This week in First grade...

November 4-8, 2013

Math: This week we will begin our unit on Addition Strategies.  We will teach the students strategies for math facts using a research based philosophy written by an Australian company, Origo.  In RRISD we believe students learn best by using thinking strategies instead of memorizing procedures for computations.  According to James Burnett, Calvin Irons and Allan Turton, the authors of The Book of Facts: Addition, “Research shows that the most effective way for students to learn the basic facts is to arrange the facts into clusters.  Each cluster is based on a thinking strategy that students can use to help them learn all of facts in that cluster (Fuston, 2003; Thornton, 1990).”  We begin our unit by teaching cluster facts that “count on 1” so students master the concept and develop a deeper understanding and thinking strategy.  Students who master the concepts of “count on” strategies will be given enrichment opportunities to develop their thinking further and apply their knowledge to problem solving situations.

Reading Workshop:  This week in our reading workshop we will start the week off by reading Molly's Pilgrim and talk about pilgrims and our heritage.  A special note will go home in theTuesday folder explaining about a special research project to be completed at home.  We will continue our unit on researching with non fiction literature.  The children had so much fun learning about spiders, bats and pumpkins and this week we will start our research on Thanksgiving and spend this week writing facts about Thanksgiving, the Mayflower, and the Pilgrims.  Next week we will complete our research and begin using the facts collected from our research to make a Thanksgiving book.  

Writing Workshop:  This week, we will begin our Research Unit.  We will look at different Expository texts.  We will learn that when we write Expository texts, we become teachers, therefore, we have to write our facts in a way that is understandable for our readers.  We will be researching Thanksgiving.  

Science:  Students will be given opportunities to predict, explore, and describe whether a magnet attracts or repels various objects.   Students will explore the poles of magnets to experience attraction and repulsion.  Students should understand that a magnet has energy that can be used to push or pull different objects.

 The student knows that force, motion, and energy are related and are a part of everyday life.

Habit #5:  Seek first to understand, then to be understood.  I listen to others without interrupting.  I try to see things from their viewpoint.  I am confident in voicing my own ideas.

 

Reminders:

*Please remember to send a healthy snack every day.  Snack time is @ 9:30am.

*Make sure your child wears tennis shoes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

*Library day is Friday.

*Please remember to send back your child’s orange folder every day.

Dates to remember:

November 13:  Family Skate Night

November 27-29:  Thanksgiving Holidays

December 4:  Early Release Day

December 5:  Family Art Night

December 9-13:  Book Fair

December 23:  Winter Break Begins