Thank You for all the thoughtful gifts!

Winter vacation starts this afternoon!





I hope each
of you have a wonderful winter break and
holiday season!

HOLIDAY CRAFT

Our class will be making picture frames at our holiday party. It could be a single photo, group picture or a picture of a favorite place or activity. Please send a picture by Friday that your child would like to frame!

Overview of Week 17

LANGUAGE ARTS
Identify Features of Nonfiction Books
Gingerbread Unit
Choral Reading

MATH
Fact Power
Addition & Subtraction Facts

SCIENCE
IIM

SOCIAL STUDIES
Class Auction Projects
Service Project – Class Blanket
Exhibition

Overview of Week 16

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the week – Who works to make our community
a nice place?
Amazing Words – citizen, community, law, leader, branch, headquarters, patrol
Phonics – Long i, Diagraphs wh, ch, tch, ph
Special Titles
Identify Author’s Purpose

MATH
Timelines
Number Scrolls
Fact Power

SCIENCE
Water Cycle
Animal Cycles
IIM

SOCIAL STUDIES
Living & Non-living Cycles
December Holidays

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT

Guess what? A volunteer, Ms. Jie from Junior Achievement came to our class for the last five weeks. We talked about how people live and work together in a family. We learned how work helps us get the things we need and want. Thank You, Ms. Jie!

This free photo collage customized with Smilebox

Overview of Week 15

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the week – How is a school a community?
Amazing Words – group, respect, share, aquarium, borrow,
lines, rehearsal, soothe
Phonics – Long a
Proper Nouns
Identify Cause and Effect

MATH
Measuring in Inches
Measuring with a Tape Measure
Telling Time on the Quarter Hour

SCIENCE
Butterfly Cycle
IIM

SOCIAL STUDIES
December Holidays
Spending & Saving
Hanukkah

CYCLES

Our field trip was a wonderful introduction to the new first grade Planner.
The IB Planner theme for mid-November until the winter break is "How the World Works." The IB Central Idea for this Planner is: “There are naturally occurring cycles all around us.” Students will be inquiring into cycles of living things, cycles of non-living things, and the similarities and differences of natural cycles.

Students will discuss questions such as: What kinds of cycles are there? How does a cycle progress from one stage to the next? What are the similarities and differences of the cycles? What is the difference between a cycle and a pattern? How does a cycle end? What responsibilities do we have in protecting natural cycles? What is the difference between a cycle and a system?

Students will also improve their understanding of the Independent Investigation Method. We will model use of the seven research steps in class. Students will also use the IIM to learn more about a cycle.

You may want to support the Planner concepts at home by sequencing pictures of animal life cycles, by taking a nature walk or trip to the zoo and noting aspects of cycles you observe, by discussing and comparing different types of cycles, and/or by a reading book or watching a video about a cycle together.

Overview of Week 14

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the week – What does a family do together?
Amazing Words – chore, household, cooperation, rule, downtown, commute, subway
Phonics – consonant diagraphs sh, th, vowel sound in ball a, al
Common Nouns
Retell story events in correct sequence

MATH
Thermometer
Nonstandard Measures
Inch

SCIENCE
Butterfly Cycles
IIM

SOCIAL STUDIES
Nonliving Cycles
Goods & Services

Overview of Week 13

This week we spend time together talking, sharing, reading and writing about Thanksgiving.

I am very THANKFUL for family, friends, students, parents and Roberts!!!

Field Day at Roberts

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FIELD TRIP ON FRIDAY!

The Houston Museum of Natural Science Field Trip is FRIDAY, November 16th. Children will need a sack lunch. Please do not send lunch items in containers that you will want back. The children must wear a red Roberts shirt. Chaperones, please be outside our classroom by 9:00. I am looking forward to a great day of learning!

Overview of Week 12

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the week – What can we learn about wild animals by watching them?
Amazing Words – desert, forest, world, snort, chatter, silent,
medicine, poisonous
Phonics – short u, final consonant blends
Exclamatory Sentences
Identify Cause & Effect

MATH
Making a Line Plot
Patterns on Dominoes
Addition & Subtraction Facts

SCIENCE
Cycles

SOCIAL STUDIES
Thanksgiving
Goods & Services

Robert's Book Fair

Robert's Book Fair is here! Our class will be shopping on Tuesday, November 13th from 2:40 am to 3:00 am. If you would like to come by and supervise your child as they pick out their books please meet us outside the library.

