The Last Three Days

Wed: Un-Birthday Celebration
-Pizza & Cake portion @ 12:30
-could use volunteers around 12 for set up
-need plates, cups, napkins, forks

Thur: Opposites Day/ Dr. Seuss
-wear opposite or tacky or crazy clothes
-Special snacks: Cheese Trees & Wocket in the Pocket sandwiches
we need:

• 19 pears
• bags of cubed cheese (3)
• one bag of pretzel sticks
• 10 pitas
• two cucumbers (peeled and sliced)
• 3 tomatoes (sliced and halved)
• 3 carrots (peeled and sliced)
• 1 package of bean sprouts
• 40 cubes of turkey
• plates

-we will create our own crazy Seuss characters. If you have any recycled items that might be neat to build these, please send them in!

-volunteers can come in the morning to help create characters or in the afternoon to help with centers w/ special snack or read anytime. PLEASE let me know so that I can plan accordingly.

Friday: Game Day & Sundae Party

-Create End of Year Book

-Bring favorite game to share (no electronic games)

-Toppings needed:

• chocolate sauce
• chopped nuts
• sprinkles
• whipped cream
• caramel sauce
• bowls
• spoons
• bottled water

-volunteers needed for Sundae party (setup @ 12:00)

WriteBoard

http://123.writeboard.com/1bc1f27e907f48c7f/login

password: iwialaniersboys

End of the Year Plans and Activities

We have almost made it!! Let's celebrate!

Please read below and let me know how you can commit to assist!

Here is our schedule for the last week of school (May 26-29):

Monday, May 25: Memorial Day--no school

Tuesday, May 26: Game Day

• Please send in permission slips by Friday.
• Request a bagged lunch or bring a bagged lunch.
• Wear designated color of shirt (will be notified).
• Bring recyclable water bottle.
• Wear sunscreen.
• Bring towel, extra change of clothes and shoes in a labeled plastic bag.
• Volunteer if possible.

Wednesday, May 27: Un- Birthday celebration

• Possible Pizza
• donations will need to be organized
• volunteers will be needed

Thursday, May 28: Opposites Day

• Author study of Dr. Seuss
• Students may wear tacky/opposite clothing
• Special snack

Friday, May 29: Favorite Game Day & Sundae Party

• students may bring a favorite game to share and play with others: no electronic games
• we will create end of year book
• donations will need to be organized
• volunteers will be needed

LFGB e-news

Happy Friday!

Sorry I haven't blogged in a few weeks; as the weeks wind down everything seems to get even busier!

• We are finished with ITBS testing! Thanks to those who were present and on time every day of testing.
• Thanks for the showering of gifts, goodies, flowers, and all the appreciation! It has been a Teacher's Appreciation Week to remember.
• A special thank you needs to go out to parents for their assistance during testing! Thanks to Lucuis, Bailo, Corey, and Amir for providing snacks of oranges, apples, and grapes those days. Thanks to those who came to proctor as well: Cody's mom, Amir's mom, Joshua Clemons' mom, Chandler's mom, and Kobe's mom.
• Scholastic Book Club order is due on Friday, May 15. Please go online and order or send it your order form via the clear folder.
• Snacks have not been coming in to the class. Please check the May snack calendar to see when your child is to bring snack.
• Please return any pictures that you are not purchasing!
• Family contracts were due last Friday! Please send them in ASAP to ensure your little darling remains enrolled at IWIA.
• Today permission slips for IWIA game day went home. Please review and let me know if you can volunteer! We need at least three volunteers from our classroom to ensure the day runs smoothly!
• Check back soon for End of the Year activities! We will need donations and volunteers!

LFGB e-news

Happy CRCT Testing Week!

