Trucking Along...

We have had a very productive week in first grade.  We have been learning about  our center rotations.  The students in my first grade class work in small groups for most of the day.  These groups change frequently throughout the school year in order for us to provide the best education possible to your child.  Our classroom is extremely blessed in that during our reading rotations we have three teachers in the classroom giving small group instruction to your child.  Each group rotates to five different stations as follows:  Mrs. Hogan's reading group, Mrs. Dusenberg's Phonics Group, Mrs. Gosnell's Language Group, Computers/Promethean Reading, Choice Reading (Read to Self, Read to Someone, or Listen to Reading.  This week we have practiced our rotations so that the students know what it looks like and sounds like to enter each one of these groups.  The following are some pictures of our work:

Making our names with Wikki Sticks.

Making our names with Wikki Sticks.

Making our names with Wikki Sticks.

Language work with Mrs. Gosnell.

Working on phonics with Mrs. Dusenberg.

Reading on Raz-Kids.

Reading on Raz-Kids.

Spelling our names with Wikki Sticks.

Spelling our names with Wikki Sticks.

Spelling our names with Wikki Sticks.

Practicing "read to someone."

Practicing "read to someone."

Practicing "read to someone."

Practicing "listen to reading."

Practicing "read to someone."

Practicing "listen to reading."

During math the students are also involved in rotations.  The students go to all of the following rotations everyday:  Mrs. Hogan's Introduction of New Math Concepts, Mrs. Dusenberg's Guided Math Practice, Mr. E's Math Games Rotation, Computer/Promethean Math.    We are currently working on our calendar skills.  In addition, we are reviewing the numbers 0-9, ordering sets from smallest to largest, graphing pictographs, and matching numbers to sets.  The students are also learning the steps in the problem solving process.  Sorry I have no pictures to share of our math rotations.  :(

This week we have also started our writer's workshop.  The writing workshop always begins with a mini-lesson, where I teach the students a writing skill.  I then model the skill and allow the students to engage in the writing skill as well.  Afterwards, the students are sent to their writing tables to begin writing their stories.  Some days students will be asked to work in small writing groups, other times I meet individually and work one-on-one with your child to help him/her develop their writing. 

In our first writing unit, Small Moments, the students are encouraged to write about small moments in their lives.  They will begin to focus on the details of their writing, including showing a character's small actions, dialogue, and internal thinking.  The students will produce lots and lots of small moment stories.  They will eventually begin to work more independently throughout the writing process.  They will choose an idea, plan their writing, write and revise their writing.

Writing our first of many small moment stories.

Writing the first of many small moment stories.

Writing the first of many small moment stories.

This week we also began science.  Our first unit is on living and nonliving things.  The students have been sorting pictures of living and nonliving things.  They have also learned what living things need to survive.

Important Reminders:  

I want to remind you that when papers come home sometimes they may be partially finished.  It is always a good idea to work on finishing the assignments at home.  However, they only need to be returned if the teacher has marked finish and return on the sheet.  Please be sure to send  the homework sheet back each day signed as well as the math homework sheet so that I can check your child's homework.  In addition, please clean out your child's homework folder each night.

As part of our new security measures at the school, the building will be locked from 8-3:00 p.m. everyday.   In order to gain access to the building, please ring the door bell.  A secretary will then ask what you need and let you into the building.

Thank you for making this an awesome start to the school year.  I look forward to continuing to work with you this school year.  First grade is great and I am so blessed to be a part of your child's school experience.