News You Can Use!

Read below to learn about our fantastic week in 1-1.

Literacy

This week, we did two close reading lessons with the books, Chrysanthemum and Shelia Rae, The Brave. The children worked on describing the characters and setting of each story. While reading Chrysanthemum, the children focused on identifying character traits. During our second reading, the children used evidence from the story to support the character traits they identified. 

Later in the week, when we read, Shelia Rae, The Brave, the children identified the setting in the story. They noted that the setting changed throughout the story. Then, the children illustrated the different settings they identified in the story.

Making Words:

This week, the children were also introduced to our Making Words lessons. They use letter tiles at their desk to create different words that follow our spelling pattern for the week. The children take turns coming up to the board to spell the words on our interactive pocket chart. Their favorite part of the lesson is when the get to try and figure out the “secret word.” This word uses all of the letter tiles for the day. 

Daily 5 & Guided Reading:

The children did a great job this week during Daily 5 and guided reading. They were independent during their Daily 5 activities which allowed for very productive guided reading groups. In guided reading the children worked hard at learning some of our reading strategies and reading their books. On nights when your child brings home their book bag, please have your child read the book to you. If your child brings home a word ring or graphic organizer have them read these to you as well. 

Poetry Folder:

In your child’s backpack you should have noticed a purple folder, this is your child’s poetry folder. Attached was a note explaining what to do with the folder over the weekend. Every week, we will learn a new poem that goes along with our spelling pattern of the week. Please read the poem with your child and send their folder back to school on Monday. 

Spelling:

The children did a great job on their first spelling test this Friday. I am so proud of how hard they practiced all week long. Next week our spelling pattern will continue to focus on the short /a/ sound.  Thank you for helping your child review their words at home!

Writing

This week, the children celebrated all of their hard work by meeting with students from Mrs. Glaser and Miss Bander’s classes. In groups of three, the children took turns reading their autobiographies. They had a great time sharing their writing. Enjoy some photos of our writing celebration below! 

This week, we also started our second writing unit. The children will work on Narrative writing, zooming in on a small moment in their lives to write about. To start, they chose something that they did over the weekend and used lots of detail to describe the event. 

Next week, the children will begin the process of writing their very own small moment story. You can help your child at home by talking about an event in their life that was really exciting for them: a trip, a big game, a birthday. Help them recall their favorite event in lots of detail, they will use this to write their narrative.

Math 

In Math, the children worked with ten frames, labeling numbers with units, finding sums of ten, using calculators, and telling time to the hour. 

Social Studies

This week, we finished our Map unit. The children enjoyed taking a virtual trip around the world to visit different landforms. After we visited each landform location the children wrote about it in their landforms booklet. Ask your child to teach you all about the landforms the learned.

Royal Reader

On Friday, we enjoyed a visit from our first Royal Reader, Mrs. Sessler! The children loved listening to Mrs. Sessler read her book. She read the book, The Peace Book. Thank you Mrs. Sessler for coming and sharing this amazing book with us!!

Birthday

On Tuesday, we celebrated Nikhil’s Birthday. Happy Birthday Nikhil!

Notes:

• Don’t forget to read and return your purple poetry folder!
• Scholastic Book orders are due, Tuesday, October 7th. If you haven’t placed your order for books you still have time!
• Walk To School Day is Wednesday, October 8th. I will be at the corner of Belmont & Park, come walk to school with me!

Have a great rest of the weekend!