• This week were are completing the CRCT tests on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday! Please be sure to have your young man here to school on time and well rested with a full stomach of a protein-rich breakfast and a water bottle.
• Thinker's projects came home on Friday! Please review and enjoy! They were pretty great! Look in today's homework packet for info on the next project!
• We still need a proctor to volunteer for tomorrow, Tuesday! Also let me know if you are able to proctor for ITBS testing the week of May 4- May 8.
• Chinese book check out will begin soon! Thanks to those who made them a reality for our boys!
• We are looking for items we can deconstruct and rebuild! If you have any mechanical devices with out heavy metals such as mechanical clocks, lamps, old phones, etc., please send them to us. Do not send in any electronic equipment (cell phones, TVs, etc.) containing motherboards as they may have heavy metals.

CRCT Proctors Needed

Next week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we will be taking the CRCT. Each class would like to have one extra set of eyes and hands to monitor the students. Proctors will be needed from 8 am until about 11 am each day. The volunteers will go to a class to proctor in which they have no relatives. Please contact me if you are willing to help!

LFGB e-news

Here is this week's update and news to know:

• Monday, March 30 is Picture Day! Please dress your young man in "Sunday Best" for this photograph. In addtion to individual shots, we will be taking a class group photo.
• We have almost met the goal of $60 to purchase our class set of Chinese books. Please send in at least a $3 donation as soon as possible!
• Scholastic Book Club orders are due this coming Friday.
• Thanks to Chandler's mom for the donation of cleaning wipes and dry erase markers! We can still use a few more as well as donations of pencils for the class!
• Please send in the signature slip confirming your review of your young man's report card.

LFGB e-news

News to know:

• Friday is Dress Down Day! Donate $1 to dress down!
• We have collected $36 so far for our class Chinese books! Please continue to send in donations so that we can reach our goal of $60!
• Don't forget you can purchase your very own copy of the IWIA First Grade recordings on CD! Includes "Joe" our original song! $8 for one, $15 for two, and $20 for three! Hurry supplies are limited!
• Please be sure to check on the first grade blog for some awesome links to prepare for the CRCT, e-books, and educational games!
• Please review your young man's report card! You can keep the original copy! Please sign and return the signature slip as soon as possible.
• Thanks go out last week to some parent volunteers for their copying of class materials! Thanks Mrs. Banks, Mrs. Madzimoyo, and Mrs. Harper! New copier coming soon!!
• Please be vigilant of the uniform regulations! Some of us are missing belts and wearing inappropriate footwear. Solid color shoes in white, black, or brown are permissible.
• Scholastic Book Club flyers came home last week. Please be sure to check out the $1 books! If your young man hasn't redeemed his free book certificate, please be sure to do so. Order due date is Friday, April 3. Username: Laniersfirstgradeboys Password: wearereaders

LFGB e-news

News and Information

• There is currently no homework for this week due to copier malfunction. The boys copied the spelling list and should have brought it home on Monday. The list is posted on the First Grade Website.
• The IWIA PTA auction was a success on Saturday. If you weren't able to make it and you are interested in purchasing our first grade CD of original recordings from our trip to Earthshaking Music, they are available for purchase of $8.00.
• Conference Day is Monday. Please sign up on our writeboard for a time. Password: iwialaniersboys
• Due to Conference Day, there will be no school for students on Monday.
• We are collecting money for a class set of Chinese books. Please see the form in your child's clear folder on Wednesday for information on how to donate.
• Wednesday at 6:30 the library is sponsoring Family Reading Night. Please come out to the Multipurpose room at IWIA to check it out!
• We are still in need of cleaning wipes and dry erase markers.

LFGB e-news

With a snow day on Monday and a exciting field trip to East Atlanta, here are some thoughts and reminders:

