Flat Stanley

Our Flat Stanley Project

Each September, we begin a 9 month geography project using the book "Flat Stanley. In the book, Stanley is flattened by a bulletin board and has some crazy adventures, including being mailed to California to visit friends before being mailed back. After we finish the book, each child will design their own Flat Stanley. Once that is done, we will be ready to mail him somewhere for an adventure!

By September 15, I am asking that each child send me 2-3 index cards containing the addresses of friends or family (1 per card) from anywhere in the country or the WORLD! Last year, we had Stanleys that went as far as Australia, Germany, France, Canada, and Switzerland! The friends and family need to be families that will take "Stanley," who is no bigger than a piece of paper and can be folded) somewhere interesting and take a picture of Stanley on his 'vacation.' We will provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope for him to come home in. Host families can either email me about the adventures OR mail any letters, pictures, post cards, or brochures back with him. We will track where our Stanleys have been using a map outside our classroom door and will, hopefully, learn about new places in the process.

Please try to send these addresses by September 15, as the kids will be excited to get Stanley out on his first of many adventures for the year! Email me with any questions. If you would like to donate supplies, we are in need of both domestic and international stamps, and large envelopes (they should fit a piece of paper folded in half). Thanks so much for supporting this fun and educational project! I can't wait to see where Stanley gets to go this year!

Friendly Reading Helpers

Our Friendly Reading Helpers

Bumble the Bee says

"Buzz around the page and look at the picture for clues!"

Lips the Fish says
"Get your lips ready to say the first few sounds of a new word!"

Stretchy Snake says
"Stretch the word out slowly the put the sounds together!"

Chunky Monkey says
"Look for a chunk that you know (like -at, or -an),
look for word parts that you know (-ing, -er)!"

Flutter the Butterfly says
"Skip the word, read to the end of the sentence, then FLUTTER back and READ IT!"

Lucky the Ladybug

"Try to reread the sentence and try a word that makes sense... you may get lucky!"

Flippy the Cat says
"Try the other vowel sound if the word doesn't sound right!"

Stagg-osaurus says
"Ask Mrs. Stagg for help after you have tried everything else!"


These reading helpers are here for you at school and at home, helping you become the best reader you can be!

***Thanks to Lauren McDonald Guest for introducing me to these fabulous helpers!

1st grade Math Curriculum

These are the basics of first grade math in my classroom. Our math curriculum spirals so your child wil be practicing several of these skills each week through calendar time, direct instruction, guided practice, independent practice, and math stations. We spend 50 minutes a day on Math instruction and practice and take a spiraling assessment each Friday.

Number and Numeration
• Skip count 1,2,5,10
• Estimate collections
• Read, write and model to 1000
• Use manips to show fractions
• Model odd and even numbers
• Use manips, drawings, and tallies to show number expressions using +,-
• Compare and order whole numbers to 1.000

Data and Chance
• Collect and organize data into create tally charts, tables,, bar graphs, picture graphs, and line plots
• Use graphs to answer simple questions and draw conclusions
• Find the maximum and minimum in a data set
• Describe events using certain, unlikely, likely, impossible.

Measurement and Reference Frames
• Use nonstandard tools to
o Estimate
o Compare weight
o Compare length
o Measure length
• Know and compare the value of
o Penny
o Nickel
o Dime
o Quarter
o Dollar bill
• Make exchanges between coins
• Use thermometer to measure temperature to the nearest 10 degrees
• Use calendar to identify days, weeks, months, and dates
• Tell and show time to the nearest hour and half hour on an analog clock

Geometry
• Identify and describe
o Plane figures
o Solid figures
• Use vocabulary circle, triangle, square, rectangle, sphere, cylinder, rectangular prism, pyramid, cone, and cube
• Identify shapes as having symmetry

Patterns, Functions, and Algebra
• Extend, describe and create patterns
• Solve problems using function machines, “What’s My Rule?” tables
• Read, write, and explain expressions and numbers using +, -, and =.
• Read, write, and explain expressions and numbers using <> with cues
• Solve equations using +, -
• Apply commutative property of addition and the additive Identity to basic addition fact problems

