Ninety-Eighth Day

Today we finished reading Jafta. We reviewed doubling consonants before inflectional endings. We discussed and worked with some contractions. We created our second Brace Map together for a game we played today called Griddle Cakes. We then each created our own Brace Map for one of our favorite games, Four Corners.

In math we used addition to solve subtraction problems. We are almost ready to take our first timed addition fact test.

Reminder: we will likely have our social studies map test on Friday.

In science we discussed air resistance and pressure and made parachutes to demonstrate these ideas.

Hope to see you tomorrow evening at the literacy night. There will be 3 sessions following dinner. In my first session I will cover Thinking Maps for those parents who want to take a more detailed look at these ideas. The next 2 sessions I will show how to make accordian books which are quite useful for a number of purposes.

Ninety-Seventh Day

Today we began our second selection, Jafta, which led us to discuss an author choice to use vivid verbs to help create pictures in their reader's minds. We also learned that some games don't necessarily have rules but that most games do in order to make them more fun and to regulate behavior. We described a best imagination game in our journals.

We are all abuzz with 100th day anticipation!

We continued today with related facts in math. I have to say I've never had such a high number of students pass so many math tests before. On the Topic 14 math test, of the 23 students taking the test, 21 students passed with a score of 15 or better. Three students scored perfectly, 6 students scored 20, 2 students scored 19, and 3 students scored 18. Way to go!

The neighborhood maps I've received so far look good. The printouts were sized perfectly. One note: if you can, try not to mark your house on the printout or indicate your address. It would be best if you do not use the home-value style maps which tend to give too much information.

Please keep in mind that first graders should be going to bed no later than 8:00 p.m. on school nights no matter what happens to be on television.

Please remember that this Tuesday's dismissal is the regular 2:04 time.

Ninety-Sixth Day

We've been experimenting with rhyming sounds to a great extent this week. We recorded some of our best rhymes on a glog. We worked in pairs to start creating a board game.

We learned a new 4 person tag game which really gets the heart pumping.

We took the Topic 14 math test and began work on Unit 15. For homework students will work with related numbers.

Ninety-Fifth Day

We accomplished a lot today. We reviewed long-u and long-oo spellings. We read the first selection of our games unit entitled Piggle by Bonsall. We learned that not all games, while still fun, necessarily have a winner. Someone offered tag and jump rope as other examples of games without clear winners. We devised a list of rules for the game Piggle. Each table had the chance to play the game and then share out their results which were then posted on the concept/question board. We then made our first Brace Map, our fifth type of thinking map. While Tree Maps are used to classify various nouns, objects, words, etc. into categories, a Brace Map is used to break up one particular noun into its various parts.

In math we worked on two step problems which closes our current unit. We will take the test for this unit tomorrow.

For social studies we worked on neighborhood maps. At this point in the year I like to suggest that parents direct students to a mapping program on the Internet and locate your home's satellite photograph. Magnify the view to approximately 100ft/inch. Size to show their block and a portion of surrounding blocks. Have your child make a simple map with legend (key) under your direction but in their hand. On your child's map, buildings could be shown as simple rectangles. Print a view of the satellite picture and attach to the hand-drawn map and send with your child to class.

We will be breaking many years of tradition this year by changing our 100th day celebration activities. Hopefully we will still be able to make a memorable impact and we will still share treats in the afternoon.

Ninety-Fourth Day

We reviewed long and short vowel spellings along side each other today. We wrote about a game we like to play. In days to come we will go into into greater detail by examining rules and procedures for playing.

In math we found the sum of 3 numbers.

Ninety-Third Day

It was nice to meet with everyone this week. Enjoy your holiday weekend.

Today we started our "Games" unit. We will be discovering all things "games." Today we classified games, using a Tree Map, into the categories of inside and outside and then sub-categorized into ball, no ball, board, or no board.

Questions to which have been asked so far:

1. What types of games do people play in other countries?
2. How are games made?
3. How do you know how to play games?

Types of games: outside, inside, board, rope, ball, team, solitaire, imagination, strategy, luck, skill, video, traditional, hand, etc.

At the culmination of this unit, students will be required to explain how to play a game in detail.

In math we discussed making a ten to add with eight.

Ninety-Second Day

Today we reviewed our last official spelling-card spellings. We discussed the interesting word 'employ' as a synonym for 'use', or 'to make use of'. We deduced the spelling for schwa spelled 'ou' in a spelling game (e.g. trouble, couple). We completed work on our social studies world map and many went home today with a message to parents. Our test should occur the first Friday in March. Please remember that in order to pass social studies this semester, students are required to locate and name all 7 continents, 4 oceans, and Los Angeles on an unlabeled world map.

I have almost completed the fluency assessments for week 18. We now have 15 students reaching the district required fluency level for first grade. That is up 3 from the last test. Many other exciting gains have been made. Improvements have been made in writing across the board.

We continued work on topic 14 with adding with 9 for homework.

As an aside, thanks to all the parents for your participation in this forum. Our blog has received our two-thousandth page view today.

Ninety-First Day

Yesterday we blended with /f/ spelled 'ph'. We learned the word 'phase' as a synonym for the word 'stage'. We discussed othe useful words like graph and photo. We completed the writing portion of our district periodic language arts exam.

Our homework and math lesson was making a ten to add, a very useful skill to master, in my opinion.

Nintieth Day

The 100th day is fast approaching. The One-hundredth day has traditionally been celebrated as a special milestone for first grade. In lieu of celebrating individual birthdays throughout the year, we take this opportunity to mark our accomplishments and emphasize the idea of a 'hundreds' place in math.To end this day on a high note we ask parents to contribute treats that may be shared in the afternoon.

