February Fun

Wow, February was a busy and exciting month in first grade! We worked hard and played hard this month. Here's what we've been up to:

After winter break, we started a science unit on Zoology. This is such a fun, hands on unit and gave us a chance to apply all our learning from our field trip to DMNS last month.
We studied fish, reptiles, and insects and other arthropods in depth, and then all students chose an animal to research and write a science report about. Thanks to many parents for helping with research in last week's homework! This week, we built small dioramas to show the animal's habitat, predators, and prey. On Thursday, we walked around to look at each other's hard work and then many kids took their reports and dioramas home on Friday.

In math, we've been working on building our capacity to solve multi-step problems and really show our thinking and reasoning. We've spent a lot of time in math explorations, working in small groups to use tools to solve problems. Our big focus is CCSS Numbers and Operations in Base 10 C.4: Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract.

Add within 100, including adding a two-digit number and a one-digit number, and adding a two-digit number and a multiple of 10, using concrete models or drawings and strategies based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction; relate the strategy to a written method and explain the reasoning used. Understand that in adding two-digit numbers, one adds tens and tens, ones and ones; and sometimes it is necessary to compose a ten.

We have lots of fun ways to practice this skill, including many games and concrete materials like base ten blocks. An easy game to make at home is to use an old egg carton, write numbers inside, and put two or three small objects inside. Then, your child can shake the egg carton to find the two or three numbers they should add together. Have them draw base ten blocks to solve it, or use a mental strategy if they can! 




February was a big party month! We celebrated filling our marble jar by having a Read-a-Thon (great choice, first graders!)

Soon after that was the 100th day of school! Thank you so much to the parents who came in and volunteered to help on the 100th day, we could not have done so many fun centers and activities without you! I LOVED seeing all our kids at 100 years old! Thanks for helping your kids dress up!

Then we had a sweet Valentine's Day party. We love when parents can come to these things!

This past Friday was our homework club for February... please continue to help your student build independence with doing their homework and keeping track of it! They love eating lunch in the classroom. 

Thanks for visiting our blog! I hope to see as many kids and parents as possible next Wednesday, March 2nd, at our Read Across America party to celebrate Dr.Seuss's birthday! Come share the love of literacy with your kids! 

Happy 2016!

Hi Parents and Families!
Once again,  I'm sorry for the big time gap between posts! Here's some of what we've been doing in January!

First, a BIG thank you to our PTSA, who funded our field trip to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science! 

We were able to take a really fun, engaging class called "The Bear Necessities" at the museum, where our kids got to dress up in bear costumes and learn about the adaptations these animals have to survive. Our kids had a blast being bear cubs! 

Then, of course, we explored the museum the best we could in only one afternoon! There is so much to do and see here. We had so much fun, and everyone was disappointed we had to leave at the end of the day. If you can, go back to the museum and explore the Space exhibit. We didn't get to spend long in there- but many of the kids said it was their favorite. 

Lincoln Lynx!

In Reader's Workshop, we are really focusing on "fluency" when reading out loud. This is what we call it when you read smoothly, with expression, and your listener can hear the punctuation in your voice. It is one of the biggest goals of reading during first grade- and when a child is a fluent reader, they are able to comprehend and access much more difficult content. So, to practice this, we have a little "Reader's Theater" during Centers time. Kids practice a short play adapted from a book during their Work Work center, and then they get to perform it for the class. It has quickly become on of their favorite centers, and you can hear the improvement in their fluency. When you read at home, encourage your child to read as smoothly as possible. This doesn't mean as quickly as possible- but it does mean that their reading should have a natural flow rather than a monotone word by word reading. If they are getting stuck on many words, have them read an easier one out loud to you or someone in the family. It's ok if the book they read out loud is far easier than their reading level- it's fun to read simple texts with LOTS of fun expression.

In writing, we finished up our All About Books after many weeks of hard work and research! I love, love, love this unit because I always learn something new! Thanks to our kiddos for teaching me about plate tectonics, cheetahs, and the periodic table of elements! We had another Author's Walk to share and celebrate this big writing project, and the kids gave each other incredibly thoughtful compliments after viewing all the books. Soon, I will send these All Abouts home and you can celebrate with your child. 

Thanks for reading! I will be updating again after February!