Ms. Conroy's Classroom

Announcements and Reminders

Weekly Updates

March 2 - March 6, 2020

We had a great week in first grade! This week students practiced telling time to the hour and near doubles strategies, read and wrote words with five sounds, learned new vowel teams and trick words, responded to our read aloud Amazing Monty, continued writing their own realistic fiction stories, and learned about sound. More highlights:

    • Math: This week students learned how to tell time to the hour, practiced adding two-digit numbers without regrouping, and practiced near doubles adding strategies.
    • Reader's Workshop: We finished our read aloud Amazing Monty. After, the kids got to write "the last chapter" of the book.
    • Fundations: Everyone is learning how to read and write words with 5 sounds. They also learned new trick words and vowel teams.
    • Writer's Workshop: We wrote our own realistic fiction stories this week. The kids were so creative!
    • Science: We are currently doing our unit on sound. We are exploring how sound is a vibration.


February 24 - February 28, 2020

Happy March! This week in first grade students identified coins and their values, wrote and marked up closed syllables, learned new vowel teams and trick words, listened to the realistic fiction read aloud Amazing Monty, and planned out their own realistic fiction stories. More highlights:

    • Math: We finished our unit on money this week. Students learned how to tell different coins apart and the values of each coin. We also practiced adding coins together.
    • Reader's Workshop: We started our realistic fiction chapter book read aloud this week, Amazing Monty. The kids are loving it!
    • Fundations: This week the kids learned the difference between closed and open syllables. They also learned the vowel teams oi and oy.
    • Writer's Workshop: Everyone planned out what they want to write for their realistic fiction stories. We will start to write them next week!


February 10 - February 14, 2020

I hope everyone had a relaxing and fun February vacation with family and friends! We had a busy week before break, with both the 100th day of school and Valentine's Day. Thank you to all who helped out for our awesome Valentine's Day party. With all your donations and help in the classroom, the kids had a great time. More highlights:

    • Math: We started our money unit! Students are learning the values of different coins and what they look like.
    • Reader's Workshop: We compared and contrasted characters, setting, and problem/solution in different realistic fiction stories. We also read books about the 100th Day of School and Valentine's Day.
    • Fundations: We started Unit 9 this week, which focuses on closed syllables. The kids also learned the vowel teams ai, ay, ee, ea, ey.
    • Writer's Workshop: We are continuing to work on brainstorming ideas for realistic fiction stories. Students worked on setting and problem/solution.


February 3 - February 7, 2020

Last week in first grade we practiced adding two-digit numbers without regrouping, read and wrote words with digraph blends In Fundations, asked questions and made predictions in Reader's Workshop, started realistic fiction writing, and had Friendship Class. This coming week we will do 100th day activities on Wednesday and celebrate Valentine's Day on Friday. More highlights:

    • Math: We practiced adding two-digit numbers without regrouping with tools like a 120 number grid and base-10 blocks.
    • Reader's Workshop: We asked questions and made predictions as we read realistic fiction stories, like Luke Goes to Bat and Song and Dance Man.
    • Fundations: We are learning how to read and write words with digraph blends. Students were also introduced to all of the r-controlled vowels: -ar, - er, -it, -or, -ur.
    • Writer's Workshop: We started our realistic fiction unit this week. We brainstormed story ideas with a problem and solution and came up with main characters.


January 27- January 31, 2020

Happy February! I hope the groundhog is right and spring will be right around the corner! Last week in first grade we practiced adding two-digit numbers without regrouping, learned all about blends, made connections with realistic fiction stories, and learned and wrote about Ruby Bridges. We will have a Fundations assessment on Friday, 2/7. More highlights:

    • Math: We practiced comparing numbers and adding two-digit numbers without regrouping.
    • Reader's Workshop: We made text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections while reading realistic fiction stories.
    • Fundations: We are learning how to read and write words with blends. Students were also introduced to r-controlled vowels.
    • Writer's Workshop: Students learned and wrote about Ruby Bridges.


