WCS Westlake Charter

School
3700 Del Paso Rd
Sacramento, CA 95833
October 13, 2007
10/13/07
October 13, 2007

Mrs. Osterhoudt’s Class News

http://msoclass.blogspot.com
Social Studies Writing
We have been busy learning how to read We are learning how to write sentences using a
maps and about the history of the American noun, verb, and adjective (describing word).
flag.
We are reviewing and practicing how to write
We are exploring the answers to these each letter of the alphabet.
essential questions:
Our class has been focusing on how authors
• What does it mean to be an American? develop ideas for stories. We wrote and
illustrated two classroom books Elephants and
• How is American culture similar and Good Night Gorilla.
different from other cultures in the
world?
Math
We are currently working on Chapter 2,
which focuses on subtraction facts through
10. Students are learning a variety of ways
to solve math problems including:
Notes From Mrs. O.
• Drawing a picture
Hello! I would like to thank all of the
parent volunteers. You are a critical part • Using a number line
of our learning experience. The guided
reading volunteers are working with small • Using counters
groups teaching the children how to
create and write a sentence. This week • Counting backwards from the largest
they will introduce compound words. number
Volunteers if you have a compound item
at home that you would like to bring in to Language Arts
enhance your lesson please feel free to The students are getting use to working in
do so (i.e. pancakes, blueberries, etc.). reading groups and independently in curriculum
Our math volunteer is busy teaching your centers. Your children rotate to the following
children how to figure out different coin centers each day: Math, Reading, Spelling, Art,
combinations. Now is a great time to and Writing. They are expected to complete
one “must do” task at each center then they
consider giving your child a small
may choose from two to five different learning
allowance (in coins) or allowing them to
activities to work on at their assigned center.
pay for small items using coins at a store. Curriculum centers help students to practice
first grade social and academic skills plus learn
I have received a report that first graders responsibility and time management. Fridays
have been yelling “Boo” at are “catch up” days. All students are given the
kindergarteners in the bathroom during opportunity to catch up any “must do” work
recess scaring them. I plan to talk to our they did not finish during the week before
class about responsible bathroom selecting a free choice center activity.
behavior on Monday. I would appreciate
you speaking to your children about this
behavior too.
 Mrs. O.’s News Page 2

First Grade Sight Words School Rules

get, them, like, one, this, my, would, me, Please take a moment to review the
will, yes, big, went, are, come, if, now,
long, no, came, ask, very, an, over, school rules with your child.
yours, its, ride, into, just, blue, red, from, • Respect each other. Be
good, any, about, around, want, don’t,
how, know, right, put, too, got, take, courteous.
where, every, pretty, jump, green, four,
away, old, by, their, here, saw, call, after, • Listen. Know when to talk.
well, think, ran, let, help, make, going,
sleep, brown, yellow, five, six, walk, two, • Always do your best.
or, before, eat, again, play, who, been,
may, stop, off, never, seven, eight, cold, • Follow directions.
today, fly, myself, round, tell, much,
keep, give, work, first, try, new, must, Upcoming Events
start, add, subtract Box Tops for Education due in by October 15th
(our class only needs 40 more to earn otter pops)
Goblin Gardens Pumpkin Patch
School Pictures- October 16th (in uniforms)
• We will be exploring how some
Americans celebrate the Fall! WCS Campus Clean Up- October 29th (9:00
a.m.-1:00 p.m.)
• October 19th
Family Night at Natomas Barnes & Nobles –
• 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. October 24th (5:00-7:00 p.m.)
• Transportation: Bus
Railroad Museum Field Lesson- October 26th
• Chaperones: Kami LeMoss, (Chaperones: Ann Alan, Danielle Steuben)
Christine Rakkar, Katherine
1st Grade Halloween Party- October 31st (no
Stewart, Fredericka McGee costumes, we will enjoy games, a craft, & reader’s
• Please send a sack lunch with theater preformed by our yellow reading group)
your child since we will eat Safetyville USA Field Lesson- November 16th
lunch at the pumpkin farm. (Chaperones: Danielle Steuben)
News Flash!!!
Your students are doing a wonderful job B Street Children’s Theater Field Lesson-
following our classroom rules, working December 6th (Chaperones: Ann Alan, Richard
as a team, completing their work in a Steuben, Kami LeMoss)
timely manner, and using good
manners! Our student leader places Discovery Science Museum Field Lesson-
marbles in a jar when our class is doing March 20th (Chaperones: Richard Steuben)
a good job at school. We voted to have
a root beer float and PJ party when the Crocker Art Museum Field Lesson- April 17th
jar is full; however we will have a crazy (Chaperones: Richard Steuben)
sock day instead of PJs. We are only 11
marbles away from our goal. We hope Explorit Mace Ranch Nature Lab Field Lesson-
to have our party on Thursday (Oct 18) May 22nd (Chaperones: Richard Steuben)
after lunch. We will take off our shoes
and relax in our silly socks with floats Fairytale Town Field Lesson- June 5th
while Mrs. O. reads us a silly story. (Chaperones: Richard Steuben)