We had another quick and exciting week in first grade! Thank you to everyone for sending in notes or emails to help me direct your child where to go at the end of the day. If you send in a handwritten note with "going home" plans then both my co-teacher, Mrs. Goldstein, and I are aware of your child's plans. If you are sending emails please also send it to Mrs. Goldstein at [email protected]. In the event I am at a meeting or not at school for the day Mrs. Goldstein will be able to help your child with their "going home" procedure.
Literacy
This week students continued to analyze Stellaluna by Janell Cannon. Students will engage in "close reading" with this text for this entire reading module for ReadyGen (we will move on to another text that we will analyze by the end of next week). "Close reading" requires students to look closely at a chosen text through repeated readings. Additionally, it requires students to thoughtfully analyze text and to have discussions while providing text evidence. This form of reading aligns with the Common Core State Standards because it allows students to access and develop understanding of complex texts. Complex texts, like Stellaluna, are chosen for each module in our ReadyGen curriculum to ensure that students are able to think critically about the text and to have thoughtful discussions. This helps develop first graders' thinking about reading. This week students focused on both sensory words that helps the reader visualize as they read and also practiced our story elements goal of retelling events when we noticed that story of the mother bat was told across the text pages. Once Stellaluna was sepeated from the mother bat the illustrator draws what mother bat was doing in very small grey pictures just above the text on each page. Students were able to practice retelling with a partner and using a "beginning, middle, end" graphic organizer.
Literacy
This week students continued to analyze Stellaluna by Janell Cannon. Students will engage in "close reading" with this text for this entire reading module for ReadyGen (we will move on to another text that we will analyze by the end of next week). "Close reading" requires students to look closely at a chosen text through repeated readings. Additionally, it requires students to thoughtfully analyze text and to have discussions while providing text evidence. This form of reading aligns with the Common Core State Standards because it allows students to access and develop understanding of complex texts. Complex texts, like Stellaluna, are chosen for each module in our ReadyGen curriculum to ensure that students are able to think critically about the text and to have thoughtful discussions. This helps develop first graders' thinking about reading. This week students focused on both sensory words that helps the reader visualize as they read and also practiced our story elements goal of retelling events when we noticed that story of the mother bat was told across the text pages. Once Stellaluna was sepeated from the mother bat the illustrator draws what mother bat was doing in very small grey pictures just above the text on each page. Students were able to practice retelling with a partner and using a "beginning, middle, end" graphic organizer.
When reading with your child at home you can help reinforce "close reading" by choosing a short text or a passage from a longer text. Ask your child text dependent questions and have them show where their evidence is in the text. This could be helpful when reinforcing this skill at home with your child:
In literacy we also added a new reading strategy to our CAFE menu. CAFE is a system developed by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser that helps students understand the four key components of reading: Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expand Vocabulary (CAFE). All four components are broken down into different reading strategies that support each goal. Students will be introduced to various reading strategies on our CAFE board during the school year based on the reading goals and focuses of our ReadyGen literacy lessons. Not only does our CAFE board serve as a visual reminder of whole-class instruction but also serves as a visual to develop and post individual student reading goals. The students were eager to practice their new CAFE strategy during “Read to Self” time. Here is our first CAFE reading strategy:
Don't forget to keep up with our words wall words. We learned 10 new words last week. To access this week's and past week's words click on this link here to be redirected to that page on the blog: Word Wall Word Blog Page.
- Check for Understanding: This can be found under the "C" which stands for comprehension. Students need to continually stop reading to confirm that they are comprehending the text. If they are having a difficult time understanding, students are encouraged to back up and re-read. You can reinforce this skill at home when you read with your child by pausing at the end of each page to say who the page was about and what they were doing. We simply say: "Who? and What?" in class.
- Cross Check: This can be found under our "A" for which stands for accuracy. Cross Checking is when students check a word they read to check for errors they may have made by asking: "Does it look right? Does it sound right? Does it make sense?" When your child comes to a word they are unsure of when reading remind them to ask themselves the questions: Does it look right? Does it sound right? Does it make sense? When reading with your child each night you can help reinforce this skill by having your child write a tally mark on a sticky note every time they Cross Check. Keeping track of this can be fun and will also help your child to become more confident in using this strategy.
Don't forget to keep up with our words wall words. We learned 10 new words last week. To access this week's and past week's words click on this link here to be redirected to that page on the blog: Word Wall Word Blog Page.
Writing
This week students continued to work on their retelling goal and connecting it to our anchor text of Stellaluna. They chose a character to focus on and a trait they wanted their readers to better understand from the part they retold. For example, some chose Stellaluna and wanted their readers to think she was brave. To do this, they chose a part of Stellaluna where she did something brave to retell. This writing also connects to our story elements reading goal of retelling events in order. Additionally, students learned about how to add "feelings" and "talk" to help bring their writing to life.
This week students continued to work on their retelling goal and connecting it to our anchor text of Stellaluna. They chose a character to focus on and a trait they wanted their readers to better understand from the part they retold. For example, some chose Stellaluna and wanted their readers to think she was brave. To do this, they chose a part of Stellaluna where she did something brave to retell. This writing also connects to our story elements reading goal of retelling events in order. Additionally, students learned about how to add "feelings" and "talk" to help bring their writing to life.
Math
This week during whole group lessons students continued working with the number rack and continued to discover how it can be used as a model to add or discuss strategies used when adding. We were also able to learn two new games for our "work places". After our whole group math lesson each day students have a choice of 6 work places they can go to that can be differentiated to their individual mathematical needs. It is at this time that groups are able to meet with the teachers for a lesson that is tailored to that group's mathematical needs. In our game "Ten More" students practiced looking for patterns when adding 10 to a number. They also practiced making and analyzing a picture graph that they created as they played the game.
This week during whole group lessons students continued working with the number rack and continued to discover how it can be used as a model to add or discuss strategies used when adding. We were also able to learn two new games for our "work places". After our whole group math lesson each day students have a choice of 6 work places they can go to that can be differentiated to their individual mathematical needs. It is at this time that groups are able to meet with the teachers for a lesson that is tailored to that group's mathematical needs. In our game "Ten More" students practiced looking for patterns when adding 10 to a number. They also practiced making and analyzing a picture graph that they created as they played the game.
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, September 19th: No school/Yom Kippur
Saturday, September 29th: NSSD 112 Education Foundation 16th Annual 5K Fun(d) Run and Family Walk at 8:00am at Ravinia Festival.
Friday, October 5th: Early Release, students dismissed at 1:00. (We will still have lunch and snack on this day)
Monday, October 8th: No School/Fall Break
Wednesday, September 19th: No school/Yom Kippur
Saturday, September 29th: NSSD 112 Education Foundation 16th Annual 5K Fun(d) Run and Family Walk at 8:00am at Ravinia Festival.
Friday, October 5th: Early Release, students dismissed at 1:00. (We will still have lunch and snack on this day)
Monday, October 8th: No School/Fall Break