Wow! Today we moved and grooved to some upbeat music and learned some Zumba moves! Look at us go!

This week the students have been focusing on the math essential/guiding question(s): What is an addend?  How can we find missing parts of a whole? What are the parts we know in the problem? They have been using 10 Facts Cards, Cards with Missing Addends, and solving story problems where they have to find the missing addend. They have been learning about missing addends and how to find the number that is missing from an addition problem, as well as subtraction. They have been using their 10 Facts in this lesson. When we write a number sentence we write the two or more numbers to add together. These numbers are called addends. When we solve the addition problem we get an answer that we call the sum, or total.

Students have been using manipulatives to determine facts of ten (cubes, warm fuzzies, or pennies).  Each student has been representing their work by using a Part-Part Whole chart or 10 frame to solve their equations. Many of their word story equations have been about these facts.

0 + 10 = 10,  1 + 9 = 10,  2 + 8 = 10,  3 + 7 = 10,  4 + 6 = 10,  5 + 5 = 10

and their Turn-around Facts

(These are all of our Make 10 Facts.)

Through Modeling/Teaching in our whole group mini-lessons a missing addend problem looks like this:

___+ 3 = 10  This problem has a missing addend.  Our math conversations what been focused around the guiding questions: “What is the missing number? How many more do we need? What strategy are you using to solve this equation? The students have been working in small groups with a partner to solve missing addend problems.

Part part whole relationships involve seeing numbers as being made of two or more parts. We have been learninng how to use our math strategies when solving equations with a missing part! Take a look at what we have been doing!

The first grades have been working up a storm determining author's purpose! Today they looked closely at a piece on Extreme Insects! Take a look at them in action!

Today in writers' workshop we talked about how we can teach our readers. We focused on our class anchor chart. We brainstormed how using these components in our writing help our readers understand and picture our topic!

Today with our 4th grade reading buddies we had the chance to practice our newest learning target! It has been tricky to explain the author's purpose in a text, but soon it will be as easy as PIE! Take a look at us in action!

What a fun morning today! Exchanging cards, decorating our special cookies, and reading a 100th day of school book!

Today the students had a very exciting and hands-on in-school field trip from Ms. Plasky’s horticultural high-schoolers. The Wamogo students engaged the first graders with a skit about how to take care of plants. They reviewed with students how each plant needs a source of water, sun, and soil to help it survive and grow. The students then talked to first graders about their experiences with plants. Wow! Did they have a lot of experience. They mentioned how they have gardens with flowers, vegetables, pumpkins, and who could forget chives!

Our morning spent with the Wamogo students transitioned to how to take care of potted indoor house plants, by transplanting them into a new pot! Students learned to make certain there are one or more holes in the bottom of a container to allow water to flow out freely. In their skit, first graders were able to learn that insufficient drainage can cause roots to drown, and the plant to die prematurely. They also learned about potting mix and how leaf plants need different soil than plants that produce a fruit or vegetable. We were surprised to learn that we should not use soil from the yard or garden. It can be filled with weed seeds, insects, and fungal diseases. At the end of our lesson, students learned how to remove the plant from its nursery container. They had to support the top of the “root ball” (the semisolid mass of soil and roots) by placing a finger on each side of the stem; then tip the pot and let the plant fall gently into their hands. If it was stuck, they tapped the sides of the pot to loosen it. It was a bit messy, but so much fun!

We can find as many 2-addend combinations of a number as possible! Ask us what we have been learning in math! Take a peek!

Today we had a guest reader for National Reading Day! We read the book Today the Zoo is Closed! Thank you Miss Bobbi Jo! We loved the book and you coming to visit!