Hello Families,

We are finally starting to settle back into our regular routines after Christmas vacation and our 2 cancelled school days this week. The kids have done a wonderful job getting right back to work. Celebrations are in order for the amount the students retained over break. Math facts and reading levels were maintained if not improved! Thank you for all you did, do, and continue to do at home! J

Math

We began a geometry unit when we returned from break. Plane shapes we are working with are triangles, squares, trapezoids, parallelograms/rhombuses, rectangles, and hexagons. We have been making large shapes from small shapes and breaking apart large shapes to small shapes. Working with pattern blocks has been lots of fun!

 

Reading Workshop

We dug deep into making meaningful connections to characters in stories. We know that connecting to characters helps us understand the story in a deeper way, because we can understand why characters behave the way they do. We also practiced comparing two books by the same author and identifying “point of view.” First graders should be able to tell if the story is being told by the main character or a narrator.

Good Fit Books

Most children at this age have trouble identifying good fit books independently. Please be sure your child is reading good fit books at home. If they are hard to find the little books that come home every few days are perfect! J

***Look for the following characteristics when helping your child find a "just right" book: It is read not too fast, but not too slow. He/she knows all or most of the words. The topic is age appropriate.***

Writer’s Workshop

We had fun writing thank you notes last week. I hope your child was able to share the note with you. They worked very hard on them and really seemed to be excited about giving it to the person it was written for. J

This Week I Really Learned!

I hope you’re enjoying your child’s T.W.I.R.L. journals. We love reading your letters each week.  Students are more motivated to write when they know they will receive a letter back. Even a short letter is better than no letter at all. Thank you for taking the time to write each week. J

Word Workshop

We reviewed 3 letters blends, initial family blends, s-blends, and ending blends and consonant clusters. Extra practice reading words with blends and clusters would be helpful. Students seem to be able to do it in isolation, but are still struggling with it comes to reading and spelling those words in everyday writing and reading.

Grammar

We worked in identifying present tense verbs in writing and speaking. Correct your child if verbs are written or spoken using the wrong tense.

Look how neatly we can hang up our coats, snow pants, and backpacks!

 

 

 

 

Enjoy your weekend!