First Grader's Reader's Theatre

Last week our class finished our Kevin Henkes celebration with a Reader's Theatre for our parents. We hope you enjoy some of the highlights.


Untitled from dayle timmons on Vimeo.

Kevin Henkes Comes to an End

After many weeks we have just finished our Kevin Henkes author study. What a great unit for our students as they have learned how to do detailed Response to Literature writing. Throughout this unit, the students have learned how to think about characters, identify story elements, complete detailed retellings, and respond with connections. Our unit ended with a grand celebration - Kevin Henkes style. We had outside games, Kevin Henkes Jeopardy, time at a Lightbulb Lab (we made purple plastic purses, movie star glasses, and decorated shiny quarters), and a Kevin Henkes movie with popcorn. For pictures of our exciting day and a look at our work, check out our class blog.

Is 50th Good for Any Child?

The right action of all of us is made up of the right action of each one of us. Unless each of us is determined to meet the duty that comes to us, we can have no right to expect that others will meet the duties that come to them.”


~ Calvin Coolidge

No one can deny that we are living in trying times. All around the country, our friends, relatives and acquaintances are suffering. On Monday, your friend was laid off. Last Friday, you heard about your relatives living without power and water as their homes are buried in ice. Two weeks ago, your neighbor left with his unit for a tour in Iraq. Your spouse is worried about their job security. Discount stores are advertising entire store clearance sales. We are all hurting in some way. If we are not yet hurting, we are just waiting for it to trickle down to our house, our job, our bank account. We know it is coming.

Your child’s school is not immune.

Duval County expects to suffer from a $150 million budget deficit for the 2009-2010 academic year. All the facts tell us there is NO WAY to “trim the fat” and balance this budget crisis without affecting the classroom. In short, your child's school will suffer.

Guidance and Media services could be reduced!
Valuable resources like Art, Music and PE may be cut!
Essential supplies and materials could disappear altogether!

It is important to understand that this problem, this CRISIS, is not limited to Duval County alone. This fiscal crisis is statewide. The state of Florida was ranked 47th out of 50 states in tax revenue prior to the passing of Amendment One, which served to further reduce our state taxes. Regarding the total amount of funds allocated and spent on education, the state of Florida is ranked 50th in the nation. I ask you, does this represent your priorities? I doubt it.


Article IX, Section I of the Florida Constitution guarantees that:

"The education of children is a fundamental value of the people of the State of Florida."

"It is, therefore, a paramount duty of the state to make adequate provision for … a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a high quality education …."

Are our legislators upholding the requirements of our state constitution?

As voters, we share a heavy burden. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves with accurate facts. It is our responsibility to make our voices heard. It is our responsibility to act.
It is our responsibility to advocate for our children. It is our responsibility to fight for their rights, for today and for their future. If not us, then who? If we do not meet our duties, we cannot expect others to meet theirs.

I urge you. Educate yourselves. Research the facts. Go to the source. Ask questions. Speak out. Make demands. Do not accept it as fact because others believe it to be true.


Ask yourself, is 50th good enough for your child?


If the answer is NO - contact our state's legislative delegation and ask for immediate help from one of these short term solutions:

1. One cent increase to the sales tax of Florida for just 3 years. It generates ten billion dollars over 3 years to plug the education funding cuts!

2. Please give flexibility to the school districts in the areas of categoricals, (SAI, Class Size, Instruction Materials, Reading, Safe Schools).

3. Please suspend unfunded mandates on the districts. (Examples: Transportation, Testing & Curriculum Requirements, Safety Nets, and Staffing Requirements.)

4. Please give flexibility of capital funds—so they can be used for General Revenue.


Ask them to find long term solutions to the critical funding situation in Florida and urge them to make public education a priority so that even our children's children can benefit from a right guaranteed them by our state constitution!

