January, 2012
Happy New Year to one and all!
For the past weeks the children have been reading stories in Favorite Things Old and New, the 4th book in the Scott Foresman series. The first two stories launch the theme of, “How do things get to be favorites?” The children shared orally their favorite things, people and places. The next stories help the children see the ways people are connected to each other and the past. As we read stories or listened to stories in class, we are talking about “Author’s Purpose”. “How did this story make you feel? “ Does the author want you to feel happy or sad? “Why do you think the author wrote this story? Once again retelling what the children have read and making connections with their own lives is a skill that we will continue to develop for the remainder of first grade. Remember when you read at home with your child, have them retell what they have read and ask them to tell you what this story made them think of in their own lives.
I am very proud of the children’s ability to count pennies, nickels, and dimes, to extend patterns and know their basic math facts up to 10. We have measured line segments using our inch rulers and have measured items using our body parts, such as a hand or walking pace. The children will start working on their number scrolls and realize the importance of knowing the number patterns while writing numbers on the number grid.
In the next few weeks the children will start our second science unit “Balls and Ramps”. The children will look at the properties that make up many balls and as the lessons go on, we will compare bounciness and rolling speeds of different balls. Our final culminating lesson allows the children to design and construct their own ramps for their balls to roll down.
In closing, I would like to thank you for all your support and time you give to your children. Each day they have worked through sounding out “tricky words” while reading and writing about their experiences at home and at play. They all share the rich experiences you have given to them at home with studies. They share their interactions with their families, clubs, dancing or lessons with such enthusiasm. From skiing down a double black diamond trail, making cookies, karate class, watching a movie with a parent or just helping out around the house, each story they tell is a treasure.
Sincerely,
Ann Crogan