November Purple Hand Cookie Award

Congrats, Olivia on using kind words to encourage others!

Polar Express Day 12/22/15

We will be celebrating our final day of school (22nd) before the break by having a Polar Express celebration. The kids are encouraged to wear pajamas and slippers (bring shoes or boots for recess and dismissal) and bring a small stuffed animal and/or blanket.  It needs to fit in their backpacks.  Please don't let them bring anything that is very special to you or them as there is a good possibility it could get stained with hot chocolate. We will be reading the Polar Express and watching the movie. We will drink hot cocoa and eat snacks.  It should be a lot of fun.  Would you be interested in bringing a healthy snack for our celebration?  Some ideas would be cheese and crackers, veggie platter with ranch, already popped popcorn, trail mix etc.  I suppose we could have a few sweets too. If you are willing to help, please email me with what you want to bring at dimockc@billingsschools.org.   This way we won't have doubles of the same thing.



Wishing you well!
Mrs. Dimock

'Tis the Season!

Welcome to our last full week before break! We've been doing a lot of fun craftivities this last week. Jessica, our classroom elf, has been up to some silly tricks lately. Look at these cute little elves <3

Personalize a free photo slideshow

Next week we will begin assessing reading levels and math skills for the end of Quarter 2. I hope to be able to validate the awesome growth I've been seeing in the kiddos!

Some reminders for next week:

Thursday will be our last Library check-out before the break. I've been noticing a lot of missing books and hope to see every kiddo checking out a great book to practice reading over the long break.

Friday is our Christmas program at 9:30. As always, parking will be tricky, so give yourself plenty of time to park, walk, and find a seat. I know the kiddos are always nervous/excited/scared, but when they see your faces, it makes them feel so loved!

This week is going to be full of excitement and whacky behaviors. We'll try our best to maintain some routine. Thanks for all that you do!
-Mrs. Dimock

Hello, There!

I hope everyone had a restful weekend! The kiddos are getting pretty amped up for the Holidays. I won't be hear on Monday, but we'll have a wonderful guest teacher Miss Brandi filling in for me. The kiddos will know her from her work in the cafeteria and lunch time and you may know her from crosswalk duty. 

This week is full of new skills and review of important beginning of the quarter skills. In reading comprehension, we will be focusing on identifying the problem in a story. Reading groups will be working on, "How can matter change?" In writing, we are still working on our How-To books. The kiddos are getting close to publishing again, so keep an ear out for the next writing celebration! In math, we'll continue review of missing addend, three addend addition, properties, and counting within 0-120.

As you may have hear, we have an elf visitor in our classroom. The kids voted on Jessica as a name and we've been writing letters everyday to the North Pole letting Old Saint Nick know what she's been up to! They are having a blast and are enjoying writing in a journal daily. We'll keep this up until Christmas break when Jessica has to go back to the North Pole to get ready for Christmas.

Again, we are running fairly low on snack. If anyone could drop off some donations of gold fish, pretzels, or crackers, that would be great!

Have a great week!

Mrs. Dimock

Welcome Back!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoyed a few extra days off!  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends. I can't believe it is already December this week!

Don't forget our Holiday Music Program is on December 18 at 9:30.  I hope you can make it.

We are starting to run low on snack.  We have enough to make it through Christmas.  If you are able to donate a box or two of snack we would be very grateful.

This week we will be doing a close read with the book "An Orange in January."  We will continue to gather more ideas on how out world changes and try to answer the question, "How does nature affect the way we move and change?"

Our spelling focus this week is r-blends.  Please help your child study.  We will be having a test on Friday.

crack, drop, grab, drum, trick, grin, scrub, strip, brother, pretty

This drum has a crack!

 We will continue to work on our how-to writing this week.  We will be putting it in a book, using transition words, revise/edit, and learn how to use detailed pictures to teach.

In math, we will focus on missing addend and counting on and back from any number between 0-120.

Sunday Update

Happy Sunday, Parents! We have a short week coming up, but just a few reminders. 

We have school on Monday and half-day Tuesday. If you are going to pull kids for early holiday travel, please call and let Mrs. Zimmerman know. 

Make sure that kiddos are dressed appropriately for the weather. With Montana weather, you never know what is going to happen! When it is snowing, kiddos will not be allowed to play anywhere but the blacktop unless they have snow boots, snow pants, gloves(not cotton mittens), and an appropriate coat. They will be sent outside no matter what, but it's not very much fun playing on the blacktop all day!

We had such a blast with our Disguise a Turkey project!

Also, we are running low on snack. We have about enough to make it until Christmas, but we will be cutting it out if we don't get any donations. 