Today we blended with /r/ spelled 'wr'. We added N. America, S. America, and Antarctica to our world maps.

We worked with doubles plus two for class and homework. I've never used this "strategy" with first graders before. I'm not quite sure it will become a go-to strategy for a first grade mind. I tend to stress more the making a ten strategy which we will cover tomorrow.

Eighty-Ninth Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all.

We crushed in a lesson with /oi/ spelled 'oi', and '_oy' between a shortened day with brunch schedule, quaterly math exams, periodic reading assessments, and early dismissal. I honestly don't know how we did it. We will have testing for the rest of the week as well. Please make sure everyone comes to school on time and gets plenty of rest.

We discussed doubles again in math coupled with doubles plus one and took this for homework.

Eighty-Eighth Day

We are past the middle of the year.

Today we worked with adjectives, comparatives, and superlatives at length.

We also prepared for receiving our Valentine's notes. A list of names went home with the children today.

We began Topic 14 working on addition facts to 20. Of the 23 students who took Topic 13 math test, 21 students passed with a score of 16 or better. The main body of the test was worth 18 points while the performance assessment was worth 7. There was one perfect score. Three students scored 24.

Tables 2 and 4 won the week surpassing the standard. One table won this week surpassing the standard. Our new goal will be 110 grams. This will be a difficult task as all of the days are shorter next week. Please keep in mind the modified dismissal times for next week.

I would like to report at this time that the student with the most stars on the star chart has 16 stars. You are welcome to check how many stars your child has next week at your parent conference.

Hope to see some of you at Game Night tonight in he library. I am bringing a game I invented that 1st graders usually enjoy playing called Changing Gears.

Eighty-Seventh Day

We reviewed a variety of vowel spellings today. We reviewed possessive 's'. We started putting together our study maps for our social studies standard test.

We took Topic 13 math test today. We ran out of time for a new math lesson. Homework is a spelling sheet.

Parents please check your child's homework each night. I'm repeatedly sending back incomplete homework and homework with careless mistakes. Finding an error in your child's homework is the perfect time to have a discussion about your child's problem solving process.

Eighty-Sixth Day

Today we blended with /n/ spelled 'kn'. We discussed and used commas when writing dates and geographical locations.

In math we made estimates and compared to accurate counts (homework).

Parent Conferences

Parent conference notices will go home tomorrow (Wednesday). Please check backpacks for bright orange notice. Sign, tear off, and return bottom portion of sheet with an attendance response. If you are absolutely unable to attend your scheduled time, please indicate a time or day which would work better.

Eighty-Fifth Day

Today we reviewed the diphthong spellings of the last few days. We reviewed conjugations of short vowel verbs. We also talked thought of, identified, and used adjectives in sentences.

In math we made "organized lists" or subsets of larger sets to solve number riddles based on one or more clues. This is also our homework. That will leave one more lesson before having a test on this topic.

I forgot to mention that unsatisfactory notices went home yesterday. Please remember that these notices are required by the district to inform you that your child may be performing below standard in a particular subject (math or reading) at this point in the year. Please sign and return the bottom portion of the notice with your child. Conferences will be scheduled soon.

Eighty-Fourth Day

Today we blended with both spellings of the "Hawk" card, short-o spelled 'aw', and 'au_'. We used context clues to deduce the meaning of unfamiliar words with these spellings in a reading selection. We discussed continents, oceans, seas, globes and atlases.

Our focus in math and homework is ordinal numbers.

For science we had a short introduction to water pressure action on a gas.

Eighty-Second Day

Today we blended with /ow/ spelled 'ou_'. We used our tree maps to write paragraphs about a place which we would not like to visit again. This exercise will be important for our future writing exams. Some children have completed the task independently. Some will take much longer while others need directed guidance.

In math we found numbers 'before', 'after', and 'between' other numbers which will be our homework.

For health we discussed staying well. Ideas for staying well included such things as coughing into your elbow, washing hands, eating a healthy diet, and partaking regularly in physical activities.

For our Second Step program we discussed impulsive behavior brought on by strong emotions. We discussed how to collect ourselves by: taking slow deep breaths, counting backward from five, talking to ourselves, and finally thinking calming thoughts.

Eighty-First Day

Today we blended with /ow/ spelled 'ow' (now, flower). We learned that a commitment is a powerful promise. One of the students in class even had a commitment of their own to share. We created a tree map listing sensory details for a place we have been but do not want to return. One at home project you may want to consider for this unit is to have your child share a presentation of some place they have been before. This could be a local experience or perhaps an adventure out of the country.

In math we estimated using a number number line. This is our homework as well as a spelling paper.

For social studies we started mapping our classroom.

Eightieth Day

We began the day today with a visit from a counselor from Carson's Family Center. At my request, the counselor took us through some exercises on asserting yourself when confronted with unreasonable or bothersome behavior from another child.

We also began discussing Captain Bill Pinkney's single-man journey around the world. Captain Pinkney was the first African American man to sail solo around the world via Cape Horn. He named his ship The Commitment. In this unit we will explore the meaning of the word commitment as well as delve into mapping skills and imagine what Capt. Bill saw as he visited many of the world's continents. During this unit we will memorize the names of the continents and oceans and learn to locate them on a map as well as where we live. At the end of the unit we will take a test to show what we have learned. In order to achieve a passing grade all continents, oceans, and the approximate location of Los Angeles needs to be located. Maps will be sent home in order for us to study with family.

In math and for homework we continued work on ordering numbers to 100. Our math scores have been tabulated. Twenty students passed the test with a score of 10 or better. A record 6 students achieved a perfect score. This was surprising as this proves to be one of our more challenging topics and one reason why I did not bother with a performance assessment piece.