January 21- January 24, 2020

We had a great week in first grade! Students practiced place value and measuring a path in Math, learned how to read and write words with glued sounds and suffixes, practiced retelling realistic fiction stories and identifying problem and solution, and learned and wrote about Rosa Parks. More highlights:

    • Math: We practiced place value, comparison symbols, measuring a path, and 120 grids.
    • Reader's Workshop: This week students identified problem and solution in realistic fiction stories. They also practiced retelling. We read Andrew's Loose Tooth, Enemy Pie, Mrs. Toggle's Zipper, and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
    • Fundations: We are learning how to read and write words with the glued sounds and suffixes.
    • Writer's Workshop: Students learned and wrote about Rosa Parks.


January 13 - January 17, 2020

I hope everyone is enjoying our three-day weekend! Last week in first grade students practiced place value in Math, learned new glued sounds (-ank, -ink, -onk, -unk) in Fundations, explored character traits in realistic fiction stories, and learned and wrote about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. We will have a Fundations assessment Friday, 1/24. More highlights:

    • Math: Students are learning about place value, greater than and less than, and the equal sign. They learned new games like the Digit Game, Penny Dime Exchange, and Addition Top It.
    • Reader's Workshop: This week students identified character traits in realistic fiction stories. We read favorites like The Recess Queen and Ruby the Copycat.
    • Fundations: We are learning how to read and write words with the glued sounds -ank, -ink, -onk, and -unk.
    • Writer's Workshop: Students learned and wrote about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks.


January 6 - January 10, 2020

We had a great full week back at school! This week we started our realistic fiction unit in Reader's Workshop, practiced reading and writing words with glued sounds (-ang, -ing, -ong, -ung), finished our math unit on length and addition facts, and started our Famous Americans unit in Writer's Workshop. We also had Friendship Class and focused on showing self control. More highlights:

    • Math: Students took an assessment covering measurement, combinations of ten, doubles facts, and number stories. We also started the next unit on place value.
    • Reader's Workshop: We started our Realistic Fiction unit. Students are learning that realistic fiction is a story with made up characters that could happen in real life.
    • Fundations: We are learning how to read and write words with the glued sounds -ang, -ing, -ong, and -ung.
    • Writer's Workshop: This week we started our informational writing unit on famous Americans. Students learned and wrote about Martin Luther King, Jr.


January 2 - January 3, 2020

Happy 2020! I hope everyone's family had a nice little break! The kids loved sharing all that they did with their friends and families over their vacations. With just two days back after winter break, we focused primarily on our classroom routines and expectations. We read Have You Filled Your Bucket? and discussed/wrote about ways to spread kindness in and out of school. We also reviewed expected choices vs. unexpected choices. We read Squirrel's New Year's Resolution and the kids came up with their own goals for 2020. We are setting our January academic goals to learn place value in Math, learn new glued sounds in Fundations, read and retell realistic fiction stories, and learn and write about Famous Americans.


December 16 - December 20, 2019

This week we continued to learn about various winter holidays around the world. Students also practiced combinations of 10 and adding three numbers in Math, reading and writing words with the suffix -s, and opinion writing. More highlights:

    • Math: Combinations of 10 and adding three numbers
    • Reader's Workshop: We are continuing our Holidays Around the World unit. Students learned about Christmas in Mexico, Italy, and England.
    • Fundations: We are learning how to read and write words with the suffix -s.
    • Writer's Workshop: Students brainstormed and wrote about their favorite holidays.