Sunday Update

Wasn't that writing celebration so much fun?! The kiddos were so calm and shy! Not what we're used to on most days, but it was cute watching them be so nervous/excited for the task.

This week, we will be continuing our reading comprehension unit about stories. More specifically, we'll be looking at characters in the stories and their roles in the those stories.

The kids are really enjoying our science unit in Lead21. We've explored how plants  and animals grow and change, and will be moving into how things move and change. We will also be in Unit 2 Week 2 for spelling (for all of you spelling city users out there!) Our spelling this week is short /u/.

hug, bus, cut, gum, rub, cub, duck, plum, was, but

I want to get a new duck.

In math, we will begin looking more closely at adding 10 to a number, missing addends, and addition and subtraction word problems. Please practice XtraMath at home to help with fact fluency.

We also watched a dog safety video on Friday. We've had quite the run in with animals around the school, in the school, and stories from home. For more information, I've always liked this resource http://stopthe77.com/. 

Have a great week!

-Mrs. Dimock

Writing Celebration: Pre-Meeting

I've had such an amazing RSVP for our writing celebration! Thank you and I look forward to seeing you work with the kiddos. That being said, 28 is a crowd, so here is some crowd management ; P

1. Check in with Mrs. Zimmerman at the front.

2. Please wait until 12:30 to enter the classroom, as I will need to transition from read aloud to celebration expectations.

3. I will group kiddos so that they are with their parents, but also 2 or 3 other students. 

4. Students will take turns reading their stories. We will practice on Thursday, but they may still need a little help. I will be walking around the room to monitor and help some of those kiddos.

5. During listening, the other students must have eyes and ears on the student reading, to show respect (making someone else feel important). After the student has shared, the listening students will give 1 compliment. "I like your words" and "I like your drawings" is what I call the "kindergarten" compliment. We are first graders so we say things like, "I enjoyed the beginning of the story about..." or "I liked how you used exciting words like...!"

6. When all the kiddos are done sharing in your group, we will head back to our seats and write in our journals until the whole group is done. Then we will have our celebration treat, clean up, and off to P.E. (I'll be needing to grade spelling tests at this time, so as much as I love to chat with parents, I'm going to have to scoot ya'll out of the room ; ) 

Thank you for your support and I can't wait to see you on Friday! Again, if anyone else would like to join us, please RSVP so I can make group arrangements. 

-Mrs. Dimock

Sunday Update!

Thank you for our awesome PTC turnout! It was great to see how many parents support their children in learning. We had a fun few half-days in class with crafts, pumpkin bars, and new books. Thanks for all that you do. Reminder that book orders are due on the 9th!

This coming week we will begin Unit 2, "On the Move," in our reading series. Our reading groups will be investigating, "How do plants and animals grow and change?" 

We are nearing the end of Unit 2 in our writing curriculum, personal narratives, and will be having our celebration this Friday. The kiddos will have show so much growth between our first celebration and this one. I am inviting parents in at 12:30 on Friday to come join in on the fun. I'm even bribing you with treats ; ) The kiddos will be off to P.E. at 1:00 so I can clean up the fun!

Spelling this week are /l/ blends. For some students, it will be difficult to stretch out the words, so please practice.

clap, clam, clip, plan, slam, slot, slid, split, play, the

I like that play. 

In math, we will continue with subtraction 0-10, focusing on solving subtraction with addition. 

This Tuesday we will be having our personal safety lesson with Mrs. Neese. This is a lesson than you've already signed off for in the back-to-school packet at the beginning of the year. If you have any questions, please call or email Mrs. Neese.

Also, with Thanksgiving coming up, we will have 2 homework assignments this week! We will have our usual math page and also our "How to Disguise a Turkey," project. I will be sending home the turkey page on Wednesday with a little note on some extra details. Please don't spend extra money decorating the turkey. Usually common household items work just fine. Make sure your child is the one decorating so they will be able to finish the "How-to," writing portion of the project. Thanks for you help!

Pumpkin Bar Recipe

Excuse the stains and folding...this is a well loved recipe!

A Word from Mrs. Neese!

With the holidays just around the corner, Arrowhead Elementary has challenged all elementary schools to collect peanut butter and jelly for Family Services.  Family Services helps to feed over 7,000 people each month. 

Bitterroot will start on Monday, November 9th and end on Friday, November 20th. Student Council is keeping a count, as the classroom with the most donations will win a pizza party. 

The district goal is 1,000 jars!  This would last Family Services one month!

Karen Cox Memorial Scholarship Basket Raffle

Dearest Parents,

If you feel so inclined, the Karen Cox Memorial Scholarship Basket Raffle is taking place, and has some awesome baskets to bid on. Here is the link to the details and the pictures of the baskets. http://karencoxmemorialscholarshipbasketraffle.webs.com/

Our basket was put together by yours truly! Thanks to all the donors of our giftcards!