First Grader's New Favorite Author

Last week we began our new author study on Kevin Henkes. If you don't know this author, then you must check out his books to find out why first graders and teachers love him so much. Last week we began by reading one of my favorite books - Chrysanthemum. Our study began by making connections to this book and writing about these connections. Over the next 4 weeks we will continue to read many of his stories, write connections, discuss his books and characters, and complete retellings. We will learn to respond to literature in many ways. Below is a list of some of the books we will be reading throughout the study:
* Owen
* Julius the Baby of the World
* Wemberly Worried
* Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse
* Lilly's Big Day
* Sheila Rae, The Brave
* Chester's Way
* A Weekend With Wendell
* Jessica

Check out more books by Kevin Henkes. Watch for samples of student work!

First Graders - they are always so busy!

WOW...what a busy couple weeks for our first graders. Last week we had our annual First Grade Sleepover. We spent our time reading and writing about sleepovers! Our annual event happened on Friday and what a success it was. Check out the slide show on our class blog.

Today we celebrated out 100th day of school. Another great academic day centered around the number 100! We had lots of activities and a visit from Zero the Hero. We learned so much about life 100 years ago.


Now it is on to something new - our Kevin Henkes author study. We can't wait to show you everything we will learn.

First Grade Sleepover

Say the word "sleepover" to any first grader this week at Chets Creek and you will see their eyes light up! That is because one of our longest traditions is our First Grade Sleepover. You might be asking "Do they really let them spend the night?" No! But the kids don't care. Prior to the actual day, we begin by having the kids make a teddy bear at home. Yes, a stuffed teddy bear. Sure we have children who aren't able to make one due to family situations, but we have parents and teachers who will help them make one of their own. During this time, we begin reading fiction books about Sleepovers. Our favorite is Ira Sleeps Over. In Reader's Workshop we work on story mapping, comprehension strategies, and reader's responses. In Writer's Workshop, we review functional writing (how to make a teddy bear is always popular) and narrative writing. The students love to make up stories about sleepovers. We also love to do fun crafts during this time such as decorating paper pajamas or teddy bear glyphs. Finally the big Sleepover day arrives. Students and teachers come dressed in their pj's and slippers. We begin with our Teddy Bear Parade where we walk around the school showing off their bears that were made by the students. We end in our cafeteria with a pancake breakfast and a slide show of all the students. Then we have centers such as Bear Square Dancing, make book covers for their narrative stories, have a scavenger hunt, etc. During the afternoon, each class is invited into the media center for a "Sleepover Party". There we dance with the lights off, watch a movie and eat popcorn, and listen to great stories. It is the highlight of the day. Before we know it, the day is over and everyone is exhausted. For me, sleepover is more than just a fun day. It is a day of memories for both myself and my two children (Now 15 and 13). My kids still have the bears we made when they were in first grade and can even remember dancing at the "Sleepover Party". I only hope that these memories stay with all the kids who walk through our doors each day as they share in our traditions. Make sure you check back next week to see highlights from our First Grade Sleepover on Jan. 30th.

7 Things No One Knows About Me

Here it goes - I've been tagged to share 7 things no one knows.

1. I love to take pictures - of anything, but especially of my kids and the beach! My best Christmas present this year was my new digital that replaces my old SLR.
2. I played the flute, piccolo, and piano up until 10th grade.
3. I decided I wanted to major in Special Education after sitting in Dr. Mercer's class at University of Florida. Yes, the Dr. Mercer of Great Leaps Reading Program. He inspired me more than I ever have been in my life. Once we were in his upper classes he would take all of us out for pizza because he felt that it was only fair since we had to buy his book for the class. He was a great teacher.
4. I took jazz and ballet classes from middle school up through the day I graduated high school.
5. My two worst classes in high school were Honors Chemistry and AP Physics (especially Physics!). I'm amazed I came to love science as much as I do.
6. One of my first paid jobs was being the perfume lady at JCPenny's. My mom worked there and got me a job when I was 16 years old. I would work one Sat. a month for 4 hours (couldn't take it longer than that) and ask people if they wanted to try a new perfume. I made $6 an hour!
7. I always wanted to work with kids. So when I was 14 I started volunteering at the daycare right by my house during the summer. Each day I would go in and help with anything they needed. I worked almost every day for two summers - free of charge.