Mrs. Ludtke's First Grade

Hello, So far the weather looks good for our walking field trip! On Friday make sure students have comfortable walking shoes and are dressing for the weather. It is a fun field trip to end our year! This week I will start collecting all of the books that have been sent home. If you could please check around the house for books that were sent from school, that’d be very helpful. I will not be sending home reading or math homework for the remainder of the year, the homework will be to check for those missing books! Thanks! Upcoming Events: 5/29: Dress like an animal or bring in your favorite stuffed animal 5/30: Dress like you’re going on a vacation 5/31: Enjoy yourself-- dress in something you love 5/31: Field Trip: Walking trip around Kaukauna 6/3: Dress like a character from a fairy tale 6/4: Field Day, dress active for field day 6/5: NDLC wear or neon day 6/5: Early Release: Last Day of School Reading: This week we will be talking about who our reading partners can be

Hello! I can’t believe we are in the last days of school...end of year testing, field trips, dress up days...where did this year go?!  This year flew by and as we begin doing our end of year testing it is so fun to see how much this class has grown.  There is so much to be proud of!  Walking Field Trip May 31st: If you said you were able to join us as a chaperone you are more than welcome to come along.  We do not need to turn anyone away on this trip...the more the merrier!  If you can’t join us all day you are welcome to join us for lunch at the park. Upcoming Events: 5/21: Family Night 5/24-5/27: No School for Students 5/28: Hat Day or Crazy Hair Day 5/29: Dress like an animal or bring in your favorite stuffed animal 5/30: Dress like you’re going on a vacation 5/31: Enjoy yourself-- dress in something you love 5/31: Field Trip: Walking trip around Kaukauna 6/3: Dress like a character from a fairy tale 6/4: Field Day, dress active for field day 6/5: NDLC wear or neon

Hello, We have our next field trip this Wednesday to the Building for Kids. Students will need to pack a lunch if you did not indicate you wanted a school lunch. Remember to pack a drink with their lunch as well. It is a really fun field trip that the students always enjoy! I will submit one last book order on Friday afternoon if you would like to order any books for the summer.  The link is:  scholastic.com/bookclubs and the code for our classroom is  J4RGH Upcoming Events: 5/15: Field Trip: Building For Kids 5/21: Family Night 5/24-5/27: No School for Students 5/28: Hat Day or Crazy Hair Day 5/29: Dress like an animal or bring in your favorite stuffed animal 5/30: Dress like you’re going on a vacation 5/31: Enjoy yourself-- dress in something you love 5/31: Field Trip: Walking trip around Kaukauna 6/3: Dress like a character from a fairy tale 6/4: Field Day, dress active for field day 6/5: NDLC wear or neon day 6/5: Early Release Last Day of School Reading: We will

Hello, On Friday we will be having our Pizza Party to celebrate our win in KAT!  We will be having the pizza at 2:40...it WILL NOT replace lunch.  They are all very excited! Teacher Appreciation Day Sign Up: https://signup.com/go/bYpfVap Upcoming Events: 5/15: Field Trip: Building For Kids 5/24-5/27: No School for Students 5/31: Field Trip: Walking trip around town  Permission slip will be coming this week Reading: This week in reading we are continuing our non-fiction book clubs.  We will be choosing books  within the same topic. That way students can start comparing the information they are learning and seeing what is the same and what is different. Writing: The students have been really enjoying our writing project unit. This week we will be talking about how authors within your publishing house can be a great tool to use to help make your writing the best it can be. We will also talk about how mentor authors can do the same thing. Students will start noticing strategi

Hello, May! This time of the year always seems to go by very quickly because we are doing a lot of exciting things in first grade. Teacher Appreciation Day Sign Up: https://signup.com/go/bYpfVap Upcoming Events: 5/15: Field Trip: Building For Kids 5/24-5/27: No School for Students 5/29: Field Trip: Walking trip around town  Permission slip will be coming soon Reading: This week in reading we are beginning our non-fiction book clubs.  We will be working on writing post-its in our books to help us have conversations about our topics. We will continue our conversations by using “I agree/disagree because…” “I learned…” Writing: In writing this week we are continuing our new unit Writing Projects. Students are exploring different genres.  They will be choosing a mentor text and creating the materials they need for their genre.  This might mean designing their own writing paper.  Math: In math this week we will be practicing telling time to the hour and half hour. Then we wil