Overview of Week 11

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the week – Which wild animals live in our neighborhood?
Amazing Words – habitat, hatch, survive, chirp, croak, moist
Phonics – short e, consonant blends
Interrogative Sentences
Identify Main Idea and Details

MATH
Frames and Arrows
Dollars–and-Cents Notation
Counting Combinations of Coins

SCIENCE
Cycles

SOCIAL STUDIES
Election Day
Systems
Goods & Services

Please send money & permission slip for FIELD TRIP by Friday, THANKS!

FIELD TRIP

Our class field trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science will be on Friday, November 16. We will be going to the Exhibit Halls, Flight of the Butterflies IMAX and Cockrell Butterfly Center. Your child must wear a Red Roberts shirt and sneakers. Your child should also bring a sack lunch and drink. Please sign and return send the permission slip.

If you would like to be a chaperone, please call the school office at 713-295-5272 to be sure that you are registered and are on the list of parents with field trip security clearance. If you are not yet on the list, the office can assist you with the registration. Please e-mail me as soon as possible if you would like to be a chaperone on this field trip. The cost for parents is $15.00.

International Festival

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Overview of Week 10

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the week – How do wild animals take care of their babies?
Amazing Words – observe, wild, parent, canopy, screech, million, native, reserve
Phonics – inflected ending s, ing
Declarative Sentences
Recognize Main Idea and Details

MATH
Number Line Concepts
Add & Subtract on the Number Line
Tell Time to Half-Hour

SCIENCE
Seasons/Fall
Leaves

SOCIAL STUDIES
Systems
Goods & Services


Glitter Gifs

SPELLING Test on FRIDAY this week!

FIELD DAY

Wednesday morning, October 31st will be Field Day at Roberts for First Graders! We will be engaged in outdoor games and activities. Our class will be AYLMER'S ATHLETES!
Please have the kids wear athletic clothes and sneakers. You are welcome to come outside to watch the Field Day playground events, take photographs and cheer us on!!!

Overview of Week 9

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the week – How do animals help people?
Amazing Words –past, present, produce, transportation, danger, serve, snuggle, enormous, powerful
Phonics – plural s, s, short o
Predicates of Sentences
Identify and describe characters and setting

MATH
Number Stories
Visual Patterns
Even & Odd Numbers
Skip Counting

SCIENCE
Matter - Solids, Liquids, Gases

SOCIAL STUDIES
Systems
Fire Safety

HOW WE ORGANIZE OURSELVES

The first grade IB Planner Theme for the remainder of October will be "How We Organize Ourselves." The planner focuses on the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities, and the structure and function of organization. The IB Central Idea for this Planner is: “Systems have parts that need to work together in order to be most effective.”

Students will improve their understanding of how families, classrooms, schools, clubs, cities, businesses, fire departments, and assembly line factories are organized. They will also discuss questions such as: What is a system? What are different types of systems? How do systems work? What are the rules, roles, and routines within a system? Why are rules, roles, and routines important within systems? What happens if one part of a system doesn’t work? How do the parts of the system affect the entire system? What systems am I a part of? What is my role in my system? How does my role affect the systems I am a part of? Which systems provide goods and services?

You can help your child by talking about the systems, rules, roles, and routines you have in your home. You may even want to challenge your child to think of ways to improve their present method of completing homework, cleaning up, dressing, getting ready for school, getting ready for bed, etc.

High-Frequency Word Evaluation

As part of current HISD promotion requirements, students in first grade must successfully read aloud words from the High-Frequency Word Evaluation (HFWE).

I incorporate the high-frequency words in their daily instruction in preparation for the administration of the High-Frequency Word Evaluation. I sent the HISD High Frequency List home today in your child's Blue Folder.

Because parents play an important role in helping their children become good readers, they are encouraged to read to their children and to have their children read to them daily. Additionally, parents can use flashcards and have students recognize high-frequency words in books and in the environment. Students should practice reading these words quickly and effortlessly.

The test will be administered twice, once in November to check the students progress and again in the spring. The children are to know the words by the spring, but I say…the sooner, the better!

