Week of September 8

Announcements:  

We are ready to begin Week #5 for First Grade.  The students are doing a fantastic job of getting their things out quickly, getting to work quickly and quietly, and working hard for the duration of our tasks.  I am very proud of them!! Way to go Room 8!  We have decided on 4 field trips for the year: 2 plays (Annie in October, Shrek in April), the Natural History Museum in April, and a nature preserve in March.  Please stay tuned for volunteer information coming soon.

Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns:

aboelzle@sandi.net

Upcoming Dates:

Monday, 9/8: Lesson with Mr. S, our school counselor

Tuesday, 9/9: VAPA art lesson

Wednesday, 9/10: Library

Class Calendar

Please take a look at the class calendar!

Room 8 Community

We are continuing our community building this week.  We will review our class agreements: work hard, do your best, and keep trying; be kind, patient and respectful; be safe with your body; make good choices; say please and thank you; be a problem solver; and HAVE FUN! 

This week we will continue our Student of the Day interviews.  Each day a student will get to be interviewed by the class and me, and we will ask them questions about hobbies, family, favorites, and more!  

Literacy

This week we begin our first reading unit, called Reader's Build Good Habits.  Our lessons will focus on the following: Taking a sneak peek at the beginning of a book; Readers do something at the end of a book; Readers get stronger by reading more and more; and Readers set goals to read all day long 

Phonics:

We are focusing right now on reviewing short vowels in words, and segementing and blending short vowel words.  We use a program called UFLI and it's a systematic program that works great.  

Sight Words: We are now on List 4 this week.  

List 4: she, see, he, be, or, for

Math

Topic C

Count On to Add

Now students count on to find totals for expressions (e.g., 4 + 6) rather than for sets of countable objects. Because the parts are no longer presented as sets of objects that can be counted, students must hold the first addend in mind and count on the second addend by tracking with fingers. Students experiment with counting on from both numbers by using a number path to determine the efficiency of starting with the larger addend. Recognizing this efficiency and knowing that starting with either addend results in the same total, students begin to find totals by strategically counting on from the larger part. Students also look for patterns when adding 0 and 1.

Please click here for visual descriptions of the topic

Key Questions for the Week:

          Lesson 13: What are some ways to represent counting on by using tools and numbers?

Lesson 14: Why are fingers helpful tools for counting on when we can’t see the parts?

Lesson 15: Why can we add numbers in any order?

Lesson 16: Is it easier to count on from the larger or smaller part? Why?

STEAM/Social Studies and Leader in Me/Art

We continue our rotations this week.  We are learning about space in STEAM, being responsible citizens in Social Studies/Leader in Me, and fun art projects in art.

Have a great week!

Week of September 2

Announcements:  

We are ready to begin Week #4 for First Grade.  Things are going great in Room 8 so far!

Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns:

aboelzle@sandi.net

Upcoming Dates:

Friday, September 5: First Tiger Rally, from 8:30-8:50

Class Calendar

Please take a look at the class calendar!

Room 8 Community

We are continuing our community building this week.  We will review our class agreements: work hard, do your best, and keep trying; be kind, patient and respectful; be safe with your body; make good choices; say please and thank you; be a problem solver; and HAVE FUN! 

This week we will continue our Student of the Day interviews.  Each day a student will get to be interviewed by the class and me, and we will ask them questions about hobbies, family, favorites, and more!  

Literacy

This week students will begin to take home books to read.  I have assessed their reading levels after a very brief meeting, so levels may/may not change once I read more with them.  Please read the book bag information carefully.  Books will need to be brought back daily, as we will be using those same books in class.  

Phonics:

We are focusing right now on reviewing short vowels in words, and segementing and blending short vowel words.  We use a program called UFLI and it's a systematic program that works great.  

Sight Words: We are now on List 3 this week.  

List 3: and, as, that, have, had, has

Math

Topic B: Count On from a Visible Part

Students progress from finding totals by using the Level 1 strategy of counting all objects to using the Level 2 strategy of counting on from a known part. At first, objects are shown as two parts, such as the dots that appear on a pair of dice. Students choose a part they

know, or can subitize, without counting one by one. They begin the count by naming the known part and then keep counting the objects in the second part to find the total: Fooouuur, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Students advance to counting on from a part embedded within

a total. For example, given a collection of apples, students represent two parts (4 apples and 6 apples) and the total (10 apples) by using number bonds and number sentences.

They realize they can count on from either part and get the same total.

Please click here for visual descriptions of the topic

Key Questions for the Week:

          Lesson 10: How is seeing 5 within a set helpful for finding the total?

Lesson 11: How can use number bonds to show how we find totals? How can use number sentences (equations) to show how we find totals?

Lesson 12: Why are fingers helpful tools for counting on when we can’t see a part?

STEAM/Social Studies and Leader in Me/Art

We will begin our rotations this Thursday.  We will do three rotations on Thursday, and one rotation in class with me on another day. 

Have a great week!

Week of August 25

Announcements:  

We are ready to begin Week #3 for First Grade, and I hope you all had a relaxing and recharging weekend. Our second week was super smooth! We got to learn a little about everyone by sharing our bags, practiced our classroom agreements, and more!

Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns:

aboelzle@sandi.net

Upcoming Dates:

Friday, August 29: Additional Minimum Day

Monday, September 1: No school for Labor Day

Friday, September 5: First Tiger Rally, from 8:30-8:50

Class Calendar

Please take a look at the class calendar!

Room 8 Community

We are continuing our community building this week.  We will review our class agreements: work hard, do your best, and keep trying; be kind, patient and respectful; be safe with your body; make good choices; say please and thank you; be a problem solver; and HAVE FUN! 

