Dogwood Room, Harmony Elementary School
  Mrs. Ginn's Kindergarten
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Mrs. Ginn's First Grade

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                                             Dogwood Room 
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5-2-22
Classroom News: Thank you to those of you who brought your children to SSU on Monday for the "A Million Dreams" rehearsal! Special thanks to Sadie Sontag for making it happen! 
In math, we are working on spacial awareness and placement of numbers on the number line (0-100). Also, we started counting coins: penny, nickel, dime. I am encouraging students to "pay" at the store or "pretend" at home with counting coins. 

This is the BIG push before the end of 1st grade! Daily reading practice at home is super important and great to continue through summer in preparation for the big transition to more independence in 2nd grade!

I have posted photos: 
Google Photos Shared Folder:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9ecE6drsrcnJYTwW9

We are almost complete with our animal report projects. This has been a challenge and a big ask of the first graders, but they were up for the challenge! They have read, researched, and wrote complete sentences about their animal. Reports will be sent home next week. I would like them to present their reports to their reading buddies next Friday. 
Native Animal Reports
  1.   Andie-gray fox
  2. Anya-Salamander
  3. Asher-Red Tail Hawk
  4. Ashton-Mountain Lion
  5. Austen-Stellar Jay
  6. Bodhi-Coyote
  7. Cyrus-Skunk
  8. Frankie-bobcat
  9. Greyson-Red Fox
  10. Kaydence-turkey vulture
  11. Liam-Wood Pecker
  12. Lucia-opossum
  13. Lukas-Raccoon
  14. Mackenzie-Gray Squirrel
  15. Penelope-Quail
  16. River-Bear
  17. Sequoia-Barn Owl
  18. Solay-Gopher snake
  19. Vida-Jack rabbit
  20. Weston-Mule Deer
  21. Wylie-brown bat

We will be going on a field trip!!!! We will visit the Wildlife Rescue of Sonoma County in Petaluma on Wednesday, May 25th. I would like us to go with parent drivers, but if the covid numbers go up (per our school policy) we will go on a bus. So essentially, we will plan for both. I will home the permission slip on Friday. The following information is for parent volunteers. Please see/call Suzi in the office to complete the requirements and let me know you are planning on volunteering. No sibling on this trip please. The max we can take is 7 volunteers, so I will take the first 7 that contact me. Thanks! We will leave at 9am and return by 2pm. 
  • If you are interested in being a driver on a school sponsored field trip, please fill out and submit the following forms and information:
    Application to Drive Private Vehicle for School Function   (fillable PDF)
    Required supporting documents:
    Copy of Driver's License
    Copy of vehicle insurance policy (not the insurance card) with the following coverages:
    Bodily Injury/Combined Single Limit  $500,000
    Property Damage: $100,000
    Medical Payments: $10,000

    You can email the filled PDF and required documents to Suzi Heron.
    All information must be received in the office at least 2 weeks prior to date of field trip.
    Application and information remains valid for one year, or until license, insurance policy or registration expires.

For Volunteer clearance:Fully vaccinated (2 COVID vaccines and a booster)
~Negative antigen Covid test within 24 hours of volunteer visit
~Cleared fingerprint screening
Fingerprint screening can be obtained at the following places:
Sonoma County Office of Education   FREE
Sebastopol Police Department- may incur a fee
Any Livescan office- may incur fee
Fingerprint form
Fees for fingerprinting may be reimbursed for some individuals.  Please contact the office for more information.
Once fingerprints have been cleared, volunteers may begin working with students.
If you have been fingerprinted for another agency, you still need to be fingerprinted for Harmony Union.

 BOOK ORDERS: 
With a $25 order, you can pick a FREE $5 Book (use code: READS).
 
