April Blog Post

Hello Everybody! 

Happy Spring!

I hope you enjoy reading some quick tidbits on what we’ve been up to in 1-1 this April!

Readers Workshop

This week, we will complete our Content Literacy unit on Light and Sound. Beginning next week, the children will be learning about poetry during our Reader's Workshop lessons. They will work with:

-Playing with sound (rhyme, repetition, alliteration, and onomatopoeia)

-Identifying clues to find the big idea (Title, Who?, Where?, When?, Why?)

-Connecting through schema (using my prior knowledge and how I connected to the poem)

-Asking questions to help find the mood of the poem

***If your children have any poetry books at home and would like to bring them in to share and read over the next few weeks, please send them in! Be sure to write their name in the front cover!***

Earth Day

To celebrate Earth Day, the children listened to the story, Earth Day Hooray. After, they brainstormed different ways that they can heal our Earth. The children then wrote their own piece about a way they can heal the Earth. They created an Earth out of construction paper and glued their writing piece inside!

The children also wrote an acrostic poem using the words, Earth Day. Together they brainstormed different words and phrases to go with each letter. They chose their favorite word/phrase for each letter and created their acrostic poem. They completed the activity with a photo of themselves holding an earth.

Writing

Over the last few weeks, the children have been working on our writing unit on Persuasive Writing. The children worked with stating their opinion on some given topics. After, they stated their opinion they gave reasons to support their opinion. The children wrote a short persuasive piece on whether or not first graders should go to bed at 6pm. They shared their writing with a partner. We talked about the different reasons we write persuasively. To improve our lives or the lives of others or to promote something. The children then brainstormed a list of problems that need solving or things that can be improved around the school. Together as a class, we wrote a persuasive letter on why the outside basketball hoops should be lowered. The children came up with an opinion and three reasons to support their opinion. This week, the children will publish their persuasive piece in letter form. They will deliver it to their audience (a staff member at Dryden School) and will hopefully receive a letter back! 

Next week, the children will begin their last writing unit, Expository Writing. The children will work with identifying a fiction and a nonfiction sentence as I read two books about wolves, The True Story of The Three Little Pigs and Wolves. They will discuss the differences and similarities between fiction and nonfiction texts. As the unit continues the children will practice researching and recording facts about animals. They will complete the unit by writing a nonfiction book on an animal of their choice.

Math

The mathematicians just finished unit 13 in math. Their math tests came home in backpack mail tonight. They did a wonderful job adding and subtracting using numbers 0-40.

Today, we started our new chapter, chapter 15. This chapter will focus on calendars and telling time to the hour and half hour. 

Science

The scientists have been working hard on their Examining Living Things Unit. Look at all the great lessons they have been engaged in recently!

-What is a biologist

-Comparing animals and plants

-Identifying plant parts: roots, stem, leaf, petals & flower parts, and fruits & seeds

Up Next:

-Animal body parts

-Observing Crickets

-Studying Gold Fish

Be sure to check our twitter feed and the children’s seesaw posts to see photos and hear what the children are learning about.

Personalized Learning (PL)

The children are loving PL! They are eager to research and explore topics of interest to them. The children have been selecting from a range of topics from a heart map that they created when we kicked off PL. Their heart map includes: Things I'm Curious About, Things I want to Learn, and Things that Need to be Fixed. The children set a goal for themselves at the start of every PL time. They work alone or together to research their topic. They record their research in a format that works best for them (sketch noting, sticky notes, or draw and label). When they feel like they are ready to share their learning, they are in charge of selecting a way that they want to do so. Some children have made posters, Seesaw posts, books, videos, or created their project. Other children, have taken their research home and made something at home (think items they can't make at school - such as food or items that need a sewing machine). Along the way, the children give/receive feedback in the form of "glows" and "grows." I am learning so much from the children through this process. They truly love this time and ask to have more built into our day. They love owning their learning. Ask your child to talk to you about their current PL topic and where they are at in the process.

Star Students

Thank you to our past three star students, Ben B, Josie, and Maddie. We enjoyed learning more about each of you!

Royal Readers

A special thank you to Ben’s Mom, Josie’s Mom and Maddie’s Mom, Dad, and little sister, and Miko’s Mom who joined us recently as our Royal Readers. The children loved listening to the stories that you read.

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to Nathan and McKenna!