1B Family Update
October 28, 2016
Dear Families
The 1B Rockstars continue to work hard and have fun. Here is an update on what we have been doing and a sneak peak at a group photo from picture day.
In Fundations (phonics), students are working on tapping out (with their fingers) or sounding out CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant words). These are words like: mop, dip, fun, etc. Students who have shown that they have mastered this skill are working on writing complete sentences with capital letters, words spelled correctly and punctuation. It is a difficult skill for young children to think of a sentence that they want to write in their heads and then write it down on paper with the correct conventions because they are often thinking of their ideas instead of grammar rules. To help your child with this at home, you can write stories together. First, have your child verbally tell you the sentence. "We went to the park." You can repeat it and point out how many words they should get down on the page (5). Once they have written the sentence encourage them to return to the writing to check for capital letters, proper spacing between words and punctuation. Once the first sentence is down, have your child verbally tell you the next sentence.
In writing, students have written the beginning, middle and end of their small moment stories. Each student has selected a true story to write about. They learned how to structure their stories in the following ways:
Beginning - Introduce who was there, where you were (setting) and what happened
Middle - Explain more about what happened by adding sensory details (What did you see? Hear? Smell? Taste? Feel?)
End - Close the story with how you felt or a lesson you learned
In reading, we have been working on noticing connections in our books. This helps students actively think about the stories they are reading. Students are looking for text-to-self connections (connections to their own lives) and text-to-text connections (connections between the plot or characters in two books they have read).
In math, we have been working on turning addition problems into subtraction problems using number lines as a strategy to help us solve these problems. This helps us see how subtraction is related to addition by using the same numbers but in a different way. The number lines we created in class help us count on and backwards to solve the problems. To support your child at home have them work on change unknown problems. For example 6+__=10 and 10-6= __ or 12+__=22 and 22-12=___. Have them explain the strategy that they used to you.
Amy Czaja and Kendra Thomas
Change in Friday park trips
Please send in magazines
POD Learning
This week students rotated through 4 centers: a math lesson with Ms. Thomas, a writing lesson with Ms. Czaja, an inquiry activity about families, and academic choice (free reading, free writing or academic ipad apps). This allows students to receive lessons from the teachers in small groups.
Writing Lesson
Math Lesson
Inquiry Lesson
Town Hall
Announcements from Mr. Padilla
Welcome to BPCS
Dancing with Ms. Siby
Classroom Photos
Simon sharing his text-to-self connection
Number Story
Independent Reading
Shout outs
Morning Meeting Share
Recess Fun
Morning Meeting Share
Marble Jar is full!
The class voted on a stuffed animal party
Risk-Taker of the Week #1: Sofie
- You have been a risk-taker by saying sorry when you bumped someone.
At recess, she will ask different people if they want to play a game with her. Even friends she doesn't really talk to that much.
I realized she was being a risk-taker by trying her best to do her work.
You've been a risk-taker by standing up for yourself and helping people.
You've been a risk-taker by doing hard things and believing in what you stand up for.
I've seen Sofie be a risk-taker by trying new things.
Risk-Taker Student of the Week #2: Billie
- She is a risk-taker because she always sounds out words and keeps on trying sometimes when she can't figure it out.
- You try your best to ignore distractions when the teachers are giving instructions.
- You're really doing this in your head. And you're going to remember. And your brain is going to get stronger.
- You have been a risk-taker by listening to the teachers to help her learn.
- You have been trying your best and listening to the teacher.
- You've been trying to not hug people when it's not time to hug.
- You're being a risk-taker because if someone doing the right thing. You will ignore and do your work.
- Even though you're new to the school, you try your best to finish your work during snack and lunch.
1B Announcements
- Please check your child's backpack each Friday afternoon and empty their orange take home folder. The folder should be returned empty Monday.
- The 1st grade sight words that students should be able to read and spell that we have taught so far are: girl, boy, will, there, were, here.
- RAZ kids online reading accounts have been set up for your children.
- As you know, this year BPCS students will travel back in time — fueled by reading. Please be sure your traveler is reading outside of school everyday — Anytime, Anywhere!
- The Halloween parade will be from 2:15 - 3:15 on Monday.
A few notes about the parade:
Students are welcome to wear their costumes to school with the following exceptions:
- No violent or scary costumes
- No play weapons (sword, knives, guns, etc.)
- Nothing challenging to take on and off when using the bathroom
Students who will not wear a costume are expected to wear their uniform.
Specials Update
Grooving With Ms. Siby
Happy Fall, families! In our weekly dance class, students have been honing their sculpting skills, well, body sculpting skills, that is. I’m not talking about the class offered at your favorite gym but the artsy, Donatello (not the turtle) version. Using wands, dancers molded their partners into unique high, low, balancing, angular and curvy, body shapes - live masterpieces. But don’t take my word for it. Enjoy our pictures!