One Hundred Seventy-Fourth Day of School

No homework tonight.

The 7th will be your child's last day of 1st grade. We will have a final day celebration. I will begin setting up during the brunch at 9:30. Our celebration will begin at 10:05. The children will be released at 12:24 for summer break.

Spring Dance

For Friday's performance, the 1st graders will be seated in the middle of the north side of the performance area. Room 11 will dance closest to the Moneta Street gate or furthest from the microphone. Unfortunately, due to a number of variables, the first grade dance is not quite going as planned. But, hopefully everyone will have fun.

Final Exams

Students brought home their Science and Social Science notes for studying purposes. I suggest quizzing them about the notes they've written. Ask them to express the ideas represented by the various icons.

They will not be bringing any math items home this evening.

Miscellaneous

We begin our final battery of reading tests this week; it is my opinion that this is not an easy test. Next week we will take our final writing exam (I have taken a look at the exam; it seems fairly straight forward without any surprises) along with Social Studies and Science and evaluations (students will be bringing home notes they can study for these two areas).

We are continuing our fraction unit in math. Hopefully students have shown you their daily work and discussed their understanding with you on this topic. Some students have been able to complete more than others. This unit will be followed by a fairly straight forward performance assessment on concepts we have covered.

We will be dressing as rodeo folk (cowboys, ranchers, rodeo clowns) for our spring dance. We will be dancing to Payaso de Rodeo.

Unit 5 Week 4 Preview

We will compare the characteristics of the four seasons. Our oral vocabulary words are blaze, increase, observe, outline, and scorch. Our spelling pattern focus will involve the diphthong: 'ou', 'ow'. Our high frequency reading words are against, below, fall, orange, sure, and yellow. Our reading vocabulary words are: wondered and season. We will again practice our reading comprehension strategy of visualization in order to develop the comprehension skill of sequencing.

We will also revisit the concepts of past and present in Social Studies.

Unit 5 Week 2 Preview

This week we will be focusing on many different scientists and how they develop questions to discover new things about the world around us. We will read about the many contributions of Benjamin Franklin and read again about Alexander Graham Bell. We will also read about the important contributions of George Washington Carver to the field of botany. We will again use the strategy of summary to develop our skill of making inferences, which is probably one of the more difficult comprehension skills to master. When making an inference about material we've read, we connect what we've read to what we already know to draw a conclusion which has not been explicitly stated by the author. Our oral vocabulary words will be: career, curious, fascinating, improve, and investigate. Our site words will be: grew, house, knew, and would. Our reading vocabulary words are: curious, and idea. For spelling and phonics we will focus on the r-controlled vowel 'a' (harm, yarn).

In social studies we will be reviewing the concept of needs vs. wants and the use of money as the basis of our trade system.

For science we will be doing the "fountain experiment" to see how air pressure will interact with water.

Quarterly Math Exam

Scores on third District Quarterly Math Exam will be available for parent inquiry on Tuesday, April 2.

Unit 5 Week 1 Preview

We will be looking towards the sky to see what we can learn this week in our new unit on nature. We will read pourquoi tales from a few indigenous cultures. Our vocabulary words are: discover, dusk, mysterious, pale, and scatter. We will spell with r-controlled vowels. Our comprehension strategy will be to generate questions in order to develop the skill of identifying cause and effect. Our high frequency words will be: another, climbed, full, poor, and through. We will discuss "voice" as a writing trait.

We are continuing our Science unit on weather. We will study the three main elements of weather and their effect on each other.

Unit 4 Week 5 Preview

We will explore animals working in teams. Insects in colonies, cleaner fish, and the protective nature of herds are a few examples. Our oral vocabulary words are: behavior, group, plead, soar, and vivid. In phonics we will work with long-vowel 'e' and use its spellings 'y' (sunny) and 'ey' (monkey). Our high frequency focus words are: also, because, blue, or, other, and until. We will analyze text structure in order to hone our retelling comprehension skill.

We will continue our study of coins and counting money in math as this concept will be covered in our next and final District Quarterly Math Exam which comes up in less than two weeks' time. The test appears rigorous yet fairly straightforward. We begun taking timed math tests as well to show our ability to apply math strategies learned this quarter.

