Dear Families,
It is great to be back after our April vacation. We’re in the home stretch now. It doesn’t feel like it with this dark and cold weather but hopefully that will change soon too. The weather certainly looks terrific right now, with warmer temperatures and sunshine.
Here is our week in review:
Social-Emotional Learning:
This week, we reviewed our schoolwide expectations and what it looks like and sounds like to be safe, kind, and responsible at school. As I have mentioned before, it can be very challenging for our young learners to come back to school after a long week off. This is very normal and age-appropriate. A week off is a long time for a 6 or 7 year old. A week off with different expectations, routines and rules also impact the experience coming back. A week off with fun activities, family-get-togethers and perhaps even trips to other places, while wonderfully enriching, can also make the return to school a little bit more challenging. Therefore, we spent the majority of our time reviewing and practicing safe, kind and responsible choices at school.
We also continued our work around friendships and friendship boundaries. We continued to read some mentor texts to teach us more about what it means to be a good friend and how it is okay to say “no” and assert your voice when things feel uncomfortable or too complicated. The students acted out various scenarios using our Second Step puppets, Snail and Puppy to show their understanding and build their confidence using their own assertive voices to advocate for their own needs. The puppet Owl (from Fundations) even joined our skits. The students did an outstanding job! Ask your child to explain how Puppy, Snail, and Owl helped us build resilience, problem-solving-skills and confidence in tricky situations on the playground, in the cafeteria and in the classroom.
You Can:
You can support your child’s emerging skills in relationship-building and friendships by supporting playdates. Consider reaching out to the fabulous families in our current class and find time to socialize outside of school. The class-list was linked in my email version of this newsletter.
Reading:
This week, the students listened to read alouds, engaged in independent reading and met in small groups. I will start to administer the end-of-the-year literacy assessment soon. Thank you for supporting your child’s reading at home too. If your child still has a “Lucky Reader” log at home, please feel free to send it in any time.
As the school year draws to a close, we hope that our first grade readers start to show more confidence and stamina in reading. In school, we encourage the students to navigate different reading stations. This week, for example, first grade readers engaged in trick word activities, for example. They were encouraged to read and spell these irregular words since they do not follow the traditional “sounding out” patterns of more familiar words.
You can:
Please consider asking your child to practice the books/texts at home last week (or weeks prior). If your child did not complete the “Lucky Listener” log, please consider doing that. Reading every day is key! At this point in the school year, we hope your child shows enthusiasm and a willingness to share his/her reading at home with you.
Writing:
This week, first grade authors participated in various opinion writing topics. They learned to write a clear opening statement, followed by supporting details and a conclusion. They did an amazing job showing their preferences for breakfast or dinner, for example! Ask your child to share his/her opinion with you at home. Don’t forget to ask them to back up their opinions with three reasons!
Math:
This week, first grade mathematicians continued to explore shapes in our geometry unit. They learned more about 2-dimensional shapes while also exploring 3-dimensional shapes. We used play-dough and pattern blocks to build our understanding of the different attributes.
You can:
Math is everywhere! Consider having conversations about the math learning we’re doing at school at home too. Math should be a social activity and organically flow and build as we share our understanding, ideas and wonderings with the people around us! Consider doing a shape scavenger hunt at home. How many cubes can you find? How about rectangular prisms? What is the difference between a circle and a sphere? Want a challenge? How about asking your child how many faces are on a rectangular prism and how many bases? Or, how about asking your child what the difference is between a triangular pyramid and a square pyramid?
News and Reminders:
We will go to the Book Fair at ABS next week. We are signed up to go in the afternoon of Tuesday, 5/7. This year, ABS is doing the Book Fair with Phoenix Bookstore. There will be no e-wallet this year so if your child wishes to purchase books with us at school, please send in no more than $10-15 in a clearly marked envelope or ziplock bag. We are only purchasing books while at school (no toys, accessories, pens and or posters). The Book Fair has after-school hours as well so if your child wishes to purchase those items, please consider visiting then. Your child has an informational packet inside his/her Home Folder today for more information.
Last day of school is Friday, June 14th. This will be a half day with dismissal at 11:35. If your child would like a packed lunch that day, please let me know. The choices for the last day of school will be turkey, ham or sunbutter/jelly sandwiches.
Have a great weekend,
Maria
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