• PTA General Assembly Meeting Tuesday @ 6:30 pm in the IWIA Multipurpose room.
• IB Learner Profile Projects: the boys' knowledgeable projects came home on Friday. The boys really enjoyed presenting their knowledge and learning about others' knowledge. Next week the risk-taker projects are due. Please send them in throughout next week so that we can stagger presentations. NO PROJECTS WILL BE ACCEPTED LATE!
• Thanks to Terrance's mom for being the first to donate to our Adopt-a-Classroom account. Through this account we can purchase needed items for our classroom!
• We are in short supply of cleaning wipes and dry erase markers. If you are able to donate some, please send them in!
• Join us at The Solarium for our 2nd Annual Auction on Saturday, March 14th, 2009, from 5 - 9 p.m. There will be great food, music and lots of items to bid on in our live and silent auctions. Admission is free!
• Now Pre-selling Dinner Tickets! You may pre-order your dinner tickets for $10 each. Just complete an order form and return it to the Main Office. You can also purchase dinner tickets at the door for $15.
• Reserve Your Space for Childcare at School! Childcare will be provided at the school. The cost is $15 per child and $5 for each additional sibling. To save your space complete the reservation form and return it to the school with your payment.
• Get Your Raffle Ticket Today! To purchase raffle tickets for the School Spirit Package or the Georgia @ Georgia Tech Football Game complete an order form and return it the the Main Office.
• We had such a great time on our field trip to East Atlanta visiting numerous businesses! Please visit some of those and thank them for their support in opening their doors to our kids: Earthshaking Music, Village Hardware, Grant Central Pizza, Cafe Slush, Bound to Be Read Books.
• Thanks to Mr. Anderson for being the one dependable chaperone for this week's field trip to East Atlanta. It is imperative for students safety and experience that we have ample chaperone for all field trips. There were enough chaperones that volunteered on the field trip forms, but not enough that came with us. It is EXTREMELY difficult to find replacement chaperones within 12 hours prior to a field trip and makes it more difficult on the day of the trip. Please be sure that if you volunteer to chaperone a field trip, you are able to be committed.
• Please check our WriteBoard later today for conference sign up!
• Conferences will be held Monday, March 23! No school for students!

Stuff to Know

• Today Dress Down Reminders came home in the clear folders. Many have already paid for the remainder of the school year. For those the flyer, is simply a reminder that Dress Down Day is this Friday. For a donation of $1, the students may wear jeans with their school shirt or uniform shirt.

• Upon our return from the High Museum, we received "Welcome Back" cards. They provide each student and their family free admission to the museum. We don't have enough cards right now for the whole class. When we receive cards for the whole class, I will send them home.

• March 6th the lottery for open slots at IWIA begins! PLEASE, PLEASE have your reenrollment package complete and to the office before that date!

• The school auction is March 14 and the PTA is still looking for donations. If you have items or services that might be "auctionable" please contact cheryldwalker@comcast.net
  

• I am interested in bringing in Junior Achievement for our first graders. We are just about to begin our next IB unit on TRADE and they have a wonderful curriculum that teaches economics to young ones. Check out the website for more information. http://www.ja.org/about/about.shtml Mrs. McConnell, first grade girls, used JA when working with her middle schoolers and enjoyed what they brought to the class. Things have changed a bit. They don't have their own volunteers to teach the units. They informed me that homeroom teachers are not allowed to teach the units. The lessons are taught by the volunteer. The homeroom teacher supports the instruction by being extra hands during the activities. If you are interested in earning volunteer hours and committing yourself to one hour a week for 5 weeks plus an initial 1 hour training through JA, please let me know. Without your help I don't think I can make it happen. They supply all the resources...you just have to teach the lessons. I guess it would be possible to have 5 different volunteers if there wasn't one person who could commit to five weeks. One for each week. But they would all have to attend the training. Please let me know your thoughts.

Today's Folders Contents

PLEASE SEND IN PERMISSION SLIPS AND MONEY FOR THE EAST ATLANTA FIELD TRIP!!

In your little one's green folder: (assignment and instructions)

• Pattern Block design: choose eight blocks, create a design, trace the blocks or use the shape template, color


• Math Messages Unit 6: complete assigned problem each morning independently; review orally during math lesson


• Friday's Morning Message correction: copy morning message, find eight mistakes, use correct form for letter


• Last week's homework: please be sure to review and sign each week with your young man

In the clear folder:

• Weather project presentation rubric: This was awesome to see the boys present with their groups!!


• Center work: The boys had the past two weeks to complete these center assignments.

-weather letter to me

-handwriting pages 70-78

-measuring practice

Many of us could use some continued practice with the proper form of a letter and measuring in both inches and centimeters. Also, remembering our good work ethic of completing all of our assignments!

