"Peek at the Week" March 24-28

Thank you so much to all the families who sent in change and gave our classroom gift certificates for the book fair! I was able to add many wonderful nonfiction texts to our classroom library!

 

Here is a peek into our week!

Writer's Workshop

This week we became teachers and taught others about topics we are experts on.  We learned how to writing teaching books, or nonfiction, books I order to teach our reader. 

We began this exciting unit by comparing features of a fiction and nonfiction book. We quickly came up with a lengthy list of differences which included noticing that nonfiction books teach us about a topic and that you use a 'teaching voice' when reading them. We decided to try these features out in our own writing.

We also learned how writers think about a readers questions, elaborating sentences, and using pictures to teach more about our topics.  We turned to a nonfiction author, Gail Gibbons, to teach is about using pictures. 

   

She uses diagrams, labels, maps, labels, and so much more to teach through her pictures. We can do this too! Take a look!

Reader's Workshop 

We also turned our focus back to nonfiction during Reader's Workshop. Below are the teaching points we focused on this week:

This week we worked with a partner to record new and intersting facts we learned throughout the week. 

We also reviewed the different text features we find in nonfiction books. We used sticky notes to mark a place in which we used a text feature to help us get more out of our book. 

At the end of the week each child chose one fact to publish in our class book. After we created our page, we organized our book by topic!

Word Work

This wee we focused on the -Ed ending and the 3 sounds it makes.

Math Workshop

Well your first graders worked hard this week comparing data! 

We started the week using our stairs steps to represent data. We worked with a partner to generate questions from the data. For example, a question from the data below might be How many more times did Abby jump than Maverick? 

We then moved into comparing three categories of data. 

We learned that we can use the words most and fewest when comparing more than two categories. 

At the end of the week we learned how to use comparison bars to compare data.   Comparison bars are used to solve problems more quickly than stair steps or drawing dots. Comparison bar situations are set up to have the larger amount on top, the smaller amount below, and the difference in an oval.  We will continue this concept next week. 

I hope you all had a great weekend!

Love,

Mes. Hogue

"Peek at the Week" March 10-14 & 17-21

We are reading our way across America! Check out Stormonth's home page to see our progress :) Remember, even though fundraising is completely optional please send in weekly reading logs!

Here is a look at our last two weeks!

Writer's Workshop

We spent the last two weeks writing book reviews.

We learned how it is important to give our readers important information about the book WITHOUT spilling the beans!

We published one of our book reviews in a class book. I sent a copy home with each child!

Next week we will begin nonfiction writing!

Reader's Workshop

First graders spent the last two weeks emersed in book clubs! The first wee we all read a classic first grade book- Frog and Toad are Friends. 

We learned that boom club members discuss:

We also learned how to have conversations that build off one another. We have to listen and respond to what others in our group say. To practice this, our whole class discussed a chapter. We worked to build off each other's thoughts by adding a cube to a tower. 

During the second week we chose another Frog and Toad book to read.  We also had some choice in choosing our groups!

Other fun Frog and Toad activities:

We even wrote letters to Frog and Toad...we are anxiously waiting to see if they wrote back!

Math Workshop 

I received so much positive feedback about Math Expressions at conferences! It has been so amazing watching these first grades explain, prove, and solve problems!! Thank you for everything you do at home.  Remember of you ever have any questions please feel free to ask :)

We wrapped up Unit 5 on place value situations.  Your child's assessment should come home tomorrow. 

We started Unit 6: Comparisons and Data.  This week we focused on sorting, organizing, and comparing data. 

Don't forget...the bookfair and cupcake walk are this Tuesday!

Have a great weekend!

Love,

Mrs. Hogue

"Peek at the Week" March 3-7

Take a peek into our week!!

Writer's Workshop

This week we published our reviews- on video! I am still working to get them posted on here so stay tuned! I will be sharing your child's review at conferences this week.  Next week we will start our final bend in opinion writing- book reviews!

Reader's Workshop

We finished up our study on biographies by leaning about Dr. Seuss! We focused on determining the most important facts in our reading. On Friday we celebrated this author by spending the morning enjoying our favorite Dr. Seuss books!

Math Workshop 

This week we practiced solving number stories that WE wrote! We practiced writing number stories with unknown partners and unknown totals. 

This week we also learned how to add 3 addends, or numbers, together! Children were encouraged to look for 10-groups when adding three numbers! 

Please don't forget...read-a-thon logs are due on Monday!!

Have a great weekend!

:) Mrs. Hogue

"Peek at the Week" February 24-28

Stormonth school will be celebrating Read Across America this month by participating in a Read-A-Thon fundraiser for our school! The money raised from this event will be used to purchase technology to supplement all curricular areas! 2 years ago we were able to purchase 36 iPads for our school..wow!! Remember, the the fundraiser is completely optional and we do not encourage children to go door to door without a parent. 

Please look for an important packet that came home with your child on Friday. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me! Happy reading!

Here is a peek at our week!

Writer's Workshop

We continued our opinion writing unit by turning into review writers this week! We are reviewing movies, toys,restaurants, and favorite attractions! After looking at several reviews and advertisements written about popular games and movies, we talked about the important elements that go into review writing.

This week we focused primarily on including important information, talking to your reader in a friendly voice, and giving a rating to your topic.  We learned not that in order to persuade others we must provide the information they will need to make an informed choice,not just giving them a list of reasons why we like our topic.  Here is a review about Noodlez:

Thank you for helping your chd generate a list of review topics! I can't wait to show you their amazing writing at conferences!

Reader's Workshop

We continued our study on biographies by learning about George Washigton. This week we learned that:

We tracked our learning in our reader response journals. 

At the end of the week we took all our learning and wrote a report about Heorge Washington !

MathWorkshop 

This week we focusing on solving and writing number stories with teen totals. We used addition and subtraction strategies that we learned last unit to solve these number stories. 

We also learned a subtraction stategy  to make a ten. For this strategy, we decompose-or break apart- one of the number partners. 

We leaned that we could break apart of the nine into 5 and 4. Then we solved:

15-5=10 

10-4=6

 

The double ten frame mat helped us visualize this concept. You can see in the first picture there are 13 red counters. Below in the left picture, three are flipped over to show the ten group. (13-3=10) then in the right hand picture 4 more counters are flipped over for a total of seven yellow counters. (10-4=6)

Science

This week we explored the effect the temperature of water has on dissolving sugar. We placed sugar grains in cold and hot water. 

We learned that the sugar dissolved quicker in warm water much to our surprise! 

I hope you all had a great weekend. Cross your fingers for some better weather this week...we need outdoor recess!!!

Love,

Mrs. Hogue