Link to HFW List:
http://www.houstonisd.org/HISDConnectEnglish/Home/Parents%20&%20Students/Student%20Requirements/21-HFW1cardseng.pdf

Link to print flashcards:
http://houstonisd.org/Curriculum/Home/HFWE_WordCards_G1E_1213.pdf

Link for power point to read from computer:
http://houstonisd.org/Curriculum/Home/HFW_PPT_Gr1E_1213.ppt

Overview of Week 8

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the week – Who helps animals?
Amazing Words –career, service, tool, scrub, sloppy, exercise, comfort, search
Phonics – x, short i
Alphabetize
Describe the plot

MATH
Nickels
Counting Coins
Subtraction Number Models

SCIENCE
Magnets
Solids, Liquids, Gases

SOCIAL STUDIES
Systems
Fire Safety
International Festival

SPELLING TEST on THURSDAY!!!

We started Spelling this week! I sent home a note Monday explaining the word lists, activities, daily homework assignments, and THURSDAY tests. The spelling words will come home each Monday on the same list as the reading words. I also send home a blank form to do Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday night homework assignments. Practice, practice and become a STAR Speller!

Overview of Week 7

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the week – What do pets need?
Amazing Words – needs, responsibility, shelter, cuddle, tickle, faithful, fetch, heel
Phonics – ck, short a
Sentences
Identify characters and setting in realistic fiction

MATH
Telling Time to Hour
Exploring Lengths, Straightedges & Dominoes
Counting Pennies

SCIENCE
Magnets
How Objects Move

SOCIAL STUDIES
Christopher Columbus
Action Cycle
Friendship

Parent-Teacher Conferences

I have started scheduling Parent-teacher conferences! I plan to meet with every student’s parents during the month of October. You may sign up on the conference sheet outside the classroom or via e-mail. All conferences will take place in our classroom, and they are being scheduled at 20 minute intervals. Most conferences will occur on October 19, the early dismissal/International Festival Day, after school at 3:30 or before school at 7:20. Please let me know what day and time is convenient for you. THANK YOU!!!

SMILE!!!

We are having our school pictures taken on Thursday, October 4th at 10:20.

Overview of Week 6

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the week – What is around us in our neighborhood?
Amazing Words – bargain, browse, bustling, library, fact, cost, customer, scale
Phonics – qu, v, y, z, zz, short u
Adjectives

MATH
Unit 2
Number Grid
Numbers all around us

SCIENCE
Magnets
Push and Pull

SOCIAL STUDIES
Action Cycle
Friendships

Parent Math Night

Parent Math Night
October 2, 2012, 6:30 p.m.
Roberts Cafe
This is your golden ticket to understanding the math curriculum, and your opportunity to help your child develop algebraic thinking. We will discuss the design of our curriculum, Everyday Math, and will share the routines of the spiraling curriculum that keep the curriculum fresh for your child. You will take home a Home Connection Handbook that will serve as a resource for you, as well as learn how to use the online resources. Help us get a good head count as we prepare materials by completing the RSVP on The Principal's Page http://reprincipalspage.blogspot.com/

GRADED PAPERS

We are off to a great start this year. We have mainly been setting routines, establishing community, getting to know one another, and having FUN!!

Red folders with graded papers will be coming home today. Please take out the papers, sign the folder note and return the next day. Today, there was also a PROGRESS REPORT in their red folder. Please sign and return. I will be sending the folders home about every two weeks.

Homework is in full swing this week. Reading word lists will continue to be sent home each Monday, math home links will come home daily. Home readers will come home daily, I will exchange the books as needed each week. Please have the kids keep their library books and book bags in their backpacks. Our library day is on TUESDAY!

Overview of Week 5

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the week – What is around us at school?
Amazing Words – classmate, education, polite, principal, recess, science, complicated, success, applaud
Phonics – r, w, j, short e
Adjectives
Identify the plot in a narrative text

MATH
Number Stories
Addition Number Sentences
Unit 1 Skills Review

SCIENCE
Five Senses

SOCIAL STUDIES
Action Cycle
Friendships

Where is Mrs. Savarese?

We went to Science Lab today! Would you like to know what happens here?

