September is flying by! The children are settling in nicely and are adjusting to our routines and expectations. As you noticed, homework began this week. The children are expected to complete and return homework the very next school day. They should be able to complete the work independently. Loss of recess is the consequence for not returning homework. A reminder to put the homework folder back into the backpack when it is finished will help insure that it is returned. I have placed the order for Scholastic News and we should be receiving it soon. Please send in the $5 to pay for it if you have not done so. The paper is a fantastic resource for teaching nonfiction texts and often includes current events (such as the upcoming presidential election). Thank you.
As always, I can be reached by email, phone call or note if you have any questions or concerns about school.
Reading
Lessons in reading have focused on: organization of the classroom library, choosing “just right” books, using a book log to keep track of the volume of reading that we are doing, how we know a book is fiction or nonfiction, what good readers do before, during and after reading. Children have been building their stamina to increase the time-spent reading. Our classroom rules are that we read the whole time, stay in one spot, keep our eyes on the book and
THINK about what we are reading.
Our focus shifts slightly now to target comprehension. We are learning to read for meaning and determine what is important about what we are reading. The children are keeping track of their thinking on sticky notes that they will bring to their book club group to aid their discussion of the book. I have chosen books for them based on the reading they are doing now and what the data from first grade tells me about them as readers.
Math
We are just finishing up with Unit 1 in Every Day Math. This unit helps them learn to work with a partner, play math games and work independently. The content has included: telling time on an analog clock, using the hundreds chart in a variety of ways, comparing amounts using symbols (<,>,=) and many opportunities to count forwards and backwards (skip counting and by ones). Counting mixed coins to $1.00 has stood out as a concept that many children need more time to practice. They rarely have the opportunity to handle coins. Practice at home would be beneficial. We also engage in problem solvers once per week and are using the diagram and key strategy this quarter.
Science
Our work with states of matter continues. The children have been engaged primarily with the solids in our kit and why they are classified as solids. We have also been determining properties of solids. Key vocabulary includes: solid, liquid, properties, rigid, flexible, soft, hard, pointed, flat, cylinder, change. Our next step will be to think like an engineer and build a sturdy tower with the solids provided. They will have to decide how to best use each solid because of its properties. It is exciting work that I am sure you will hear about.