The first two weeks of school flew by! The first graders have done a nice job of learning new routines and expectations! I am looking forward to posting some pictures of our class hard at work on our blog once I receive a list of the students who have parental permission. Until then the blog may seem a bit gray...
Also, if your child would like to bring a snack please make sure that it is a fruit or vegetable. Also, in order to minimize classroom disruptions please be sure to send your child to school with a water bottle so they will not need to leave the classroom to go to the drinking fountain. Additionally, we have P.E. every school day so please make sure your child wears or brings appropriate shoes for gym class so they can participate.
Also, if your child would like to bring a snack please make sure that it is a fruit or vegetable. Also, in order to minimize classroom disruptions please be sure to send your child to school with a water bottle so they will not need to leave the classroom to go to the drinking fountain. Additionally, we have P.E. every school day so please make sure your child wears or brings appropriate shoes for gym class so they can participate.
Literacy (Daily 5 & CAFE)
This week in literacy our class learned how to participate in Phonemic Awareness. Students engaged in several letter sound activities to support their reading and writing. Some of these activities include blending words, segmenting words, rhyming, deleting and adding phonemes, finding the initial and ending sound in a word, and so on.
Student were also eager to engage in our new ReadyGen reading program! We have been using the book Stellaluna to engage in close reading and utilizing text evidence when we answer questions about the story. We have also identified some very interesting vocabulary words in this book and have been drawing sketches of these words so we can remember and try to reuse them. Some of the words we have focused on are: escaped, survived, clutched, embarrassing, trembling. Students also learned about text to text connections when we were able to compare and contrast Stellaluna to other texts like Frog and Toad, a few poems and a non-fiction text about Polar Bears. Below is the venn diagram that our class created together during our discussion:
This week in literacy our class learned how to participate in Phonemic Awareness. Students engaged in several letter sound activities to support their reading and writing. Some of these activities include blending words, segmenting words, rhyming, deleting and adding phonemes, finding the initial and ending sound in a word, and so on.
Student were also eager to engage in our new ReadyGen reading program! We have been using the book Stellaluna to engage in close reading and utilizing text evidence when we answer questions about the story. We have also identified some very interesting vocabulary words in this book and have been drawing sketches of these words so we can remember and try to reuse them. Some of the words we have focused on are: escaped, survived, clutched, embarrassing, trembling. Students also learned about text to text connections when we were able to compare and contrast Stellaluna to other texts like Frog and Toad, a few poems and a non-fiction text about Polar Bears. Below is the venn diagram that our class created together during our discussion:
Students were also introduced the following word wall words: I, a, see. We will be moving through the first few sets of word wall words quickly to get to some of the more challenging words. We practiced these words at school by doing multi-sensory activities. We orally spelled and said the word while “smashing” imaginary bubble gum in our hands. Students should practice reading and spelling these words at home daily. The goal is to eventually have the students read them with automaticity which will improve their overall reading fluency. Additionally, students will work on transferring the correct spelling to their writing. Students will receive new word wall words each week. Once students have learned to read these words they are encouraged to deepen their understanding. For example, this week we learned how to spell them, discussed proper nouns (that "I" is a name for yourself and that is why it is uppercase), and discussed the homophones see and sea. Please note that these words can be found on our blog under the page “Word Wall Words”.
Math
First graders been graphing, counting and skip counting using our Bridges Math program lessons to develop essential skills to meet the following common core state standards:
1.MD.C.4 Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories; ask and answer questions about the total number of data points, how many in each category, and how many more or less are in one category than in another.
Student Friendly Objective: I can collect information, organize it into tally charts or picture graphs, and answer questions about it.
1.NBT.A.1 Count to 120, starting at any number less than 120. In this range, read and write numerals and represent a number of objects with a written numeral.
Student Friendly Objective: I can count up to 120 starting at any number. I can also write any number up to 120.
To learn about graphing, students graphed their favorite flavor of popsicle and then discussed the results. Additionally, students worked on tally marks to practice organizing data by playing Tally Mark Roll. You can download and print the game to play at home an reinforce skills if you click the following blue link: Tally Mark Roll Game PDF. There's no need to go out and buy a 20-sided die. Below is a link to a virtual die. You can indicate how many sides you want the die to have and have your child roll online by clicking. There are also tons of free apps you can download to your phone/tablet and have your child roll the die that kind of device. Here is a link to a virtual die website: Virtual Die Website.
Students have also been working on number patterns by skip counting by 2s and 5s. We skip counted "twin popsicles" from our popsicle graph by whispering the first number and saying the second number out loud. We also looked at a 100s chart and were able to practice skip counting to 100 and noticed that there was a pattern that it followed.
Students were also introduced to our "Number Corner". This daily calendar and number work routine is part of our Bridges Math program and aligned with the common core state standards. It serves the purpose of developing important first grade strategies and skills. This week we learned the following concepts:
Additionally, first graders engaged in utilizing the standards for mathematical practice which are transferable strategies that will support your child when as they problem-solve in math. Our class has "math talks" after working on problems to share our thinking. This week our focus was that there isn't just one way/strategy and sometimes there isn't even just one answer to a problem. That is one reason why we do mathematical standard number 3 and "talk math" to learn from our classmates. The image below has the "kid friendly" language we use in first grade to teach these important math standards that encourage students to become better problem-solvers.
First graders been graphing, counting and skip counting using our Bridges Math program lessons to develop essential skills to meet the following common core state standards:
1.MD.C.4 Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories; ask and answer questions about the total number of data points, how many in each category, and how many more or less are in one category than in another.
Student Friendly Objective: I can collect information, organize it into tally charts or picture graphs, and answer questions about it.
