This week we've had many new adventures together. One thing that many of our first graders have been excited about learning is how to tie shoes! Many mornings we practice together. Those students who have already mastered tying are now teaching their classmates!
In Readers Workshop we've been gaining stamina in Read to Myself and Read to Someone. We've also been doing some conferencing to read sight word lists and check for knowledge of letter names and sounds. Next week we'll begin benchmark reading assessments to check for "just right" instructional reading levels. These assessments will happen in class and be done over the course of this month. I'll be using the information to target my reading instruction to the individual strengths and needs of each child in class in guided reading groups.
In Writers Workshop we have begun handwriting instruction and practice for lowercase letters. As we learn how to properly and efficiently write letters we are also reviewing the keywords and sounds that match each letter. We use keywords and sounds to help us tap sounds as we write. (We use the same keywords and sounds to help us read too!) We've also begun to do more response to literature about books we read during Accountable Talk Read Aloud. We read together and share ideas about the story as we read, make connections, make predictions, and say what we learn from the stories. This week we read The Recess Queen and Rainbow Fish. We also read our first Scholastic News article of the year about furry friends!
In Math we continue to work with the number line, jumping forward to add and jumping backward to subtract. We are beginning to use number lines to represent our thinking when solving story problems. We also continue to show picture representations to prove our thinking. On Thursday we learned a new game, Froggy Race, that helps us practice hopping forward and backward as we add and subtract--racing to the end of the number line!
In Social Studies we've begun to talk about feelings and noticing feelings in our bodies. We want to feel good but sometimes when we have big feelings it's hard to feel right. We imagine our bodies as cars. When everything is working right our engine is just right. When we have big feelings (mad, overexcited, anxious, overwhelmed) it can make us red hot and make our engines speed up too fast. When we have big feelings (sad, tired, bored, sick) it can make us feel blue and make our engines slow down too much. During our daily Mind and Body Practices we learn about and practice strategies to help us energize when our engines are low and calm down when our engines are high.
On Monday Nurse Liz also came in to do a lesson on germs and how they spread. We practiced coughing and sneezing into our elbows to "catch our germs." We also used special "germ lotion" and a black light to show us how much we have to wash our hands with soap and water to really get them clean!
Earlier this week it was raining buckets at dismissal. When this happens we try to stay in the hall just before the exit doors as long as possible so we don't get drenched. If you come under the awning so I can see you from inside I will send your child out to you. Once it's cleared out enough we can also come out to the covered area. I know it's extra hard and chaotic on rainy dismissals and I appreciate your patience and understanding!
Our classroom routines are well in place. Having a stable and predictable structure is helpful for students in learning and knowing what to expect. One routine we love is Closing Circle. It's a time to reflect on our day and do an activity together. If you'd like to see what this looks like please join us next Tuesday October 17th from 2:40-3:00!
Please remember next Wednesday is an early release at 12:15 and there is no school on Thursday and Friday!
Dates to Remember:
Wednesday October 18 - Early Release for ALL students 12:15 -- No After School Activities
Thursday October 19 - No School
Friday October 20 - No School
Monday October 23 - Library 11-11:30
Monday October 23 - Picture Retakes
Have a great weekend!
❤ Mrs. Fox
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