty

Who says ice cream is just for summertime?

Ingredients:
4 cups mint or mint-chocolate chip ice cream
2 cups milk
Optional: whipped cream
Optional: candy cane

Preparation:
Place the ice cream and milk in a blender and mix on high for about 1 minute or until smooth.
Pour into 8-ounce serving glasses.

Optional: top with whipped cream and insert a candy cane.

One More Thing...

May your days be merry & bright...

Have a very merry Christmas!

Love, Mrs. Stagg

Phonics Poem- Oh, What a Shame!

Oh, What a Shame!

I got sick

Oh, what a shame.

Now I can't play

In the soccer game.

There's nothing to do.

There's no one to blame.

but all the same,

Oh, what a shame!

-Linda B. Ross

Identify words from the -ame family and brainstorm more words ending in -ame.

Kids Can Cook- Reindeer Snacks

Sometimes, serving your kids a healthy snack is all about the packaging. Kids will love imagining that Santa feeds these sacks of trail mix to Prancer, Dancer and the rest of the reindeer crew.

Ingredients:
Use any of your favorite trail mix ingredients such as:
Cashews
Walnuts
Peanuts
Almonds
Shelled sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Flax seeds
Pretzels
Raisins
Other dried fruit
Chocolate chips
Carob chips
M&Ms
Yogurt-covered raisins

Preparation:
Combine your choice of the above ingredients, using your desired quantities, in a bowl and mix until evenly combined.
Scoop about one cup of the trail mix into individual sacks, such as cellophane baggies, brown-paper pastry bags or simple burlap sacks you've sewn, as pictured. Tie the bags shut with a red or green ribbon.

Optional: Add a tag to each bag that says "reindeer snacks," perhaps with each child's name on it, too.

Note: If you're low on time or not interested in customizing the look and taste of your trail mix, just use a pre-packaged variety.

Phonics Poem- Kate the Super-Skate

Kate the Super-Skate

I have a little sister
My sister's name is Kate.
My speedy little sister
loves to skate, skate, skate.
There's no one who is faster
Sh really is first-rate,
She's always first to get to school,
She's never, ever late!
My speedy little sister known
as Kate the Super-Skate!
-Helen O'Reilly

Identify words in the -ate family and brainstorm more words ending in -ate.

Kids Can Cook- Jingle Bell Juice

Jingle Bell Juice

Red raspberries are the surprise ingredient in these glasses of holiday juice.

Ingredients:
One part sparkling water or club soda
3 parts fruit punch, pomegranate juice or other red juice
3 red raspberries per serving

Preparation:
Combine the first two ingredients in drinking glasses.
Wash the raspberries and then plop three of them into each glass.
Adorn the bottom of the glasses with rings of fake holly or fake berries.

Phonics Poem- Watching Elephants Jump

Watching Elephants Jump

look at the elephants,

Large and plump.

I like to watch the elephants jump.

Can you hear them?

Thump, thump, thump!

Elephants jumping over a stump!

-Linda B. Ross

Identify words from the -ump family and brainstorm more words ending in -ump.

Kids Can Cook- Traditional Cookie Dough

Traditional Cookie Dough

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Cooking Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium until smooth. Add sugar. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolk until combined. Add vanilla. Beat until combined.

Add flour and salt. Beat until combined, scraping down side of bowl occasionally.

Between two sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap with a rolling pin roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out shapes. Reroll and use scraps until all dough is used.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes,depending on the size of the cookies, or until lightly browned.

Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired.

Phonics Poem- What I Saw

What I Saw

Did you ever see a bug

Drinking coffee from a mug?

Drinking coffee from a mug and going

Glug, glug, glug?

I did!

Did you ever see a bug

Give another bug a hug?

Give another bug a hug and going

Hug, hug, hug?

I did!

Did you ever see a bug

Do a dance upon a rug?

Do a dance upon a rug and going

Chug, chug, chug?

I did!

identify words from the -ug family and brainstorm more words ending in -ug.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you for sharing your precious children with me. I look forward to watching them grow even more in the coming months! Now go fill your bellies with turkey and dressing!

Blessings from the Stagg family!

Kids Can Cook- TeePee Treats

Historically, an Indian tepee was made from a cone of long poles and a hide covering that appeared shiny white until the hearth fire cured it. Construct a village of similarly handsome -- though edible -- tepees with this food craft.

Ingredients
Sugar cones
Confectioners' sugar
Unsalted butter
Vanilla extract
Cake-decorating icing
Decorative candies
Toothpicks

Instructions
In a mixing bowl with an electric beater set at low speed, mix 2 cups of sifted confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup of softened, unsalted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract until smooth and spreadable. Stir in a bit of milk, if needed.
Use the icing to lightly frost eight ice cream sugar cones, then place them in the freezer for a few minutes until the icing hardens.
Now use tubes of cake-decorating icing to draw linear patterns and images and glue on decorative candies. For lodgepoles, insert toothpicks into the tip of each cone.

