SEL- We have needed lots of reminders to show kindness to each other, so we set a goal to try and do 120 acts of kindness before spring break. Each time we see a classmate showing kindess they get to add their name to our Kindness Jar. 

ELA- This week we discovered what a historical fiction is. This genre is one of the most challenging for students to identfy as they are not familiar with events in history. We read a story about the railroad and how it changed the lives of a rancher family. Technology changes the world.

Writing- Monster Day- Students created and named their own paper monster.  Then on Thursday the monster followed us all over the school, gym, music, small groups everywhere except the lunchroom and playground. Don't worry we "fed" our monsters and they took naps.  Students next filled out a graphic organizer to preparet o write  a personal narrative about the day. Checkout the Photo Gallery

Word Study-  comparing with adjectives- adding -er or  - est to the end of an adjective allows us to compare objects.  For example : Mrs. Baldwin is taller than Mrs. Tinman. Mr. Tabliz is the tallest at Brookdale.

Math- Thank you for not showing your child the traditonal algorithm for adding two digit numbers. You might have grown up compleing math problems this way as a child, and think my child will get ahead if I show them how to do it now. Well research has proven otherwise. It is important that students decompose (break apart numbers) to not only build fluency but build  understanding for reasonable answers. Students are at various stages with the skill. Some are drawing "quick tens" others are breaking and adding the tens with the tens and ones with the ones. Checkout some of the strategies to the right and keep those problems horizontal for now. Thanks.

  Reminder to look at the homework calendar to ensure you are doing the correct NIGHTLY homework. The homework calendar is posted in several spots on this website. (calendar or math page, to the right)

Science-Can you send a secret message to a friend across the street just using light? Your child can. Ask them to tell you about their light messages that were blue, green or red.  See Photo Gallery 

Instruments are due Wednesday , March 18th.   

120th Day of School Celebration- In kindergarten they celebrate the 100th day of school. But in 1st grade, we celebrate the 120th day of school since that is a math standard for first graders. We  dreamed about $120 in writing, read a story with 120 scrumptious items and counted by tens ,120 Legos to build anything our imagination created. What fun! Be sure to checkout the photo gallery. 

ELA-  Our biograpahy unit continues reading about Jackie Robinson. As we read about the past we learn how people like Jackie inspire us to make the world a better place. 

Writing- Our next unit has us writing personal narratives. This genre is writing is usually the easiest for young writers as they are writing about their own memeories and experiences. I love hearning about first graders adventures. 

Word Study-  R-controlled Sounds- We know have learned the many vowles that R controlls. This week is particullay challenging as - ir, er, and ur all make the same sound. Students will need to write words with the various vowel combinations to see what "looks right".

Math- Ask your child to skip count by tens starting at the following numbers:   3,   7,    21, and 38. Can they do so fluently forwards and backwards.  Example:  4, 14, 24, 34, 44 -- 44, 34, 24, 14, 1,4. First grade standards is for students to easily mentally add and subrarct 10 .   Reminder to look at the homework calendar to ensure you are doing the correct NIGHTLY homework. The homework calendar is posted in several spots on this website. (calendar or math page, to the right)

Science- We enjoyed learning about vibrations and how sounds are made. Keep sending in the instruments that you are making at home. They are due Wednesday March 18th.