Reminders

Reading logs are due this week.

Spring photos will be taken tomorrow.

Math test tomorrow.

Thank you to the parents who accompanied us on our field study trip.

Field Study

The Parent Center has arranged for 1st grade to have their spring pictures taken on February 28th.

Per district policy, our field study will be as academic as possible. Students will be looking for the elements of art as well as comparing past and present in the things we see at the museum. It would be very helpful if students were to bring their lunches from home on Wednesday. Lunches should include a soft-pack juice or water (not soda). It would also be helpful if the lunches were packed in a paper bag with your child's name and room number on it.

Unit 4 Week 2

For our current week of instruction we are discussing how families are the most important team we will be a part of. Our oral vocabulary words are concerned, fortunate, member, share, trust. Our sight words are about, give, pretty, were, write. We are spelling with the long-vowel patterns 'ee', and 'ea'. Our comprehension strategy is asking questions; our comprehension skill is characters and setting. Recalling what characters do in particular settings helps us to recall events in a story and improves our ability to retell. For grammar we are continuing our work with subject verb agreement with the verb to have.

We have recently worked on adjectives with their corresponding comparatives and superlatives.

In Social Science we discuss voting.

A Link for Those Interested

From Prevention on diet and food safety (you may be surprised by what's on their list):

http://www.rodale.com/food-ingredients-avoid

One Hundred-Third Day of School

Today we had a group retell competition as part of a learning center project rotation. We also tried our hand at sorting particulate solids using graded screens in Science. We did not get to the math lesson so we took home the topic overview for the weekend.

You should find a list of names sent home for next Thursday's Valentine's exchange.

Reminder: citizenship speeches are due on the 15th.

One Hundredth Day of School

The students were very excited about the 100th day of school. They seemed to enjoy themselves. It was cut shorter than usual because it fell on a shortened day but we still managed to get some good learning and fun in. A special thank you goes to the parents who volunteered their time and treats to help make the day extra memorable.

Home Project

The 1st grade will be hosting the Citizen of the Month Assembly at the end of February. One child from the 1st grade classes will be chosen to read an essay they have written on the subject of sportsmanship. All students wishing to read a speech to the student body need to submit their essay by the 15th of February. One essay will be chosen from those submitted. This is good public speaking experience and an excellent opportunity for video memories.

You will be notified if your child is selected to read their speech at the assembly so you can make plans to attend if you choose.

Ninety-Ninth Day of School

Our new theme for this unit is teamwork. We will begin the unit discussing the advantages of using teamwork and what team members do. This week we will use the spelling rules: 'ai_', and '_ay' to spell the long vowel-a. For comprehension we will learn how to generate questions during reading in order to make predictions. We will discuss comparatives and superlatives and use them to make a small fold out book. Our vocabulary words will be encourage, friendship, relationship, rely, and suggest. Our sight words will be across, carry, eight, once, upon, walked. In grammar we will work on subject verb agreement and the verb: to be.

Ninety-Sixth Day of School

Today we learn about 3 sets of simple machines. Ask us some questions. Simple machines help us accomplish work. For discussion:

• What types of simple machines do you know? (wheel and axle, lever and fulcrum, inclined plane)
• Where might you see a simple machine? 
• How would you use a simple machine to help you do work? 

We are bringing home our world maps today to study for the test. The test is tentatively scheduled for Friday, February 8th (It might say 9th on the map). If anyone feels it would be better to have more time to study for this test, simply respond to this post. We aren't necessarily in any rush to take this test if more time is needed.

We will probably have Topic 13 Math test on Friday.

Reminder: Reading logs are due Thursday. New reading logs will go out on Monday. They will be in a slightly different format to accommodate a county reading contest.

Ninety-Fourth Day of School and Miscellaneous

We are finishing up the last remains of unit 3 and perhaps taking our time because it's all about having fun. We focused for a time on triple consonant blends. We compared and contrasted as a comprehension strategy. We are continuing to work on our practice opinion papers in preparing for the upcoming writing exam. Some students are struggling with writing an opinion.

Parent Conferences are scheduled for next week. Conference forms went home with each student today. Unsatisfactory notices will go out in the next day or 2.