FOLLOW WHAT'S HAPPENIN' IN SCIENCE LAB
http://louisasavarese.blogspot.com/

FRIENDSHIP

Our social worker, Mrs. Chase-Hopkins visited first grade classes today. We talked about how to be a good friend. Then we took turns acting out how to be a good friend and how not to be a good friend. It was FUN!

Overview of Week 4

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the week – What can we do with our neighborhood friends?
Amazing Words – amusing, neighbor, introduce, corner, trouble, deliver, porch, squirrel
Phonics – d, l, h short o
Simple Sentences
Recognize the difference between realism & fantasy in narrative text

MATH
Working in Small groups
Exploring Math Materials
Weather & Temperature Routines

SCIENCE
Five Senses

SOCIAL STUDIES
Johnny Appleseed
Friendship
IB Attitudes

BOOK BAGS

The children were very excited to pick out their new reading book bags & decorate their name tags! Your child’s classroom book bag will be coming home every night. Please spend 15 to 20 minutes reading each night. Re-reading builds fluency and automaticity, and strengthens reading skills.

I appreciate your support of your child’s journey into reading. Thanks for helping your child return their book bags and blue folders each day!

FRIENDS

Our first IB Planner is "Who We Are." Your child's vest project, and the related activities, will enable us to move into greater depth in our study of similarities and differences, friendship, tolerance, and respect. The IB Central Idea for this Planner is: “How we choose to act with others affects our relationships.” If possible, try and incorporate this idea into your family interactions and general conversations with your child.

The IB inquiries related to this Planner are:
(1) Thoughts, words and actions
(2) Positive and negative choices
(3) Character traits
(4) Friendship

Again, you may want to incorporate these concepts into discussion of situations, stories, and/or movies your child encounters.

Curriculum/Parent Night

First Grade Curriculum/Parent Night is Tuesday, September 11th at 6:30 pm. Come and see what your child’s classroom and day is like. We will be discussing overall expectations, curriculum, differentiation, and IB. I hope to see you all there!

Overview of Week 3

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the week – What is outside our door?
Amazing Words – active, lawn, pavement, newspaper,
puddle, banner, overflowing, patio
Phonics – f, b, g, short i
Verbs
Recognize plot in realistic fiction

MATH
Comparing Numbers
Recording tally Marks
Investigating Likely Outcomes
Calendar

SCIENCE
Five Senses

SOCIAL STUDIES
Communities
Vest Presentation
How to Treat Others

Terrific Two Weeks

Wow! The first TWO weeks have flown by…The kids are absolutely fabulous. I am having such a wonderful time getting to know all of your children!

Don't forget the "ALL ABOUT ME" vests are due on Wednesday, September 12th. The students will be telling the class all about their vest! I sent home the Oral Presentation grading rubric to help your child prepare.

Eager to Learn

We have had a great first week together in first grade. Your children are eager to learn and make new friends!

The daily blue folders will have classroom news and homework. Just send the folder and homework back the next day. This will be our daily method of communication along with email and blog.

If you ever have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me or put a note in your child's daily folder. I look forward to working with each of you. Thanks so much for all your support!

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Overview of Week 2

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the week – Who is in our family?
Amazing Words - adult, childhood, depend, portrait, gallery, entertain, scurry
Phonics - m c, p, n, short a
Nouns for places
Recognize setting in realistic fiction

MATH
Tools for Doing Math
Number Writing Practice
One More, One Less

SCIENCE
Five Senses

SOCIAL STUDIES
Labor Day
Essential Agreements/Classroom Rules
Bullying
SAFE Acronym
Amazing Words - furniture, tidy, unwind, cozy, middle, straw, yawn

Overview of Week 1

LANGUAGE ARTS
Question of the Week - What is around us at home?
Amazing Words - furniture, tidy, unwind, cozy, middle, straw, yawn
Phonics - m, s, t, short a
Nouns for people & things
Recognize and describe characters in realistic fiction

MATH
Daily Routines
Investigating the Number Line

SCIENCE
Science Tools

SOCIAL STUDIES
School Rules/Essential Agreements

BLOGGING WITH MS. AYLMER

Hi! Welcome to Ms. Aylmer's Blog! On this site you will find announcements, what we are working on in class, reminders, pictures, and much more. Please check back often to keep up with the exciting things going on in our classroom!

I am looking forward to this school year!