Just a reminder, our classroom can get pretty chilly during the day. Your child may want to bring a sweater or leave one in their locker in case they get cold throughout the day.
Writing
We are becoming authors in first grade! We are currently writing narrative stories and understanding the writing process. Students were introduced to a TAK Brainstorm Map (Topic, Audience, and Key Words) to help analyze a writing prompt. Students were then introduced to an I-Chart which is a planning document that helps them organize their thoughts. This organizer includes the characters in their narrative, the setting, problem, events, and a conclusion or reflection of their narrative. This past week our prompt came from the story Time to Sleep. In this story a little boy discovers that people and animals sleep in many different ways and places. Students were asked to write about a time they had a sleepover or when someone else slept at their house. Ask your child what they chose to write about!
Spelling
We have been introduced to what our spelling sorts look like and the different ways we can sort. We learned about a closed sort where we give them the headings and they sort their picture cards. We have practiced a buddy sort and also a timed sort. We will begin differentiate sorts on September 26th and this is when spelling homework will be sent home. Reading
We are continuing to build our reading stamina at school and I'm sure you are at home too! Please remember to record your minutes at home on your reading calendar. The expectation is that you are reading 15-20 minutes a night. I will collect reading calendars at the end of September and your will get a new one for October. As your child is continuing to build their reading stamina, you might start by having your child read 5 minutes on their own, and maybe 10 minutes with a parent or older sibling. When you see that 5 minutes seems easy for them to maintain focus on reading, then increase their time to 7 minutes on their own. You can continue to build stamina by increasing their "on their own" time. Don't forget to check the back of your reading calendar for different ways you and your child can read!
Math
First graders will be focusing on addition and subtraction strategies in the coming weeks. We want students to have a range of hands-on and mental strategies they can use to solve addition and subtraction problems. Our goal is that they are fluent with addition and subtraction up to 10. We will begin addition timed tests in November. To get your child ready, practice using flash cards at home!
First graders are continuing to develop their understanding of the = sign. Sometimes we see number sentences written different ways. The = sign means "the same as" or "balanced" so whichever way a problem is presented a student should be able to determine if it is true or false.
In the coming weeks we will be moving toward solving story problems for addition and subtraction.
Social Studies
We will begin our social studies unit by discussing American symbols. We will look at symbols we see every day as well as important patriotic symbols such as the Bald Eagle and the American Flag. We will also discuss the role of our president and the important jobs he has.Science
We have begun our amazing journey in science focused on plants and animals. We have discussed how plants and animals have similar characteristics but can also be different. Students have been introduced to the terms offspring and adult. We played a matching game where students were given animal cards and the adults had to find their offspring by giving them clues about themselves. We will continue our plant and animal unit in the next few weeks.
Important Dates
Please check the IH School Calendar for other events that may not be listed.
September 13 - PTO Special Lunch (Culver's)
September 15 - PTO Fundraising - Culver's Night
September 25 - PTO D96 Dash
September 27 - Early Release 2:00PM
September 26-28 - PTO Book Fair (During School Hours)
September 28 - PTO Book Fair and Ice Cream Social 6:00PM
October 3 - NO SCHOOL
