During spell this week we reviewed short i. On Monday I asked our class, “What do you notice about our weekly words? How can we sort these words into groups?” Together we put the words into groups.
Here are the groups students created:
i at the beginning
in, is, it
i in the middle
big, pig, sit, six, did
short i words
in, is, if, big, pig, sit, six, did
Here is the spelling chant we used this week to help us practice spelling our weekly words.
This week we reviewed our Reader’s Workshop routine (mini-lesson, independent reading, closing). Our class learned that when we are finished reading a book, it’s important to think about what we read. Everyone practiced this by choosing a “just right” book and completing a book recommendation. We took time during our morning meeting to share the book recommendations. Each student told his/her classmates how many stars the book earned (1 to 5) and why he/she thought we should read the book (My favorite part was…)
Students also learned that there are different ways to read a book. On Friday we practiced reading the pictures or illustrations of a story. Next week we will practice reading the words and retelling a story.
Last week our class talk about the reasons people write and the different writing pieces people can create. This week students were introduced to journal writing. Each student has his/her own journal at school to use for writing this year. We practiced writing the date in our journals and brainstorming what to write about (what we see, what we do, etc.). Journal writing gives students an opportunity to practice writing without being concerned about making mistakes or editing. The most important part of journal writing is that you’re writing!
We also learned about the writing process. We read a poem to help us remember the five steps of the writing process:
We prewrite and write.
And then we revise.
We edit and publish.
A writing surprise!
We completed our first chapter in Math. Students have been learning how to count objects 0 to 10, how to compare numbers (more, fewer, greater than, less than), and how to complete number patterns (1 more, 1 less). Students took our chapter 1 test on Thursday and were encouraged to do their best to show how much they have grown in their Math learning! Our class did a wonderful job following directions during the test and everyone put a lot of effort into their work!
On Friday I introduced our class to number bonds. We will learn more about number bonds next week.
Here are examples of number bonds:
Part: one of two or more smaller units that make up a whole
Whole: a complete unit
Number Bond: a number relationship between parts and wholes
Calendar - Math Practice
We also practice place value every morning during our calendar time. Every day we add one popsicle stick to count the days of school and talk about how many groups of ten and how many ones there are in the total number.
Example: 13 days of school (13 - 1 group of ten, 3 ones)
Students received their Social Studies books this week and we started our first unit together. The first chapter of our unit focuses on our school and community. Our big question is, “How do people best cooperate?” To help our class connect to these ideas, each student drew a picture of themselves being a good citizen in school. We learned that a citizen is a person who belongs to a state or country and that good citizens have a lot of responsibilities. Our discussion focused on what a good citizen looks like at school, at home, and in the community where they live.
Good citizens work to make things better, help others, and follow rules.
Citizens at School
- Help others
- Follow rules
- Work well in groups
Citizens in the Community
- Follow community rules
- Do things that help others
- Keep the community clean
We also learned that citizens have rights and responsibilities.
At the end of September G1A and G1B will participate in UST’s Eco Patrol. This is a great opportunity for first graders to practice being good citizens in their community! We will go to the campus next to our school and pick up trash to help keep the campus clean.
Social Studies Vocabulary
Citizen: A person who belongs to a state or country
Responsibility: Something you should do
Community: Place where people live, work, and play
Right: What you are free to do or have
Cooperate: Working together
This week during Science we focused on our five senses and how we can learn about things around us by using our senses. We also talked about tools that scientists use to explore the world (ruler, tape measure, measuring cup, balance, thermometer, hand lens).
Students participated in a Science investigation on Thursday to answer the question, “How Can We Use Our Senses?” We reviewed that the word observe means to use your senses to notice things about the world around you.
To start our investigation, we set a purpose and thought about the procedure.
Set a Purpose
Tell what you want to find out. - I want to use my senses to learn about celery.
Think About the Procedure
What will you observe? - I will observe how celery looks, feels, smells, sounds, and tastes.
During the investigation, students completed their observation chart. They used pictures and words to record their observations. We shared our observations with one another.
I hope you have a great weekend!
- Miss Allison