Week 8

 Week 8-October 16-20

Academic Updates

• We will be learning about bats this week as we continue to work on non-fiction main idea

• More word problems are on the horizon this week and we work to find unknown addend problems.

• We will learn about the night sky.

Conferences: We will continue with student-led conferences this week.

Halloween Party: Firsties will enjoy our classroom parties on October 31 at 10:40am. Parents are welcome to join in the fun. We have stations planned for the party but need your help to keep them running smoothly. We also have a number of items that we will need. Please check out this sign up sheet to let us know if you’re able to provide supplies and/or join us for the celebration.

Week 7

 Week 7-October 9-13

Conferences: We are so excited to meet with you over the next few weeks!

Half Days: Remember that Thursday and Friday this week are ½ days. 

Halloween Party: Firsties will enjoy our classroom parties on October 31 at 10:40am. Parents are welcome to join in the fun. We have stations planned for the party but need your help to keep them running smoothly. We also have a number of items that we will need. Please check out this sign up sheet to let us know if you’re able to provide supplies and/or join us for the celebration!

Ask Your Firstie:

• What have you learned about spiders?

• What happened in the book that wasn’t about a kitten?

• If we have 10 puppies in a box and 4 climb out how many are still in the box?

• What is a digraph?

• Can there be sounds that are spelled with more than one letter? 

• Could there be a sound spelled using 3 or 4 letters?

• When you find the difference, are you adding or subtracting?

Week 6

 Week 6-October 2-6

WOW! What an amazing two weeks we had raising funds and promoting terrific BEAR Behavior. Thank you all for your generosity. The impact of the PTO on our classrooms, staff morale, and student success is truly remarkable. We are so thankful for your support.

Conferences:

This year we are trying something new. We will be experimenting with student-led conferences. Your Firsties will do a lot of the talking about what they’re learning and working on in class. Please use the appropriate link below to sign up for a time slot.

Ms. Gould’s Signup Genius

Mrs. Fiesbeck’s Signup Genius

Academic Updates:

Math: We are working on reading and telling story problems. We will be matching story problems to equations and discussing the meaning of the equal sign.

Language: We are learning to make sound lines to help us with spelling. We are learning about digraphs. We will focus on determining the main idea and details in nonfiction text.

Science: We have been studying the sun and will begin to learn about the night sky.

SEL: Our focus this week is creativity.

Social Studies: We will consider how families support and care for each other.

Ask Your Firstie:

• Does the sun rise in the east or the west?

• Can you point to the north, south, east, and west in our yard?

• What is an equation?

• Who do you sit by in the cafeteria?

Week 5

 Week 5-September 25-29

Conferences:

This year we are trying something new. We will be experimenting with student-led conferences. Your Firsties will do a lot of the talking about what they’re learning and working on in class. Please use the appropriate link below to sign up for a time slot.

Ms. Gould’s Signup Genius

Mrs. Fiesbeck’s Signup Genius

Apples:

We will enjoy a Johnny Appleseed celebration this Friday and request some apple donations.  If you’re able to help out please use this link to sign up. 

Ask Your Firstie:

• What is a survey?

• What are some ways you can show data? (we’ve been working on bar graphs and tally charts)

• Can shadows move?

• What are some Bear Behaviors in the classroom? Hallway? Bathroom? Lunchroom?

• What can you tell me about ELA or literacy centers?

• How do you play, “What’s behind my back?”

Week 4

 Week 4-September 18-22

Reminder: Monday is Back to School Night! This event is for adults. Space is limited, so please arrange to keep your Firsties and their siblings at home. I am looking forward to seeing you at 5:30.

Academic Updates:

Math: We will be working on organizing and representing data.

Reading Comprehension: We will consider the question, “what is the main idea,” as we read a variety of texts.

Foundational Language Skills: We are working on CVCC and CCVC pattern words.

SEL: Our character trait this week is optimism.

Science: We will begin our first unit which considers the sun and shadows.

Week 3

 Week 3-September 11-15

Tomorrow is Red, White, and Blue day in remembrance of September 11.

Academic Updates:

Math: We learned the game, “Five in a Row”, and worked on applying strategies to win. We will continue with addition and subtraction this week.

Reading Comprehension: Our study of author’s purpose continues. We've enjoyed the following books:

•     I Wanna New Room by Karen Kauffman Orloff
•   Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillion

Foundational Language Skills: We are part of a pilot program of a literacy material called, Evidence Based Literacy Instruction. We will share more information at Back to School Night.

Social Studies: Our guiding question will continue to be how is school like a family.

SEL: This coming week we will explore what it means to have an open mind.

Ask your Firstie:

• What is the symbol for addition?

• What is the symbol for subtraction?

• Who do you sit with at lunch?

• What does it mean to be open minded?

Week 2

 Happy Labor Day!

We had a terrific first week back. Students are adapting to the flow of the school day.  We will slowly begin to roll out academic content this week. We are focusing heavily on routines, procedures, and community building.

Academics

Math: This past week students were asked what they know about math. This would be a great topic to pursue at home! For the foreseeable future we will be working on adding and subtracting as well as collecting and using data.

Reading Comprehension: We will begin to study author’s purpose and explore the guiding question, why do author’s write?

Foundational Language Skills: This week we will be assessing students.

Social Studies: We will consider what makes a family and ways in which school is like a family.

SEL: This coming week we will explore what it means to have an other people mindset.

Ask your Firstie:

• How do you use math?

• How do you think I use math?

• Who sits at your table?

• Where do you keep your supplies?

• What is something that is new to you in your First Grade classroom?

• How do you move in the hallway?

• What are some important things to remember when working in a group?