We’ve had a busy week of learning in first grade.  Students began each morning completing a daily math and language review through which they reviewed and previewed many topics.  This included each of the following: addition and subtraction facts, column addition, double digit addition, problem solving, basic fractions, comma usage, parts of speech, possessive and plural nouns, subject verb agreement, contractions, rhyming, verb forms, articles, capitalization, and punctuation.

In spelling and word work activities, students continued to practice the “two vowels go walking” rule.  This week we emphasized “ee.”  Students are stretching themselves working with 15 rather than 10 spelling words.  They have played games such as 4 in a row, partner read books, written words in sand, and read poems to reinforce their learning.

First grade students continue to improve their reading skills, engaging in a variety of reading activities.  They continue to read from their reading folders, practicing level appropriate texts and individualized sight words.  They are reading leveled text on Raz-Kids and completing quizzes to assess reading comprehension. They enjoy listening to books to practice auditory comprehension and recording books to monitor reading fluency.

In writing, students continue to review D’Nealian letter formation.  This week, they practiced uppercase and lowercase e and f.  In writers workshop, students researched a selected insect, completed a graphic organizer, and typed a first draft.  They will revise, edit, and publish these works early next week.  In addition to focused writing projects and tasks, students continue to maintain a classroom journal, completing one or two entries on self-selected topics each week.

First graders are continuing to practice telling time to the hour, half hour, quarter hour, and minute. This week, students practiced skills on IXL, completed a time math packet, played bingo, used clock dominoes, and partnered for file folder games.  They enjoyed a shared read aloud of Me Counting Time, a picture book explaining time from seconds to centuries.

Finally, science and social studies themes continue as students explore animals, habitats, continents, oceans, and landforms.   We want to give a huge thank you to Mrs. Stoner for working with students the first part of the week. Not only did they forge ahead in math and literacy concepts, but together they created incredible insects and diagrams.