We had a fabulous morning focusing on reading and writing! The first graders received new reading club order forms which they looked through for books of interest. As noted in your child's student planner today, the next book orders are due by October 12.
After our morning meeting, the boys and girls completed spelling practice exercises using /oi/ and /ou/ words from Unit 4. We then turned our attention to the First Grade Memory Books. Today, we thought about the special events that took place on the first day of school. We generated over ten ideas together as a whole group. Each student then chose five or more of the sentences to include in his/her personal memory book. After writing these ideas and ending with a feeling statement, the students glued the page into their books. Many also began to illustrate that chapter of the book. Everyone worked diligently on this project!
Following recess, we re-organized our desks. We cleaned out daily folders today. Parents, please check through the papers your child brings home today and everyday. If it looks like something that should have been handed in, please send it back to school. Also, please check student planners with your child. I have not been receiving math homework from everyone and I know everyone is getting the assignments to take home. Thank you!
The students also received big blank books that will become their field trip books. They received a new math book and their first Junior Great Book.s, too. I introduced the shared inquiry method and procedures that we will use to become better thinkers. When we read in our Junior Great Books, we will listen, wonder, and share.
Lunch recess left quite a few first graders over-excited when they entered the building. This seemed to linger for the rest of the afternoon as politeness and classroom etiquette were not consistently in evidence. Let's turn that around for tomorrow!
Following Quiet Time, the students went to Library. If your child did not bring home a library book, please ask him/her why not. The first graders were late leaving library class. Thank goodness the kindergarten students that had library next were able to stand quietly and wait patiently in the hallway for Room 104 to exit the room!
During science, the first graders observed their brassica plants independently today. Many first grade scientists wrote detailed observations and labeled their drawings carefully. However, some should have thought harder about using their attentiscopes to focus their attention better. We were all happy to see that some of the brassica plants had tiny yellow flowers!
After some old-school heads down time to cool our engines off a bit, we ended the day with our first geometry lesson. Today, we identified three-dimensional shapes and gave examples of objects that are spheres, cones, cubes, rectangular prisms, cylinders, or pyramids. In addition to completing the math worksheet, I encouraged the students to look for other examples of three-dimensional shapes at home.
Parents, your child should have an updated classroom directory and Student of the Week schedule in his/her home folder. I wanted to wait until the two open seats in the classroom were filled before I sent the information home again, but that process is taking far longer than I thought. Should we get new students, I will revise and resend the information.
Your child also may have brought home Make Way for Ducklings. I told them to bring it home if they did not have a copy of their own to help them with their fun sheet packet assignment.
We will continue working in our First Grade Memory Books tomorrow.
After our morning meeting, the boys and girls completed spelling practice exercises using /oi/ and /ou/ words from Unit 4. We then turned our attention to the First Grade Memory Books. Today, we thought about the special events that took place on the first day of school. We generated over ten ideas together as a whole group. Each student then chose five or more of the sentences to include in his/her personal memory book. After writing these ideas and ending with a feeling statement, the students glued the page into their books. Many also began to illustrate that chapter of the book. Everyone worked diligently on this project!
Following recess, we re-organized our desks. We cleaned out daily folders today. Parents, please check through the papers your child brings home today and everyday. If it looks like something that should have been handed in, please send it back to school. Also, please check student planners with your child. I have not been receiving math homework from everyone and I know everyone is getting the assignments to take home. Thank you!
The students also received big blank books that will become their field trip books. They received a new math book and their first Junior Great Book.s, too. I introduced the shared inquiry method and procedures that we will use to become better thinkers. When we read in our Junior Great Books, we will listen, wonder, and share.
Lunch recess left quite a few first graders over-excited when they entered the building. This seemed to linger for the rest of the afternoon as politeness and classroom etiquette were not consistently in evidence. Let's turn that around for tomorrow!
Following Quiet Time, the students went to Library. If your child did not bring home a library book, please ask him/her why not. The first graders were late leaving library class. Thank goodness the kindergarten students that had library next were able to stand quietly and wait patiently in the hallway for Room 104 to exit the room!
During science, the first graders observed their brassica plants independently today. Many first grade scientists wrote detailed observations and labeled their drawings carefully. However, some should have thought harder about using their attentiscopes to focus their attention better. We were all happy to see that some of the brassica plants had tiny yellow flowers!
After some old-school heads down time to cool our engines off a bit, we ended the day with our first geometry lesson. Today, we identified three-dimensional shapes and gave examples of objects that are spheres, cones, cubes, rectangular prisms, cylinders, or pyramids. In addition to completing the math worksheet, I encouraged the students to look for other examples of three-dimensional shapes at home.
Parents, your child should have an updated classroom directory and Student of the Week schedule in his/her home folder. I wanted to wait until the two open seats in the classroom were filled before I sent the information home again, but that process is taking far longer than I thought. Should we get new students, I will revise and resend the information.
Your child also may have brought home Make Way for Ducklings. I told them to bring it home if they did not have a copy of their own to help them with their fun sheet packet assignment.
We will continue working in our First Grade Memory Books tomorrow.