December 9 - December 13, 2019

We are starting to get festive in room C115! We started our Holidays Around the World unit and learned all about Christmas in Germany and Hanukkah. We also practiced measuring and doubles facts in math, reading and writing words with the suffix -s, opinion writing, and learning about the phases of the moon. More highlights:

    • Math: Students practiced measuring lengths with different objects and doubles facts.
    • Reader's Workshop: We started our Holidays Around the World unit. We learned about Christmas in Germany (where Christmas tree originated!) and Hanukkah and the Festival of Lights.
    • Fundations: We are learning how to read and write words with the suffix -s.
    • Writer's Workshop: Opinion writing
    • Science: Phases of the Moon


December 2 - December 6, 2019

We had a busy week, even with our late start Monday and snow day on Tuesday! This week we started our measurement unit in Math, compared and contrasted four different gingerbread stories, read and wrote words with the suffix -s, wrote opinion pieces, and learned about patterns in space. More highlights:

    • Math: Students practiced measuring lengths with different objects, such as paperclips, cubes, and pennies.
    • Reader's Workshop: We read four different gingerbread stories (The Gingerbread Man, The Gingerbread Baby, The Gingerbread Girl, and The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers). Students compared and contrasted the characters, settings, and events in the stories.
    • Fundations: We are learning how to read and write words with the suffix -s.
    • Writer's Workshop: Students wrote about whether they think the Pigeon should drive the bus and what their favorite gingerbread story is.
    • Science: Patterns in Space


November 25 - November 27, 2019

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving with their families and friends! During our short week, we focused on Thanksgiving traditions, sharing what we are thankful for, counting to 120, and writing about our opinions. More highlights of our week:

    • Math: Students practiced counting to 120 by 1's, 5's, and 10's. They also played some new Thanksgiving math games!
    • Reader's Workshop: This week we focused on Thanksgiving stories, both fiction and non-fiction!
    • Fundations: We reviewed all glued sounds learned so far.
    • Writer's Workshop: Students practiced writing opinion pieces.
    • Social Studies: Thanksgiving


November 18 - November 22, 2019

Happy Thanksgiving week! We have a short week ahead of us, with an early release on Wednesday and Thursday/Friday off for the Thanksgiving holiday. This week we finished up our current math and Fundations units. Students also learned about fairytales and folktales, finished their personal narratives, and started to learn about opinion writing. More highlights of our week:

    • Math: Students practiced skip counting, explored frames and arrows, and took the Unit 3 assessment.
    • Reader's Workshop: This week we focused on the similarities and differences between folktales and fairytales.
    • Fundations: This week we finished our unit on the glued sounds -am and -an.
    • Writer's Workshop: We finished our personal narratives unit and started opinion writing.
    • Social Studies: Thanksgiving


November 12 - November 15, 2019

I cannot believe it is already mid-November! Thanksgiving is almost upon us and this week students started to think about what they are thankful for. We also practiced using number lines and number grids, reading folktales, learning new glued sounds, writing personal narratives, and learning about the night sky. More highlights of our week:

    • Second Step: Focusing attention
    • Math: We are practicing adding and subtracting using a number line and a 120 grid.
    • Reader's Workshop: Students are continuing to learn about different elements of folktales. We read different versions of the 3 Little Pigs, Goldilocks, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack and the Beanstalk.
    • Fundations: This week we started our unit on the glued sounds -am and -an.
    • Writer's Workshop: Everyone is finishing up their personal narratives!
    • Social Studies: Veterans Day
    • Science: The Night Sky


November 4 - November 7, 2019

Happy Veterans Day! This weekend, my family celebrated my father's service in the United States Air Force. In school, we celebrated Veterans Day with a Community Gathering on Thursday and celebrating all the veterans that attended. Students also learned about parts and whole in Math, elements of folktales, bonus letters, and how to write a personal narrative. Highlights of our week:

    • Math: This week's focus was parts and whole diagrams.
    • Reader's Workshop: We started our unit on folktales!
    • Fundations: We are focusing on bonus letters.
    • Writer's Workshop: We continuing to work on our personal narrative unit!
    • Social Studies: Veterans Day