Wishing you well,

Mrs.Dimock

Conference Week!

Happy November!

I hope you and your child had a fun and safe Halloween!  Please make sure they keep his/her candy at home.

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are noon dismissal days due to Parent Teacher Conferences.  Please call the office if you need to switch your conference time.  I am looking forward to sharing all the great things your child has accomplished so far!

Report cards go home on Tuesday.  Please remember report cards are not like they used to be.  They are now a standards based progress report.  This means we look at the full year expectations and report where your child is currently.  However, in the reading categories we look at the current quarter's reading level expectations and report based on those reading levels.  There will be many 1s and 2s on your child's report card.  This is perfectly normal.  A 3 is our goal for the end of the year.  A 1 does not necessarily mean your child is not where her or she should be academically.  It could also mean that we have not taught all parts of the standard.  We will go over your child's report card during conferences and visit more on how your child was assessed.  Be proud of your child's accomplishments!

A quick peek at our week...

We will be wrapping up unit 1 in reading groups this week.

Our reading comprehension focus is identifying the beginning, middle, and end of a story.

In writing, we will be working to stay on topic, writing a good beginning and ending, and writing different sentence beginnings.

We will be starting subtraction in math.  We will learn many different strategies such as, using a number line to count back, using doubles, and draw a picture.

We will practice more high frequency words during spelling this week, but we will not be having a spelling test.  With the noon dismissal days we will not be getting to spelling each day and do not have time on Friday for a test.  The words we will be practicing this week are still listed if you would like to help your child practice at home.

Week of the 2nd-High Frequency Words Round 2!

he, for, was, on, are, as, with, his, they, at

They are with his dad.

We might have snow!  Make sure and label all snow gear- hats, mittens, boots, snow pants, coats, etc.  It is amazing how many kids shop at the same place.  Also, kids are not allowed to go off the blacktop unless they have their snow gear.  In the mean time, I will be wishing for sun and warm weather.

Have a great week!

Pumpkin Patch!

Wow! What a great field trip! Nothing like an impromptu field to humble a type-a teacher. Check out our day!

Another Update

It's Red Ribbon Week!  This is a fun week to show we are drug free and make healthy choices.  Here are the themes for each day:
Monday, October 26-"Be Red-y to say no to drugs."  Wear red
Tuesday, October 27-"Put a cap on drugs." Wear a hat
Wednesday, October 28-"Drugs stink, wear pink."  Wear pink
Thursday, October 29-"No drugs in this hood." Wear a hoodie and sweats
Friday, October 30-"These paws don't touch drugs."  Show your school spirit and wear Bitterroot Bobcat colors and paws
We will be having an assembly on Monday to kick off Red Ribbon Week.

The field trip has been rescheduled for Thursday, October 29.  We will be leaving at 12:10.  Hopefully, the weather will cooperate this week!

This week we are back to our regular routine and will have reading groups.  Our spelling is a bit different for the next few weeks.  After each unit in spelling we usually work on high frequency words for a week or two.  As the year goes on the high frequency words will get harder and harder.  This week most of the words are pretty easy and that's OK!  We like the kiddos to feel successful and we need to know that they can read and write their high frequency words.

We will be completing our 1st quarter assessments in math this week.  Can you believe first quarter ends on Friday?!

Red Ribbon Week 10/26-10/30

BITTERROOT

RED RIBBON THEME DAYS

MONDAY, Oct. 26^th        “Be Red-y to say no to drugs.”  -wear red

SCHOOL ASSEMBLY KICKOFF!!

TUESDAY, Oct. 27^th        “Put a cap on drugs.” –wear a hat

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 28^th  “Drugs stink, wear PINK.” –wear pink

THURSDAY, Oct. 29^th     “No drugs in this hood.” –wear a hoodie and sweats

FRIDAY, Oct 30^th     “These PAWS don’t touch drugs.”–show your school spirit and wear Bitterroot Bobcat colors and paws

Classroom Contest:  Decorate your door with the theme “These PAWS don’t touch drugs.”

Student Council will select a first place and honorable mention.

Another Weekly Update!

What a great 4 day weekend! I spent Thursday and Friday learning and connecting with teachers from across the state. 

This week we'll be working on words with short /o/ and start our DRAs to see how much each student has grown in reading since the beginning of the year. Remember to send the kiddos with a full stomach and plenty of sleep so they can do their best! In math, we'll continue reviewing addition strategies and start preparing for our end-of-the-quarter assessments. Where has the time gone?!

