classroom wish list
In order to keep individual supply costs down at the beginning of the year (for parents & teachers alike), the first grade teachers chose to leave some items off of the supply lists. However, we will still be in need of some supplies at the beginning, and throughout the school year.
If you are able to help us out by supplying some of these items, we would really appreciate your donations.
If you are able to help us out by supplying some of these items, we would really appreciate your donations.
2016-2017 First grade supply list

In an effort to keep costs to you low, we have minimized the "additional" items that would normally be included on a supply list (such as tissues, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, etc.) However, as we see a need for these items in the future, we will occasionally put out a call for donations of these items throughout the year.
1 Crayola Markers, Washable, Classic Colors, Fine Tip, 8/Set
4 Expo Dry Erase Markers, Chisel Tip, Low Odor, Black
2 Boxes Crayola Crayons, 24/box
2 Dozen #2 Pencils 8 Elmer’s glue Stick, Washable, Acid Free, White, .21 oz.
1 Crayola colored pencils, 24/set
2 Post-It Note pads, 3”x3”, 100 sheets/pad
1 box any color ink pen (12 count)
1 composition book
1 Crayola Markers, Washable, Classic Colors, Fine Tip, 8/Set
4 Expo Dry Erase Markers, Chisel Tip, Low Odor, Black
2 Boxes Crayola Crayons, 24/box
2 Dozen #2 Pencils 8 Elmer’s glue Stick, Washable, Acid Free, White, .21 oz.
1 Crayola colored pencils, 24/set
2 Post-It Note pads, 3”x3”, 100 sheets/pad
1 box any color ink pen (12 count)
1 composition book

HELLO FAMILIES!
I am so excited to meet all of you!
First grade is an exciting time of growth for kids, families and teachers.
Please plan to attend our
OPEN HOUSE on TUESDAY, AUGUST 16 from 4:30-5:30.
** SUPPLIES **
If you have supplies to drop off please bring them at this time, if have ordered supplies, they will be delivered to the classroom for you, no worries!
(You can find the supply lists here: DCR Supply Lists 2016-2017)
**** FAMILY PHOTO ****
PLEASE bring a 3X5 family photo. These photos will be returned at the end of the year, but they will not be in their original condition so please make a copy if you're concerned about condition!
These photos will be placed in your first grader's work area. We have found having a picture of the family helps your child adjust to school and inspires thinking in Writing Workshop as well as helping in getting to know your child and your family.
*** FAVORITE PICTURE BOOK ***
Choose your favorite book from home to share with the class. We will use these for a special activity on the first day of school. Make sure to put your name inside the front cover.
SEE YOU SOON!!!
I am so excited to meet all of you!
First grade is an exciting time of growth for kids, families and teachers.
Please plan to attend our
OPEN HOUSE on TUESDAY, AUGUST 16 from 4:30-5:30.
** SUPPLIES **
If you have supplies to drop off please bring them at this time, if have ordered supplies, they will be delivered to the classroom for you, no worries!
(You can find the supply lists here: DCR Supply Lists 2016-2017)
**** FAMILY PHOTO ****
PLEASE bring a 3X5 family photo. These photos will be returned at the end of the year, but they will not be in their original condition so please make a copy if you're concerned about condition!
These photos will be placed in your first grader's work area. We have found having a picture of the family helps your child adjust to school and inspires thinking in Writing Workshop as well as helping in getting to know your child and your family.
*** FAVORITE PICTURE BOOK ***
Choose your favorite book from home to share with the class. We will use these for a special activity on the first day of school. Make sure to put your name inside the front cover.
SEE YOU SOON!!!
This week in first grade
May 23 - May 27, 2016
Weekly Highlights:
- We have a lot going on the next two weeks. At this time of year, students start behaving as if school is already out. Please make sure to remind your student that learning is still taking place and that we are not on summer break yet.
- Due to the fact that MOST of the learning in first grade is hands-on and experiential, and many of the products of our learning are displayed in the room and in journals, you have not seen “stuff” coming home this year. But now that the end of the year is near, we will be sending those cumulative products home. Please make sure that your child’s backpack does not have any unnecessary items in it so that there is room for the things that will be sent home over the next two weeks. Thanks!
- Get your child a Kids Card Library Card to check out up to 5 books and ebooks and resources without accruing fees. The card will be generated and delivered to them at school. Click here to sign up.