Operations and Computations
• Know
o +/- 0
o +/- 1
o Doubles
o Sum = 10 addition and subtraction facts
• Use concrete and abstract forms to solve 1 and 2 digit addition and subtraction problems
• Calculate and compare the values of combinations of coins
• Estimate reasonableness of answers to basic fact problems
• Identify
o Change-to-more
o Change-to-less
o Comparison
o Parts-to-total

Daily Schedule

Mrs. Stagg’s Daily Schedule

8:00-8:10 Bell work
Students are greeted each morning, then unpack and go to their tables where an activity is waiting for them on the smartboard to complete on their ‘magic boards’.

8:10-8:30 Morning Meeting
Students meet me on the carpet, where we use the smart board to complete daily language practice, phonics, poetry study, introduction to stations, morning message, storytelling, interactive read-alouds, interactive writing, Reader’s Workshop mini lesson and more.
8:30-9:15 Reader’s Workshop
Students practice target skills and strategies taught in the mini lesson while reading self selected books independently from a ‘just right’ leveled tub. At this time, I will walk around the room conferencing with students about their text and varying reading strategies.
9:15- 10:15 Literacy Stations
Students are ability grouped for this part of the day, where they rotate every 15 minutes to stations, including guided reading, writing, pocket chart, game, art, library, science, listening, computer, technology, retelling, big book, poetry, buddy reading and more. Station assignments change daily and are leveled based on ability.
10:15- 10:45 RECESS
Students have supervised playtime on the front playgrounds (not the new one). Three teachers are on duty each day and there is one practice room where students can go if they need to finish work or practice a skill they are not mastering (walking in line, listening, etc). Practice room lasts for the first 10 minutes or recess, after which students are are escorted out to finish recess with their classmates.
10:45- 11:03 Model Writing
The students come in and join me on the green carpet where I teach writing mini lesson and model writing on smart board or chart paper.
11:03-11:45 Lunch/ Lunch Recess/ Restroom Break
We arrive at the cafeteria at 11:03. Students eat until 11:23, when they clean up their mess and head outside for lunch recess. On rainy or extremely cold days, students stay inside to read or talk quietly.
11:45-12:15 Writer's Workshop
Students apply mini lesson skills in their draft book during this quiet writing time. This is the time when I conference with writers about their work and how to improve.
12:15-12:30 Author Share
Students can share their writing with the class when we meet on the green carpet.
12:30-1:00 Science/ Social Studies
Students learn about a variety of topics using technology, literature, and hands on experiments. We alternate Science and Social Studies as needed.
1:00-1:20 Math Meeting & Lesson
Students meet on the rug for daily math practice on the smart board, followed by the Pearson mini lesson and guided practice. If time, students complete the worksheet that accompanies the Pearson lesson independently.
1:20-2:20 CAMP
Students get 30 min of PE each day and alternate weekly between Computer, Art, and Music
2:20-2:45 Math Stations/ Small Group Instruction
Students complete a job from their assigned math station, while I pull students small groups to work with them on different topics, depending on need.
2:45 Pack up/ Novel Reading
As the students pack up, I read from a novel that will be on going for several weeks. Some of my favorites include "The Story of Dr. Doolittle," "The Trumpet of the Swan," and "Stuart Little."
3:00 Dismissal
Students dismiss into the hallway and are escorted by the teacher on duty to their destination for pick up.

technology- $2,389 grant

Today I, along with 3 other teachers, was awarded $2,389 for a grant we wrote called "Leading Little Hands to Technology." The grant was awarded on behalf of the CSISD Education Foundation and will allow us to buy 12 iPod touches and docking stations. Four of the iPods will he housed in my classroom, but are open for anyone to check out at any time.

In my first grade classroom, we use apps for math and language arts practice and strategy games. We use music for learning and we watch pod casts to increase vocabulary, take virtual field trips and much, much more.

We are truly blessed to have the technology on hand to help us be better teachers.