What a beautiful weekend! Mine was super busy because my youngest, a freshman, had homecoming, a cross-country race, more homecoming, and a soccer game. At least most of it was outside, where we could enjoy the lovely changing of the leaves.
The temperatures have really dropped this weekend. The forecast for the coming week is cold temperatures. Please SEND YOUR FIRST GRADER WITH A HEAVY COAT. I promise to check the temperature before all recesses. If it is in the 60-70s we will leave them in the room. I cannot risk your first graders getting sick.
Please send your child’s library book back to school. I sent home reminders for families on Friday.
- Monday, October 17 – Library Day, and we will participate in Math-a-thon in the afternoon for fun. Fast math facts! We’ve got this.
- Tuesday, October 18 – We have P.E. Wear your gym shoes, please.
Pumpkin Raffle
The pumpkins are starting to fill up the display case by the cafeteria. They will be raffled off. Tickets will be sold outside before school starts. They are 50 cents a piece.
Thank you to all of the parents who have been working diligently with your first grader. With me teaching and practicing in the classroom and with you working on the math homework, spelling homework, and reading/signing the literacy log, I have seen a huge improvement in understanding of academic learning goals.
Thank you so much for your help.
ELA
Reading Instruction and Reading Groups
We have a workbook that we read, annotate, and write in every day. It is at grade level. I will be sending Unit 1 home so that you can see all of the work we do together.
I am also meeting with your child in a reading group. The instruction at your child’s reading level. It is crucial that your child read their book to you to build their independent reading capabilities.
Spelling
List 4 has the short e sound like at the beginning of elephant and entrance.
- ten
- men
- pen
- let
- met
- wet
- fed
- bed
- look
- are
- to
- my
- said
Writer’s Workshop
During direct writing instruction, called writer’s workshop, we are writing a narrative (story) about a time when we were brave. This process takes about two weeks.
Math
We are finishing up looking at mathematical patterns. We will have a topic quiz and a mid-module assessment this week. By the end of the week, we will start subtraction. It will look different from how we learned. Our math series relates it to addition.
Social Studies
We are almost finished with our Civics unit in Social Studies. Last week, we voted on an activity for the next indoor lunch recess. Some of the kids were disappointed that their activities did not get picked, but we learned that “majority rules”. We also learned that if you vote for both, your ballot is null and void.
We will learn about being a good citizen at school and some symbols that are linked to the United States of America, like the American flag, the Statue of Liberty, the White House, a bald eagle, and several more.
Science
We will learn that animals’ body coverings help distinguish them from other animals. The can be groups accordingly too.