The children have completed their How-To publications. I am so proud of how hard they worked throughout the whole process. Click on your child's name below to go to their How-To writing. I hope that you enjoy reading them together as a family!
Friday, January 30, 2015
News You Can Use!
The children worked hard this week. Look at all they accomplished!
Literacy
This week, our close reading lessons focused on two books, Duck For President and Grace For President. After, reading each story, the students completed a character wheel for each of the main characters, Duck and Grace. The children identified character traits (what the character says, does, and feels) of each character. They provided evidence from the text to support each character trait that they listed on their wheel. At the end of the week, we reviewed each of the books and the children compared and contrasted the two main characters. They had wonderful turn and talk conversations to support their ideas about why the characters were similar and different. The children concluded the lesson by filling out a double bubble map about the two main characters, Duck and Grace.
Grammar Notebooks
This week, the children were introduced to verbs. They learned that a verb is a word that shows action. The children enjoyed playing a game of Verb Charades to introduce them to different verbs. It was a great kinesthetic exercise and helped the children make the connection that verbs are action words.
Writing
This week, the children were hard at work publishing their How-To pieces. Using the app Storykit on their iPads they typed their How-To piece, each step was typed on a new page. The children used the art tools within the app to illustrate a few of their pages. On Friday, we took photos of the children acting out each of their How-To steps. The children inserted their photos into their How-To pages. The children completed their How-To publications today! I will post them to the blog soon!
Math
This week, the children were introduced to the symbols for greater than (>) and less than (<). They compared and recorded whole numbers using <,>, and =. The children enjoyed playing Top-It with Relation Symbols (<,>, and =).
On Tuesday, the children had math explorations, they explored area, created more than and less than number models, played Base 10 Exchange, and practiced their addition math facts on the iPad.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the children worked with base-10 blocks to model 2- and 3-digit numbers. They used their base-10 blocks to find sums of 2- and 3-digit numbers. Then, they compared pairs of 2-digit numbers and wrote number models using > and <.
The children worked hard this week on building their fact power. They completed their first two Gumball Math assessments. The children will always bring home their assessments the day after they take them and have had a chance to graph their results. They may complete the problems they did not finish at home to practice their addition facts. Each time the children earn a 48, 49, or 50 they will move on to the next level.
Science
This week, we concluded our science unit on magnets. The scientists really enjoyed investigating what happens when two magnets interact. They discovered that magnets can push (repel) as well as pull (attract) other magnets. The scientists recorded their observations in their science journal.
Today, the scientists enjoyed watching a short movie on Magnets. They completed the unit by reviewing their magnet knowledge and sharing their favorite parts from the experiments.
Groundhog Day
Today, the children listened to the book, Groundhog Day.
Then, they made predictions on whether the groundhog will see his shadow or not. We graphed our predictions and it turns out 15 children think the groundhog will not see his shadow and 5 children think he will see his shadow. What will it be, six more weeks of winter or an early spring? On Monday, we will look back at our graph and see which children made the correct prediction. Your child can share what they learned this weekend about the groundhog and his shadow!
Star Student
Brooke was our star student this week. Thanks Brooke for sharing all about you!
Royal Reader
A special thank you to Brooke’s Mom, she joined us this week as our Royal Reader. The children enjoyed listening to the two stories that Mrs. Neri read, You Are Special and Sanji’s Seed!
Notes:
-On February 13th, we will celebrate Valentine’s Day. The children will have a short party at the end of the day to celebrate. Your child brought home a pink note today about bringing in valentines for their classmates.
-February 11th is 100th Day. I can’t believe we have almost been in school for 100 days! Be on the lookout for a note about 100th Day. It will come home in your child’s red folder by the end of next week!
-We are desperately in need of glue sticks. Please send in a couple if you can! Thank you :)
Have a great weekend!
Sunday, January 25, 2015
News You Can Use!
1-1 had a very busy short week!
Take a peek at what we accomplished!
Literacy
During this short week, our close reading lessons focused on fables. The children became familiar with the terms central message and moral. They learned that fables are stories with a moral to the story. To begin the week, we read a version of The Lion and The Mouse by Jerry Pinkney. This is a wordless adaptation of the fable. As we read the pictures, the children discussed what they thought was going on in the story. After reading the story, the class brainstormed some predictions about the moral of the story.
