Recent Happening's in 103

Classroom News

Reading: The Olympics have come to an end in first grade.  The kids had a wonderful time learning about the numerous events, the history of each event, and how athletes compete.  Please view our Olympic book at your leisure.  We did our best trying to note the importance of the events.  

  

Math: We learned how to regroup this week.  However, GO Math teaches the students this concept a bit differently.  The kids are encouraged to draw their tens and ones, circle a group of ten ones, and then exchange the ones for a ten.  There will be a Chapter 8 Test on Tuesday.  The practice test was sent home today (Friday 2/28) and is due on Monday (3/3).  This assignment will help your child prepare for the test on Tuesday. 

Grammar: We continued with verbs that tell about now (am, is, are) and verbs that tell about the past (was, were).

What We’re Learning Next Week:

Reading: Our much anticipated Abraham Lincoln unit will begin.  We fell behind as we devoted so much of our time and energy to the Olympics.  When studying Abe, students will read fiction and nonfiction books.  Next, students will be asked if our selected books are full of facts or written for story telling. We will use a kid friendly graphic organizer to help us explain in words and also with pictures why a book is considered one versus the other.

Math:  Chapter 9 Measurement

Students will begin learning about measurement.  To do so we will use yarn, cubes, paper clips, and classroom supplies to order objects from shortest to longest.  We will make a nonstandard measuring tool out of paper clips.  This chapter will also encompass telling time to the hour and half hour.

Grammar: Contractions with not

are + not=aren’t            has+ not= hasn’t

did+ not= didn’t            is+ not= isn’t

do+ not= don’t            was+ not= wasn’t

does+ not=doesn’t            were+ not= weren’t

Happy President's Day!

Classroom News

Reading: Our Olympic unit began this week and the kids are very enthusiastic about this topic.  Students began learning about where the Olympics is currently held.  Then, we created a mini-book about the history of the Olympics and the competitions.  In addition, we made an Olympic folder with rings and a torch to house our factual book and our writing book.  Please ask your child about the colors of the Olympic rings and what they represent.  To provide more knowledge of each competition, we have viewed short clips of competitions we’ve studied using www.olympic.org/videos.  Explore this website in your spare time.  There are really cool clips!

Math: Chapter 8 continued this week.  Students learned how to add and subtract tens.  We used illustrations of tens and ones to help us do this.  We also learned how to make a ten, also known as regrouping to many of us!  However, we will not use this phrase.  Basically, students learned when there are 10 or more in the ones sum, they must exchange the ones for a ten.  When adding two-digit numbers, many learners prefer to start with the bigger part of the number and then add the smaller parts.  Mathematically, there is no reason that children should not add the tens before adding the ones. We seem to be moving through this chapter slowly.

What We’re Learning Next Week:

Reading: Students will continue to learn about the Winter Olympics in Sochi.  As we do our best to wrap up our Olympic unit, we will begin to learn about Abraham Lincoln.  We will compare and contrast George Washington and Abe Lincoln with books that tell stories and books that are full of facts.

Math: Chapter 8 Two-Digit Addition and Subtraction will continue next week.

Grammar: Am, is, are, was, were

The words am, is, and are tell about now.  Use am or is to tell about one.  Use are to tell about more than one.  The words was and were tell about the past.  Use was to tell about one.  Use were to tell about more than one.

Phonemic Awareness:

R-CONTROLLED ER, IR, UR

A single vowel followed by the letter r has a sound that is neither short nor long, but r-controlled.

On to the Winter Olympics!

Classroom News

Reading: First grade began learning about George Washington, our nation’s first president.  The kids learned many new facts while reading nonfiction books.  After reading such important information, we listed facts that we would like to remember about Washington.  The kids seemed to easily remember Washington’s face on the quarter and dollar bill.

Math: Chapter 8-Two Digit Addition and Subtraction began on Tuesday.  Students reviewed addition and subtraction facts to 20 and the strategy that was used to find the sum.  When adding and subtracting tens, students were encouraged to draw their tens first and then find the sum and difference.

Grammar: We continued to learn about verbs with –s.

100^th Day: First grade is 100 days smarter!  We kicked off our celebration by making self-portraits of how we will look when we are 100 years old.  Next, we made a 100^th day crown with colorful objects.  Finally, we completed 100 math problems, wrote 100 words we can easily read, and made a list of 100 of our favorite things.  We had so much fun on our 100^th day of school! 100 down, 76 to go.

What We’re Learning Next Week:

Reading: Students in first grade are headed to Sochi for the Winter Olympics!  The games will begin for students as we create an Olympic mini-book.  Each day, students will read factual information about each competition and work cooperatively to list newly attained facts on Olympic inspired stationery.  Please ask your child what he/she knows about the following: biathlon, bobsleigh, skeleton, curling, ice hockey, luge, figure skating, alpine skiing, speed skating, cross country skiing, Nordic combined, and ski jumping.  This unit will continue over a two week time span.

Math: Chapter 8 Two-Digit Addition and Subtraction

Students will continue learn how to add numbers with double digits.  We will use manipulatives and/or drawings to model equations such as 21+6 and 81+14.  This is important for children to learn this approach to multi-digit addition so they have a better understanding of the meaning of addition.   Learning to model to model numbers as tens and ones can help children develop mental math skills.  Children can create strategies to add the numbers in their head.

Grammar: Am, is, are, was, were

The words am, is, and are tell about now.  Use am or is to tell about one.  Use are to tell about more than one.  The words was and were tell about the past.  Use was to tell about one.  Use were to tell about more than one.

The Polar Vortex Continues Along With Our Winter Themed Reading

This Past Week

Reading: The first grade spent a few more days engrossed in Winter Theme books.  Students continued to demonstrate what good readers do before, during, and after reading a book and/or selection.  Unlike the polar vortex, the Winter Theme in first grade has come to an end.  Students have done exceptionally well identifying characters, setting, problem, solution, and genre.

Math: We have finished Chapter 7 in Math and will have a test on Monday.  Unfortunately, there will be math homework over the weekend to help your child prepare for our math test.  Our unexpected days off pushed our testing date back a few days.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

Grammar: We continued to learn about verbs with –s.

What We’re Learning Next Week:

Reading: The next unit of study is Presidents.  Students will learn about Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.  We will read fiction and nonfiction books on this topic.  After reading, students will be asked whether or not the books were written to tell a story or give us information.  Our goal is not only tell the difference between books on the same topic but also to explain how and why the books are different.  Key words to highlight this concept include illustrations, photographs, descriptions, and procedures.

Math: Chapter 8 Two-Digit Addition and Subtraction

Just as the chapter title states, students will learn about adding tens and ones.  We will review adding and subtracting numbers within 20 and then move onto simple addition of tens. Students will be encouraged to make an illustration of their addition sentence, asked to write their sum, and also how many tens the sum consists of.  We will repeat this process when subtracting tens.

Grammar: Students will be practicing action verbs and verbs for now (-s is at the end) and the past (-ed at the end).

Important Dates:

2/2: Groundhog Day

2/6: 100^th Day of School

2/19: Conferences

2/20: No School-Conferences