Bee Books

The B.E.E. Book is a three-ring notebook that your first grader will use everyday to develop organizational skills and learn responsibility. First grade is a foundational year, and it is important to teach children how to keep up with homework, tests, and important notes. This book is a way of maintaining effective communication between home and school. It aims to eliminate lost notes, newsletters, calendars, and homework as well as keep parents and students informed of important events and academic progress. So if you want to know what the "buzz" is in Mrs. McDowell's first grade class, check out your child's B.E.E. Book!

This pocket is to be used to send notes to the teacher that need immediate attention, such as carpool changes, doctor's appointments, urgent concerns, etc. I will also use this pocket to send you notes that require immediate attention. Please check this section daily.

From time to time, you may need to send money to school for book club orders, lunch, field trips, etc. Please use the plastic pencil case to send money to school. Please do not use this pocket for school supplies as it is not durable enough for everyday use.

Each week your child will receive a homework contract to place in this section. Spelling lists will be placed in the clear sheet protector. Homework will be sent home in the "Homework" pocket and completed homework should be returned to school in the same pocket. Please check this section daily.

This pocket contains graded schoolwork that may be kept and admired at home. Display your child's work on the fridge, in the bathroom, or another special home art and schoolwork gallery. Please check this section daily and remove all items from the pocket.

This section is designed to keep you informed of your child's academic, social, and emotional progress. Each week I will fill out a "Weekly Checklist" for your child. Please review this checklist and initial it. There is also a space for comments between home and school. From time to time, I will write comments about your child. I encourage you to write comments to me as well. Please keep in mind that I will only check this section twice a week. If you have an urgent comment, please write a note and place it in the "Important Notes" pocket, send me an email, or call me at school.

Check this section for weekly newsletters. Monthly Homework Calendars will also be kept in this section as well as any other important school and classroom calendars. There is also a copy of our daily schedule.

Please check this section weekly to review tests. Please sign the test to acknowledge that you have reviewed it with your child. Do not remove tests from the binder!

During the months of October through March, this section will contain a monthly reading calendar for the Pizza Hut Book It! program. Pizza award coupons will be sent home in the Money Pocket.

Bible memory is included in the B.E.E. Book so that you and your child will have easy access to it at all times. This way when you are at big brother's soccer game you will always have something to do!

This section contains a sight word list, special phonics sounds, a math fact family sheet, and a handwriting alphabet. Practicing these activities at home will help your child become more successful in the classroom! Check out my Homework Helper page for more ideas.

The B.E.E. Book contains everything your child will need for school everyday. Encourage your child to become more independent by being responsible for putting his B.E.E. Book in his bookbag every night before going to bed. This will mean a calm and relaxed commute to school and a confident first grader who will be prepared to start the day off right.

Take your BEE Book home with you every day and bring it to school with you in the morning. After your homework is done, put it back in your backpack so you won’t forget it!

Show your BEE Book to your family every day. They will be so proud that you are learning responsibility.

Notebook paper or stationary for parents to use to write notes to the teacher (optional)

The BEE Book is completely customizable, so you can choose to include the sections that YOU and YOUR CLASSROOM need. Here are some suggestions:

Important Notes	This pocket is to be used to send notes to the teacher that need immediate attention, such as carpool changes, doctor's appointments, urgent concerns, etc. I will also use this pocket to send you notes that require immediate attention. Please check this section daily.
Money Pocket	From time to time, you may need to send money to school for book club orders, lunch, field trips, etc. Please use the plastic pencil case to send money to school. Please do not use this pocket for school supplies as it is not durable enough for everyday use.
Homework Spelling	Each week your child will receive a homework contract to place in this section. Spelling lists will be placed in the clear sheet protector. Homework will be sent home in the "Homework" pocket and completed homework should be returned to school in the same pocket. Please check this section daily.
“Bee-utiful” Work Or Super-Duper Work to Keep at Home	This pocket contains graded schoolwork that may be kept and admired at home. Display your child's work on the fridge, in the bathroom, or another special home art and schoolwork gallery. Please check this section daily and remove all items from the pocket.
Between Home and School	This section is designed to keep you informed of your child's academic, social, and emotional progress.
Newsletters and Calendars	Check this section for weekly newsletters. Monthly Homework Calendars will also be kept in this section as well as any other important school and classroom calendars.
Tests	Please check this section weekly to review tests. Please sign the test to acknowledge that you have reviewed it with your child. Do not remove tests from the binder!
Homework Helpers	This section contains a sight word list, special phonics sounds, a math fact family sheet, and a handwriting alphabet. Practicing these activities at home will help your child become more successful in the classroom!

Book Treasures

Class Information

Parent Handbook

Reading Log

Accelerated Reader

Book It

Poetry Journal

Sight Words

Enrichment Programs

Need some help putting your books together? Check out these websites to see pictures and read about how other teachers use them to meet their needs!

I receive many emails from teachers asking about the bee graphics. I purchased the graphics from www.djinkers.com To create your own template, visit DJ Inkers and purchase the "Spring and Summer Clip Art Smiles CD." The graphics used to be sold in a downloadable collection, but I am unable to find it listed for purchase on their site currently. Graphic Garden also has lots of adorable bee graphics available for free.

	Creating Responsible Learners and Informed Parents: Download my workshop notes for more ideas on creating BEE Books and improving communication between home and school.
	Almost Heaven Kindergarten and Bear Books: This site has great pictures, links to other websites that use organizational notebooks and acronyms for all kinds of mascots or themes. http://www.geocities.com.jankwv/beabooks.html
	Teaching Heart: A phenomenal website filled with hundreds of ideas for the classroom. Download labels and covers for your book on this site! http://www.teachingheart.net/moosebooks.html
	Mrs. Solley's Kindergarten: Great pictures and descriptions of the MOOSE book. http://www.madison.k12.al.us/mtcarmel/0_kindergarten/solley/moosebookpage.html
	Mrs. Laboon's Kindergarten: This site has a list of helpful rules for taking care of MOOSE or FROG books. http://www.pickens.k12sc.us/hesteacher/laboonac/web%20pages/moose%books.htm