I can't wait to surprise all of you parents with the awesome personal narrative writing the kiddos have been working on. It will be a great celebration after Unit 2 is done. Way to go, firsties!

Here are some cool pictures from this last week!

Mr. Barbeau, a Billings firefighter and paramedic, came and spoke to 1st grade on Monday.  He taught them about what do to in case of a fire at home. 

We love our OSMO center!

 Third grade buddies are the best!

How did I end up with such an awesome class that we can do writing around the room?!

Working on our silly pumpkins.

A Trip to Sartorie Farms

Dear Families,

On Thursday October 22^nd your child’s classroom will celebrate the fall season, take a hay ride, see Llamas and Alpacas and pick out a small pumpkin at nearby Sartorie Farm. They will need good walking shoes and to be dressed for the fall weather. Each class will walk to the farm.  We will use the bike path to avoid walking on streets and proceed right through the pumpkin patch to the main buildings to start the tour. Please send 4 dollars cash or a check to the Bitterroot PTA for the same amount to cover the cost. We are looking forward to an afternoon of adventure and learning on the farm.

Mr. English

Sunday Update!

It looks like we will have another nice week for weather.  Whew!  Make sure your child has a coat for those chilly morning and for unexpected rain.  We go out for recess unless it is down pouring or below zero degrees.

Picture Day- All kids get their photo taken on Monday.  Make sure your little darling looks adorable even if you do not plan to purchase.

Homework- This weeks homework will be a lesson check on adding 3 numbers and making 10. Since we don't have school Thursday and Friday, it will be due on Monday the 19th.

Scholarships-Miss Hughs and I are in charge of the Karen Cox Memorial Scholarship Basket Fundraiser at our school. Karen Cox was a beloved educator in our district who lost her life in a tragic car accident in 2004.  Her legacy lives on through the BEA Karen Cox Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to three high school seniors.  We are calling for gift cards, of any nature or amount (labeled with the amount), for our school's basket. You may also make a cash donation and which will go purchase a gift card to add to our basket.  This is a community effort and we look forward to collecting as many as we can. We have until October 23rd and then the baskets from all over the district will be raffled off in November.  It sounds like we'll have some pretty neat ones to pick from, so help our basket be one of them!

XtraMath sign up directions will be in the green folders this week. XtraMath
XtraMath is a free web program that teaches addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts which are critical to success in mathematics. Speed and accuracy are both important to fluency, and XtraMath will help kids build up both. Math fluency is essential for success with fractions, decimals, multi-digit algorithms and any higher level math. It is based on the assumption that students who regularly practice will quickly and easily recall answers when needed, freeing up mental resources for more complex problem solving (also known as fluency).

After a simple placement exam, fluency goals are achieved through timed practices. Students are given 3 seconds to correctly answer each individual math fact. If they answer the fact in under 3 seconds (the deemed rate for fluency) they earn a smiley face. An answered keyed in under 10 seconds earns a green check mark. Finally, if a student takes 10 seconds or more, the answer will display in grey beneath the math fact and the student still must key it in. Any incorrect answers show a red “x” and still require the correct answer to be keyed in. This is great, because it forces the student to focus on the right answer before moving on. These problems will also show up again soon, so that the student reviews them quickly, before they have lost the fact from their memory (a research based strategy for learning new facts).

Our practice spelling test went okay on Friday.  Please help your child practice their spelling words.  It makes a huge difference.  I did however have to mark many letters incorrect.  Please make sure you are helping your child with correct letter formation.  The correct letter formation went home in the parent orientation folder.  This week the spelling test will be graded.  Good Luck!

Homework Suggestions:
Monday- Read (10 minutes) Practice spelling words (5 minutes)
Tuesday- Read (10 minutes), Xtra Math session, Practice spelling words (5 minutes)
Wednesday- Read (10 minutes) Green Folder homework, Practice spelling words (5 minutes)
Thursday- Read (10 minutes), Xtra Math session, Practice spelling words (5 minutes)
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday- Have fun first and enjoy your family!  If time allows, read, do an Xtra math session, and explore fun math and reading games on my blog!

Have a great rest of the week!
Mrs. Dimock

Sunday Funday!

Welcome to a new week! I've been prepping and planning for a week of fun and learning. The colder weather made it easier to stay inside and get my work done ; )

Just a few FYI's for the week:

Miss Hughs and I are in charge of the Karen Cox Memorial Scholarship Basket Fundraiser at our school. We are calling for gift cards, of any nature or amount (as long as they are labeled with the amount), for our school's basket. This is a community effort and we look forward to collecting as many as we can. We have until October 23rd and then the baskets from all over the district will be raffled off in November. It sounds like we'll have some pretty neat ones to pick from, so help our basket be one of them!

