Issue 17

First Grade News

January 20, 2017

Reading
This week in reading, first graders used many
nonfiction reading strategies. We practiced chatting
about whats happening to learn more, tried
rereading to make sure we understand, and worked
on the fluency of our reading. First graders are
learning so many facts from their nonfiction books!
We also continued assessing students this week to
track their reading growth.

Writers Workshop
In Writers Workshop, first graders are enjoying
being teachers! We began learning about writing
nonfiction stories and brainstormed a list of expert
topics. We practiced teaching our expert topic to a
buddy, using our fingers to keep track of our facts.
First graders then worked on writing their facts and
knowledge in informational teaching books, such as
All About Cats, All About Basketball, All about
Minecraft, and much more! We are learning so
much from each other!

Fundations
This week in Fundations, first graders reviewed -ng
glued sounds (-ang, -ing, -ong, -ung) and learned
four new glued sounds: -ank, -ink, -onk, and -unk.
Each of these sounds include -nk and are marked
up with a box. We practiced reading, spelling, and
writing sentences with words that contained these
glued sounds. This week, we also learned two new
trick words: put and two.

Math
First graders worked so hard this week completing a
variety of mid-year math assessments. Its clear that
first graders have learned so much about math
strategies, increased their math fact knowledge, and
strengthened their problem solving skills. Next week,
we will investigate cross number puzzles to help us
strengthen our addition strategies.

Social Emotional Learning

This week in SEL, first graders learned about
recognizing similarities and differences in others
feelings. This will serve as a foundation for taking
others perspectives. Students practiced naming a
variety of emotions when presented with physical,
verbal, and situational clues, named physical and
emotional similarities and differences among
different children, and demonstrated that others may
have different feelings about the same situation.

Science
Even though the temperature
seems to be unusually warm
outside, first graders are observing
and learning the characteristics of
the winter season! We talked
about and brainstormed a list of winter-themed
words and descriptions, including what winter looks,
feels, tastes, sounds, and smells like.

Save the Date

January 27th: Mitchell School Pajama Day!

January 31st: Early Release (12:15 dismissal)

Issue 17

First Grade News

February 13th: Winter Wonderland Performance

9:15 for parents
February 14th: Early Release (12:15 dismissal)
February 17th: February Break begins at 2:45pm
February 27th: Classes Resume

January 20, 2017