This week in First grade...

For the week of:  Jan 28^th - Feb 1^st  

REMINDERS:
Thursday, Jan. 31st science Fair
Tuesday, Feb. 5th- 1st grade P.E. program
Wednesday, Feb. 6th – Early Release-dismissal at 12:45
Library Day is Thursday!

This week….. 

READING:

We will continue learning about our unit on Media Literacy. This week we will learn about the internet and discuss various reasons we would use this type of media literacy in our lives.  We will explore video streaming and attempt to send a video/message to another first grade classroom.  We will also examine how print and digital media both use pictures, graphics and fonts to attract the readers' attention and to influence them. Last week in the computer lab we downloaded a picture of a toy and started our own advertisement using PowerPoint.  This week we will learn how we can add attractive/juicy words and interesting fonts to our advertisements as well as recording our own voice using Audacity to persuade buyers to purchase this toy. We hope to complete this assignment this week and I will email you a copy of the advertisement.  They are so CUTE!  If they aren’t complete, then we may have to extend it one more week.

WRITING:

This week we will focus on writing about Small Moments/ personal narratives for one more week. The children are at different stages in their writing. Some have published more than one story and some are editing and revising. We will continue focusing on telling the important parts of our small moments, adding details and sometimes exaggerations to make our small moments more interesting and use the word wall to spell our words correctly.

MATH:

This week we will learn about subtraction. We will learn about strategies that will help us do subtraction mentally and quickly. Thinking addition and count on strategy is an efficient strategy when the number to be subtracted is less than 4. The count on subtraction facts can also be thought of as one-less than or two-less than, etc. For example, 8-1 can be thought of one-less than 8 or 1+7.  This week we will focus on count on 1 subtraction and count on 2 subtraction.

Science:

We will continue learning about natural resources. This week we will learn about bodies of water such as oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams. We will learn about salt water and fresh water and ways we can conserve fresh water.

This week in First grade...

January 22-25

Reminders:

Monday, January 21^st – Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

Tuesday, February 5^th- 1^st grade P.E. program

Wednesday, February 6^th – Early Release

Reading Workshop:

In Reading Workshop we will learn about how Media Literacy communicates messages to us.  We will examine newspapers, magazines and advertisements.  We will read and think about the message the author is trying to send the reader.  At the end of our unit we will make our own advertisements!  Be looking in our hallways for our work!

Writer’s Workshop:

In Writer’s Workshop we continue our learning about Small Moments.  We will learn to shorten our prewriting as we draw across pages to sketching instead.  We will add details to our writing in words and sentences.  We will also thinking about extending our story beyond just a beginning, middle and end to telling a story across 5 fingers. 

Math:

In math we will continue our unit on Geometry.  We will focus on 3D shapes.  We will learn about the attributes of 3D shapes and what makes them special.  We will focus on vocabulary such as flat surfaces, vertex, and vertices. 

Social Studies:

In Science we will begin our Earth Science unit on Natural Resources, Rocks and Minerals.  A note along with a baggie will be coming home for your child to bring back an artifact.  We will discuss characteristics of living versus non-living things.  We will discuss how natural resources are used and how we can help conserve them. 

This week in First Grade...

January 14-18

Reminders:

Monday, January 21^st – Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

Reading Workshop:

In Reading Workshop we begin learning how to draw inferences.  We will practice inferring with object and books.  We will use the clues on the cover of books and in the titles to draw a conclusion about the story.  We will do a special activity during the week!  Look for it in the hallways.

We will also read and study Historical Fiction.  We will read stories such as Apples to Oregon, which is a fiction story with real historical details.

Writer’s Workshop:

In Writer’s Workshop we will be learning about Small Moments.  We will read mentor texts such as Ezra Jack Keat’s The Snowy Day and discuss how authors take a small piece of time and write about it in detail.  We will focus on writing stories from our own experiences.  The students look forward to publishing and sharing their work in the Author’s Chair on Friday.

Math:

In math we will begin our unit on Geometry.  Next week we will focus on 2D shapes.  We will manipulate shapes, draw pictures and label the parts of each shape and solve problems involving shapes.  We will discuss the attributes of shapes and play “Guess that Shape”.

Social Studies:

In Social Studies we will continue our unit on Citizens Who Shape our Community.  This week we will focus on contributors.  We will learn about the contributions of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr.  We will make timelines to study their lives.  We will put important dates on our timelines to show their achievements. 

This week in First grade...

January 7-11

What a wonderful and restful break!  I know everyone was happy to spend some family time at home or visiting others!  The Caballeros enjoyed having family come visit us this year.  We had our annual "December" illnesses and now we are hoping for a healthy January!  We want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Reminders:

Monday, January 21^st – Martin Luther King Jr.Holiday

Reading Workshop:

In Reading Workshop we begin our study of Biographies.  WE will learn about what a biography is, whatif contains and why it’s an important piece of literature.  We will read a variety of biographies andlearn facts about famous people who’ve contributed to our community.

Writer’s Workshop:

In Writer’s Workshop we will be writing Snow stories.  Students will have the choices to read avariety of fiction texts about snow and snow men and create their ownstory.  They can also choose to write atrue story about an experience they had on a winter day.  Giving children the ability to choose theirwriting topic allows them to have creative freedom over their finalproduct.  They will complete their storyusing the writing process.

Math:

In math we will learn about time!  We will review telling time to the hour, thenmove on to telling time to the half hour. We will tell time using analog and digital clocks.  We will make our own clocks to use during ourunit and will color code the hands on the clock.  Please practice this skill at home using aclock with hands (analog) and a digital clock. We will practice approximating time such as does it take about 1 minuteor 1 hour to tie your shoes?  We willdiscuss activities that take about 1 minute, about 30 minutes and about 1 hour.

Social Studies:

In Social Studies our unit of study will be Citizens WhoShape our Community.  For the next twoweeks we will examine inventors and contributors in our city, state and nationwho’ve contributed to our community. This week we will focus on inventors. What is an inventor?  Who are someinventors you know of? How did they contribute to our community?  We will read about 3 different inventors andcompare their accomplishments.

Thank you to everyone who attended, donated and helped with the Winter Party!  The students loved the activities and snacks!  Thank you to Marni Case and Lesley Guthrie for coordinating it all!