Thank you to Mrs. Mazza for being our mystery reader this week! It was fun to hear your clues and guess who you were! We also loved listening to you read "Miss Nelson is Missing".
We're also starting to get into the Halloween spirit here in first grade! Students enjoyed the Halloween Concert at HPHS preformed by the HPHS Band! It was a fun and interactive concert!
We're also starting to get into the Halloween spirit here in first grade! Students enjoyed the Halloween Concert at HPHS preformed by the HPHS Band! It was a fun and interactive concert!
Literacy
This week we continued to analyze the text "Far From Home". Students were able to begin learning about the "central message" which is the big idea from the a story when analyzing this text. We learned that it is usually what the author wants you to think about when you're done reading the text. After determining the central message students found details from the story to support their central message. To reinforce this skill at home try asking your child some of these questions when they are finished reading:
This week we continued to analyze the text "Far From Home". Students were able to begin learning about the "central message" which is the big idea from the a story when analyzing this text. We learned that it is usually what the author wants you to think about when you're done reading the text. After determining the central message students found details from the story to support their central message. To reinforce this skill at home try asking your child some of these questions when they are finished reading:
- What do you think the author wanted you to think about?
- What did the character(s) learn?
- How did the character(s) grow and change?
- Why did the character act this way?
- What is this story mostly about?
Students were also introduced to our supporting text which is an informational text called "Going to School". We are using this amazing text for students to compare and contrast how schools are different and similar in different countries around the world. Additionally, students learned about informational text features such as headings, table of contents, glossary, index, captions, labels, etc. as they read this text. Click on the following link to learn more about supporting this important informational text reading strategy at home: Text Features Parent Support PDF. Students also learned and sketched pictures for the following vocabulary words we "tuned into" while reading this text: Going To School Vocabulary PDF.
Math
This week students continued to practice their fact fluency by learning a few games where they were using counting on, doubles, and near doubles to add. Students were also excited to learn their first subtraction strategy this week of counting back when they learned a subtraction math game to play during their Work Place time.
When meeting with the teacher, students practiced writing and solving number sentences to master the following CCSS math goal:
1.OA.1 Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.
Student Friendly Objective: I can solve real life problems of all different sorts by adding or subtracting within 20. I might use objects, pictures, and I can represent missing amounts with a symbol (like a box or a question mark).
Memorizing math facts and mastering basic calculations will get students only so far. Word problems, or story problems, appear in everyday life. Students are learning how to differ between and solve three different kinds of word problems:
1. Result Unknown 5+3=___
This week students continued to practice their fact fluency by learning a few games where they were using counting on, doubles, and near doubles to add. Students were also excited to learn their first subtraction strategy this week of counting back when they learned a subtraction math game to play during their Work Place time.
When meeting with the teacher, students practiced writing and solving number sentences to master the following CCSS math goal:
1.OA.1 Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.
Student Friendly Objective: I can solve real life problems of all different sorts by adding or subtracting within 20. I might use objects, pictures, and I can represent missing amounts with a symbol (like a box or a question mark).
Memorizing math facts and mastering basic calculations will get students only so far. Word problems, or story problems, appear in everyday life. Students are learning how to differ between and solve three different kinds of word problems:
1. Result Unknown 5+3=___
- Example: You have 5 books to read. You get 3 more books from the library. How many books do you have now?
- Example: Sam had 5 apples. How many more apples will he need to have 14 apples all together?
- Example: The dog has some bones. Emily gave him 7 more bones. Now the dog has 15 bones. How many bones did the dog have to start with?
Social Studies
We learned about the character trait of "kindness" this week to support our school-wide kindness week focus. We read "The Lion and the Mouse" by Jerry Pinkney which is a retold version of the AESOP fable where the lion shows kindness to a mother mouse and frees her, sparing her life. Later, the Lion is caught by hunters and the same mouse is able to chew through the ropes of the net and save the lion. Students learned that when you show kindness it will often come back to you. Students also read One by Kathryn Otoshi which focuses on standing up to someone who is picking on (or bullying) someone else to show kindness and that it only takes "one" brave person to stand up to someone else and then others feel empowered to join in. The amazing end to the story is that the characters that stand up to the bully also invite the bully into their fun as long as the bully agrees shows kindness. Additionally, students engaged in other kindness activities by writing compliments to their classmates on sticky-notes, smiled and said "hi" to someone new, and so on.
We learned about the character trait of "kindness" this week to support our school-wide kindness week focus. We read "The Lion and the Mouse" by Jerry Pinkney which is a retold version of the AESOP fable where the lion shows kindness to a mother mouse and frees her, sparing her life. Later, the Lion is caught by hunters and the same mouse is able to chew through the ropes of the net and save the lion. Students learned that when you show kindness it will often come back to you. Students also read One by Kathryn Otoshi which focuses on standing up to someone who is picking on (or bullying) someone else to show kindness and that it only takes "one" brave person to stand up to someone else and then others feel empowered to join in. The amazing end to the story is that the characters that stand up to the bully also invite the bully into their fun as long as the bully agrees shows kindness. Additionally, students engaged in other kindness activities by writing compliments to their classmates on sticky-notes, smiled and said "hi" to someone new, and so on.
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, October 31st: Halloween Parade is at 1:50 PM. Please send your child to school with his/her Halloween costume in a bag that day, so we can change in the afternoon. Your child will need to be able to assemble their costume in the classroom in about 5-8 minutes. To help your child do this please dress them in clothes they can easily wear their costume over. (Our classroom bathroom is only one stall so there is not enough time to have 23 students completely change their clothes.) Students’ costumes should be safely designed and age appropriate to allow for adequate vision, mobility, and warmth. Masks cannot be worn. NO TOY WEAPONS of any type will be allowed at school.
Wednesday, October 31st: Halloween Parade is at 1:50 PM. Please send your child to school with his/her Halloween costume in a bag that day, so we can change in the afternoon. Your child will need to be able to assemble their costume in the classroom in about 5-8 minutes. To help your child do this please dress them in clothes they can easily wear their costume over. (Our classroom bathroom is only one stall so there is not enough time to have 23 students completely change their clothes.) Students’ costumes should be safely designed and age appropriate to allow for adequate vision, mobility, and warmth. Masks cannot be worn. NO TOY WEAPONS of any type will be allowed at school.