We had an assembly on Thursday where Mr. English introduced the "Bobcat 200."  This is a program that rewards great behavior.  Teachers will have 1 chip to hand out to a student each day.  If it is a blue chip the teacher hands it out to a student in their class.  If it is a yellow chip he/she hands it out to someone in a different class who they catch having great behavior.  The student takes the chip to Mrs. Zimmerman and she will let him/her sign the book of fame, you receive a nice call home, and the student draws a number.  The student will place his/her name on the number he/she selected on "Bobcat 200" board.  Once there are 10 names in a row (horizontal, vertical or diagonally) on the "Bobcat 200" those kids whose names make the 10 in a row get to participate in the special motivator.  We will be starting this program on Monday.

As many of you have seen in the news recently there have been multiple students hit by cars on their way to school.  PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE talk with your kids and remind them to be safe and watch for traffic.   Mr. Bouck sent out some great information and safety tips.  They are certainly worth taking a look at.  Please set a good example and use the crosswalk at all times.

I'll be putting in a book order on Friday, so either order online (preferred) or send money and the order form to school.

Wishing you well,
Mrs. Dimock

Spelling Tests

Please review the first spelling test of the year! The kiddos did great learning the routine and expectations. Take time to review letter formation, as we have spent a month on capitals and lowercase letters. Tall letters (i.e. t, h, d, f, b, l) need to touch top and bottom. Small letters (i.e. a, c, e, i, m, n, o, p, r, s, u, v, w, x, z) need to touch the middle and bottom line. Fall letters (i.e. g, j, p, q, y)  need to touch the middle line, bottom line, and below the bottom line. 

Celebrate, study, and check back on Sunday for the updated short /i. spelling list!

Check out Spelling City Unit 1 Week 3 for a fun way to practice spelling.

Questions, concerns, or need suggestions? Shoot me an email or give me a call!

Wishing you well,

Mrs. Dimock

Giveaway Winner!

Congrats, Misti, on winning the first giveaway this year! I'll be sending home the $5 off the October book order coupon. Thanks for playing.

Wednesday Update

We've gotten off to a great start this week! The kiddos already have a plan in place for their personal narratives, and we even had time to share with a partner! Thanks for all that you do at home to help them be "ready to learn" at school. 

REMINDER!!! Check out the spelling words on the right hand side of the blog. We will be doing a practice test this Friday. Also, don't forget about the giveaway! You could win a $5 off coupon for our next book order. 

Mr. English is back and ready to start his Principal's 200 Club with the kiddos. More details to come after our Thursday Assembly. 

Sunday Update

Congrats, Brooke, on being our class vote for our Purple Hand Cookie Award!

*I will not use my hands or my words to hurt myself or others."

This week we will start our new writing unit on personal narratives, start our weekly spelling tests, and work on math strategies for addition.

Our spelling test will be on Friday, after 4 in-class spelling practice days. Please help your child study at home by reviewing the words (found on the right hand side of the blog). This week will be a practice test, but the following weeks will be used to help score some of the writing and reading scores on the report cards.

It was great seeing some of my kiddos at Saturday Live! In my one hour of volunteering, we sold a lot of candy!!

Also, don't forget about the giveaway! Enter to win a $5 coupon off of the October book order. The question is, "What day do we have music?" Hint**Check out the post with the slideshow to find our schedule.**

Writing Celebration!

We are so happy to be done with Unit 1 writing! We're moving on to some personal narrative stories next week. Books are going home tomorrow. Please, please, please celebrate at home with your kiddos. 

Wednesday Giveaway!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday Jumpstart

It was so awesome seeing parents at Open House!! Remember, you are your child's first and forever teacher. Your involvement in school leads to many success throughout his/her life. Great job, parents!

This week we will spend time exploring our literacy centers. We are nearing the end of our assessments for our new Fastbridge program. I can't wait to take a look at the data for each student to better meet their reading and math levels. We will also be prepping for our first end-of-the-unit celebration. All great writers share their writing ; ) 

Remember, we have a half-day on Thursday the 24th and we get out at 11:55. Traffic gets pretty ugly with K-6 being dismissed at the same time. If you can, arrive early to get a quick in-and-out spot. This also means Club does not run busses from our school to club, but they will be open if you choose to transport. 

Again, thanks for all that you do! Here are some cute pictures from this week and last week!

Parent Orientation Re-Cap

In case you missed Orientation!! Email/call/comment with any concerns or questions.
~Mrs. Dimock

Here is a link to the Fastbridge assessment info!

FYI

Sunday Funday!

