Dear Families,
Here is our week in review:
Social-Emotional Learning:
The students filled the buzzy jar again for being safe, kind and responsible. This time, we celebrated with stuffy day. The students had so much fun learning and playing along with their stuffed animals!
This week, we read books, magazines and talked about Martin Luther King Jr. We explored how his ideas of a “beloved community”, peace and inclusion can be shown and practiced in our own classroom. We noticed that our current focus on empathy, kindness and compassion are also ideas that people embraced long ago.
This week, we discussed and practiced the difference between being “fun silly” and ``rude silly”. We recognized that when we are silly during learning times, other students cannot focus as well and learn. We practiced the times when we can be silly. We can be louder and sillier during morning explore times, play-times and recess.
Reading:
This week, the students continued practicing their visualization skills and strategies for reading more independently. Each student received a reading bookmark with all the strategies we have learned so far this year to help them develop more independence and perseverance when encountering a challenging or unfamiliar word. They are encouraged to use this bookmark as a visual reminder of what they can do themselves (it also helps them keep track of where they left off !).
We had another library exchange. Please remember to pack your child’s library books on Tuesdays so your child can exchange them for new ones. Thank you.
Reading assessments will continue this month as well. We use the Fountas & Pinnell Reading Assessment, which assesses reading accuracy, comprehension and fluency. We also assess phonics and trick words. It is so great to see the children’s growth in literacy as well as their blossoming love of learning in general. What a terrific group of kids!
Some students brought home index cards with trick words written on them this week. These are “old” trick words they have used and practiced during reading times. Next week, we will add new trick words based upon new needs.
Writing:
The students wrote their own “I have a dream” statements this week, following some read alouds and learning about Martin Luther King Jr. They wrote about their dreams for the world and how to make the world a better place for everyone. The students had fantastic ideas and wrote about their dreams for people to get along, clean up trash and include others in play.
First Grade Math:
First grade mathematicians learned about groups of tens and some more in several new math stations and games. They used rekenreks, 10 and 20 frames as well as popsicle sticks to show their understanding of tens and ones. They also learned about the importance of writing these numbers from the left to the right, ie showing the groups of tens first and then the ones to prevent digit reversals.
First grade mathematicians also participated in our district-wide PNOA math assessment. Thank you Caitlin Bianchi for helping us out while we are doing these.
Science:
First grade scientists continued exploring light and sound this week. They started creating shadow puppets which will be used to illustrate some of the properties of light as you move a light source in front of them. Their shadow puppets are packed inside their backpacks today, so please look for those. Perhaps your scientist will even share some of the experiments we did and share what we learned?
We also learned about transparent, translucent and opaque objects this week. We learned along with Mystery Doug and ended the exploration by sorting various materials into different groups based upon these criteria.
First grade scientists also learned how to listen attentively to new information and take notes as a scientist. They listened to several read alouds on the topic and worked with a partner to jot down, or draw, interesting facts they learned. This work will continue and we will slowly shift over to more non-fiction books and nonfiction text features as part of our reader’s workshop and writer's workshops as well. Stay tuned!
News and Reminders:
Our school is changing the dismissal protocols starting next week. Our school now asks that parents pick up their children by 2:50. We understand that traffic can sometimes back up and parents arrive late for a variety of different reasons. If that is the case, your child will wait inside the building for your arrival. Buses and Part 2 students will have the same dismissal procedures and nothing will change for them.
Here is the link to this week's Bell.
Have a great weekend,
Maria
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