October 28- November 1, 2019

Happy November! I hope everyone had a great Halloween week. The kids loved dressing up and parading around the school, despite the rain! This week students practiced solving number stories, reading strategies, reading and writing words with bonus letters, writing personal narratives, and learning about bats. Highlights of our week:

    • Math: Students practiced finding unknowns in number stories. They also took the Unit 2 assessment.
    • Reader's Workshop: We practiced all our different reading strategies while reading Halloween favorites like The Runaway Pumpkin, Creepy Carrots, Boris and Bella, Room on the Broom, Spookley the Square Pumpkin, and, Bonaparte Falls Apart.
    • Fundations: We are learning to read and spell words with bonus letters. Students learned that when the letters f, l, and s come at the end of a word after a short vowel, you double that letter (like in the words cuff, fill, and miss).
    • Writer's Workshop: Students are learning different aspects of personal narrative and practicing writing their own.
    • Scholastic News: Bats!


October 21- October 25, 2019

We had a great FULL week (5 whole days!) in school. We focused on number stories in math, new reading strategies (Chunky Monkey and Skippy the Frog), reading and writing words with digraphs, and learning aspects of personal narratives. Highlights of our week:

    • Math: We focused on number stories, change to more diagrams, change to less diagrams, and number models.
    • Reader's Workshop: Students learned two new reading strategies Chunky Monkey (look for chunks of words you know) and Skippy the Frog (skip the tricky word, read to the end, go back to the tricky word).
    • Fundations: We are learning to read and spell words with the digraphs sh, th, wh, ch, and ck.
    • Writer's Workshop: We discussed what we can add to our writing when we think we're all done and beginning, middle, and end in personal narrative.
    • Scholastic News: Pumpkins are "magical" and decompose into soil!


October 15- October 18, 2019

We had an excellent week in first grade! We focused on ways to make 10 in math, new reading strategies (Stretchy the Snake and Tryin' Lion), reading and writing words with digraphs, and we started our personal narrative unit in Writer's Workshop. We also celebrated earning 100 leaves by playing on the big kid playground on Friday! Highlights of our week:

    • Math: We focused on ways to make 10 and strategies for counting on. Students also learned how to play High Roller.
    • Reader's Workshop: Students learned two new reading strategies Stretchy the Snake (tap out the sounds to read the words) and Tryin' Lion (think to yourself, "Does this make sense?").
    • Fundations: We are learning to read and spell words with the digraphs sh, th, wh, ch, and ck. Everyone also got to make their own digraph pumpkin patches!
    • Writer's Workshop: This week we started our personal narrative unit.


October 7- October 11, 2019

I hope everyone had an amazing long weekend! This week we focused on decomposing numbers within 10, reading strategies, and learning new trick words. We had two early releases, pajama day, Friendship Class, and a Community Gathering. Highlights of our week:

    • Math: Students practiced decomposing numbers within 10, turn around facts, and how to use a 10 frame. They also learned how to play Roll and Total and Penny Plate!
    • Reader's Workshop: We are continuing to practice different reading strategies.
    • Fundations: Students practiced reading and spelling CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words. We also practiced reading and writing new trick words.
    • Writer's Workshop: We focused on how to add pictures and details to our writing.
    • Social Studies: We read and discussed how Christopher Columbus was a voyager who traveled across the Atlantic Ocean multiple times.


September 30-October 4, 2019

Happy October! We had a great week, ending with Picture Day on Thursday and the Fun Run on Friday. Other highlights of our week:

    • Math: This week we focused on counting on a number grid, adding on to larger numbers, and number stories. Students also learned how to play Rolling for 50.
    • Reader's Workshop: We started our unit on Reading Strategies this week! Students learned the skill Eagle Eye. When students use their "Eagle Eye," they look at the picture and think, "What is in the picture that can help me read this word?"
    • Fundations: Students practiced reading and spelling CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words. We also focused on how to write a sentence.
    • Writer's Workshop: We focused on how to add pictures and details to our writing.
    • Science: Apple Science! We learned about the parts of an apple, different varieties of apples, and about the biggest apple on record.