Monday: Art Show Gallery Walk
Tuesday: Gym
Wednesday: Music
Thursday: Art
Friday: Gym
Mark Your Calendar:
5/24 Author Visit, Christy Sturtz
5/30 Memorial Day, No School
6/3 Last Day of School
We Are Learning…
Reader’s Workshop:. We are combining our Reader's Workshop and Writer's Workshop to learn about
and write non-fiction. We are learning about the features in a non-fiction text and how to read it.
Writer’s Workshop: We are combining our Writer's Workshop and Reader's Workshop to learn about and
write non-fiction. Students are completing individual and partner research projects and sharing their
information in a method of their choice.
Math: In Math, we have been learning about telling time and comparing numbers. We have also been learning about
collecting and interpreting data. We will be moving into Geometry and Measurement for the last two weeks
of school.
Social Studies: In Social Studies we will be focusing on Geography: map skills and the physical features of
our area.
Science: In Science we are going to be learning about force and motion as well as changing matter for the
final weeks of school.
Visit the News Page on our Web Site for Ongoing Information
First grade jungle parade
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In Art, the kids made masks of Jungle Animals. On Friday, February 5th at 1:50 pm, all of the first graders put their masks on and had a parade through the hallways. All of the classes 2-5 and Kindergarten lined the hallway, along with many parents and friends, clapping for them.
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Newsletter Items to Save:
Beware of Falling Temperatures!
Now that we have begun to see some winter weather, please make sure that your student is properly dressed for our decreasing temperatures. Hooded sweatshirts do not take the place of thick winter coats when children are outside for extended periods of time. They are outside for recess for up to 40 minutes each day and it can get quite chilly on our playground. Per the student handbook, we will go outside if the temperature is 20 degrees or above with the wind chill. Additionally, students waiting outside for daycare buses or for parent pickup may wait up to 15 minutes for their ride to arrive. I encourage you to check the forecast each day as the temperatures continue to drop. Remember that we are at Recess from 11:30-12:15 and the “high” temps of the day generally do not come until late afternoon.
Beware of Falling Temperatures!
Now that we have begun to see some winter weather, please make sure that your student is properly dressed for our decreasing temperatures. Hooded sweatshirts do not take the place of thick winter coats when children are outside for extended periods of time. They are outside for recess for up to 40 minutes each day and it can get quite chilly on our playground. Per the student handbook, we will go outside if the temperature is 20 degrees or above with the wind chill. Additionally, students waiting outside for daycare buses or for parent pickup may wait up to 15 minutes for their ride to arrive. I encourage you to check the forecast each day as the temperatures continue to drop. Remember that we are at Recess from 11:30-12:15 and the “high” temps of the day generally do not come until late afternoon.
Valentine's Celebration
Our class will be celebrating Valentine's Day with a small treat and valentine exchange on Thursday, February 11th. Please create a box or bag with your child to collect his/her valentines in and bring it to school on Thursday. Below, you will find the letter that went home with the names of our classmates for addressing the valentines.
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Parent partnership meetings (aka conferences)
field day 2015
This Friday, September 4th is our ALL DAY Field Day with Alton Darby Elementary! Mr. Decker and Mr. Burkhart have organized lots of FUN activities for our students. They will be busy all day (trust me...they will sleep like babies on Friday night!). We have a few reminders for you as we near Friday that are important to your child's enjoyment of this event.
Volunteering: If you are able to volunteer in the morning, afternoon, or all day we would love to have your help! If you are available to help set up the stations on Thursday night, we would love to have your help! If you are available to help monitor the students during their lunch, we really need your help. Please visit the website for field day: http://dcfieldday.com and sign up to be part of this fun event.
For Students:
Volunteering: If you are able to volunteer in the morning, afternoon, or all day we would love to have your help! If you are available to help set up the stations on Thursday night, we would love to have your help! If you are available to help monitor the students during their lunch, we really need your help. Please visit the website for field day: http://dcfieldday.com and sign up to be part of this fun event.
For Students:
- Bring a packed lunch with a drink (The Cafeteria will be CLOSED for lunch on Friday. No food or drink will be sold.)
- Please have all students in Mrs. Carr's class wear a RED t-shirt on Friday. (This is so that they can be easily identified during Field Day activities, as we will be mixing with Mrs. Hutchins class from Alton Darby, who will be wearing WHITE)
- Bring a water bottle. It gets hot in the sun, the kids work up a sweat and get thirsty. Make sure the water bottle has your child's name on it (and if possible, mark it with 1C to indicate that they are in my class).