Please respond to me letting me know if this is helpful for you to understand assignments and expectations in the classroom. If not, I will not continue to forward this information.

LFGB e-news

After a short week, that included an awesome field trip to the High, here are some updates and important information:

• Thanks to the chaperones that made our trip to the High SO successful! Thanks to Naim's mom, Jordan's mom, Corey's dad, Liam's mom, Joshua S.'s dad, and Amir's grandmother!
• Our next field trip is to the East Atlanta Village on Wednesday, March 4th! Permission slips came home this week and MUST be returned by Tuesday, February 24th in a sealed envelope: cash only, no coins. We will need chaperones for this trip as well! As of today, I have only one child going on this trip!
• Scholastic Book order flyers came home today in the clear folders. For a holiday present, I gave each of the boys a certificate for a free book up to $4.00. They may choose a book and let me know via the flyers before the ordering deadline of March 6th. Also don't forget you can add to your at home library for only $1.00!! Check it out online as well for credit card orders.
• Tool kits need replenishing! If your young man needs items, he should have brought home a list of needed items. Please also be on the look out for loose change that they may have in their pockets that might belong in their tool kit! Seems that sometimes it makes it to the wrong location....pocket vs. tool kit?!?!?

LFGB e-news

Here are some reminders and updates:

• Tomorrow we will have pictures taken for our class project for the PTA Auction. Please be sure that your young man is neatly in uniform and on time.
• Progress reports came home on Friday and need to be signed and returned as soon as possible.
• Spelling tests were in today's clear folders. Please reflect with your son on how to improve on the next spelling test.
• Knowledgeable projects have all been presented! They were great and are on display outside our classroom. Come by to check them out!
• We are running low on a few classroom items. We are in need of paper towels, disinfecting wipes, and antibacterial spray cleaner. Donations are appreciated!
• A big thanks goes out to those that helped pull together Friday's Palentine's Celebration! Thanks also to those who provided donations and time! It was a big success! If you snapped some pics, please share! We would love to see the creations of cheese and cracker towers and pudding and banana volcanoes!
• Our field trip to the High Museum is on Thursday! Please be sure to pack a lunch in all disposable containers and wear uniforms.
• Some of our tool kits are missing needed items. Please be on the look out for a missing items slip!

In Today's Clear Folder

In today's clear folder you will find some important papers.

• Unit 5 math test: Please review the missed items with your little one. These were completed in small groups or one-on-one. The open response portion of the test can be completed at home for higher level thinking problem. Overall, we are very strong in our addition facts, but could use continued practice on clocks. You may keep this at home.
• Last week's center work: (hopefully this will help you understand the work that comes home) Have-to work centers and expectations:"Matching Shadows"- meet expectations-match the shadow to the animal; coloring the pictures and writing the names of the animals are exceeding expectations. "Fact Triangles"- students were to cut out two pages of fact triangles and place in a plastic bag in their math tool kits. "Fact Power Math game"- game played with a partner and turned in to Miss Lanier. Free Center Work- (you might see these, but they were not required) "Gretchen's Shadow" and "Groundhog Day Spelling Word Questions"
• Yearbook Reservation Form: Please return in the clear folder if you would like to purchase and I will get it to the front office. As always, please send in any money in a labeled, sealed envelope.
• Parent survey: Please complete one per family and return by February 27.
• List of Students: This list of names were written by your little one. It will either be in the clear folder or the green folder.

HELP! HELP! HELP! Our music department is in desperate need of a CD player. If you have a spare at home, it would be greatly appreciated.

