Embedded Numbers

In Math, we have been working with embedded numbers.  We learned that within numbers, you can find parts of that number that when combined form the whole.  For example, if 10 is the whole, we can find a four and a six embedded within that number that when combined, make 10.  We created these class charts to show all the ways we can make 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.  Games have been another way to explore this concept.  In the following pictures, we used the shake of a die to help us complete our target.  Ask your child about target practice!

Thank you!

What a wonderful surprise for us all this morning!  I am a lucky teacher :)

Our Water Usage

In an effort to help students understand the importance of water and water conservation, we are collecting data regarding the amount of water your child uses in one day.  Please look for the blue sheet in your child's folder today.  Directions are attached.  Thank you so much for your help with this important activity!

Reading Strategies

Good readers use strategies and last week began our introduction into the eight main reading strategies we will be using all year when we come to words that are tricky.  The first two, I Spy and Say and Slide came our way on Thursday.  We found these were strategies we often use without even thinking about it.  Picture clues are always helpful and sliding our way through the sounds of a word helps us to smooth them out enough to determine what the word is.  It also bears a striking resemblance to another strategy we learned this week in Writer's Workshop:  Stretch it Out.  When we come to a word we don't know how to spell, we can stretch out the sounds as if they were a giant piece of bubble gum, and them transpose all of them on paper.

We met our reading buddies today!

Mrs. Mongardi's fourth grade class came to visit us on Sunday for our first getting to know you activity.  Fourth grade buddies brought in their iPads and we created a Venn diagram showcasing all the ways we are the different and the same.  A surprise similarity was two buddies shared the same favorite birthday....when they turned 5!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

We have had a full week.  Our classroom promise poster is complete and will be something we refer to again and again over the course of the year :). We organized our classroom library by both genre and level, continued to practice building our reading stamina (now up to 18 minutes!!), used clay to begin our sight word study and had a great time with two-colored beans and a dice as a means to deepen our mastery of counting on for addition problems.  Another daily topic regarding math and addition:  number bonds.  Ask your child if they can demonstrate how they work for you!

P.S.  We are nearly wrapping up our "Me in a "Nutshell" share as well.  Thank you for helping your child gather special items that gave us a little window into their personality.  They truly enjoyed seeing and hearing about why each one was chosen.

Reading Logs

Dear Mom and Dad,

Today I brought home my reading log!  Please listen to me read and help me to fill in the reading log.

Love,

Your Wonderful First Grader

Dear Parents,

Your child brought home their brand new reading logs today (VERY EXCITING!!).  We spoke about this at back to school night, but I thought I would review it here with you.  Below are the reading log directions:

* Have your child write the title of the book and date in the log.

* Listen to your child read the book (it is important that you are there to listen to them read so you can ask them questions and give them praise for the effort and care they are taking to become powerful readers).

* Your child should then put a checkmark regarding how many times they read the book (beginning readers are especially encouraged to reread the book for fluency and enhanced comprehension).

* You will need to initial that you listened to them in the spot indicated.

*Lastly, your child will rate the book:  1 star, 2 stars, 3 stars...depending upon how much they enjoyed the book.

Please return the reading log, book and folder each day in the take home folder.

Thank you for all you do to support your child,

Ms Serna

P.S. Below you will find a photo of a sample reading log.