Phonics Poem- Where is Nell?

Where is Nell?

Where is my kitten, little nell,
Can you be hiding in the dell?
Please let me know,
I wish you'd tell
Where are you hiding, little Nell.

I think I'll ring the dinner bell,
And put out food for you to smell.
Oh there you are,
No need to yell.
You've come for dinner, little Nell.
-Linda B. Ross

identify words from the -ell family and brainstorm more words ending in -ell.

Kids Can Cook- Pizza

This is a menu I can prepare ahead or leave for a sitter to do. If I'm staying in, I jazz up the toppings with any of the odds and ends in the refrigerator. Sometimes I order takeout pizza and ask that the pies be cooked only halfway. At home, I heat the oven to 400º F, top the partially cooked pizzas with chicken and vegetables, and finish cooking them (about 10 minutes).

Ingredients
Frozen dough (thawed) for 2 pizzas or 2 prepared crusts
About 2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup shredded leftover cooked chicken
1 cup fresh basil, spinach, or other greens
8 ounces shredded mozzarella (2 cups)
6 tablespoons olive oil
Cornmeal

Preparation
Place a pizza stone, unglazed ceramic tiles, or a heavy cookie sheet on the oven rack. Preheat oven to 400º F. If starting with pizza dough, pat or pull each piece into a 12-inch circle. Top each with some sauce, then scatter the chicken, basil, and mozzarella over each. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle pizza stone with the cornmeal. Using the back of a cookie sheet, transfer the pizza to the oven. (You may have to bake the pizzas one at a time, depending on your oven size.) Bake 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is browned.

Phonics Poem- What Do You Need?

What Do You Need?

To build a house

you need a block

To tel the time

You need a clock

To hope the door

You need to knock,

To sail a ship, you need a dock.

And to cover your foot,

You need a sock.

Block, clock,

Tick tock,

Knock, dock

Sock!

Identify words from the -ock family and brainstorm other words that end in -ock.

Kids Can Cook- Burger Sliders

Burger Sliders

Ingredients
4 slices bacon
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 pounds lean ground beef
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
24 small dinner rolls

Preparation
In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Discard all but 2 Tbsp. bacon fat. Cook onion in bacon fat until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. Remove mixture from pan and let cool. Crumble bacon when cool enough to handle.
In a large bowl combine beef, bacon, onion mixture, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper, and mix well. Form into 24 small patties and chill.
Preheat grill to medium; oil when hot. Cook burgers for about 7 minutes for medium rare, turning once halfway through. Serve burgers on rolls.

Phonics Poem- Five Little Speckled Frogs

Five Little Speckled Frogs

Five little speckled frogs,
Sit on a hollow log,
Eating the most delicious bugs.
Yum, yum!

One frog jumped off the log,
Into a thick white fog,
And now there are four speckled frogs.
Glub, glub!

Four little speckled frogs,
Sit on a hollow log,
Eating the most delicious bugs.
Yum, yum!

One frog jumped off the log,
Into a thick white fog,
And now there are three speckled frogs.
Glub, glub!

Three little speckled frogs,
Sit on a hollow log,
Eating the most delicious bugs.
Yum, yum!

One frog jumped off the log,
Into a thick white fog,
And now there are two speckled frogs.
Glub, glub!

Two little speckled frogs,
Sit on a hollow log,
Eating the most delicious bugs.
Yum, yum!

One frog jumped off the log,
Into a thick white fog,
And now there are no speckled frogs.
The End!

Identify words from the -og family, then brainstorm more words that end in -og.

Kids Can Cook- Parsleyed Corn-on-the-Cob

Parsleyed Corn-on-the-Cob

Ingredients
6 ears sweet corn, shucked
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped

Preparation
Bring a large pot of water, 3/4 full, to a boil. Break the ears into halves or thirds and simmer just until tender, no more than 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving dish. Pour the butter over the corn and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and parsley, turning to coat. Serve steaming hot.Tip: For the sweetest corn, cook it as soon as possible after buying it. The sugar in corn begins to turn to starch the moment the ears are picked; cool temperatures slow this process.

Phonics Poem- At My Windowsill

At My Windowsill

Early in the morning,
When all is still,
I sit and wait
At my windowsill,
And watch the sun
Come over the hill,
To paint the sky
With beauty and skill.
-Linda B. Ross

Identify words from the -ill family and brainstorm more words that end in -ill.