Hello, Thank you for helping study for KAT last week!  It was a fun week and all the students did great. Our class won with the most questions correct! Upcoming Events: 4/15: Family Night 5:30-7:00 4/17: Early Release 4/18-4/19: No School 4/22: No School Reading:  This week in reading we are beginning a new unit, Reading Non-Fiction: Cover to Cover.  We will begin by sorting our library and getting familiar with the non fiction books that we have.  We will review charts that we have used in past units to help us as we dig into the non fiction books.  Later in the week we will look at text features such as table of contents, headings, pictures, labels and diagrams.  We will make a plan for how to read each section of the text.  Writing: In writing we are continuing to add to our series books.  We will continue to use a mentor text to help us describe the setting, make action exciting, and give details in both the picture and words. We will work on adding patterns to our book

Hello, Happy April and happy KAT week. Thanks for practicing the KAT questions at home, the kids have been really excited about the chance to win the trophy! My class has won the trophy two years in a row...no pressure:)  The pledges and knowledge-a-thon will be on Friday. Upcoming Events: 4/2: Dress like a star (movie star or star in the sky) 4/3: Dress Unique 4/4: Dress like a KAT question or a cat 4/5:Wear Purple 4/5: Knowledge-a-thon and pledges due, Knowledge-a-thon Dance at night 4/17: Early Release 4/18-4/19: No School 4/22: No School Reading:  In reading this week we are talking about how books are kind of like fortune cookies. How inside of books there are hidden lessons that the author is trying to teach us. For example some books are trying to teach us to be kind or to persevere. We are going to be looking for lessons and leave them in our books. We will celebrate the end of this unit on Friday with some real fortune cookies and sharing our lessons in our books

Hello, Thank you for meeting last week for conferences.  It was great celebrating growth and setting goals for the rest of the school year.  This year, New Directions Learning Community has a new way for you to order your yearbooks with Network Photography - ordering online instead of using the traditional yellow envelope. To order your yearbook (the deadline is April 1, 2019): Please visit www.networkphoto.net Click on the Fall Prepay tab Type "New Directions" into the space there Click on "New Directions" and follow instructions If you have any questions, please contact Network photography or the New Directions Learning Community office Upcoming Events: 4/1: Yearbook orders due 4/5: Knowledge-a-thon and pledges due, Knowledge-a-thon Dance at night 4/17: Early Release 4/18-4/19: No School 4/22: No School Reading:  In reading this week we will continue to get to know the characters in our books. We will also start reading fiction books and asking a

Hello, We have some exciting news!  We have a new student who started in our class today.  You might want to talk to your child about ways to welcome someone new.  I look forward to seeing all of you at conferences this week. We will also have the Book Fair going on if you are interested. Let me know if you have any scheduling conflicts or questions before conferences. Thanks! Upcoming Events: 3/19: Conferences 3/21: Conferences 3/22: No School for Students 4/5: Knowledge-a-thon and pledges due, Knowledge-a-thon Dance at night Reading:  This week we will learn more about the Main Character in our books.  We will also learn to pay attention to the relationships that characters have in the story.  We will reread and to get to know the characters better so that we aren’t just following the characters but we practically become the character in our reading.  Our voices can show the character feeling and bring the character to life. Writing:  This week in writing we are continu

Hello!  Remember to sign up for conferences next week.  I look forward to talking about your child's growth and setting some goals as we finish up the school year.  Here is a sign up for volunteering at the dance to celebrate KAT on April 5th. It was forgotten in the email that Mrs. Frischmann sent out last week.  http://signup.com/go/nBAoaqP Upcoming Events: 3/15: Wear Green 3/19: Conferences 3/21: Conferences 3/22: No School for Students Reading: Today we got new reading partners.  We are also starting a new reading unit.  We are thinking about our books as going on adventures.  We will keep track of what and where in our books.  We will make predictions and get in the habit of writing them down while we are reading. We will also practice our retells to retain what is happening in the book. Writing: We are also starting a new writing unit!  We are beginning realistic fiction stories.  Today we named our character and are beginning to think about the traits of our char

Happy March! Penny Wars: This week we will be collecting pennies in our classroom. The class with the most pennies will win a pizza party! You can also bring in silver coins or dollar bills to give to other classrooms to subtract from their penny count. This will end on Friday. March Madness: This week we are starting our Book March Madness. Each class submitted a book and teachers will be reading all of them to their class. Then they will vote for which books they like best until we find a winner! Ask your child what book our class chose! Upcoming Events: 3/4-3/8: Penny War 3/8: Early Release 3/19: Conferences (sign up will be open tomorrow) 3/21: Conferences 3/22: No School for Students Reading: We are continuing to get to know our characters in our books.  We will begin to describe the character traits and compare the character across books. We will form book clubs and read the same series of books.  We will talk about the characters and spend time performing our books.

