Seymour Snapshots
Picture Yourself Growing in First Grade
Happy Thanksgiving!
Safe travels,
Kristin Seymour
Celebrating Authors - A Special Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
This past week, 1S enjoyed and admired all of our hard work with a very special author celebration! We have finished our first writing unit - personal narratives. We worked extremely hard over the past few weeks. We learned how to think of an idea, plan across our fingers, and write our stories. We worked on spelling challenging words, editing on the go, and reading our writing. We learned how to bring our stories to life by making our characters think, feel, and talk. We learned from mentor authors and tried special writing crafts in our own writing like using pop out words and exact actions!
After hard work preparing for our author celebration, the day finally came! 1S held a SPECIAL ribbon cutting ceremony to introduce our published work to the world! We even had an EXTRA special guest as our ribbon cutter, Mrs. Schultz! She talked to the class about how proud she was of their work, and she celebrated with us!
It was a wonderful day, and every student in 1S was smiling and beaming with pride! We were able to share our published stories with each other and the special adults in our class!
Up next in writing... Writing Non Fiction Teaching Books! Stay Tuned!
SeeSaw
I am really excited about a new tool we are using to keep all of our learning in an online portfolio for your child to share their work with me and with you! This year, we're going to use a new tool to share what we're learning in class called Seesaw. Your child will have his or her own learning journal, and you can get notified when your child adds new items. It's completely private -- only you can see your child's journal outside of class.
Click on https://app.seesaw.me/s/794-189-470 to sign up -- it takes just 30 seconds.
Once you sign up, you can download the Seesaw Parent app for iPhone or Android, or access your child's journal on the web.
Thanks!
P.S. If you have more than one child using Seesaw, or want to add a new class/school year for your child, follow the link in this email, then click 'Sign in' tab at the top. You do not need to create a new account.
Everyday Math
We have learned 3 types of number stories! We have learned all about Change to More, Change to Less, and Part-Part-Total Number stories. We are working on identifying the different kinds of number stories. Knowing what type of number problem it is helps us model the problem using a diagram!
In addition to using diagrams, we are able to model number stories using pictures and number models (or number sentences)! Can you tell we have been HARD AT WORK learning all about number stories?
We are working on explaining our thinking and routines in math. We are learning to tell the strategy we used to solve our number stories!
As we move forward over the next few weeks, we will be exploring number lines and counting. We will use the number line to count up and back, add and subtract, and skip count! I will introduce Frames-and-Arrows diagrams to further our work with applying mathematical rules based on counting, addition and subtraction.
Modeling Number Stories
Finding Unknowns!
Number Models and Diagrams!
Featured App - Math Word Problems, Addition and Subtraction for Kindergarten and First Grade
Here is a short video highlighting the app if you want to check it out!
Comparing and Measuring
In groups, the students measured the Science Lab tables with various nonstandard units. We used wooden spools, spoons, toothpicks, coffee stirrers, and pencils. We loved making predictions and measuring! in the end, we realized we had a problem! We were unable to compare our results because we didn't use a STANDARD unit of measure! The students quickly realized the importance of using the same tool that is the same size!
Thank you Tatem PTA for an exciting assembly all about Crime Scene Science! Hayden did a great job helping the students of Tatem find the cat napper!
Reminders and Dates
* December Conference Sign Ups have been sent via email. Please remember to sign up for a parent teacher conference. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss your child's progress. The conference schedule is below:
- December 14th, 1:20-3:20 pm, Half Day Schedule for Students
- December 15th, 6:00-8:00 pm
- December 16th, 8:10-12:30 am, School Closed for Students
- December 19th, 6:00-8:00 pm, Half Day Schedule for Students
*If you would like your child to use headphones in class, please send in a pair in a ziplock bag with your child's name on it. They will be kept in your child's cubby and only used by your child!
* The Scholastic Book Order for December is due 12/13! Last chance to order books for delivery by Christmas! Thank you to all of you that have ordered online! We are earning FREE books for our classroom when you order online!
* Please note - Monday and Wednesday are First Grade snack days in the lunch room. Your child can buy snack on Monday and Wednesday only.
* Please continue practicing your child's ID number! We use this for Tatem technology and it is used in the lunchroom.
* Our special class schedule is listed below. Please be sure to return library books on Day 5. Also, please be sure to send your child to school in sneakers on Day 4 and 6 for PE. Thanks!
Specials Schedule
Day 2 - Music
Day 3 - Spanish and PE (please wear sneakers)
Day 4 - Spanish and Art
Day 5 - Library (please return library books this day)
Day 6 - PE