Week of October 16
Dear First Grade Families,
We had a busy, 5-day week! Everyone (including myself!) was running low on energy by Friday. First grade is busy, busy and there's always work to be done. On Fridays, we do some special things, like add a poem to our poetry binder, have choice time, and do some free writing during "Power Block." We often do a math craft or play a math game on Fridays, too!
This week in Fundations..
-We finished up Unit 2, which focused on tapping (segmenting) and blending (reading) CVC words. We also reviewed some "trick words" (high frequency" words from kindergarten. When I introduce trick words, we say the word, count the sounds and then "map" the sounds. Some parts of high frequency words are "decodable" and other parts have a "trick" part that we need to remember by heart. This week, we reviewed: his, is, has, and as. We learned that the trick part of these words is that the /z/ sound is spelled with an s. Once words have been introduced this way, we review them daily.
-We have also been focusing on letter formation. Our class's tricky letters are: b, d, p, g, and z. Handwriting fluency combined with phonemic awareness and phonics help students become better writers! It makes writing much easier for students and frees up their working memory!
-Today we reviewed the 5 digraphs: ck, sh, th, wh, and ck. We learned that these are two letters that make ONE sound. We learned to tap them, mark them, and read them.
This week in Math...
-We have been practicing addition and subtraction. Students have been learning about missing addends using "change to more" diagrams and missing subtrahends using "change to less" diagrams. We have also been reviewing pairs of numbers that add to 10 and using a number line/number grid to solve problems.
This week in SS/Sci...
-We learned more about Nocturnal Animals. We read about owls and bats. We made an owl and bat craft.
-We learned about bus safety and did a practice "bus evacuation" drill. Students learned about how it is so important to keep their bodies IN the seat and out of the aisle! Bus drivers have a tricky job and I can't imagine how hard it must be!
Reminders
-Wednesday, October 25th will the first night of Parent Teacher Conferences. You will get a reminder from Sign Up Genius before your conference. If your conference is virtual, I will send you a link to a Google Meets.
-Friday, October 27th is our "Spirit" day. Students are invited to wear costumes (no violent, face masks, or face paints) or pajamas. We will have a small classroom celebration. We have a Sign Up Genius for a special snack. Please check it out!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090948AFAB23A7F85-45430706-fall#/
-Please LABEL your child's outerwear. Jackets and sweatshirts get left behind and they're MUCH more likely to be returned if you have written your child's name on the tag.
-I have a few Donors Choose Projects up for our classroom. Please spread the word! One project - "Reading is Fun with Games" is just a few days away from ending.
-I sent out invites for "Class Dojo" this is a way for me to share pictures throughout the week between blog posts!
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