Friday, February 20, 2015

Once Upon A Time...

Classroom News
Thank you to all the parents who came out in the bitter cold for parent teacher conference!  We really enjoyed having the chance to talk with you about the progress your child has been making in the classroom both socially and academically.  Having your children has been a pleasure and we are looking forward to a great rest of the year!

Reading: This past week we continued to learn about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  We learned that George Washington cut down his father’s cherry tree and didn’t lie about it.  Honesty was very important to him and Abraham Lincoln.  Abraham Lincoln’s nickname was “Honest Abe”.  We compared and contrasted these two great presidents.  We even made an acrostic poem with the word president!  
Math: This week we concluded learning about two-digit addition and subtraction.  We have come a long way in first grade!  We know how to use the strategy make a model with tens and ones to solve almost any addition and subtraction problem.  Based on observation during the Chapter 8 test, we are confident that the students did well!



What We’re Learning Next Week:

Reading: We are beginning a whole new unit in First Grade next week!  We are so excited about it!  We are going to be studying fairytales.  We love teaching about fairytales and the elements of a fairytale.  While reading all the different fairytale stories we will be learning how to compare and contrast the experiences of a character across two separate texts.  Students have prior experience with this so we will be looking for them to use more inferencing skills and delve deeper into what makes the character act a certain way.  We will be reading lots of fun fractured fairytales that are told from different characters perspectives.  We will also be learning how we can tell whose point of view the story is told from.  Head to the library and check out some fairytales to read with your child!

Math: Next week we will be beginning Chapter 9 in math.  We are totally switching gears and will be learning about measurement!  This will be a fun change of pace for students.  It will be a very hands on unit.  Students will learn how to put things in order based on length, they will use nonstandard units of measure such as paperclips, they will make their own nonstandard measuring tool, and they will be measuring an object and then comparing it to another object.

Phonemic Awareness:
Students will be learning about digraph –ew, ­-ue, and ­–ui. These three digraphs have the long u sound.

Example: fruit, few, and blue

Please practice at home using spellingcity.com


Important Dates:

3/2: No School: Casimir Pulaski Day








                         



Friday, February 13, 2015

Happy Valentine's Day!

Classroom News

We had so much fun during Jump Rope for Heart!  We really exercised our hearts and learned how important it is to treat our bodies well and give them the things they need to be healthy.  We are going to practice making good healthy choices!

Reading: We learned about two of our country’s great presidents!  George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are two famous presidents who did great things to make our country a better place.  We learned that Abraham Lincoln helped to win the Civil War and that Illinois is nicknamed, “The Land of Lincoln”.  We found out that George Washington was our country’s first president.  He was good at math, but not at spelling!  We made mini books that talked about how important President’s Day is and why we recognize our presidents.
Math: This week students learned how to use models to add ones or tens to a two digit number, they learned to make a ten to add a two-digit number and a one-digit number, they practiced how to use place value to add, and learned to problem solve with addition word problems.  We are doing great with two-digit addition and subtraction!



Next week is Parent Teacher Conferences!  If you do not remember your conference time please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher.  We look forward to meeting with all of you! 

What We’re Learning Next Week:

Reading: This upcoming week we are continuing to learn even more about our country’s great presidents!  We are going to compare and contrast George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  They have many similarities and many differences!  We are going to create another mini-book on these two great presidents.  When we finish we will bring them home to share!  We are also making a great President’s Day craft!  We can’t wait for you to view it during conferences!

Math: Next week we will be wrapping up chapter 8.  We will be having our math test on Friday.  Look for our Chapter 8 Review to go home on Tuesday. 

Writing: Students are continuing to work on their “Teaching Stories”.  We are working hard on editing and revising.  These are two very difficult things for us to do in first grade.  We have been applying so many different skills and writing so much about what we know!  We love to be teachers!

 Phonemic Awareness:

Students will be learning about digraph i.e. and ight with the sound of long i.

Example: pie, tight

Please practice at home using spellingcity.com

Important Information
Fluency Poems!
Next week your child will have the same fluency poem.  We did not get a chance to test students due to the crazy morning with Jump Rope for Heart!
Continue to practice and we look forward to hearing your child read their poem fluently next week!


                         



Friday, February 6, 2015

Winter at Giles

Classroom News
Reading: This past week first grade continued along in their winter unit.  It was extremely fitting given the blizzard that blew through Norridge!  As we read stories we worked on asking and answering questions about the characters and setting, we also continued to work on story retelling.  We are getting really good at putting it all together and including those major events that happen in a story and the problem and solution!
Math:  We have begun Chapter 8!  This week students put their addition and subtraction fluency to the test when they practiced adding and subtracting within 20.  They then learned how to add and subtract tens!  Students know how to draw a model to solve the problem.  We also know that we can use a hundreds chart find the sums of numbers.  We have so many strategies in first grade that we can use to be great mathematicians.  
Writing: We are continuing to work on our “teaching” stories.  Students are really demonstrating their ability to teach about topics that they are really knowledgeable about such as, Minecraft, dogs, cats, planets, and elephants!  We have a wealth of knowledge in first grade!  Students are loving being able to share what they know!

  
What We’re Learning Next Week:
Reading: Next week we will be completing a mini reading unit on President’s Day.  We will be learning about what it means to be president and we will be learning about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  The class will be comparing and contrasting the lives of Washington and Lincoln.  We will do a writing activity where students decide who they think would have been a better president and they will write what they have learned about their chosen president.  Look for our great work when you come to conferences!

Math: This upcoming week students will be using models to add ones or tens to a two digit number, they will make a ten to add a two-digit number and a one-digit number, they will learn how to use place value to add, and practice problem solving with addition word problems.  We always encourage students to draw a picture in class, this is our way of making a model.  Please encourage students to draw pictures at home as well!

Writing: Students are going to be continuing their work on their “teaching” stories.  We are trying to publish our stories by the time conferences come!  Hopefully you will be able to see some finished products! 

Phonemic Awareness:
Students will be learning about digraph ow.

Example: blow, pillow

Please practice at home using spellingcity.com

  Important Information
Fluency Poems!
We have just started fluency poems in first grade!  We are very excited because fluency is a very important part of reading.  The next poem is DUE on February 13.  Please practice every night with your child.
Please always follow up with your child’s teacher if you have any questions.


Important Dates:

2/11: School Improvement Planning Day 11:45 Dismissal

2/16: President’s Day No School

2/18: Parent Teacher Conferences 4:00 – 7:00

2/19: Parent Teacher Conferences 1:00 – 7:00 No School