1.NBT.A.1 Count to 120, starting at any number less than 120. In this range, read and write numerals and represent a number of objects with a written numeral.
Student Friendly Objective: I can count up to 120 starting at any number. I can also write any number up to 120.
To learn about graphing, students graphed their favorite flavor of popsicle and then discussed the results. Additionally, students worked on tally marks to practice organizing data by playing Tally Mark Roll. You can download and print the game to play at home an reinforce skills if you click the following blue link: Tally Mark Roll Game PDF. There's no need to go out and buy a 20-sided die. Below is a link to a virtual die. You can indicate how many sides you want the die to have and have your child roll online by clicking. There are also tons of free apps you can download to your phone/tablet and have your child roll the die that kind of device. Here is a link to a virtual die website: Virtual Die Website.
Students have also been working on number patterns by skip counting by 2s and 5s. We skip counted "twin popsicles" from our popsicle graph by whispering the first number and saying the second number out loud. We also looked at a 100s chart and were able to practice skip counting to 100 and noticed that there was a pattern that it followed.
Students were also introduced to our "Number Corner". This daily calendar and number work routine is part of our Bridges Math program and aligned with the common core state standards. It serves the purpose of developing important first grade strategies and skills. This week we learned the following concepts:
- the date written utilizing abbreviations and the numerical date
- how to find the number for each month to write the numerical date
- using the days in school to discuss place value (hundreds, tens, ones)
- using the days in school to find multiple different ways to show a number (tally marks, the word, money, equations, pictures, number lines, base ten, ten frame...etc)
- Discussed what a "decade" was and celebrated our first "decade day" on the tenth day of school.
Additionally, first graders engaged in utilizing the standards for mathematical practice which are transferable strategies that will support your child when as they problem-solve in math. Our class has "math talks" after working on problems to share our thinking. This week our focus was that there isn't just one way/strategy and sometimes there isn't even just one answer to a problem. That is one reason why we do mathematical standard number 3 and "talk math" to learn from our classmates. The image below has the "kid friendly" language we use in first grade to teach these important math standards that encourage students to become better problem-solvers.
Science & Social Studies
In social studies the focus has been communities. In order to get to know our "school community" better we shared our “Get to Know You” bags. It was wonderful to learn a little bit more about my students’ personalities, hobbies, and interests.
We have also been learning about the Indian Trail rules at school and why communities like schools have rules. Some students were able to earn Tiger Stripes for being safe, respectful, and responsible! There are times we all forget the rules and need reminders. There are also times when students need their positive behavior to be acknowledged and rewarded. In our class I use the a color chart to allow students a chance to assess their own behavior at school. Students begin everyday on green.
Purple: Students may be able to move their clip to purple when they are showing continued excellent behavior. If students are still on purple at the end of the day they will receive a tiger stripe and a Dojo point.
Green (Good to go): Students begin everyday on green which means they are making good choices and following the school rules.
Yellow (Warning): Students may be asked to move their clip to yellow as a warning that they need to make good choices.
Orange: If a student continues to have a hard time making good choices they may be asked to move their clip to orange. Students will write an apology letter.
Red (Consequence): If a student, again, continues to have a hard time making good choices they may be asked to move their clip to red. Parents will be contacted. Students always have the option (and will be reminded) to improve their behavior in order to move their clip back to green.
In social studies the focus has been communities. In order to get to know our "school community" better we shared our “Get to Know You” bags. It was wonderful to learn a little bit more about my students’ personalities, hobbies, and interests.
We have also been learning about the Indian Trail rules at school and why communities like schools have rules. Some students were able to earn Tiger Stripes for being safe, respectful, and responsible! There are times we all forget the rules and need reminders. There are also times when students need their positive behavior to be acknowledged and rewarded. In our class I use the a color chart to allow students a chance to assess their own behavior at school. Students begin everyday on green.
Purple: Students may be able to move their clip to purple when they are showing continued excellent behavior. If students are still on purple at the end of the day they will receive a tiger stripe and a Dojo point.
Green (Good to go): Students begin everyday on green which means they are making good choices and following the school rules.
Yellow (Warning): Students may be asked to move their clip to yellow as a warning that they need to make good choices.
Orange: If a student continues to have a hard time making good choices they may be asked to move their clip to orange. Students will write an apology letter.
Red (Consequence): If a student, again, continues to have a hard time making good choices they may be asked to move their clip to red. Parents will be contacted. Students always have the option (and will be reminded) to improve their behavior in order to move their clip back to green.
Upcoming Events
Monday, September 3rd: No School/Labor Day
Wednesday, September 5th: Open House- Parents are invited to come to Indian Trail School to learn about our school and our first grade curriculum. (Last Name A-L from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Last Name M-Z from 7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.)
Thursday, September 6th: Library Books Due
Friday, September 7th: Early release, students will be dismissed at 1:00. (We will still have lunch and our morning snack.)
Monday, September 10th: No school/Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday, September 12th: Ice Cream Day- You must sign up online if you want your child to receive ice cream.
Wednesday, September 19th: No school/Yom Kippur
Monday, September 3rd: No School/Labor Day
Wednesday, September 5th: Open House- Parents are invited to come to Indian Trail School to learn about our school and our first grade curriculum. (Last Name A-L from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Last Name M-Z from 7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.)
Thursday, September 6th: Library Books Due
Friday, September 7th: Early release, students will be dismissed at 1:00. (We will still have lunch and our morning snack.)
Monday, September 10th: No school/Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday, September 12th: Ice Cream Day- You must sign up online if you want your child to receive ice cream.
Wednesday, September 19th: No school/Yom Kippur