Thankful Firsties

Thankful Firsties

Class of 2025

Iowa School Alerts/Bobcat Voicelink

Iowa School Alerts

Bobcat Voicelink

The links above will take you to information on receiving emails and text messages when there are delays, cancellations, early dismissals or other closures within the Benton Community School District.  The Bobcat Voicelink also includes a phone number you can call to get this type of information if that is easier.  

I highly suggest signing up for this service.  This is the fastest, most accurate way to find out about changes to the regular schedule.  Please contact me if you have trouble getting connected with these services.  

Winter Gear

As hard as it is to admit, winter weather has officially arrived.  Today, we discussed appropriate winter weather gear.  See the picture below for some of the things your children talked about as necessary items for winter weather.  If you would like to send an extra hat and mittens to be kept in your child's locker, that is usually helpful.  In order to control outbreaks such as head lice, students are not allowed to borrow from the lost and found.  We do have a few extras here at school students may borrow/have if they don't have any.  If you need help in getting your student necessary winter gear (coat, snow pants, boots, hat, gloves, etc.), please contact me.  

If students don't have boots, they will be expected to stay on the cement.  Uggs or other boots like those will not count as snow boots.  The boots must have some sort of water resistant material to be allowed in the snow.  

 PBIS will be moving into the hallway soon and students will learn specific expectations for hallway behaviors.  I've told them some of those behaviors already and we've included them in the list. 

NO SPELLING NEXT WEEK

Due to our short week next week, we will not practice a specific spelling list.  The list that is attached to your child's post test today will be completed the week of December 2nd.  The words will be left open on Spelling City so your child can get some extra practice in over Thanksgiving break.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  

Raz-Kids

Raz-Kids has been an absolute blessing for our students.  This interactive way to practice reading is a favorite of many.  I know we've got a good thing going when students ask to go to websites like Raz-Kids!  

Remember, Raz-Kids is an online tool for your student to practice reading at his or her individual level.  There are questions they can answer after reading or listening to each book.  Students earn stars (points) for each book and quiz they complete.  There is a "shopping section" where they can add aliens, furniture or other accessories to their space themed virtual living quarters.  
Your student can easily access Raz-Kids from our Symbaloo page or by using the link below.  Our code is shappel0.  

Raz-Kids

Remember, the sites your child can access from the Symbaloo will serve as excellent practice during the upcoming holiday breaks.  Even 30 minutes a day on a math or reading skill will not only help your student retain what he or she has learned, but build upon their learning as well!

20 Things We Should Say More Often

Kid President releases videos on Thursdays.  I try my best to take three minutes from my day each Thursday and listen to what this little guy has to say.  He has a way of putting things into perspective for adults and the ability to teach children positive life lessons in a way that they can usually understand.  

This is the video I'm going to show my students tomorrow.  Hopefully numbers 5 and 3 stay outside!  :)

Compound Words

Compound words was a focus for our class this morning.  This idea can sometimes be tricky.  We talked about the idea that if you can picture each word in the compound word in your brain, then it's a compound word.  If it is just a sound and nothing you can picture, it's not a compound word.  Knowing how to break words apart and put them back together helps students decode, longer, more complex words.  

We read the very popular If You Give a Pig a Pancake book and discovered it is full of compound words.  Next, we made a list of our own compound words and talked about the rule.  Then we had worked on a number of activities that required us to find, write, and break apart compound words.  Finally, everyone enjoyed a pan-cake to celebrate the new learning.

(No.... I do not come up with these ideas on my own.  The invention of the Internet has allowed teachers to share their great ideas instead of constantly reinventing the wheel.  I LOVE it!)  :) 

Thanksgiving Performance

Your first grader has been working hard practicing for the Thanksgiving Performance next week.  Please return the note that let's us know if there will be someone with your student on Tuesday.  If you need another copy, please let me know.  

Benton Marching Band in McDonald's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Benton Community High School Marching Bobcats will be marching in McDonald's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago!  The parade is televised nationally on WGN at 8:00am on Thanksgiving Day.  This morning we heard them practicing on the street outside of VHE and had to take a look!   Way to go Marching Bobcats!  For more information on the parade, see the link below.

McDonald's Thanksgiving Day Parade - Chicago

Subtraction

Last week, our math focus moved to subtraction.  Throughout this topic, we will discuss how the part, part, whole model is moving to whole, part, part.  We will discuss different strategies to help us find the missing part.  DRAWING PICTURES is very, very important in helping your child have a deeper understanding of addition and subtraction.  Basic fact practice will be an important component to practice at home.   We're getting some fact practice in at school, but the more your student is exposed to those basic facts (2+1, 6-2, 7+2, 3+3, etc.), the more confident he or she will be in this area.  