I spent some much needed relaxation time this weekend...at Costco. Seriously, why do I torture myself by trying to go on the weekend?! The house needed a good cleaning after all the late evenings at work. As my 7 Habits brain tells me,

FYI-Coupon book orders are due tomorrow.

Open house is Tuesday from 5:30-6:30.  Just a reminder this is an adult only event.  I hope to see you there!

We are lucky enough to have a foster grandma be apart of our class on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Her name is Grandma Kay and she is absolutely wonderful.  She is as sweet as they come!

We only have a few more centers to learn this week, like stamps and the 3 grant-funded Osmo systems. We'll be set after those two!  The kiddos will learn how to read and use the center rotations chart and will rotate to their next centers once they have completed the previous centers (after all of the centers have been taught).  This allows the kiddos to work at their own pace and be able to fully complete a center before having to switch. It also helps with students not getting bored and acting up! We are lucky enough to get 2 weeks of practice before we start our reading groups (where I am out of commission to the general class to better serve the 5-6 kiddos during their 20 minute reading groups).

We will be wrapping up unit 1 of our reading comprehension unit and begin unit 2.  Unit 2 is how readers use their schema (what they already know).  The class will use their schema to read fiction, use their schema to understand character's feelings, use their schema to understand character's actions, and they will use their schema to read nonfiction.

Our high-frequency words for the week are: see, go, I.  Please help your kiddo practice spelling and reading our weekly high-frequency words at home.  You can find the previous taught high-frequency words on the right side of the blog.

We will continue with handwriting and letter sounds.  This week we will focus on the following letters/sounds:  o, d, n, g, w.

In writing, the students will be completing an opinion and informational writing sample.  We will also begin learning about choosing a piece to publish and revising by adding more details.

We will continue to work on addition and the commutative property in math.  We will also begin working on ways to make 6-10 (0+6, 1+5, etc.).  We have some fun games planned to help teach these skills!

Wishing you well,

Mrs. Dimock

Wednesday Check-In!

Is it really Wednesday already?! Yesterday seemed like the Monday-ist Tuesday ever! Great news, though. We've been working very hard on our writing this week. The kiddos are learning important strategies for sounding out words, getting their thoughts on paper, and sharing personal narratives. I can't wait to see the improvements throughout the year!

Some housekeeping business- Green folders are going home today. The homework page requires the kiddos to search throughout their houses to practice counting and number writing. If you have any questions, give me a call! Also, the first Scholastic Book Order is going home. The due date is Thursday, September 17th. I'll remind you at open house too ; ) You don't have to order, but there is always a $1 book that would help build a home library for your kiddos each month. 

**Open House is Tuesday, September 15th. Please make arrangements for childcare, as students and siblings are not allowed that night. It is a time for us to talk as grown ups about how we can help students have a successful year.**

I would love to start putting up student pictures of the fun things that we've been doing, but I'm still waiting on a few photo permissions to come back to school. 

Wishing you well,

Mrs. Dimock

Volunteer Opportunities

I'll bring this up at Orientation, but check out and sign up for some of our upcoming volunteer opportunities! Remember, to volunteer regularly you need to either fill out the yellow sheet in the PTA packet or call the school to get a background check. Some time will go by before I get the "okay" from the front office to start having volunteers in my room. Thanks for helping keeping our class safe and running smoothly!

Volunteer Opportunities

Hello, Week 2!

We survived the first week of school!  We stayed busy learning new procedures, rules, and expectations.  We also jumped right in to handwriting and spelling.  We worked on the letter m and the letter s.  We also learned how to spell the word can.  We made "I can" boxcars and did an art project with our names.  You will be able to see what we have been working on at open house on September 15.

Your kiddo came home with the PTA fundraiser information in their backpack.  Orders are due on September 14.  Coupon books will be delivered September 16.

Please sign and return the beginning of the year packets as soon as possible.

This week we will start in with our new math series, GO Math!  We will also introduce a few reading strategies and start some writing.  We have lots of learning to do next week!

Remember to join Remind for quick updates!

First Day Back!

We had such a busy first day! All of the kiddos were so brave and excited to start their first grade year. We started with writing our names and drawing a self-portrait. With new rules, new expectations, and first grade routines, I bet they came home tired. I sure did! I look forward to a year of fun and growth. Remember to send those green sheets back (front and back filled out) so I can start putting photos on the blog to share what we're up to. See you all tomorrow! 

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Welcome 1st Grade Class of 2015-2016!

Summer flew by and now we are anticipating a great school year! If you find yourself browsing my blog after you find out your child's teacher, welcome to the Polka Dot Patch. You'll get to know me a little better at meet the teacher night, but this is a good place to start.