Kids Can Cook- Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients
Potatoes:
2 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Cooking spray

Topping:
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 ounces)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preperation

Preheat oven to 375°.
To prepare potatoes, place potatoes in a Dutch oven, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until very tender. Drain; cool slightly.
Place potatoes in a large bowl. Add half-and-half, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs; beat well (mixture will be thin). Scrape mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
To prepare topping, sprinkle miniature marshmallows over top of casserole. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans, and sprinkle over potato mixture and marshmallows. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Phonics Poem- A Dip in the Ocean

A Dip in the Ocean

I dreamed I owned

A grand old ship,

And with my crew,

I took a trip.

Along came a storm

To tip our ship,

And into the ocean,

We took a dip!

-Linda B. Ross

Identify words from the -ip family and brainstorm more words ending in -ip.

Kids Can Cook- S'mores Sundae

S'mores Sundae

No campfire needed for this clever dessert. You can enjoy these familiar flavors year-round indoors!
Prep: 5 min. Cook: 2 min.
Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 (12-ounce) jar hot fudge sauce
1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow cream
1 pint vanilla ice cream
3 graham cracker sheets, separated

Preparation
Warm hot fudge sauce according to directions on jar. Spread marshmallow cream in the bottom of 4 (6-ounce) dessert bowls. Top with ice cream and hot fudge sauce. Serve with graham crackers.

10-10-10 = FUN

In first grade, we LOVE numbers.

We really love calendar time, so you can imagine how much fun we had writing Sunday's 'short date.' It's written 10-10-10. We spent a long time coming up with different ways to make 10! We used the + sign, the - sign, the x sign, Roman numerals, tally marks, coins, dollars, and MORE! Ask your child to help you find new ways to make 10 on a plain white sheet of paper. We will display these on our 'Math-tastic" bulletin board this week!

Phonics Poem- Caveman Dan

Caveman Dan

Dan, Dan, the clean caveman

Cleans his cave the best he can.

He uses a broom and a rock dust pan,

Dan, Dan, the clean caveman.

Dan has a wife and her name is Nan.

She drives a big rock moving van,

She cools herself with a paper fan,

Nan, Nan, with her moving van.

Dan and Nan have a son named Stan,

He cooks their breakfast in a rock frying pan,

If he can't book it, nobody can,

Stan, Stan, with his frying pan.

-Helen O'Reilly

Identify words from the -an family and brainstorm more words ending with -an.

Happy Columbus Day!

Kids Can Cook- French Toast Bites

French Toast Bites

We love this kid-friendly French toast created by Cindy Bates. Regular French toast can be soggy in the middle, but bite-size cubes mean more crispy surface area.

Yield: MAKES: About 6 servings

Ingredients
1 loaf (about 1 lb.) sturdy artisan-style bread
6 eggs
1 cup low-fat milk (1% or 2%)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation
1. Cut bread into 1-inch-thick slices. Trim crusts; cut bread into 1-inch cubes. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add 2 cups bread cubes and mix to saturate.
2. Lightly butter a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan. Place pan over medium-high heat. Lift bread cubes from mixture, shaking off excess liquid. Add cubes to hot pan and cook (adjust heat if necessary), turning as needed, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Keep warm.
3. Repeat to soak and cook remaining cubes. Discard any remaining egg mixture.

Phonics Poem- My Magic Cap

My Magic Cap

When I get into bed at night

I have a magic cap.

I put it on (but not too tight)

It stays on with a strap.

My dreaming cap

Is blue and white

And when it's on my head,

I snap my fingers

with a snap

and clap my hands

With snap and a clap

and tap my toes

With a tap, tap, tap.

And dream all through the night.

-Helen O'Reilly

Identify words from the -ap family and brainstorm more words that end with -ap.

Kids Can Cook- Banana Smoothie

Banana Smoothie

A frozen banana is the backbone of a good smoothie. I never toss out over-ripe bananas -- I just peel them and store them in a bag in the freezer.

Ingredients

1 frozen banana
1/2 cup nonfat yogurt
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup blueberries, washed

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serves 1.

Weekly Update- week 7

Welcome to the SEVENTH week of first grade in Mrs. Stagg's Class!

Here's a peek into our week :)

Theme:

Pumpkins/ Plants

Literature:

Marc Brown author study

Language Arts:

context clues

Phonics:

short a (breve), final consonants n, t, d

Writing:

Introduction to antonyms, synonyms, homophones

Math:

Patterns & Numbers

Science/ Social Studies:

pumpkin life cycle, functional parts of a seed

My Shop

My Shop

I like to pretend

I own a shop

That's filled with food

From bottom to top,

Where all the people like to stop

To buy fruit or bread or soda pop.

At the end of the day,

I clean my shop

From top to bottom

And bottom to top.

I hop around with a giant mop,

And when I'm finished, down I flop!

-Linda B. Ross

Identify words from the -op family and brainstorm more words that end with -op.

