Hancock Lumber Field Trip

   This month we have been working through our social studies unit on goods and services.  I have found the best way convey this information is to have parents come in and share about their occupation.  This

allows me to be able to convey such vocabulary as needs, wants, goods, and services.  

    This year we had several parents that worked at Hancock Lumber.  Graciously, Jeff Hall offered for the 1st grade classes to go over to the mill and learn about how lumber is produced.  So, we put on our complimentary hard hats, goggles, and ear plugs and heading out on our adventure at the mill.  I have attached several pictures of our experience.  This was a very exciting opportunity, and all of the kids had a wonderful time seeing the giant saws and machines!  Thank you again to the Hall's, Mrs. Stuart, Mr. Chase, and the other tour guides and Hancock Lumber, it was wonderful experience!!

Off we go!!

Hard hat time

Now we're looking professional 

Jeff Hall explaining the process of making and shipping lumber

Byproduct- wood chips and saw dust

Taking in the giant saws

The huge 'pencil sharpener'

Mud, mud, I love MUD!!

Cut boards moving up the conveyor belt

Walkway over sawdust shoot

Amazed at the process of it all!

The HUGE SAW!!! WOW

Finished Traps

At the end we had some wonderful end products, and some very happy inventors!

Gold to trick the leprechaun

Building leprechaun traps

For St. Patrick's Day we decided to see if we could catch ourselves some leprechauns!  This activity was a wonderful chance to have student's collaborate and work together on a project plus, it was a fun activity that also encouraged creative thinking.

Planning stages to their trap

Creating a little house and a pulley trap

Dr. Seuss Day!!

On Dr. Seuss day we participated in read across America. This is in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday.  At the end of the day on March 2nd, the entire school grabbed their books and read in the hallway.  After we were done reading we tallied up how many pages that we read and sent our number to our librarian.  She then tallied the entire schools pages to see if we read enough to go across America (each page equalled a mile).  A few days later it was announced that we as Songo Locks school had read across America!!

Technology

This year we have had the opportunity to use the laptops.  These have been a wonderful chance for the class to practice reading and math skills!  Plus it has been a great chance for students to practice their computer techniques.  Also, for a prize the end of the week students are allowed to pick a prize.  One of the prizes is a computer ticket.  This ticket can be turned in during morning work time for to use the computers.

Ms. Dobson's Newsletter

Dear Families,

    I hope that everyone had a wonderful February break!!  I have to say after visiting my grandma in Florida that I am looking forward to the day we can go outside and not have to put on boots and heavy jackets!!  Until that wonderful day arrives, please make sure you child has all of their winter gear with them. 
    Yesterday we had Dr. Seuss day here at school.  It was very fun to see everyone in red and white, and even some students had their very tall Dr. Seuss hats!  At 2:30 yesterday we all participated in read across America.  This is where all the students in the whole school stop and read in hallway together.  After we read for fifteen minutes we added up all of the pages that we read as a class.  I then sent this number to our librarian Mrs. Perry that will figure out how many pages the entire school read.  I will be posting some pictures about read across America on the blog later this week. 
    Finally, I will be starting to send home 2-3 math links a week for homework.  This is to help students start getting ready for the amount of homework they will be having in second grade.  The parent unit letter will give you guidance on how to help your child with these home links.  The first home link is attached to this letter.  Please have your child complete it and return it to school.  If you have any questions please do not hesitate to e-mail or call me.

                    Sincerely,
                        Ms. Dobson

March:
11th- Teacher Workshop - no school
16th -Early Release
Parent Teacher Conference - TBA

February Calendar

9th - Laker's Day - wear blue and gold

14th - Valentine's Day Party at 2:30

19th-27th - February break

Reading Resources

There are a few different reading resources that you can use with your child at home.  You may have noticed a paper with the words Think Central at the top- https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/ePC/start.do.  This site is part of our Story Town program.  Each child has been assigned a user name and a password.  On this site students can read the stories that we have worked on in class and play games to reinforce concepts we worked on in class. 
Another resource that you can check out is tumblebooks.com.  This site requires you to register to use it, but it is a really good reading site!


Happy Reading!!!!

Guidance Councilor

      Every other week Ms. Beach, our guidance councilor, comes in and does a special lessons with us.  These lessons include things like how to be a good friend, the difference between tattling and telling, and about being ourselves.  She usually does a short introduction by reading a story or having a group discussion.  Then she does a follow up activity.
      The last couple times she has been focusing on the difference between tattling and telling.  The first week she read a story called Tattlin' Madeline by Carol Ph.D. Cummings. After they discussed when is ok to talk to teachers about things and when it is just tattling.  This week they played a fishing game to reinforce the concept of tattling and telling. 

Tattling/Telling fishing game

Ms. Beach with the class

January Calendar

BRRRRR ------ Snowy Recesses!!! Don't forget snow pants, mittens, and hats!

Every Wednesday is Lakers Day - wear blue and gold

17th - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - No School!

31st - Mid-Trimester Reports

Science Unit - Weather

Next week we will be starting our new science unit on weather.  This is always a fun unit because we get to learn about how snow is formed, what the different types of weather are, and we do different experiments to learn about weather.  We will also be learning about states of matter and the water cycle.  Sometimes we are able to get a meteorologist from a local news station come in to tell us about their job.  They also explain different symbols on a weather map such as highs, lows, and precipitation.

Here are some fun weather websites for you and your child to check out together!!

http://www.weatherwizkids.com/

http://www.theweatherchannelkids.com/

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/reachout/kidspage.shtml