The next day, we focused on another version of The Lion and The Mouse by Mark White. This version contained words as well as illustrations. After reading, we had a class discussion about what the moral of the story was and how it compared to our class predictions. The children recorded the moral of the story along with examples from the text to provide evidence about the moral on their own graphic organizer.
Writing
This week, the children completed their rough draft of their how-to writing. The children worked on writing at least 4 steps and adding additional detail.
On Friday, the children met with a peer and edited their writing. Next week, the children will publish their How-To writing using the iPads.
Math
In Math, we started Unit 5. The children worked with base-10 blocks to model whole numbers less than 100. They also identified whole numbers modeled by base-10 blocks. They exchanged base-10 cubes and longs to show different representations of the same numbers. On Thursday, the children worked with place value on their calculators and number grids. They investigated place-value digit patterns.
Science
On Wednesday, the scientists discussed whether all magnets have the same pulling strength. As a group of scientists, we brainstormed different ways that we might test the pulling strength of magnets. We then planned an investigation. How many items (paper clips, washers, and screws) can each magnet hold? Ask your scientist what magnet had the most pulling strength.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend!
Monday, January 19, 2015
News You Can Use!
We were very busy this week in 1-1!
Enjoy reading all about our learning adventures.
Literacy
This week, we read the book, Hey, Little Ant by Phillip Hoose. The children used the text to identify the point of view of the story. They identified that the story is being told from two points of view. We also practiced recording evidence from the book. The children took turns showing the class pages that gave clues as to whose point of view the story was being told from. They recorded their findings on a Character Chat organizer.
Our close reading lessons for the rest of the week focused on books about Martin Luther King, Jr. The children worked with identifying character traits. They choose traits that they felt expressed who Martin Luther King, Jr was as a person. Then, they recorded evidence from the text to support their choices.
While reading the book, Martin’s Big Words, we had a class discussion about how words can appeal to the senses or make you feel a certain way. After reading, we talked about some big, important words in, Martin's Big Words. Some of these words included courage, love, together, and fair.
Due to the short week this week their will be no new spelling or Friday poem. In addition, the children are working on doing their winter CBMs, how many words they can correctly read in one minute on a first grade passage. I have been meeting with the children one on one to assess their reading fluency. I have a few more children to meet with. I will begin guided reading groups as soon as I have had time to meet with each child individually.
Writing:
This week, the children brainstormed a list of How-To writing topics. They chose their favorite topic and began their How-To piece. First, they wrote the list of materials needed for their How-To. Then, they wrote four or more steps explaining how to perform their task. Last, they drew a sketch for each step.
Math
On Monday, the children started a number scroll, they will work on it throughout the year. The children worked on the first two pages of their scroll, writing the numbers 1-210. They also set goals for how high they would like their scroll to be at the end of the year.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the children worked on addition facts. We discussed fact power and how the more you practice, the more success you will have with addition math facts. The children learned about turn-around facts, doubles facts, and ways to make 10.
On Thursday, the children took their Unit 4 math test. I am proud of how hard the children worked at using the math strategies they have learned to successfully solve the math problems. I will send the tests home later this week.
Science
In lesson two, the scientists went on a magnetic scavenger hunt. Using their own magnet, they had to find and test objects in the classroom that they thought were magnetic and nonmagnetic. They learned that magnets pull on (attract) some materials and not others. After they tested their objects, the scientists recorded their observations in their science journal. They discussed their findings and what surprised them with their peers.
Later in the week, the scientists observed how a magnet can attract a paper clip without touching it. They carried out several investigations and discovered that the force of a magnet works through several different materials (air, water, paper, plastic, fabric, aluminum foil, index cards, and a plastic cup).
Martin Luther King, Jr.
On Friday, the children watched a short video on Martin Luther King, Jr. They discussed what Martin Luther King’s dreams were. Then, they had the opportunity to complete an organizer expressing a dream that they have. The children created a book page titled, My Dream. We will compile all their pages to create a class book.
Star Student
Christopher was our star student this week. Thanks Christopher for sharing all about you!
Royal Reader
A special thank you to Christopher’s dad, he joined us this week as our Royal Reader. The children loved listening to the two stories that Mr. Paterson read, Is Everyone Ready For Fun? and The Doghouse.
Happy Birthday
On Monday, we celebrated Alexandra's birthday. Happy Birthday Alexandra!
Notes:
-Due to the short week, we will not have a spelling test this week. We will be reviewing our word wall words in class.
-Thank you to those of you who sent in paper towel rolls for math. We now have enough! Thank you!
Have a great rest of the long weekend!
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