- WHAT TO WEAR: Come wearing a bathing suit under your clothes if desired, dress in play clothes that you do not mind getting dirty/wet, bring a change of clothes in your backpack. A red t-shirt and shorts are recommended. Tennis shoes and socks are required. Crocs, flip-flops, and sandals will not be allowed.
- If desired, have a bathing suit on under clothes. You may send a change of clothes, especially if your child has to go to latchkey or daycare after school.
- Please apply sunscreen at home before coming to school. We cannot apply sunscreen here at school.
- Make sure your child's name is on all items: towels, water bottles, extra clothing, etc.
- Get a good night's sleep on Thursday. We WILL wear them out!
Watch a special sneak peek into first grade:
Then and Now Padlet
We are learning about how life in the past (long ago and recent past) is the same and different from life today. If you would like to post something that you know about Then and Now, just double click anywhere on the board to add your information. If you would like to share something that you (the parents) did as a first grader compared to how your child does it now, feel free to add a post too. Remember to add your name!
What do you wonder about?
Coming Soon...The I Love DArby Creek winterfest
Our class is compiling a basket for the silent auction. Our theme is "Summer Fun!" If you would like to donate items for our basket, click the button below to go to the sign-up.
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Don't let the cold of Winter get you down. Grab your kids, your coats, and join the crowd. Held at Darby Creek on Friday, February 6, 2015 from 5:00pm until 8:00pm, Winterfest will include the following:
We are also offering dinner for $5.00 per plate. (This will include an "All-American Family Friendly Meal" with Drink). Dessert can also be purchased from local vendor, Crumbz Cakery. For more information, visit the PTO Website: http://www.darbycreekpto.com/winterfest.html |
February Parent-Teacher Conferences
It's time to sign up for our second round of Parent-Teacher Conferences. If you would like an opportunity to come in and chat with me about your child's progress, click the button below to go to the Signup Genius for February conferences and sign up for a time on one of the offered evenings. Our conference will last 15 minutes. If are unable to meet on one of the scheduled days, please contact me to schedule an alternate time. If you are not interested in scheduling a conference, please email me so that I don't bombard your inbox with reminder emails.
The darby creek walk-a-thon
The Walk-a-Thon was held on Wednesday, October 15, 2014. It turned out to be a beautiful Fall day and we were able to enjoy the event outside this year. The kids all had a great time walking, running, jogging, and skipping around the parking lot. Even though the event is over, you can still contribute. By clicking on the link below, friends and family can still donate a flat rate pledge to the Darby Creek Walk-a-Thon and PTO to help us provide things like field trips, special guests, and technology (among many other great purposes) for our classrooms. Pledging can be done through October 29th.
Coming soon....The darby creek Walk-a-thon!
On October 16th, we will be having our annual Walk-a-Thon. Students will receive their FREE Walk-a-Thon t-shirt that morning and then spend 40 minutes walking the course (in case of rain, we will be in the Gym). Make sure to call friends and family near and far to get their sponsorship for this great cause...Darby Creek! Pledges will be accepted through the paper pledge sheet sent home or through on-line pledging found on the PTO website. Pledges will be taken through October 29th for students to be eligible for prizes.
summer kidblog writing challenge
thank you! thank you! thank you!
Thank you to all parents, family members, and students for a wonderful year! Your support at home was invaluable to the success of your first grader. Thank you to everyone who sent in items for our Last Day of School party as well as those who joined in the fun! We had a great party in the morning followed by a great musical performance/dance party by Arnett Howard. We ended our day by celebrating our departing 5th graders. Thanks also to everyone who sent in a special gift for me. Watch your mailbox for a delivery!
Special thanks to Mrs. Webb, who handled our classroom celebrations throughout the year and to Mrs. Beach for organizing this final party, as well as to all of you who sent in items throughout the year to make our celebrations extra special. I was blessed to have such a wonderful group of students and their families this year. You will all be missed!
Special thanks to Mrs. Webb, who handled our classroom celebrations throughout the year and to Mrs. Beach for organizing this final party, as well as to all of you who sent in items throughout the year to make our celebrations extra special. I was blessed to have such a wonderful group of students and their families this year. You will all be missed!
30-Day slice of life writing challenge

Our class is joining the Slice of Life writing challenge at Two Writing Teachers. Participation is optional. I will try to link posts and add images each day of student writing for the event. Since Day 1 is on the weekend, some photos of writing will have to be added on Monday after students return to school. More details can be found in the Friday Folder.
You can view the collection of student writing on the Slice of Life Writing Challenge page here on our class website.
You can view the collection of student writing on the Slice of Life Writing Challenge page here on our class website.