Weekly Update- week 6

Welcome to the SIXTH week of first grade in Mrs. Stagg's Class!

Here's a peek into our week :)

Theme:

Apples/ Seasons

Literature:

Various seasonal literature

Language Arts:

recall/ retell

Phonics:

initial sounds y,z,q; _ug, _ut

Writing:

writing complete sentences

Math:

Patterns

Science/ Social Studies:

Investigating characteristics of different seasons, why are there seasons? What are the changes?

Kids Can Cook- Chocolate Strawberry Pancakes

Double Chocolate Pancakes with Strawberry Sauce

The chocolatey cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate chips are sources of flavanols, potent compounds that keep our blood vessels healthy, happy, and flexible. Top them with a drop of warm maple syrup or my vitamin C-rich, super-simple strawberry sauce...and you've got chocolate for breakfast and 6 grams of fiber to boot!


1 (16-oz) package frozen unsweetened whole strawberries
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
1 egg
1 egg white
1 cup skim milk
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips



Prepare the strawberry sauce: In a large saucepan, combine the frozen strawberries, maple syrup, and 2 tablespoons water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce reaches a syrupy consistency and coats the back of a spoon. As the sauce simmers, break up the whole berries with a wooden spoon or fork.


While the sauce is simmering, prepare the pancake batter: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa, sugar, flaxseed, baking powder, and salt.


In a medium bowl, lightly beat the whole egg and egg white. Then add the milk, oil, and vanilla, and whisk until combined.


Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is just blended and no dry streaks remain. Take care not to overmix, as this will cause the pancakes to be chewy. Delicately fold in the chocolate chips. If time allows, let the batter rest for 10 minutes.


When the strawberry sauce has reached a syrupy consistency, remove the pan from the heat.


Liberally coat a large skillet or griddle with oil spray. Preheat it over medium heat. When the pan is nice and hot (after about 2 minutes), ladle about ¼ cup batter per pancake onto the surface.


Cook the pancakes until small bubbles form around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes over and cook about 1 minute longer, until the center is cooked. Re-coat the skillet with oil spray between batches to prevent the pancakes from sticking.


To serve, top 2 pancakes with about 1/3 cup warm strawberry sauce and a sprinkling of chocolate chips on each plate.

-Joy Bauer

Web Wednesday- River Deep

River Deep

This is a super fun site for beginning readers! They can create a story by simply clicking on pictures and the words appear on the screen while also being read aloud (headphones are GREAT right about now :)! This is great for kids to hear fluent readers while following along with the words and getting to choose the adventure all at the same time! Have fun!

http://www.riverdeep.net/language_arts/edmark_lang_arts/MakeAStory/MakeAStory.html

Kids Can Cook- Pizza

English Muffin Pizzas

Fast pizza? Totally! They're so quick you'll wonder what took you so long to add them to your regular repertoire!


1 whole-wheat English muffin
2 tbsp pizza sauce or marinara pasta sauce
¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 slices pepperoni (optional)
1 yellow pepper, sliced (optional)
3 black olives, sliced in half (optional)



Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


Slice the English muffins and spread out on a baking sheet.


Top with pizza sauce and cheese.


Place your toppings on the muffins.


Bake for about 5 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

Weekly update- week 5

Welcome to the FIFTH week of first grade in Mrs. Stagg's Class!

Here's a peek into our week :)

Theme:

Apples

Literature:

Various apple themed literature

Language Arts:

outcomes/ relationships

Phonics:

initial sounds j,w,v; _et, _en

Writing:

declarative, interrogative sentences

Math:

Count, compare, and order numbers to 20

Science/ Social Studies:

functioning parts of an apple, plant/tree life cycle

Web Wednesday- Zoo Burst

Zoo Burst

ZooBurst is a digital storytelling tool that is designed to let anyone easily create their own customized 3D pop-up books. Click on some of the pictures below to check out books created by members of the ZooBurst community. If you have a username and password you can log in and create your own books using the 'Login' link at the top right side of the screen.

Getting a log in takes a bit of time, but it's worth it! This is something your child will need assistance with, for sure, but once it's done you will set back and marvel at what you've created!

Phonics Poem- Tea Party

** Fun, you get TWO practice poems this week!**

Tea Party

One night while I was lying down
Lying in my cot
My dolls thought I was sleepinh
But really I was not.

They thought they'd have a party
They used my best teapot.
They made themselves some sandwiches
with jelly, apricot.

They smiled at each other
Said 'please' and 'thanks a lot'
And 'would you lease plass another spot
Of tea from that teapot?'
-Helen O'Reilly

Identify words from the -ot family and brainstorm other words ending in -ot.

Phonics Poem- Popcorn

Popcorn

Pop, pop, popcorn,

Popping in the pot!

