During math, students have been using addition and subtraction to solve word problems. Your child has been learning how to use different strategies to add and subtract. They have been finding multiple combinations of quantities within 10 using 2 addends, while engaged in the math games: Double Compare, Roll and Record, as well as Start With/Get to. Down below you will see two of the strategies they have been learning! Take a look at the class engaged in a number talk using a new math tool- NUMBER LINE!!!
This week has been another busy one in first grade. Your child has been engaged in continuing to build good reading habits. The theme of this reading unit is “Readers are like runners.” Readers warm up for reading, set goals, establish good habits, and push themselves to be the strongest readers they can be: First graders take charge of their own reading lives. Each lesson pushes students into the good life of being an avid reader by rallying them around this theme. It will be important to inspire them, to help them feel safe, secure, and confident that they will become strong readers, by inviting them into “the club of reading.” Your child has been learning the procedures of their classroom community and how to work with a partner. I have been asking them to use everything they know about good reading habits and strategies. I have been so proud of their efforts! Ask them to share with you one of their new reading habits!
This week we had our second ED TALK with Ms. Miller. We learned about how to "go places safely" on the web.
They learned THREE Rules for going on the web:
1-Always ask a parent first.
2-Only talk to people you know.
3- Stick to places that you know are right for you.
Then, they had the chance to explore a new website:
4. Explore: Animals. Jobs at the Zoo, Animal Cams &Videos
Wow what a great afternoon! We enjoyed lunch with our friends and family members! Big thank you to Mrs. Wright!
Ask us some of the new math vocabulary we have been learning this week as first graders! We have been comparing numbers to see if they are less than, greater than, or equal to each other. We also have been learning how to order number cards and engage in quick images tasks. Check back next week to learn more about our quick images and other new math stations!
On Thursday we had the wonderful opportunity to work with our 6th grade friends outside in our garden. Mrs. Wright taught us about how to harvest beets for the upcoming GCS Harvest Luncheon- Be sure to RSVP on form sent home- on Thursday, Sept. 22nd.
Check us out in action and be sure to come next Thursday to sample our tasty dish!!!
We have been using our new "reading mats" to help us read more and more books. We also have been learning how to keep track of our reading by using post it notes!!!
So far in reader's workshop we learned many good habits that readers have. Some of the habits we have learned include:
*Take a sneak peak at the beginning.
*Check your sneak peak.
*Do SOMETHING at the end.
*Read MORE and MORE.
*Read MORE and MORE and keep track.
This week first grade writer’s had the chance to write their own story, like George McClements has done. With the help of their "Small Moment Posters" they have learned that to write a story, you think about things you have done, things that happened to you, and then you pick one story and remember what happened first, then next and next. They have been writing their stories across pages. They have been learning about zooming in and making tiny seed stories, rather than big watermelon topics.
Take a a look below of how we used his book to help us craft some of our very own small moment stories!!!
It has been another fantastic week as first graders! I have enjoyed getting to know your child. They have been learning about establishing good reading habits, engaging in writing small moment stories, as well as learning how to use some new math tools, like a number line! During writing time, they have been working on making a beginning for their stories and showing what is happening in order. In reading workshop, they have been focusing on taking “sneak peeks”, checking their “sneak peeks”, and remembering to “do something at the end” of reading their books. Math workshop has been so much fun, too! They have been using their math tools (ten-frames) and representing and solving addition problems using the vocabulary words: adding, sum, total, equals, plus!
Next week your child will be starting to learn how to use a checklist to set personal writing goals and reflect on their progress as small moment narrative writers. Small moment stories consist of true stories-special ones In order to support each of them generating topics to write about, I am asking them to create a “Small Moment Poster!” The work of the poster needs to be done at home with the help of the child’s family. When completed, the poster should be brought back to school to share with the class and add to their writing folders by Tuesday, September 13th,. Some ideas you might show may consist of: family members, pets, activities your child enjoys doing, favorite foods, sports, hobbies, collections, and places your child has visited. You might use magazines, photographs, postcards, drawings, etc.
I hope that this will be a meaningful project for you and your child to share. Thank you, in advance, for taking the time to share your insights and working on the “Small Moment Poster!”
Dates to Note:
This week has been an awesome start in first grade! WOW what an awesome week we had together. From sharing our summer pictures, playing name games, and talking about our first day of school jitters!!! We also came up with our own classroom rules and called it "Our Classroom Promise"!
Yesterday, we read the book: Have You Filled a Bucket Today? As a class we read the story and asked and answered many questions. Here's some of the questions we asked and the answers we came up with!
What is the "bucket"? Can we see it?
The bucket represents your mental and emotional self. We can't see it, it is invisible.
How do you feel when your bucket is full?
When your bucket is full, you feel more confident, secure, calm, patient, and friendly. Your thoughts are positive and you expect positive results. When your bucket is overflowing, you experience an intense happiness that can spread to those around you. Have you ever felt better after someone gave you a friendly smile or happy grin? This is the "ripple effect" of a full bucket.
How do you feel when your bucket is empty?
When your bucket is empty, it contains few, if any, positive thoughts or feelings. When your bucket is empty you can easily become sad, negative, insecure, nervous, angry, depressed, stressed, worried, afraid, or physically ill. When you experience any of these feelings, it's easy to believe that life is too challenging and that nothing you attempt will be successful. An empty bucket can affect your behavior and cause you to express your emotions in a way that empties the buckets of those around you.
What affects the level of happiness in your bucket?
Negative life events. The careless or even "not nice" words and behavior of others can also affect the level of happiness in your bucket. Your own self-talk and thoughts can dramatically reduce or raise the level of happiness in your bucket. It's important to know that you are responsible for what you choose to think and when your thoughts are positive and healthy, your bucket levels will reflect it.
What is Bucket Filling?
Actions or words that show that you care about someone. Saying or doing something kind. Giving someone a heartfelt smile. Using names with respect. Helping without being asked. Giving sincere compliments. Showing respect to others. There are hundreds of wonderful ways to fill buckets. The language of bucket filling has become synonymous with being kind and thoughtful. Your bucket will be filled when, at the close of each day, you reflect on the ways in which you have filled buckets.
What is Bucket Dipping?
Making fun of someone. Saying or doing unkind things. Refusing to help. Failing to show respect or being intentionally disrespectful. This is a partial list of ways in which it's possible to dip into another's bucket. Another is bullying, the behavior that has become the essence of bucket dipping. It is very important that we learn to understand the motivation for these behaviors.
Today ask us about our saving Fred mission! We had a task where we had to work together to save "Fred" the worm! His boat capsized and he wasn't wearing his life jacket! His life jacket was under the boat and he couldn't swim without it! Together with our friends, using only 4 paper clips and no fingers/hands, we had to save Fred and put on his life jacket! It was HARD work. At the end of our mission, we learned so much about team work and problem solving!
WOW what a great start to our school year!
What we're learning in first grade. Students are also making comments in class! At home add to the posts, too.