The one hundredth day of school will be on Tuesday, February 5th. We will have our collective "birthday" celebration on this day after lunch. This is our 2nd official opportunity to share treats with classmates for anyone who would like to.

Topic 12 Math test (and possibly the 13th as well) will be discussed at parent conferences as well as district reading battery and Quarterly Math results.

Eighty-Fifth Day of School

Many (not all) students are using their independent time wisely to finish class projects over the past 6 days of school. Today we are bringing home the last stanza of the vowel poem. Five should now be at home for practicing aloud. We combined our knowledge of line, color, and shape to create turtle pictures for our family. Additionally, we have discussed the art element of value as well.

Fluency scores have been posted in the classroom on the fluency chart (above the Star Chart). A fluency score of 45 WPM with comprehension is required for this reporting period.

District Math test scores will be available soon.

Unit 3 Week 4 Preview

We will be discussing how we can be creative and resourceful and likewise how the characters in our selections exhibit these characteristics and what it is that inspires them. Our vocabulary words for this week are create, hobby, inspire, resourceful, structure. Among our selections this week is a fantasy by Harry Horse called A Friend for Little Bear, in which a resourceful toy bear learns the importance of friends over collecting possessions. Another selection is Karen Lynn Williams' story Galimoto about a resourceful child in Africa who has to make his own toys from found objects.

Our comprehension strategy will be making inferences in order to draw conclusions, our comprehension skill. Our sight words will be after done, find, old, new, work.

We will continue with final silent 'e' long vowel spellings for the remaining vowels along with open syllable long vowels as well as the remaining stanza of our vowel poem.
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In Visual Arts we will learn 3 new fundamental elements for a total of now 4 of 7.

Eighty-Third Day of School

Due to testing and lesson complexity, we will be taking our time with lesson 12-4. No homework needs to be returned tomorrow.

We took the District Quarterly Math Exam today. Next week we will take the midyear reading battery.

Home Project

For social studies we have been working on neighborhood maps. At this point in the year I like to suggest that parents direct students to a mapping program (Google Maps) on the Internet and locate their home's satellite photograph. Magnify the view to approximately 100ft/inch. Size to show their block and a portion of surrounding blocks. Have your child make a simple map (a sample is available in the classroom) with legend (key) under your direction but in their hand. On your child's map, buildings could be shown as simple rectangles. Print a view of the satellite picture (preferably w/o address and real estate information, which can be blackened out if necessary) and attach to the hand-drawn map and send with your child to class.

Eighty-First Day of School

Please send notes collected with your child to school. If you have already done so, Mr. B is probably aware of this and thank you.

Eightieth Day of School

Today most students were quite successful differentiating between fact and opinion and stating an opinion. We discussed the difference between expressing a preference (I like popcorn) and stating an opinion (Popcorn tastes great). Many students were able to substantiate their opinion with evidence or facts using a Circle Map.

In Visual Art we explored our immediate outside environment looking for instances of line. We then replicated and labeled what we observed in our Visual Art notebooks.

It is good to see more students bringing in their flash drives. One student even received his drive from Santa Mouse! What a great gift! Several students received Star Chart credit for completing a digital project.

Preview Unit 3 Week 3

This week our literature focus will be different types of art. We will take a brief look at art from other nations. Our vocabulary words are astonishing, complicated, continue, original, talented. Our high-frequency words will be every, from, into, people, soon, your.

We will begin preparing for our District writing exam by learning how to express and support an opinion with evidence.

In Science we will continue with matter and begin our study of air and it's affect on weather.

We will spell with the digraphs: ch, -tch, wh, and ph.

In Social Studies we will again compare the past with the present and examine the flag as a national symbol. We will also begin our study of the world map to learn the continents and oceans.

When choosing literature for reading practice at home, keep in mind that children will be tested on material without any illustrative support, only text, both in fiction and non-fiction.

Topic 11 Test

With an adjusted passing score of 17, 21 out of 22 students taking the test passed. There were 3 perfect scores of 30. The modal score was 28. Fourteen students scored above 24.

The 2nd District Quarterly Math Exam is scheduled for the week we return to school. Students will identify shapes and geometric solids; tell time to the nearest half hour; and identify, continue, and create patterns with numbers, letters, and shapes.