LFGB e-news

• Friday is our Pal-entine's celebration. Please go to our writeboard to sign up for items for our special snack. http://123.writeboard.com/1bc1f27e907f48c7f/login password: iwialaniersboys
• We would love to have extra hands on Friday afternoon. If you are able to volunteer, please let us know.
• Don't forget to create a mailbox for our Pal-entine's cards. A list of names will come home this week!
• Thanks to those who chaperoned our trip to the Puppetry Arts center: Kobe's mom, Chandler's dad, Adrian's dad, Amir's mom, and Joshua S.'s mom
• If you are able to join us for the High Museum field trip on February 19, please let us know ASAP!
• If you would like a sack lunch for your child on that trip, please let me know by Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 pm.
• Our lunch ordering system is now online! You can now pay for your child's monthly hot lunches online & also check your balance!! Call 1-877-237-0946 to get an account number and then go to https://www15.mealpayplus.com/default.aspx add money to your account. The lunch menu is on the school website.
• Free tutoring and mentoring!
  Students receive help in all subjects and learn study skills!
  
  Who: Students K-12
  When: Saturday mornings 9:30am-11:30am
  Where: Morehouse College - Brawley Hall Rm 101
  
  For more info. contact Bakari Pace at FrederickDouglassTutorial@yahoo.com or call the Bonner office at 404.681.7574
• Re-enrollment forms and documentation are due this Friday, February 13.
• No school on Monday, February 16th.
• PTA Meeting, Tuesday, February 10th @ 6:30, Parkside Baptist Church

Class WriteBoard

Great news! We now have a way to sign up for items without clogging our emails with 'reply all' emails!! Visit our class writeboard! You can sign up for items to provide for our Palentine's Day celebration next Friday!

LFGB
http://123.writeboard.com/1bc1f27e907f48c7f/login

Password: iwialaniersboys

Field Trip Reminder

• Our field trip to the Center for Puppetry Arts is tomorrow, 2/5/09

-wear uniforms

-pack a sack lunch in a disposable container (unless you have a sack lunch

requested....XB, CG, LG, KH, TP, MR, NW)

-chaperones will need to be at school at 9:00 am and will also need a lunch

100th Day pictures

BIG THANK YOU!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

Our 100th day celebration was a success! It could not have been possible without the donations and volunteers! Thanks to Isaiah's dad, Gabriel's dad, and Chandler's grandfather and mother for loaning us their time! We enjoyed creating our 100th day crowns and our 100 item snack mix. Thanks to those who brought in the ingredients for that mix! We will enjoy the leftovers this week for extra snacks!

Scholastic Book Club info

Don't forget that there is always a $1 book to order! You can send in cash, check, or money orders to the classroom with the order form or you can go online to place credit card orders securely!



You will find the link to the website under "Useful Classroom Website Links"



Username: Laniersfirstgradeboys

Password: wearereaders

Family Handbook

Our Family Handbook is now online and ready for you to read!! Please visit our links to review all of the valuable information it contains.

100th Day Celebration

We will be celebrating our 100th day of school on Tuesday, January 27 (that is a half day with a noon dismissal) with a special day of activities. We would love some extra hands that morning, so if you are available please let me know. If you aren't able to volunteer, please help us out by signing up to bring one of the items below:

Mini-stickers (animals, smiley faces, stars)
500 mini stickers- Joshua Clemons
500 mini stickers-
500 mini stickers-
500 mini stickers-

Trail mix ingredients (we will need 10 pieces of each ingredient for each child, 220 pieces total. The amounts below are approximate, so please read the labels to determine if we will need more or less)
2 bags of mini marshmallows- Terrance Parker
1 bag of chocolate or peanut butter chips- Cody Banks
1 bag of pretzel sticks- Adrian Banks
1 canister of raisins- Amir Haslam
2 bags of craisins- Kobe Harper
1 box of Honey Nut Cheerios- Naim Wares
1 box of Honey grahams cereal- Joshua Shephard
1 large container of Goldfish crackers- Joshua Clemons
2 large bags of cheese popcorn- Jordan Parks
2 large bags of gummy bears- Gabriel Greco


We also need the following items:
napkins- Cody Banks
250 3 ounce cups-
quart size resealable bags-

On Tuesday, we will also be creating a "Museum of Hundreds.' You and your little man should decide what 100 of one item to bring to display in our museum. Count them out at home and send in on Monday or Tuesday. It should fit in a clear, sealable bag. Examples might include 100 paper clips, 100 Q-tips, or 100 pencils. Be creative! Let's see how interesting our museum can be!