September 23-September 27, 2019

We had an excellent week in first grade! Everyone is getting excited about our Fun Run this coming Friday and raising money for our school. We had a pep rally on Wednesday to show our team spirit! Other highlights of our week:

    • Math: This week we focused on comparing numbers, adding and subtracting 1, tally marks, and organizing data. Students also learn how to play Top It.
    • Reader's Workshop: We discussed how to take care of books, how to "book shop" in our classroom library, how to find a "just right" book using the five finger rule, and how reading takes practice. Our time increased for independent reading!
    • Fundations: Students practiced matching letter sounds to letter names and writing the alphabet.
    • Writer's Workshop: We explored what writers write about and how to use our Writer's Workshop folders.
    • Social Studies: We had an entire Johnny Appleseed day on Friday! We learned all about who John Chapman was and how he helped the world with his kind and generous ways.


September 16-September 19, 2019

Thank you all for coming to PIN Night! I loved meeting you all and sharing what your child will learn in first grade this year. Everyone is starting to get into the swing of our daily schedule and getting adjusted to our classroom routines. Other highlights of our week:

    • Morning Meeting: Learned new games and songs
    • Math: We started Unit 1 of Everyday Math this week! We worked on estimating, counting on a number line, skip counting, and mental math. Students learned how to play Monster Squeeze, Penny Dice, and Bunny Hop this week.
    • Reader's Workshop: This week we explored the different parts of Reader's Workshop. We discussed expectations, what readers do, who reads to you, and three ways to read a book. We read first grade favorites like The Day Jimmy's Boa at the Wash and Giraffes Can't Dance.
    • Fundations: We are reviewing how to use our Fundations materials, how to write lowercase letters, and letter sounds.
    • Writer's Workshop: We are starting to learn the routines of Writer's Workshop. Students are practicing writing and drawing their ideas.


September 9-September 13, 2019

We had a great second week of school in room C115! What a kind and polite group of first graders! We are continuing to practice our daily routines and learning how to cooperate with our classmates. We had our first fire drill as a school this week and our class did an amazing job. We also had our first Community Gathering! Other highlights of our week:

    • Morning Meeting: Learned new games and songs
    • Math: The focus this week was how to do math centers. We practiced how to find what center you are at, do the center, clean up, and move to the next center. We worked our way up from one center all the way to four centers. Students practiced their counting and adding skills, learned new games (Roll and Race to 120, Roll and Dot the Number, Fall Roll and Cover, and Apple Ten Frames), and explored manipulatives.
    • Reader's Workshop: We read many books that relate to the first few weeks of school (No David!, The Pigeon Has to Go to School, My Mouth is a Volcano, and Interrupting Chicken). Students responded to the stories in their writing and through crafts.
    • Fundations: We are reviewing how to use our Fundations materials and how to write lowercase letters.
    • Writer's Workshop: This week we read Happy Dreamer and brainstormed our hopes and dreams for first grade. Then, students wrote and drew their personal goals for the year. We also read Henry B. Wigglebottom and discussed and wrote about how to be a good listener.


September 4-September 6, 2019

We had an excellent first three days back at school! We are starting to learn about our classmates and build our classroom community. We are also practicing our routines and exploring some of our first grade curriculum. This week we:

    • Read many back-to-school favorites, such as First Day Jitters, First Grade Here I Come, and How I Spent My Summer Vacation
    • Read and responded to Ms. Conroy's favorite back-to-school story, We Do Not Eat Our Classmates
    • Explored using many different types of classroom materials, such as crayons, pencils, markers, colored pencils, and whiteboards
    • Practiced math centers and using manipulatives (pattern blocks, geoboards, snap cubes, and brain flakes)
    • Learned how to play Roll and Race to 120
    • Practiced independent reading time
    • As a class, practiced our fire drill procedure