First Grade News

We survived the heat! I want to thank the many parents that offered items to help us cool down this week. I was touched by your kindness and generosity. Hopefully your children shared that they had a chance to enjoy some frozen raspberries and blueberries. I couldn't believe how many students asked for 2nd and 3rd helpings (and 4th and 5th!). Some tried these fruits for the first time. They were surely a hit, and they hit the spot after a hot recess!

What we have been up to:

• Reading: This week we have learned how to pick out just right books for us. We hunted through our books for words with the /th/ sounds in them and recorded them in our reader's notebooks. We also learned how to make a movie in our minds while reading. We started a new chapter book, as you may have heard: James and the Giant Peach.
• Writing: We have begun a new story as a class. We brainstormed topic ideas and decided on are the Walk-a-thon. We have written our lead, as well as what happened first. We go very slowly to learn the process, how to write on the lines on our paper, and proper letter formation. Next week we will continue with writing the middle. 
• Math: We began unit two and spent this week exploring solving addition stories. We worked with partners to solve. 

Data Notebooks: These will be coming home on Tuesday. As I mentioned at the parent meeting, these will just be visiting for one night and coming back to school on Wednesday. Please DO NOT remove any items from the binder. This binder has all assessment data for the year. If you have any questions about the contents, please let me know. 

Halloween Party: Our party will be on October 31 at 9:00am. We tried an early party last year, and it was such a positive experience all the way around. Students get to come to school in their costumes, and there is no suspense building all day long. Katelyn Gates is our head room parent. Please send in your $3 donation for the parties soon. Thanks!

Whiteboard Practice:

I have loved the pictures and videos I received this week of your children using the whiteboards. Keep them coming. I love seeing them in action!

This week we have done two different sorts on our white boards. The first one has the same spelling but a different sound: /th/ (as in this) and /th/ (as in three). The second one had the same sound but a different spelling: /w/ and /wh/ was the second. Pick one of these pairs of sounds. Have your child write them on top of their board. Then while they are reading a book, they can record any works they come across with those spelling patterns in their story. Be careful - a word like /who/ is tricky because it /wh/ sounds like /h/ in this word. It would not go in the /wh/ column on the board. Don't forget to remind your child to "say as you write"!