Eighty-Second Day of School

Our activity in Writing today was a continuation of yesterday's activity. We added to our pre-writing notes.

In Health we discussed the meaning of respect.

The mid-chapter Math Test will be early next week.

A reading fluency/comprehension by oral response score graphic (as discussed at Back-to-School Night) will be available in the classroom at the beginning of next week.

Winter Break Notes

When we return to school on Monday, we will begin our informative writing instruction. In past experience it would be a good idea for you to know in what topic/subject your child feels they are an expert. Some examples from past projects include:

• Weather
• Theater Arts
• Tigers
• Football

Our first step of the writing process will include:

1. Brainstorming possible topics for writing
2. Choosing and charting information regarding the topic
3. Organizing the information into chapters

A good example of what the above first steps may look like when completed may be:

Sharks

• The Life Cycle of the Shark
• Shark Habits
• Threats to Sharks

Additionally, as part of your child's homework across this unit, have your child describe for you the daily writing lesson. This will help to cement the learning in their memory and facilitate their work in class (the lessons will also be outlined in the daily messages here). As they describe the lesson to you try out what they describe for yourself. This will help them to see an expert writer involved in the writing process close up. You will be on the same writing step as they are and they will see your project grow as theirs does. It will also inform you as to their ability to repeat information they learn in class. It is best that your subject of expertise NOT be the same as your child's. Let them have their own area of expertise as you will  have your own. You might draw upon your current or past work experience for ideas or even take some time to research a new topic you are interested in. Examples may include:

• Cooking
• Organic Gardening
• Exercising
• Driving
• Sewing

Also, you have probably seen by now your child's world map that they will use to study the for this reporting period's exam. To clarify, your child does not need to know the the boundaries of the continents. They will only need to label the continent with its name (i.e. get the correct name in the correct spot on the map). They will also need to label the oceans and Los Angeles as discussed on Back-to-School Night.

Your child also has 2 of the 5 stanzas (written in their own hand) of a poem we are memorizing for individual recital. The other stanzas will be forthcoming (SL.1.4.a).

Homework Reminder

As discussed at Back-to-School, homework will not be returned unless corrections need to be made. If this is the case, have your child make the necessary corrections and return the corrected homework to class.

Eleventh Day of School

Today we listened to the story The Princess and the Pea. We discussed the characteristics of the genre of fairy tale. We discussed the 5 oral vocabulary words. Tomorrow we will retell the story using those  words. We will use this same process every week to practice retelling, use new oral vocabulary, and practice listening and speaking skills.

Yesterday we completed the "thinking" (brainstorming/idea collecting) portion of the writing process (CCSS 1.W.3). In addition to the ideas which cover our yellow writing folders and the list of memorable moments which we practice telling with our parents at home, we also made categorized lists of topics which we can refer to in our writing folders. Having these resources will help ensure that we will always have a cache of ideas from which to draw for inspiration. Today we began the planning portion. The planning portion steps of the writing process involves:

1. Touching and talking
2. Drawing and labeling

Our first step today was to touch (the pages) as we told our story to a partner. We listened for a beginning (which answers the questions: who, where, and when?) a middle (which tells what happened) and an end (which may tell what happened next and may indicate a change of emotional state).

Tomorrow we will begin the drawing and labeling stage.

In addition to your child's Math homework, you should find a Reading Log which has your child's number and the first due date of September 30th. As discussed at Back-to-School, the Reading Log may be completed in a parent's hand and should be signed by a parent at the bottom.

Composite Reading scores, and raw spelling scores are available in the classroom to interested parents. 

Quick Note

Thank you to all parents for taking the time to listen their 1st grader's teacher drone on for a couple hours.

There was no homework sent tonight other than the School Handbook.

It is now 8:10; Do you know where your first grader is?

Answer: In bed!

Fifth Day of School

Thanks to those parents who have returned their homework already. I will speak more to that tomorrow evening. Reminder: Folders and Memorable Moment Lists are due tomorrow.

Today we discussed the structure of narratives. We learned that most narratives have a beginning (which often answer the questions of who, where, and when), a middle (containing the basic plot or conflict/problem), and the end (resolution).

We continued work on our Unit Project.

There was homework tonight. Students are to complete the reverse side of the classwork. The last question should be answered in a complete sentence.

We completed our 4th violence prevention lesson today.

In P.E. we worked on moving in open space and maintaining personal space. We moved in high middle and low space in 3 speeds using different locomotion.

Reminder: Tomorrow night is Back-to-School night.

Third Day of School

Today we continued letter formation and letter study and well as work on our Unit Projects. We also took our first spelling inventory.

In Math we worked in our Math Journals on this question:

Phillip had a 21 piece puzzle in a box. When he dumped the box out, he counted only 16 pieces. How many pieces were missing? Make a model for your solution and write a math sentence.

The yellow writing folders have already started to come in and look great so far. Only 3 students are missing their emergency information.

Reminder: Back-to-School Night is on Tuesday at 5:30. Information will be presented this evening that will not be repeated at any other time this year. Please make a point to have an adult representative present from your family.

Tomorrow we will take our first Writing assessment.