Sixty-Ninth Day of School

Students will have the 3rd stanza of their poem (the 2nd will come later) in their possession today.

Today we made predictions based on the style and characterization of this week's main selection Smile, Mike! We then confirmed, or rather invalidated, our predictions. By making predictions, it makes us active readers more likely to comprehend and build greater understand of the material we read.

Earlier this week we experimented with rhythm and movement in PE and today we practiced throwing, catching and bounce passing to a partner.

In Art, we explored the element of line by practicing different types of lines and then seeing how various artists used line in their compositions.

For discussion:

What are some different types of lines which artists might incorporate into a drawing? (straight, curved, wavy, zigzagged, horizontal, vertical, broken, thick, thin, diagonal)

Reminder:

Although it doesn't show up on today's classwork or homework, based on the Common Core standards, 1st grade students are responsible for understanding and manipulating the equal sign to generate 8 balanced equations for a given set of related numbers.

• 5 + 6 = 11
• 6 + 5 = 11
• 11 - 5 = 6
• 11 - 6 = 5
• 11 = 5 + 6
• 11 = 5 + 5
• 5 = 11 - 6
• 6 = 11 - 5 

 

 

 

Unit 3 Week 2 Preview

This week we ask the question: What do family members do with one another to have fun? Our comprehension skill focus will be to make and confirm predictions using the strategy of analyzing story structure. We will take a brief look at alliteration (consonance). We will continue our exploration with long vowel spellings in particular: long vowel-u spelled 'u_e' (cube, fuse) and 'open syllable with u' (future, amusing). In grammar we will examine present-tense verbs.

Our oral vocabulary words are typical, possessions, connections, relief, and support. Our high-frequency words are call, funny, how, more, so, there.

As you read with your child at home, please continue to predict and confirm as you read (What do you think will happen? Do you think Goldilocks will get caught?). When finishing a fiction selection or chapter, ask your child to confirm predictions and summarize what happened. When reading a nonfiction selection, have your child state the main idea and details.

As some students continue to complete last unit's projects, some students are beginning this unit's projects. Some students will be working together to create a game and write directions on how to play. Additionally, some students may choose to author a joke book and get filmed telling their favorite funny story.

We will learn another of the five stanzas of our vowel poem this week.

In Social Science we will continue to compare the past and the present. We will also work towards understanding our location in the world while learning the continents and the oceans (tested). We will compare globes and maps.

In Visual Art, we will begin our exploration of the basic elements of art beginning with line.

We are continuing to introduce ourselves to the basics of drag-and-drop Java programming.

In Drama, we are combining all the skills we have learned so far to tell a story using dialogue.

For one of our PE lessons we will explore rhythm and movement.

Topic 5 Test Results

Of 22 tests graded, 21 achieved a passing score with an unprecedented 14 perfect scores. Everyone increased their performance level so a special treat has been earned.

Sixty-Fifth Day of School

Class President speeches have been edited and stored on to respective flash drives.

Students are bringing home a hand-written copy of the first stanza of a poem they will be memorizing (1.SL.4.a).

Topic 5 Math Test will be taken on Friday.

There are still some Reading Logs which need to be returned (Aug, Sep, Oct) for the first reporting period. As stated at Back-to-School Night, in order to earn a 3 on the homework grade all Reading Logs must be turned in. Grades for the first reporting period will be finalized on Thursday morning. Those students still missing 1 or more logs were told of the missing assignment(s).

Unit 3 Week 1 Preview

In our new unit we will be exploring fun and laughter. In the first week we ask what makes us laugh and how do we make other people laugh. Our oral vocabulary is amuse, delighted, humorous, mood, ridiculous. Our reading sight words are away, school, today, way, why. For spelling we will focus on 'long-a' spellings. We will listen to and generate rhyme. We will use a Flow Map to generate a retell. We will incorporate time-order cues and words into our retell.

In Social Science we will discuss good sportsmanship and rules (HSS 1.1.2) We will also learn the basic components of a simple map.

In Science we will begin studying the elements of weather.

Unit 2 Week 5 Preview

For the next few instructional days we will ask what neighbors do together for fun. Our oral vocabulary words will be: audience, entertain, brilliant, enjoy, perform. Our sight words will be: all, put, show, together, under, want. In phonics we will be introduced to the digraphs 'sh,' and 'th'. We will again generate retells and summaries of our selections using visualization and Flow Maps