Pop, pop, popcorn,

Eat it while it's hot!

Pop, pop, popcorn,

Butter on the top!

When I eat popcorn,

I can't stop!

- Helen H. Moore

- practice brainstorming -op, -ot, and -og words

Kids Can Cook- Hot Fudge Sundae

Prep: 10 min. Microwave caramel and fudge toppings according to package directions. Pick up your favorite brownies from the bakery.

Yield: Makes 4 servings


Ingredients
1 pint vanilla bean ice cream
1/2 cup milk
8 tablespoons hot fudge topping, warmed
8 tablespoons caramel topping, warmed
1 (8.5-oz.) can refrigerated instant whipped cream
1/4 cup crumbled brownies, divided
4 maraschino cherries (with stems)

Preparation
1. Process ice cream and milk in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.

2. Divide half of ice-cream mixture evenly among 4 (8-oz.) glasses. Top each with 1 Tbsp. fudge topping and 1 Tbsp. caramel topping. Repeat layers with remaining ice-cream mixture and fudge and caramel toppings.

3. Top each with instant whipped cream; sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. crumbled brownies, and top with a cherry. Serve immediately.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Smucker's Hot Fudge and Caramel Flavored Toppings.

Southern Living, MAY 2007

Weekly Update- week 4

Welcome to the FOURTH week of first grade in Mrs. Stagg's Class!

Here's a peek into our week :)

Theme:

Force & Motion/ Transportation

Literature:

Various- transportation

Language Arts:

fact/ fantasy

Phonics:

initial sounds h,d,k; _ot, _op

Writing:

What makes a sentence?

Math:

Data & Graphing continued

Science/ Social Studies:

Force & Motion

Web Wednesday- Rush Hour

Rush Hour

This is a fabulous strategy game that drives me mad, but it's one of those things that you just can't quit! Your kids will LOVE playing this game and one benefit is that there are several levels, so once you have mastered the beginner level (and I am convinced I will one day :) they get harder and harder!

Here is the site incase my link doesn't work.
http://www.thinkfun.com/RUSHHOUR.ASPX?PageNo=RUSHHOUR

Phonics Poem- My Twinny Twin

My Twinny Twin

I can point

To my chinny, chin, chin.

I can touch my finger

To my shinny, shin, shin.

I can count the freckles

On my skinny, skin, skin

And I can twirl around with

a spinny, spin, spin.

I can fix a button

With a pinny, pin, pin

And I can do it all

With my twinny, twin, twin.

Identify the words from the -in family and brainstorm more words that end with -in.

Weekly Update- week 3

Welcome to the THIRD week of first grade in Mrs. Stagg's Class!

Here's a peek into our week :)

Theme:

Family & Homes; Feelings

Literature:

Various (Napping House, Hello, Goodbye Window)

Language Arts:

listening/ main idea

Phonics:

initial sounds f,g,l; _ig, _it

Writing:

Practice keeping a journal/ sequencing a story

Math:

Data & Graphing

Science/ Social Studies:

discuss feelings, identify feelings through signs and body language, role play how to be a good friend

Kids Can Cook- Party Mix

Awesome Microwave Snack mix




Prep: 15 min., Cool: 30 min.
Use a glass bowl when you zap this in the microwave. (Don't use a plastic bowl; we tried it, and the mixture got too hot and could possibly burn.)
Yield: Makes 13 cups

Ingredients
2 (1-oz.) envelopes Ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 cups crisp oatmeal cereal squares
3 cups corn-and-rice cereal
3 cups crisp wheat cereal squares
2 cups pretzel sticks
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces

Preparation
1. Whisk together Ranch dressing mix and 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a large microwave-safe glass bowl. Stir in oatmeal cereal squares and next 3 ingredients.

2. Microwave mixture at HIGH 2 minutes, and stir well. Microwave at HIGH 2 more minutes, and stir well. Spread mixture in a single layer on wax paper, and let cool 30 minutes. Add cherries and candy pieces. Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Quaker Essentials Oatmeal Squares for crisp oatmeal cereal squares, Crispix for corn-and-rice cereal, and Wheat Chex for wheat cereal squares.

Southern Living, OCTOBER 2006

Logical Consequences

In our classroom, I believe in logical consequences.... If you do something to hurt some one's feelings, you make it right. I explained this to a student today, when he made the not-so-nice choice to break a friend's Lego ship he had built in free station time. He decided to write his friend a note:

It says

Dear _____

I am so sorry I broke your ship. I will do anything to fix it.

Love, _____

These were his own words... I thought it was precious! To me, this has been settled. I think the boys feel like it has been settled, too. I believe that writing the note and having to apologize to a friend was more meaningful than sitting out at recess or getting a note home, however, if your child writes a note like this, I will send a copy home that day, just as a conversation piece.

