In reading we are continuing our nonfiction unit. Minilessons last week and this week focus on Reading Aloud as an Expert. Students used post-it notes to mark interesting parts in their texts that they wanted to share with a partner. I love seeing the enthusiasm they have sharing what they are learning in their books. I was able to use bonus points from the last book order to add more nonfiction books for our emerging readers to our classroom library. Thank you for supporting our classroom through Scholastic book orders.
The big news in math this week was getting out the iPads and learning the Reflex Math program. Your child should have brought home a letter with login information if this is something you would like your child to explore at home. If you cannot find the information let me know and I will send it again. Reflex Math is a fact fluency program that is usually introduced in first grade midyear, after students have been introduced to most of the addition and subtraction strategies. We will work with Reflex once a week in the classroom but for maximum benefit 3 days a week is recommended. It can be played on a laptop, desktop or iPad. The app is not supported on iPhones. If your child is working on Reflex at home be sure they have the volume turned on as an important component is the strategy work that Coach Penny (the bear) shares with students. I've posted a few photos of Reflex in the classroom on the Photos page. Volunteers: I will be adding dates for January - March this week. Please know that if you have a limited schedule and would like to volunteer but don't see a time/day that would work for you, let me know and we will work something out. We love having help in the classroom. There will be two sessions in January for Art Infusion and we have an Artist in Residence starting in January that will need extra hands. Reminders Monday - Wednesday, December 11 - 13 - Bring donations for Kinder Service Project Wednesday, December 13 - Assembly at 8:30 Wednesday, December 13 - Library: Check out a new book for Winter Break Friday, December 15 - Pajama Day!
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It was great to get back on track with a full week.I can't believe it is December already! We have a lot to do over the next couple of weeks before Winter Break.
In Reader's Workshop we continue to explore nonfiction text. The focus of a couple of our lessons was on not giving up when reading challenging words. Often nonfiction text includes vocabulary that is specific to the topic and tricky to figure out. Students were reminded to use all of the strategies we have discussed and be persistent in figuring out the word. Students also practiced crashing parts of words together, blending parts of the words to make them more efficient and automatic in their solving of unknown words. We had a "Dinner Party" on Monday during our workshop where students practiced small talk where they shared about a book they were reading and what they had learned from it. They then found another person to talk with. We repeated the process 3 times so students had a few opportunities to share. I've added pictures to the Photos page of students chatting with each other. In math students practiced the strategy of "Fast Tens" where students develop the understanding that adding 10 to single digit numbers results in a total in the teens. Often students will transpose the digits in numbers with a 1. We discussed how mathematicians work for accuracy and that while numbers that are reversed do not change meaning, when digits are transposed it results in a different quantity. Students will begin working with a website called Reflex Math starting this week. An informational letter with login details will be coming home. It is primarily a site where students practice their fact fluency and we have waited until now to begin as the recommendation is to start after students have been working on a variety of addition and subtraction strategies that they can use to solve equations. We will be working with Reflex Math on the school's iPads about once a week. Students can also access the site at home if they would like additional practice. Upcoming Dates Tuesday, December 5 - PTA meeting 6:30 - 8:00 Wednesday, December 6 - Wednesday Morning Meeting: Word of the month is perseverance Wednesday, December 6 - PTA fundraiser with PorQueNo Restaurant Partner Thursday, December 7 - Principal's Coffee with Ms. Clark 8:15 - 9:00 |
MS. SCHIADAI teach first grade in southeast Portland where every day brings a new adventure!
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