We are diving into fun in room 4. Your child has probably shared with you the exciting chick unit we have started this week. On Wednesday we put our eggs into the incubator and we will learn about the development of an embryo as it develops and hatches into a chick after 21 days. Students have learned about the parts of the incubator and how they mimic the mother hen. Students have learned about the first 3 days of development in the egg and explored the shell of an egg and it's strength. You should definitely ask your child about the egg squeeze and egg stacking experiment! A calendar was sent home with your child, so he/she can track the hatching process at home too. Here is a video students will be viewing daily throughout the unit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Reading:
Students have started a new unit of Superkids. Students are learning about the letter y as a vowel. Students are learning that y can make a long /e/ and long /i/ sound depending on the number of syllables in a word. four example: funny make an /e/ sound and my makes an /i/ sound. Students are also learning about the spelling patterns: ai and ay. Our new memory words are: down, too, work, many, first. We will be starting the end of the year BAS assessment in the upcoming weeks and I hope you continue to read at home with your child. It is such a helpful piece to their reading growth and I know they love reading with you!
Writing:
Students participated in a first grade "poetry slam" with the other first grade classes. Students had an opportunity to share their poetry and listen to all the great writing that is going on across the grade-level. Students have done object poems, color poems, shape poems, cinquaine poems, poems with similes and rhyming poems. This has been my favorite writing unit thus far because I feel like students really took ownership into their writing and each child's creativity and personality really shown through. They wrote some absolutely beautiful poems! I can't wait for students to share their writing portfolios with you at the end of the year!
Math:
Students have been working on story problems this weeks well as some review of previous material to ensure that they are retaining their math knowledge and skills. Students looked at simple addition and subtraction story problems and were asked to provide an equation and a label for their solution. Students were also challenged to write the question that would be asked, so for example: "Emmet had 6 green crayons and Stella had 8 purple crayons". Students then had to come up with a question your might ask, such as" "How many crayons did they have all together?" By doing this, students think about what part of the equation they are solving for. Students also looked at story problems with missing addends and subtrahends and adding together 3 addends. I did some work with grouping in small groups where students looked at dot grids and were asked home many dots they count. Students were told they could not count each individual dot and were asked to look for groups and rows or grouping and subitizing. Some students counted in groups by 2's-10's. Others used doubles facts or subitizing. I am amazed with all their diverse strategies and how they are able to share their ideas with peers!
Other Stuff:
On Wednesday we had the Amherst College Soccer Team read to us an awesome book they read. Be sure to ask your child about it.
Our high school volunteer, Will, will continue to work with us through May and will graduate in early June. I am hoping to do a gift for him and a pizza party. If you would like to donate $1-$3 to put toward the party and his gift please send in your child's folder by 5/15. I am having the students write a book with their college advice and then having a photo framed and signed with him and the students and perhaps something football related since he will be playing for Hamilton College next year. Ideas are welcome!
End of Year celebration information will be sent home in folders in the next week. Keep your eyes peeled.
Wish List: white out, thin black dry erase markers, an electric pencil sharpener (our's has broken and was unable to be fixed).
No comments:
Post a Comment