Web Wednesday- Raz-Kids

Raz- Kids

This awesome site will become a regular part of my curriculum this year. Raz-Kids is a division of Reading A-Z, which I use on a weekly basis in the classroom. Raz-Kids gives kids the chance to work independently on reading/comprehension/fluency on their own level and it's FUN! my students last year absolutely LOVED it and begged to get on it and work! Little did they know how many skills were being reinforced in the process. The great thing about Raz-Kids is that is it accessible from home and I encourage you to read with your child using this site. In addition, if you have a voice recorder built in to your computer, your child can record themselves reading a story and listen back to it. Here are the instructions on how to access your child's account.

***A big WOO-HOO to PTO for purchasing this site for all of 1st grade this year!***

1. Go to http://www.raz-kids.com/ (or you can use the link to the right of this post)

2. Go to the 'Log In' tab and type in 'charlystagg' (all one word) and hit the GO arrow.
3. Have your child click on their name and they will know how to do the rest. Encourage them to sign on independently each time. It makes computer station time so much easier once they know how to do this on their own!
That's it! have fun and happy reading!
Oh, also, I get a report each Monday and can award extra Raz Rocket stars to those who are reading a lot at home!

SCHOLASTIC ORDER DUE FRIDAY

Please get those Scholastic orders in by Friday (Sept 3)... I will post my order Friday afternoon in the hopes of getting the order next week. Remember, for every book you order, we earn new books for our classroom! Thanks so much for your support!

Phonics Poem- The Lad Brad

The Lad Brad

Brad was a lad
Who was very sad.
Then Brad's dad
Introduced him to Tad,
Who showed him to Chad.
Now they're all glad,
Hanging out at Brad's pad.

-Mrs. Alphabet

Identify the words from the -ad family, then brainstorm more words that end with -ad.

Reflections on the week

Dear Families,
Well, we made it through our first week. I have to say (and I probably shouldn't speak too soon) that this was the easiest first week in my history... the kids really understand our routine and are getting along so well with eachother! We were so incredibly productive last week! My hat's off to your kiddos for a fabulous first week! Let's do it again!
Charly Stagg

Kids Can Cook- Fresh Fruit Salad

Fresh Fruit Salad

Ingredients
2 small bananas, sliced
2 small apples, diced
1 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
1/2 cup seedless red grapes
1/2 cup seedless green grapes
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; set aside.

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan; gradually whisk in 1/2 cup water, orange juice, and lemon juice until blended.

Bring sugar mixture to a boil, whisking constantly, over medium heat. Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute.

Pour mixture over fruit, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill 4 hours.

Southern Living, MAY 1997

Weekly Update- week 2

Welcome to the SECOND week of first grade in Mrs. Stagg's Class!

Here's a peek into our week :)

Theme:

"If You Give A..."

Literature:

Author Study- Laura Numeroff

Language Arts:

Skill: Understanding Characters

"What clues tell you how a character feels?"

Strategy: Infer/ Predict

Fluency: Accuracy

Vocabulary Strategy: Context Clues

Phonics:

initial sounds r,h,s /z,b,g

words with short i

-it

Sight Words:

for- he- what- look- have- too

Writing:

Practice keeping a journal & building background

Math:

Review numbers to 12

Science/ Social Studies:

Roles of the school administrators, other faculty and staff around the school, relate school jobs to our community (Mayor, Doctor, etc)

Overheard today

student: "Oh, I LOVE to read. I have an atlask at home with maps and states and stuff and I love to find words in my diskanary!"

I LOVE FIRST GRADE!

:)

Web Wednesday- Starfall

Starfall

http://www.starfall.com/

Your children should know about Starfall by now, but I wanted to make sure they have access to it at home as well.

This is the perfect site for reinforcing Language Arts, phonics, and reading skills we are learning about in the classroom. Now only is it educational, it's super fun!

Any age/ skill level elementary student will find something engaging and educational on this site.

I encourage you to let your child explore, but also sit with them, play games together and see what your child can learn from this amazing free Internet resource!

Phonics Poem- Mistress Pratt

Mistress Pratt

Mistress Pratt

Round and fat,

By accident sat

Upon her hat.

She squashed it flat

And that was that!

-Author unknown

Identify members of the -at word family and brainstorm more words that end in -at.

Kids Can Cook- Bite-size Honey Popcorn Balls

Bite-size Honey Popcorn Balls

The only quibble we have with popcorn balls is that they're usually too big and unwieldy to bite into. These miniature clusters, held together with caramelized honey, are just the right size. Prep and Cook Time: 1 1/4 hours. Notes: If you don't have an air popper, you can pop the popcorn in the microwave. Be careful when opening bag; it will release steam.

