Hello,
I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend. It looks like this week will not be as nice! We are digging deep into nonfiction in both reading and writing and students are noticing connections between what they are doing as readers and writers. What an exciting time to be a first grader!
Upcoming Events:
Monday, November 16th-Half Day-11: 30 Dismissal
Tuesday, November 17th-Yoga Family Night sponsored by the PSC 6:00-7:00
Wednesday, November 25-Friday, November 27-No School-Happy Thanksgiving!
Monday, December 1st-Kaukauna Christmas Parade- Look for more information soon on how you can help with the New Directions Float!
Curriculum Updates:
Readers' Workshop: Students are becoming experts on so many topics as they continue to read nonfiction. Today we will celebrate all we've learned so far by having a grown-up party to talk about what we've been reading the new things we've learned. Maybe you can have a talking party at your house to learn all about what your child has been learning! The rest of the week we will be learning how to tackle super hard words in order to keep learning. Some strategies we will practice are: readers can be persistent when reading hard words, they can "crash" word parts together by reading the beginning, middle and end and putting the parts together, readers slow down to check that words look right and then reread to check that it makes sense, and readers learn new words as they read.
Writers' Workshop: We are starting the second part of our All About Information books-Nonfiction Writers Can Write Chapter Books! This week we will write table of contents, plan and write chapters, write with details by using comparisons, and use different kids of writing in our teaching books such as: how-to writing, persuasive writing and stories.
Math Workshop: This week we will dig deep into story problems with a change unknown or a start unknown. We will be pushing our mathematical brains to solve these problems. Students will work to visualize the story and use math mountains and equations to help them with their problem solving. Here is an example of each type of problem:
Change Unknown: Sam had 4 cookies. Kim gave her some more. Then Sam had 7 cookies. How many cookies did Kim give Sam? (4 + ___=7)
Start Unknown: Sam had some cookies. Kim gave her 3 more. Then she had 7. How many cookies did Sam start with? (__ + 3 =7)
Science/Social Studies: We are continuing to learn about weather through our centers. Students are becoming weather experts! Last week we watched a weather forecast and students were super excited about the slight possibility of snow! Oh boy, won't be long.
Word Study: We introduced 5 new word wall words today. The words are: on, had, may big, from. We will be assessing these words on Friday. These are words we want students to be able to read and write automatically without having to think to sound them out. Students also continue to work on phonics skills and word sorts at their developmental level.
As always, let me know if you have any questions.
Kathy Zobel
First Grade
New Directions Learning Community
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