Hello Families,

We’ve had another busy week in first grade! We’re going to slow down a bit next week and do some more review with the basics in word work and math. We want to make sure we have a solid foundation and routines and procedures are intact before we start our new units.

 

Math

We completed Topic 1 (Numbers to 12). These assessments will be sent home next week. Students who have not mastered the concept will be reassessed before the end of the trimester. We will begin math workshop with unit 2. Next week will be spend reviewing the basics such as number formation, learning more math games, and setting up our math workshop procedures and expectations.

 

Reading Workshop

This week we learned how to treat books and our classroom library respectfully. We also received our book boxes, learned how to identify “good fit” books, and learned how to book shop in the classroom library. More benching marking will be done next week, and I hope to start small groups by the first week in October.

 

Writer’s Workshop

We’re having a little trouble getting started with writing. Children were to write a list of topics they can write about, and then start writing. We’re getting stuck because everybody wants every word spelled for them. During writer’s workshop each child will spell the word how it sounds. This will be frustrating for them, but they need to take these risks to become better writers and spellers.

 

This Week I Really Learned!

We LOVE hearing the letters that are written to us! Each Friday students that have a letter written to them has the option of having it read out loud during snack. It’s a fun surprise for some to see who wrote to them. J

 

Word Workshop

We have reviewed all short vowels and CVC words. Next week we will be writing word families, cutting and sorting words, and rhyming.

 

Grammar/Mechanics

We know that capitalizing I is a non-negotiable in first grade. Please make sure your child always capitalizes I when it’s all by itself.

 

Water Bottles

Please remember that water bottles may only contain water. If you would like your child to drink something other than water at snack, please send a small amount (no more than 6 ounces) of a beverage that does not contain sugar. I’ve asked the students to bring their water bottles to school empty and fill them with water in the morning. I’m hoping this will eliminate the bathroom “emergencies” we’ve been having lately. Thank you very much for your help with this! J

 

Bathroom

We are working on staying in class unless we really need to use the bathroom. Children need to use the bathroom each morning before coming to the classroom and after recess. We also take a bathroom break in the afternoon, and they may leave the class once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Right now they can go whenever they need to, but soon they will need to go during non-instruction times.

 

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

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