While you're here...please follow this link! Remind

Here are a few things we did this summer:

1.) Visited Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for a relaxing post-school getaway/ anniversary trip.

2.) Organized the garage.

3.) Relaxed and read non-teaching books.

4.) Couldn't relax so I started reading teaching books : x

5.) Snuggled with my pup, Sheldon.

6.) Got a jump start on school planning and decorating!!

7.) Worked on grad school courses 

I can't wait to hear about all of the kiddos' summer adventures and excitement for a great year. Welcome back, firsties!

-Mrs. Dimock

Last Week Agenda

Can you believe it's the last week of the 2014-2015 school year?! Where did the time go?

This week we have several important events. This is the time of year where items start going home in backpacks and the last paperwork is sent home. I've prepared a baggie with a letter for you, work we did at the beginning of the year, pictures from the first day, and their name tags. Please look through it before throwing anything away!


Monday- Bobcat Assembly at 9:00 (invite from teacher)
Wednesday- Baggies go home.
Thursday- Clean-up day! Everything goes home this day!
Friday- Last day! Noon dismissal. Classroom mini-award red carpet event ; )

It was a pleasure to have each of my students in my classroom this year. What a great bunch of kiddos! Have a great summer, almost-second-grader-parents!

Update

We had some special guests in our class today!  We were lucky enough to have some animals from the zoo visit us through their Classroom Outreach Program.  Kulr 8 News also stopped by to see the presentation.  Be sure to check it out online.

Thank you to those who have donated to the Boeckel family.  I know there is a booth set-up outside of Kay Jewelers in the mall if you would like to send any additional cards, gifts, etc. We are still collecting money at our school. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Friday, May 22 at 1:15 is our Barnyard Moo-sical.  They have be practicing all week and it's going to be a great performance!

Please return your child's field trip permission slip.  Your child will not be able to go if it is not returned.

We are missing a few Lead 21 books.  Please take a look around your house and return them if they happen to be there.  We are missing the following titles:

A Look at Water Habitats
My Day with Rocks
Window Shopping
Why the Sky is So Far Away
Shop with Mom

We will be continuing to assess reading levels this week.  I was hoping to be done, but WOW there are some excellent readers in first grade and it is taking longer than I expected.

We got a little behind in math this week.  This week we will be finishing up measurement and beginning our end of the year math assessments.

Almost there!

Permission slips for our end of the year field trip went home in your child's green folder last week. Please complete them and return ASAP.

If you are planning to attend the BBQ on May 14 please return your form and payment by May 12.

We will not be having anymore spelling tests this year. We will work on high frequency words.

This week we will be completing our last reading assessment.  I am looking forward to seeing the growth in reading levels.  We had some very hard workers this quarter and I know many students improved their reading level!

In math, we will be working on measurement and wrapping up telling time. We will also try to squeeze a few assessments in.

Take care! This is a busy time of the year, so thanks in advance for all that you do!

-Mrs. Dimock

It's May!!

Mark you calendars!

May 28-Field Trip to Riverfront Park-9:30-1:30- We will be exploring the pond habitat and playing outdoor games. Would you like to help?  I still need 2 volunteers to meet us at Riverfront Park this day. Unfortunately, siblings and other children may not come. It is a great trip and the kids love it!

May 29- Field day- This is a fun morning for K-3 with a lot of outdoor games.  Would you like to volunteer to take our first grade class around to each game?  It will be from 9:20-10:50.  We could always use more volunteers for this event!  However, siblings and non-school age kids are not allowed to come with you since you will be supervising our little firsties.

We will be doing our AIMSWeb reading and math assessments this week.  Please make sure your kids gets plenty of rest and has a good breakfast before coming to school this week.  Assessments are much tougher for hungry and tired kids.

This is our last week of Lead 21.  We will be wrapping up our unit about habitats.  This is also our last week of spelling.  Please be sure to help your child study each night.

In math we will be learning how to tell time to the hour and half hour.

Thank you to the parents who sent snack.  We now have enough to make it through the year.

Please make sure to pay any negative balances on your child's lunch account.  The lunchroom will not accept any more lunch charges after May 1st.  So please make sure you child has money in their account.

-Mrs. Dimock

Update April, 27th, 2015

Mr. English has an important update for all Bitterroot families:

Dear Bitterroot Families,

Thank you for your generous support of the November 2013 school bond. You made it possible for some long overdue repairs and updates to our 50 year old building.  This summer our school is getting new windows, lighting, ceilings, and room heating units.  With this great blessing comes the challenge that we have to be completely moved out of the building by June 8th. It is a huge task so we have decided as a staff to “eat the elephant one bite at a time”.  As a result, you may find things like bulletin boards and books are being packed in your child’s classroom on an ongoing basis. During this time we will be looking for educationally sound opportunities that give staff some time to pack but keep students engaged in positive learning activities.  There may be a grade level PE event out on the playground or a movie in the gym. We will keep you informed as these opportunities arise. Thank you for your patience. It will be a little pinch for a big gain.

