Mrs. Faccio's 1st Grade Newsletter
January 15, 2016
What's Up in the Classroom??
Reading - Retelling text has been the focus this week. Students either read or listen to a story and then have to retell it stating the most important events. They've been doing an amazing job. I'm always pleasantly surprised by just how much they can recall. I wish my memory was that good!
Math - We've moved on to adding larger numbers. For example: 47 + 9 is a problem the children might see in math. They can make a ten by adding 3 to 47 and then seeing the problem as 50 + 6. Or, they can count on from 47. This seems to be the preferred method. However, it doesn't work well if students do not know how to count up to 100. A task to do at home: Ask your child to start counting from any number you give them. For example: Say, "Start counting from 81 and stop at 100." Pick all different starting places and see if they can do it.
Social Studies - We've just begun our study of different cultures. Students have been learning about the different languages, traditions, holidays, foods and clothes of people from a Mexican, European, Asian, African and Australian culture. The idea is to help students understand that people are different in many ways but the same in others.
Spelling - The students completed another spelling assessment this week. It's the same one they were given at the beginning of the year to determine where to start them with their spelling patterns. It's amazing to see how much they have grown. Please use the word sorts in their reading book bags at home to practice the patterns. The skill is located at the top of the page so you know what to focus on. It might say something like short a and e sound. That simply means they should be listening for those sounds. They can do this in their reading books as well to further their understanding. I have them do this in school with a big book so they are familiar with it. We call it a word hunt.
Green Bay Gamblers
Students received a voucher form last week for the Green Bay Gamber's event on January 23 at 7:05. If you are interested in attending, please make sure to bring it with you when you buy your ticket so Forest Glen gets $3 from the ticket cost. Tickets are $13 for adults and $8 for kids. However, with the voucher, you can sit in the $15 and $17 seats at no extra cost!!!