Class Order Due Date: 05/17/2022


Shop Our Class Page:   orders.scholastic.com/YVK6Q
 
Shop Digital Flyers for Our Grade with Your Child: clubs.scholastic.com/grade1


Dates to Remember:
5/17 Jak Wonderly- wildlife photography presentation 
5/24 UC Davis Marine Lab visit with creatures- Andie's Mom will visit!
5/25 Field trip to Wildlife Rescue of Petaluma
5/30 No school-Memorial Day
6/1 Summer festival during school (BBQ lunch for all students will be served, along with Kona Ice and Comet Corn)
6/3 Last Day of School- 1:05pm dismissal


First Grade Schedule:
 8:15-8:30 - Drop off/ breakfast 
 8:30-10:00 - Circle/Phonics/ACT   (Friday Music) 
 10:00-10:20 - snack and recess
10:20-11:05 M and Friday Music    
11:05-11:55  Math
 11:55 - 12:40 - lunch and recess
12:40-3:05pm Read Aloud, Science, Social Studies, P.E., STEAM, Free Choice, Toolbox

Library-Tuesdays 2:15pm
Garden- Wed 12:45pm and Fridays 2:20pm
Music-Mondays and Fridays 10:20am
Art- everyday but Thursdays 1:30pm
Toolbox- Wednesdays at 2:20pm
 Big Buddies-every other Friday 1:50pm


Home Learning Resources:
Lexia  is an online reading program used at school.  Students can log on here:  www.lexiacore5.com/
Username: lowercase first name
Password: lowercase first name
Example: dawn
                  dawn
Students who have used Lexia before will be taken to the place where they were when last used.   NEW students to Lexia at Harmony will be taken to a placement test to find the appropriate level for their learning.  Parents, please let the students complete this assessment on their own.  If they are placed too high in the program, it will not be a benefit to their learning.  

Epic Books: Digital Reading Platform. Books at all reading levels.  

www.getepic.com/students
1. Go to this link (above) and enter the class code: vkw2561
2. Select their name
3. Start Reading/Listening to books

I can also assign books individually to students as we move forward. 
We use Fountas and Pinnel as a reading level guide, which helps in assessment. Our book room is full of F & P leveled books which we using during our ACT time (Guided reading groups). 
The link below is a graphic that breaks down the reading levels per grade level expectations. Letter E is  the benchmark for this time of year. Hopefully this will help make sense of the number given under the "Language Arts" category on the report card. A number 3 is at grade level (reading at a level E).
 
Fountas and Pinnel reading levels: images.app.goo.gl/nS4QHcgCaSUsw2gY9
I am grateful for the ACT time we have four days a week, where each child receives direct instruction and practice at their level. This is where we have seen great improvements. 
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An example of a level E book: marinet.bibliocommons.com/list/share/639091434/664817751
(Go Dog Go! and Biscuit books are good examples of a level E)

We have access to Epic Books, an online book resource, that your child can access at home. We are also using this a little in class, but will be using more. They are highly motivated to use this at home and asked me to give you the access code again! 
Class Log In InstructionsLaptops
Have your students open up their web browser and
  1. Go to www.getepic.com/students
  2. Enter class code vkw2561
  3. Select their name
    View and edit class roster

iOS/Android
After opening the Epic app, ask students to:
  1. Tap on “STUDENTS”
  2. Enter class code vkw2561
  3. Select their name
    View and edit class roster

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Reminders:
Return library book by Tuesdays
Return book bag by Fridays


Back to School Night Slideshow:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/181H1oeVBlUTsSE72MR6-ozHmqZiaALIJEDGigC08QXM/edit?usp=sharing​
Amazon Wishlist:
Click on link:

https://a.co/eAsvA4l
Google Photos Shared Folder:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9ecE6drsrcnJYTwW9

Resources
From Ms. Rebecca our School Counselor:
Working from home tips, mental health resources, and much more!

https://sites.google.com/harmonyusd.org/counselorscorner/home

Our School website: all the latest information (school calendar, School Board info, reminders):
www.harmonyusd.org/


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