Sixty-Sixth Day of School

In Writing we added "hints" to our work as a revision step. Our process was to reread and decide if our audience would benefit from an extra bit of information in any given step. An example from our writing:

First, cook the macaroni. Hint: don't cook for too long.

The strategy for our Math homework (make 10 to subtract) may be a bit beyond some students. Let's try not to stress if the strategy is not mastered at this point.

December reading logs are in students' possession.

Sixty-Fifth Day of School

In Writing, we began the revision process on procedural writing. We learned that a good process for revising procedural work is to act the steps out to see if anything is missing. The revision steps we used today are:

1. Reread
2. Act it out
3. Add to the writing if necessary

We will likely have a Math test early next week.

Today we made predictions while reading the story The Stray Dog. We also learned how to confirm our prediction. This is a comprehension strategy. We also learned that it's okay to be incorrect with our predictions as long as we are making evidence based predictions. If we could predict everything, that would mean there are no surprises.

In Social Science we began discussing the important elements of map creation.

December reading logs will go home tomorrow and are due December 18, 2015.

Reminder: Please make sure 1st graders are in bed by 8:00.

Forty-Eighth Day of School

Please find with your child a sheet to cut and tape/paste a number line for use with tonight's and future night's homework.

Reminder:

Reading Logs are due on Friday.

Twenty-Ninth Day of School

In Writing today we began "publishing" our best personal narrative.

New Reading logs were sent home today.

Twenty-Sixth Day of School

Student writing samples were reviewed this week for progress. Key characteristics were noted which need further teaching. Today we revised for story beginnings as many beginnings failed to include a complete setting. We discussed the strategy of beginning the first sentence of a story with a time:

• One day,
• Last week,
• When I was 5,
• On my 4th birthday,

In tomorrow's writing lesson we will discuss endings/closure.

We completed our Math test. 

The homework sent today is review work.

Reading logs are due Wednesday.

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.