Yield: Makes 60 to 65 popcorn balls

Ingredients
20 cups air-popped popcorn (from 2/3 to 1 cup kernels; see Notes)
1 1/4 cups butter, cut into chunks, plus more for your hands
1 1/4 cups honey
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Put popcorn in a large roasting pan. Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, use a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to stir together 1 1/4 cups butter, the honey, and salt until butter is melted. Increase heat and boil honey mixture gently 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in vanilla.

3. Carefully pour honey mixture over popcorn in roasting pan and stir gently to coat. Bake popcorn, stirring every 5 minutes, until deep golden all over, about 25 minutes.

4. Let popcorn stand 5 minutes, or just until cool enough to handle. Working quickly with lightly buttered hands, press small handfuls of the mixture into 1 1/2-in. balls, occasionally loosening popcorn from bottom of pan with a spatula. If mixture cools too much to be malleable, return it to oven for about 45 seconds to soften.

5. Put popcorn balls on prepared baking sheet and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Weekly Update- week 1

Welcome to the FIRST week of first grade in Mrs. Stagg's Class!

Here's a peek into our week :)

Theme:

My School Family/ Names

Literature:

Kevin Henkes & 'Back to School' books

Language Arts:

Skill: Main Idea

Strategy: Summarize

Fluency: Accuracy

Vocabulary: Classify and Categorize

Grammar: Nouns

Phonics:

initial sounds n,d,p,f

words with short a

Sight Words:

bat- fan- a- I- an- you- the

Writing:

Introduction to keeping a journal

Math:

Kindergarten review/ math pre assessments

Science/ Social Studies:

Learning expectations for the classroom and school, routines

Weekly Update- explained

Each Sunday, I will send a little information your way about our upcoming week. Here, you will be able to see what we are focusing on, what types of literature we will be reading, and what skills I will be teaching. In this first update, I will explain each area in detail, but in the future, explanations will be brief. Please contact me if you have any questions! Remember, first grade is very cyclical, so I am not expecting mastery of any of these skills by the end of this week. We will revisit these topics again and again throughout the year! Thanks for your support at home!

Theme:
I like to center my week around a theme of some sort, as I love to use a common thread to tie all subject areas together when possible!
Literature:
I love to read and I make it a goal to pass that love of literature on to my students. One way of doing that is to use literature to introduce lessons. I also do several author studies throughout the year!
Language Arts Focus:
In what we call 'shared reading,' we touch on a number of Language Arts skills, but there are usually 1-2 per week that we really focus on.
Phonics Focus:
Phonics study is a big part of "Balanced Literacy," which is the reading philosophy practiced in CSISD. We will focus on numerous phonics skills weekly, but there will be a handful that make up our primary focus for the week.
Writing Focus:
Teaching writing separate from my Language Arts/ Literacy block is something I am passionate about for a few reasons... For one, I was a very good writer in elementary school, but I absolutely hated it. I now love it and our writing lessons will be full of energy and life. I hope you will be excited to read what your children are publishing in our classroom!
Math:
In CSISD, Math is something we teach in cycles, so even though we may have a specific focus for the week, your child will be practicing and applying all strands of mathematics each week in our classroom through our class math meetings, lessons, small group learning, and math stations and games.
Science and/or Social Studies Focus:
Science and Social Studies are such fun subjects in first grade. We will get to learn about real people and real things, we will get our hands dirty and truly experience many different things throughout the year.

Extra Information?
If there is additional information for the week I feel you need to be made aware of, I will post it here.

Now you know a bit about how our weekly updates will work. Please be looking for our first Weekly Update in a few minutes!

Recipe for First Grade

I so enjoyed meeting you tonight and can't wait for the year to get started!

EASY RECIPE FOR A PERFECT FIRST GRADE CLASS

1 Bunch of Happy Eager Students
1 Enthusiastic, Energetic and Loving Teacher
Combine the above ingredients with:
2 Cups of Reading
1 Cup of Phonics
1 Cup of Math
1 Cup of Spelling
1 Cup of Science/Social Studies/Health
1 Cup of Honesty
1 Cup of Friendship
1 Cup of Respect
1 Cup Concern and Love for Each Other
Spices (for extra flavor)
A dash of P.E., Library, Music, Art, and Computers
A Large Portion of Learning Stations
An Abundance of Supportive and Concerned Parents



Blend reading, phonics, math, spelling, science, social studies, and health very carefully and thoroughly each day. Add honesty, friendship, respect, and concern for each other. Daily add a bunch of love and enthusiasm along with a scoop of understanding and a dash of discipline. Sift in P.E., Music, Art, Library, and Computers to give it a little spicy flavor. Carefully blend in Learning Stations to enhance all learning styles. Mix thoroughly and check to see if all ingredients are blending and being learned. Bake in a first grade classroom everyday. Watch them grow and learn daily adding more of each ingredients as needed. When they are done and the year is through - turn them out into the world with knowledge, love, respect, and self- esteem!

