This week students have been focusing on the following essential questions during reader's workshop:
1. How can I be the kind of reader who reads and rereads for the whole time during reading, getting ready to talk to my partner? 2. How do I make sure that I am reading many books, as smoothly as possible, for as long as possible? 3. How do I make sure that I am picturing and understanding what I am reading? 4. How can my partner and I talk about our books in ways that let us share them and think about them and also have fun with them? The learning targets students have been aiming for and reaching have been: 1. I can read and reread the whole time during reading and be prepared to talk to my partner. 2. I can read smoothly for a sustained amount of time. 3. I can make a picture in my mind before reading, predict, and revise my mental image as I read the story. 4. I can retell key details after reading. 5. I can talk with my partner about books in a way that helps us both comprehend and have fun. They have been using a new reading tool to help them have discussions with their partners and reading groups. I have heard them sharing their favorite parts, asking and answering questions about the characters, settings, and story lines.
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This week we have been discussing how to persevere during challenging or new tasks throughout our day as first graders. We took a close look at the book The Little Engine That Could and analyzed how the Little Engine had the traits of strength, courage, knowledge, and joy! She had the strength to continue to pull and pull with all her might! The courage not to give up and to be brave! The knowledge because she knew she was a steam engine and she was built well! She wasn't alone in her journey and had others with her. And lastly, joy because she thought she could and did in fact make it to her destination!
We took our growth mindset of learning and incorporated it into our new math focus of problem solving! We have been focusing on mathematical problem solving and communication, and have been learning the process of not only solving a problem, but showing our work and mathematical understanding. The first graders have been learning a variety of strategies for solving a problem. During math instruction, I have been encouraging students to show different methods for arriving at answers to problems, and this variety of approaches provides the opportunity for students to discuss the merits of each strategy. The students have been embracing an approach that s/he is comfortable using to determine a correct outcome.This process of problem solving and communication helps students gain confidence in their ability to solve problems. Shifting the major emphasis from finding the correct answer (only) and placing it instead on the process and communication of "thinking". As a result, students become more comfortable with mathematical problems when they have a "tool kit" of possible strategies to consider, an understanding of mathematical language, and a belief that their way of solving a problem is just as valid as a neighbor's strategy. Take a look at them in the process!!! Today at the end of writers' workshop we had the chance to share our writing pieces with some of our classmates. Students listened to one another and at the end of each share offered a compliment and a suggestion to make their writing even more "professional"! Students referred to their writing checklists to help them stay focused on what they may need to "revise". Next week be on the look out for some of our writing pieces!
One way to get better as a reader is to know your bad habits and to drop them. Students this week have been referring to their newest anchor chart titled “Drop That Bad Habit!”
Be on the look out for it in their reading folder! o The Freeze o The Tell Me o The Mumble o The Blooper Once they identified some of their "Bad Habits" they looked at their “Pick Up a Good Habit! chart. o Check the Picture o Look At All The Parts of the Word o Check It! With their reading partners they have been learning how to be "teachers" by helping each other drop bad habits by remembering their good habits! They have been using a visual aide to help them STOP! At the first sign of trouble- and fixing it up! Check back in next week to see them use good habits to solve tricky words! Today we had some special guests from our community teach us about Fire Readiness and Safety. Mr. Torizzo and Firefighter Brandon taught us about how we should have a plan in place with our families to have at least two ways out of our home (like a rabbit does)! Also, about the importance of checking our smoke detectors in our home. We heard a fun song to help us remember, as well as watched an important video with Sparky the Fire Dog. Take a look at us viewing the Fire Truck and all the equipment a firefighter uses to keep people safe and save lives!!! Fall Conferences are scheduled for Wednesday, October 19th, Thursday, October 20th, and Friday, October 21st.
Please sign up below by clicking on the link below to fill out the sign-up form. Please let me know if you have any questions. Yesterday was such a beautiful day for our Region 6 Fall Olympics celebration. Students from all three schools gathered at Warren for an opening ceremony. Flags from around the world waved as Olympic songs played in the background.
The students were surprised when Superintendent Mr.Drapp ran down the path with an Olympic "torch" in hand. The students were placed in different color teams and took part in many "Olympic Events"! It was a great day!!! WOW!!! Today we had an AWESOME Makerspace session! Mrs. Farrell taught us how to invent and build a simple paper rocket ship! Using gathered materials we watched a video and learned how to make a Simple Paper Rocket Launcher. Then using this very simple design, we put our Rockets to the ultimate test! Launching them outside! Take a look at us! They had some power!!!
During math, students have been using addition and subtraction to solve word problems. Your child has been learning how to use different strategies to add and subtract. They have been finding multiple combinations of quantities within 10 using 2 addends, while engaged in the math games: Double Compare, Roll and Record, as well as Start With/Get to. Down below you will see two of the strategies they have been learning! Take a look at the class engaged in a number talk using a new math tool- NUMBER LINE!!!
This week has been another busy one in first grade. Your child has been engaged in continuing to build good reading habits. The theme of this reading unit is “Readers are like runners.” Readers warm up for reading, set goals, establish good habits, and push themselves to be the strongest readers they can be: First graders take charge of their own reading lives. Each lesson pushes students into the good life of being an avid reader by rallying them around this theme. It will be important to inspire them, to help them feel safe, secure, and confident that they will become strong readers, by inviting them into “the club of reading.” Your child has been learning the procedures of their classroom community and how to work with a partner. I have been asking them to use everything they know about good reading habits and strategies. I have been so proud of their efforts! Ask them to share with you one of their new reading habits!
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Miss GleasonWhat we're learning in first grade. Students are also making comments in class! At home add to the posts, too. Archives
June 2017
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