Remember, you can view all of the lessons and get some great practice in for your student using his or her Pearson log in. This information was included in the packet you received on Parent Partnership Night.  Please let me know if you don't have the information necessary and I will send it home with your child..  

 Pearson SuccessNet

SumDog Contest Ends Tomorrow!

We have been participating in a SumDog contest put on by the Grant Wood AEA.  There are students from all over eastern Iowa participating.  The students are trying to get as many correct answers as possible.  The first graders LOVE SumDog and their teachers do, too!  This is a great tool to help students find a LOT of enjoyment in practicing math skills.  The SumDog website can be found by your student on our Symbaloo.  I have listed a link to SumDog as well.  Your students login information is on the back of the first page of your Parent Partnership Night packet.  Please let me know if you need me to email you  the info again.  

SumDog

There Was an Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything!

One of our Bobcat Time groups performed "There Was an Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything" for us today!  I think everyone agreed that their performance was quite entertaining.  Reader's Theaters are great ways for students to showcase their learning and practice a number of good reading skills.  We find them online.  Try searching for one at home and have your first grader perform during the upcoming holidays!

Addition

Our focus in math has officially shifted to addition.  We've been working on addition since first grade started through various math stations, but it is now our main focus.  

New vocabulary words we've been focusing on are listed below.  Ask your first grader what they mean or to use them in an example.

sum

part

whole

in all

join

There are so, so, so many addition practice opportunities on the Symbaloo!  Check out Shepard Software, ScootPad, or Primary Games. 

Some popular addition practice apps in 1U include the following:

Math Dots (Addition Dot-to-Dot)

Butterfly Math

Storybots

MathBug
Addition and Subtraction for Kids

This is a link to a puzzle game that some of our friends wanted to try.  Increase the number of tiles.  It can tricky, but it sure is fun!

Sliding Puzzle Game from Cookie.com

Sock Donation to Waypoint's Madge Phillips Center

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

We collected OVER 900 pairs of SOCKS!

As our Socktober sock drive draws to an end, I want to extend many thanks to all of you for supporting this project.  This project couldn’t and wouldn’t have been successful without your support and participation.  We were able to find many outlets for children to be engaged in learning opportunities, work to help relieve a real world problem and instill the idea that the gift of giving is truly great.  The amount of time, energy and enthusiasm students and their families attacked this challenge with is truly inspiring and a moment in my career I will never forget.  It’s funny how children have a way of teaching the adults in their lives how important the simplest things really are. 

Most of the socks collected are being donated to the Waypoint Madge Phillips Center Shelter for Homeless Women and Children. The Waypoint Madge Phillips Center Shelter provides shelter and stabilizing resources for homeless women and their children. The Center offers basic needs, information, strategic referrals, one-on-one support, and skill development so women can achieve and maintain self-sufficiency and family stability. The Center has 16 private living spaces, a kitchen, two living areas, children’s playroom, laundry room, and private meeting spaces. Women and children can live in the shelter for up to 30 days. The atmosphere is safe, supportive, and structured to help women achieve their personal goals.  (Information taken from the Madge Phillips Center Shelter for Homeless Women and Children website.)

Mrs. Bishop spoke to the students today about where the socks would be donated.  Although I only overheard part of their conversation, it was obvious that the students were extremely excited to give to those in need. 

More information on where our socks are being donated to can be found at this website:  http://www.waypointservices.org/default.aspx

Again, thank you for supporting your student through this project.  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. 

Shine on!

-Ms. Upah

Fall Fun!

This is my favorite time of year!  Last week, our investigation was centered around pumpkins.  We read about pumpkins, wrote about pumpkins and even dug the pulp and seeds out of one.  They really enjoyed comparing their pumpkin with the pumpkin Mrs. Happel's class cleaned out.  We discussed how the length of time a pumpkin spends on the vine has a big impact on what goes on inside the pumpkin.  Below you'll see a few pictures from our pumpkin investigation and a picture of even decked out in their fall party costumes!   

VHE on Kid President's Latest Video

A portion of our Socktober story on KCRG was included in Kid President's latest video!  Everyone is so excited to see that Kid President knows how hard they worked to collect socks.  This couldn't have been done without all of your support.  Thank you for supporting your student and this project by seeking donations and donating yourselves.  This has been such a great learning experience for the students AND the teachers.  We feel so blessed to have the opportunity to be inspired by your children daily.  
-Shine on!