**Courtesy of Valley View ISD**

Can I skip my 20 minutes of reading tonight?

Can I Skip My Twenty Minutes of Reading Tonight?
Student A reads 20 minutes every night.
Student B reads only 4 minutes a night. . . or not at all!
Multiply minutes a night X 5 times a week.
Student A 20 minutes X 5 = 100 minutes.
Student B 4 minutes X 5 = 20 minutes.
Multiply minutes a week X 4 weeks a month.
Student A reads 400 minutes a month.
Student B reads 80 minutes a month.
Multiply minutes a month X 9 months.
Student A reads 3600 minutes in a school year.
Student B reads 728 minutes in a school year.
Student A reads the equivalent of ten whole school days a year.
Student B reads the equivalent of only two whole school days a year.
By the end of 6th grade Student A and Student B maintain these same reading habits . . . .
Student A will have read the equivalent of 60 whole school days and Student B will have read the equivalent of only 12 school days. One would expect the gap of information retained will have widened considerably so, undoubtedly, will school performance.

How do you think Student B will feel about him/herself as a student?
Which student read better?
Which student would know more?
Which student would write better?
Which student would have a better vocabulary?
Which student would be more successful in school and life?

How does your child learn?

Multiple Intelligence Survey


Linguistic Intelligence

Does your child:

Enjoy listening to other people talking?

Get annoyed with people who use improper English?

For example, He don’t know the answer.

Like to learn new words?

Give good directions to others so they understand.

Like to tell stories?

Enjoy reading books?

Have a good memory of names, dates, and trivia?

If this sounds familiar, then your child might someday write a bestseller or become fluent in several languages.


Logical- Mathematical Intelligence


Does your child:

Enjoy math class?

Likes to work with computers or calculators?

Easily ads numbers in his head?

Enjoys doing science experiments?

Asks a lot of questions about how things work?

Enjoys chess, checkers, or strategy games?

If so, perhaps your child could one day design sky-scrapers or program computers.

Spatial Intelligence

Does your child:

Prefer to draw pictures rather than tell stories?

Find his/her way around a place easily?

Like to take things apart and then try to figure out how to put them back together?

Read maps, charts, or diagrams more easily than text?

Daydream more than peers?

Build interesting three-dimensional constructions (like LEGO buildings)?

Doodle a lot on notebooks?

If this is your child, then he/she could grow up to paint a masterpiece.

Body-Kinesthetic Intelligence

Does your child:

Find activities like riding a bicycle, skating, or walking on a balance beam easy?

Use a lot of hand gestures and body movement when talking to friends?

Run, swim, and exercise without getting tired?

Learn to play new sports easily and quickly?

Like to touch something she has just seen?

Report different physical sensations while thinking or working?

Cleverly mimic other people’s gestures or mannerisms?

Move, tap, or fidget while seated for a long time in one spot?

If yes, then your child could develop into an expert skier or someone who amuses her friends with hilarious impersonations.


Musical Intelligence

Does your child:

Enjoy playing a musical instrument?

Listen to music a lot?

Hum or sing a lot?

Cheer herself/himself up with songs when she/he is sad?

Tell you when music sounds off-key?

Have a good singing voice?

Remember the melodies of songs?

If this is your child, then she/he may one conduct a symphony.

Interpersonal Intelligence

Does your child:

Like to play with other kids?

Understand how friends are feeling by looking at their faces?

Have two or more close friends?

Give advice to friends who have problems?

Have a good sense of empathy or concern for others?

Seem to be street smart?

Seem to be a natural leader on teams?

If you answered yes to most of these, your child might become someone’s favorite teacher or the CEO of a big company.

Intrapersonal Intelligence


Does your child:

Often need a quiet place to work or just be alone?

Like to make collections of things that have special meaning to her/him?

Remember their dreams?

Display a sense of independence or strong will?

Have a realistic sense of their strengths and weaknesses?

Have an interest or hobby that she doesn’t talk much about?

Accurately express how she is feeling?

Sound familiar? Then your child could someday write great poetry or resist negative peer pressure and do the right thing for him or herself.
Naturalist


Does your child:

Enjoy collecting bugs, flowers, or rocks?

Like to closely examine what she finds in nature?

Keep detailed records of her observations of nature?

Like to watch natural phenomena like the moon?

Becomes fascinated with one particular thing from nature and wants to learn about it thoroughly?

Want to become a geologist, biologist, or some other type of scientist?

If your answer is yes, then your child could become an expert on paleontology or discover new ways to save the whales.