Hello, It’s Read Across America week! There are dress up days planned this week and we will be listening to many Dr. Seuss books.  If you follow NDLC on Facebook be sure to tune at 7:00 for a live night time read alouds by many of our teachers. We also have our Knowledge-a-thon coming up in a few weeks. If you would like to volunteer to quiz students, here is the link to volunteer: http://signup.com/go/imLqCBE Upcoming Events: 2/25-1/1: Dress Up Days (see below) 2/26: Six Flags Sheet Due 2/26: Family Night 3/8: Early Release Additional Dress Up Days: Read Across America Week Feb. 25: dress like your parents Feb. 26: dress like a game (board game, etc.) Feb. 27: crazy hair day Feb. 28: dress like your favorite book character March 1: camp out with a good book (dress in camping wear, bring sleeping bags, flashlights, etc.) Reading: In reading we are focusing on getting to know the characters in our books. We will think about how characters change throughout the text,

It’s an exciting week in first grade!  100 days and Valentines Day!  It also looks like more snow is on the way… Tonight: Culvers night is from 5-8 tonight.  I will be serving from 5-6 and then eating afterward.  I hope to see you there!  Today's trip!  We had a blast today at Badger Sports Park.  Check out a few pictures! Valentines Day:  For the Valentines Party students can make their valentine mailbox at home. If you could clearly print their name on it, that would be helpful so students can find it and put their valentine in there. You do not have to make the mailbox at home, we will have bags that they will have time to decorate the day of. If you plan to bring a treat for our party please send me an email/note so that I am aware.  Thank you to those who have already let me know!

Hello, Let's hope the weather cooperates a little better this week!  It was an odd week last week! Valentines Day: You will be receiving a letter today with information about our Valentine’s Celebration. We will celebrate the afternoon of Thursday, February 14th. Let me know if you have an questions. Field Trip: Reminder if you have not sent the field trip form back for next Monday, please do so as soon as possible. If you volunteered to be a chaperone you will be receiving an email shortly. Upcoming Events: 2/11: Field Trip 2/14: Valentines Celebration 2/21-2/22: No School 2/21: Funset Boulevard Night 2/26: Family Night Reading: In reading this week we are working on visualizing our stories. We will make “movies” in our mind of what is happening in our story. We will also work on a few more comprehension strategies. We will keep track of who is reading in our stories and learn how to understand new vocabulary words. Writing: In writing this week we are continuing t

Hello!  Here is a short video clip of some of the things we are working on this week.  It's also celebrate New Directions Week!  In our class we are celebrating being the boss of our reading.  On Friday we are hoping to have a class celebration.  If you are willing to send in a snack for the class (sweet, salty, or healthy!) please send me a email.  They have been working really hard to take charge of their reading with their goal setting and word solving skills.   It will be fun to celebrate! Celebrate New Directions Week Tuesday: FAMILY NIGHT CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER Wednesday: PJ Day Thursday: Active Wear and Family night 5:30-7:00 Friday: Dress Like Your Future Job and class celebration

Hello, This week marks the end of the second quarter.  It is crazy to think that the year is half way already.  We are finishing up mid year assessments and there are many celebrations to be had. Next week we will be celebrating NDLC week!  There are many fun activities planned.  Be on the lookout for more information this week.  Here are the dress up days planned: Jan. 22: Twin Day Jan. 23: PJ Day Jan 24: Active Wear Jan 25: Dress like your future Job Upcoming Events/Reminders: January 18: ½ day for students January 18: Field Trip form for PAC due January 21: No school for students January 22-25: Celebrate NDLC Week (watch for dress up days) January 22: Family Night January 24: Family Night January 25: Intent to Return Sheet due (those are coming home today) January 29: Field Trip to PAC Reading: In reading this week we will be learning more strategies to decode tough words. We will think about how words can fit and sound right and how to break apart large words.

Hello!  It sure is a dreary Monday but we are finally here for a full week! Upcoming Events: January 18: ½ day for students January 21: No school for students January 22-25: Celebrate NDLC Week (watch for dress up days) January 22: Family Night January 24: Family Night Reading: In our reading unit we are focusing on taking charge of our own reading.  We will teach that readers make plans to be the best that they can be by asking, “What do I do a lot? What can I do even more? We will teach students that they can ask their partners for help when the work gets tough.  We will also work on thinking about what is happening in the story to help solve difficult words. Writing: We are beginning our new unit of Opinion writing.  Thank you for sending in collections and if you haven’t please do by tomorrow.  We will be judging our collections and writing in convincing ways to show our opinions about which is best and why. Math: In math this week we will be comparing two digit number