Gratefully,

John English

Principal, Bitterroot School

406 281-6205

No school Friday, May 1.

We are continuing learning about habitats in Lead 21.  We have learned so many facts in reading groups about grasslands, oceans, forests, and deserts.  The kiddos have been very engaged throughout this unit!

In math we will be wrapping up our money unit.  This week we will introduce the quarter and continue to work on counting money. Any practice at home with money will build real life connections with their learning. Remember, parents are the first and best teachers! 

You may have heard about your child's animal report. We are using our first-grade writing skills to complete an expository piece for their cumulative file. With encouragement and grit, most students will complete a 5 paragraph report. To build connections, please ask about the reports and guide them to books at the library about the animals or research together online. 

Thank you for all that you do! Remember, we are desperately needing parent volunteers for our field trip and field day at the end of May. Please contact me if you would like to commit to either or both events. 

-Mrs. Dimock

Update 4/20/15

We finally have a 5 day week!  It seems like it has been forever since we have had a full week.  I'm not sure we can survive!

Thank you to the parent volunteers and those who donated items for the classroom carnival.

Our first grade "moo-sical" will be on May 22 at 1:15.  We hope to see you there!

We will continue learning about habitats.  The kiddos are really enjoying this unit and are very engaged.  They have lots of great questions about the different habitats.  Spelling is another toughie.  Please, please, please help your child study at home. Building confidence in spelling helps students succeed in other areas of school. The spelling patterns match up with the reading levels they should be progressing to by the end of the year.

We will continue to work on money in math.  We will be working with the penny, nickel, and dime.

We have completed our notes for our animal reports.  The kiddos did an outstanding job on their jot-taking skills.  This week will begin our rough drafts and hopefully get an illustration or two done.

-Mrs. Dimock

Update!

The school carnival is Friday, April 17.  Hope you can make it!

We begin a new unit this week in Lead 21.  We will be learning about habitats and discovering what is needed to make a perfect place to live.  Spelling is another toughie this week.  Please make sure you help your kiddo study.

In math, we are starting to learn about money.  We will be working with the penny, nickel, and dime this week.

Congrats to Joshua for winning the Bobcat Award for kindness and compassion!

April Showers Bring May Flowers!

Report cards go home on Tuesday.  Please remember to praise your kiddo for their successes in the third quarter.  They worked very hard.  I still can't believe how fast this year has gone.  Only one quarter left.

Thank you to the parents who have volunteered to help with the duck pond.  We could still use some volunteers.  We are needing one person to help from 7:00-7:30 and one person to help from 7:30-8:00.  Please email me if you can help.

We will begin our final week of our history unit in Lead 21.  We will be wrapping up and reviewing what history can teach us and also discussing what we can learn about our communities from stories of the past.  In reading groups we will be reading about famous women in history.

We will continue geometry in math.  We will be learning about attributes of shapes.  We will also continue with fractions and splitting shapes into halves and quarters

Spring Break is Almost Here!

Noon dismissal on Thursday.  No school on Friday or Monday.  Back to school on Tuesday, April 7th. Report cards also go home on April, 7th.

We've been working hard in both reading and math the last few weeks. Jumping right into fourth quarter material, we'll finish the year out with spiral review of our curriculum and first grade favorites, like money and 3-D shapes! Keep practicing spelling, as the words start to get a little trickier with the culminating phonics work.

I've started to notice the "cranky" first grade syndrome in Room 13! That means growth spurts and more sunlight to keep the kiddos up later. Please continue your diligence in strict bedtimes and proper nutrition. Spring fever combined with cranky kiddos is a recipe for disaster in our 7 hour day, especially with spring sports starting! Also, the heights wind continues to make morning recesses pretty chilly. A light coat is still necessary, especially if the kids start coming in shorts and t-shirts.

Also, just as a heads up, our class musical is scheduled for May 22nd at 1:15. I know parents need a lot of time in advance to take time off of work, so here is your first of many reminders from me.

We need your help for the school carnival.  So far, we only have 2 parents helping.  We will be unable to have a booth without more help, and without booth money, we cannot fully fund the end-of-the-year activities. Thanks for all that you do! If you would like to volunteer, contact me at dimockc@billingsschools.org or give me a call!

-Mrs. Dimock

P.S. Congrats to Annika, our Purple Hand Cookie Award winner for the month of March!