Number Bonds

This week we will start Chapter 2 in Math. We will learn about Number Bonds. Number bonds is a way for students  to visualize numbers and compose/decompose numbers. 

Being able to visualize numbers is the key, and giving the students a graphic like the number bound is one way to help them do this.

Another way for students to think about numbers is to play “Bears in a Cave” 
"If I have 9 bears (cubes or beans)  and 6 are outside the cup (cave) how many went in to the cup/cave? "(3)

Students can access gregtangmath.com for great math games. 

These are the games that are perfect for first grade students right now. 

We can Get Along

This week we have had a guest counselor come everyday and talk about how we can get along with each other.  Mrs. Cavitt comes to talk about sharing, giving each other compliments, and noticing we are each special.

Visiting the Library

We got to visit the library on E days.  Students will check out a book once a week from the Early Reader section. In September, students will get to check out two books a week. Students will learn to go to the library on their own in October. Most will go about every other day to check out new books.

Solar Eclipse

We sat under a tree in Concordia Park and had a picnic lunch. Then we worked with 8th grade students from Wydown to make sun viewers. Many students thought the sun going dark was "very cool."

Making sun views with 8th grade students.

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Getting Ready for the Solar Eclipse

We visited Ms. Hwande is the Science Lab to learn about the solar eclipse.  We will be at Concordia Park at 12:30ish to eat lunch and then watch the eclipse on Monday, August 21!

For more information: 
Nasa Solar Eclipse

Need a Playlist:  :)


Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves

Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me - George Michael/Elton John

Here Comes the Sun - The Beetles

Island in the Sun - Weezer
Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler
Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Eclipse - Pink Floyd

A Place in the Sun - Stevie Wonder

Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers

Good Day Sunshine - The Beetles
Soak Up the Sun - Sheryl Crow

Connections

Working well as a class takes time and we do many activities to help the students get to know one another. We discuss letters in our names, how we get to school, our birthdays, favorite foods, colors and pets.

What’s a friend for, a friend is for sharing,

What’s a friend for, a friend is for caring,

Everywhere I go and everything I do

I like to do with you.

Chorus:

Cause you’re my friend, F - R - I - E - N - D,

You’re my friend, F - R - I - E - N - D,

You’re my friend, F - R - I - E - N - D.

 

What’s a friend for, a friend is to play with,

What’s a friend for, a friend is to stay with,

Everywhere I go and everything I do

I like to do with you.

 

Chorus

Cause you’re my friend, F - R - I - E - N - D,

You’re my friend, F - R - I - E - N - D,

You’re my friend, F - R - I - E - N - D.

What’s a friend for, a friend is to talk with,

What’s a friend for, a friend is to walk with,

Everywhere I go and everything I do

I like to do with you.

Chorus

Cause you’re my friend, F - R - I - E - N - D,

You’re my friend, F - R - I - E - N - D,

You’re my friend, F - R - I - E - N - D.

Reading Partners

Students read with a partner most days. These partners help each and help the students get to know one another at a deeper level.  Partnerships provide opportunities for students to discuss books and practice fluency.  We will change partners many times this year.

Daroush and Isaiah

John and Blnd

Paige and Molly

Yasmeen and Lucy s.

Zoe and Ryan

Xavier and Damion

Kavon and Ayaan

Lily and Izzy

Nate and Lylbrum

Lily G. and Mary Grace

Paige and Molly

First Week

This has been a magical week getting to know each other. We have practiced saying each others names in Morning Meeting.  One of our chants has been,

Say your name and when you do.

We will say it back to you.

Hi_________!

We talked about the school and classroom rules. All the rules can be under the umbrella of BE KIND. The students already know: walk in halls, wait their turn, share, raise hands, not interrupt, and listen. 

They have demonstrated these skills even before the lesson on rules. Way to go parents!

Reading: We read several books together. The students love to hear a story. Many commented that they also love when their parents read to them! The students are already reading books at their tables every day. Students will "shop"(choose) books that are at the just-right level for each reader. Each child has a book basket with 10 books. About two or three times a week, the students will be able to trade the books and get new ones so they are never bored with their books. Engagement is key is learning to read. We have lots of books in our classroom library at the just-right level to help your child be excited about reading and grow as a reader.  In addition, students will go to the library every E day. Starting in October, students will be able to get two books at a time and go to the library almost every day!

Math: This week students explored with math manipulatives. They demonstrated they could count one-to-one and make patterns. We played ten frame flash as a class and many were very successful with identifying numbers up to 10 just by looking at the ten frame.
LINK:     Ten Frame Flash




We compared numbers using the words: greater then, fewer then, more, less and same. One game we played with cards is "Top-It".  Players take a deck of cards mix them up and put them face down in a pile. One player goes first and turns over a card. The next player turns over a card. Whoever has the greater number on the card wins.  We also played whoever has the  number that is fewer on the card wins. Jack, King Queen are considered a ten and the ace is considered a one. If both cards are the same number, then each player flips over another card.

Winner is on left because 10 is greater then the ace (one).

Social Studies: Each day we have had a get-along recess. We are working on including everyone in play and building a class community. Children build community by playing! After recess the students gather to reflect as a class on how well they played together and how much fun they had with each other. This week we taught/encouraged the children to be assertive and ask for a play partner and learn their partner's name. Next week, we will learn about how to talk through a disagreement using I statements.

First Day

Dear Parents:  It was a great first day of first grade. We sang songs, read, and drew pictures. We wrote about ourselves and used math manipulatives. Today the students went to Spanish and PE. Also, we had a "get along" recess at the end of the day.
PLEASE SEND A WATER BOTTLE TOMORROW.  My students are allowed to keep a bottle filled with water on their desk.
PLEASE SEND EXTRA CLOTHES in a zip lock bag to keep in your child's locker. This is in case of wet slides, spills, etc. We had a spill today and the extra clothes came in handy!
PLEASE SEND SNACK EVERYDAY. Since we have first lunch shift at 11 a.m., the students are hungry by 1:30 p.m. My students are allowed to finish any lunch  at this time.
Please mark your calendar for Tuesday, August 29th for Captain Curriculum Night. Starts are 6:30 p.m. in the Cafeteria.

We line up on the Big Playground every morning. Our teacher walks us into school at 8:30 p.m.

Today we had special drum music to welcome us to a new school year.

We welcomed our friends.

We talked about our favorite color.

We talked about our favorite food.

We read and colored a paper book, First Day of School.

We explored math tools. 

We connected unifix cubes and pretended it was a train.

We made pictures with pattern blocks.

We built with solid shape blocks.