This week we will begin our Student of the Day interviews.  Each day a student will get to be interviewed by the class and me, and we will ask them questions about hobbies, family, favorites, and more!  Please note that it will take at least 22 days to get through all students, and each student will have their day!

Literacy

For the next few weeks I will be assessing students in their reading and writing and going over our procedures for Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop. This week we'll read lots of books about school and friends, learn how to find just right books to read, go over library procedures, introduce our writer’s notebooks, finish our All About Me book, and begin our first unit in Reading--Readers Build Good Habits. 

Sight Words: We will have our first sight word list test on Monday.  Normally they will be on Fridays.  

List 2: of, you, to, go, is, at

Math

This week we will begin our next topic for our first Module.  We will have one lesson from Topic A, a short quiz, and then move on to Topic B. 

Topic B: Count On from a Visible Part

Students progress from finding totals by using the Level 1 strategy of counting all objects to using the Level 2 strategy of counting on from a known part. At first, objects are shown as two parts, such as the dots that appear on a pair of dice. Students choose a part they

know, or can subitize, without counting one by one. They begin the count by naming the known part and then keep counting the objects in the second part to find the total: Fooouuur, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Students advance to counting on from a part embedded within

a total. For example, given a collection of apples, students represent two parts (4 apples and 6 apples) and the total (10 apples) by using number bonds and number sentences.

They realize they can count on from either part and get the same total.

Please click here for visual descriptions of the topic

Lesson Key Questions for the Week:

                Lesson 6: How do tally marks make counting and comparing easier?          

                Lesson 7: What is the same and what is different about counting all and counting on?

                Lesson 8: Why should we count on from a part we know?

                Lesson 9: Why do we get the same total no matter which part we count on from?

STEAM/Social Studies and Leader in Me/Art

We will begin these content areas next week!

Have a great week!

Week of August 18

Announcements:  

We are ready to begin Week #2 for First Grade, and I hope you all had a relaxing and recharging weekend. Our first week was amazing!  The students already know how to quickly put their shoes on and get in line, how to come to the rug quietly to enjoy a book, and how to have fun!

Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns:

aboelzle@sandi.net

Upcoming Dates:

Friday, August 22: Volunteer Fair in the MPR: 8:30-10

Friday, August 22: Fall Family Movie Night

Friday, August 29: Additional Minimum Day

Monday, September 1: No school for Labor Day

Friday, September 5: First Tiger Rally, from 8:30-8:50

Class Calendar

***I have not added dates to the calendar yet. I will this week!

Room 8 Community

We are continuing our community building this week.  We will review our class agreements: work hard, do your best, and keep trying; be kind, patient and respectful; be safe with your body; make good choices; say please and thank you; be a problem solver; and HAVE FUN! 

This week we will share our bags (info went home on Friday), and we'll also begin our Student of the Day interviews.  Each day a student will get to be interviewed by the class and me, and we will ask them questions about hobbies, family, favorites, and more!  Please note that it will take at least 22 days to get through all students, and each student will have their day!

Literacy

For the next few weeks I will be assessing students in their reading and writing and going over our procedures for Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop. This week we'll read lots of books about school and friends, learn how to find just right books to read, go over library procedures, introduce our writer’s notebooks, start an All About Me book, and begin our first unit in Reading--Readers Build Good Habits. 

Sight Words: This week we also begin our Sight Word Study, and information about this is going home on Monday.

List 1: me, my, can, the, like, it 

Math

On Friday we have our first lesson from Eureka Math. The first module is called Counting, Comparison and Addition.  The first 6 lessons focus on counting and comparing with data. Data contexts provide natural opportunities for counting. Students collect datby answering questions, sorting sets, and making observations. They create bar graphs, picture graphs, and tally charts to visually represent the data. As students count to find totals and visually compare quantities, they recognize that linear organizations are useful. Students compare what they see using language such as more than, fewer than, and equal to, and represent these statements numerically using the symbols >, <, and =.  Number paths and tally marks provide students opportunities for counting on from 5.

Lesson 1: Organize to find how many and compare

Lesson 2: Organize and represent data to compare two categories

Lesson 3: Sort to represent and compare data with three categories

Lesson 4: Find the total number of data points and compare categories in a picture graph

Lesson 5: Organize and represent categorical data

Lesson 6: Use tally marks to represent and compare data

STEAM/Social Studies and Leader in Me/Art

We will begin these content areas soon!

Have a great week!

Week of August 11

WELCOME!

Announcements:  

Welcome to Room 8!!!  I am so excited to have your child in our class and I can’t wait to get started!  Our weekly updates will be on our class website only once I have all family contact information, and you will receive an email with the link every Sunday.

Back to School Night is this Wednesday, August 13 at from 5:30-6:10 in Room 8.

First Day Letter (will go home in print on Monday) 

First Grade Supply Wish List

Family Survey: All families will receive an email with the link to the family survey.  I will send emails to the addresses you provided the district. If you do not receive it, please let me know. 

Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns:

aboelzle@sandi.net

Upcoming Dates:

Wednesday, August 13: Back to School Night from 5:30-6:10 Room 8

Room 8 Community

We will be building our community of learners in Room 8 this month, and we’ll talk about what it looks like to try our best, work hard, be safe, treat others with respect, and to be kind to each other.  

Literacy

For the next few weeks I will be assessing students in their reading and writing and going over our procedures for Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop. This week we'll read lots of books about school and friends, learn how to find just right books to read, go over library procedures, introduce our writer’s notebooks, and lots more!

Math

This week we will re-engage ourselves with mathematics, and will do a few activities to get us ready for our formal math instruction.  We will begin our first math unit next week.

STEAM/Social Studies/Leader in Me/Art

We will begin these content areas soon!

Have a great week!