Welcome back! I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving full of family, friends, and yummy food! It was so nice to have some extra days off and get caught up on everything around the house and at school. However, I am so excited to see those firsties today! At the end of the week we will start our Christmas and holiday fun! We keep Christmas light-hearted and fun (Santa, elves, etc.). Please let me know if your family does not celebrate Christmas, so I can adjust some of the activities for your kiddo.
We are back to the grind this week and back to our normal schedule. In reading, we will be investigating ways people help around the community.
The informational writing has proven to be much harder to master than opinion writing. We are going to take a step back and write a few how-to pieces together this week. We will also be learning the parts of a letter. We will be receiving a package from the North Pole later this week and will need to know how to write a letter! SHH...the package is a secret!
Math is all about the equal sign. We will spend the week learning the importance of the equal sign and that it means "is the same as."
In our science curriculum we will continue to explore sound and help solve our "problem." We will be working with tuning forks and brainstorm a device that will help us hear sounds over long distances to communicate.
I hope you have a fabulous week, and remember, you can call to chat about anything going on in you or your child's lives. Connected parents and teachers are the best team!
Wishing you well,
Mrs. Dimock
Monday, November 28, 2016
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Back to "Normal"
A huge thank you for those of you who made donations for our class to get some new books. I was able to pick out some excellent read alouds that the kiddos will really enjoy!
Also, thank you for attending conferences. It makes such an impact on your kiddo's success in first grade if we are working together and are on the same page.
Ms. Voigt's class is hosting a food drive November 7-November 18. They are working to raise 1,200 cans, bags, and boxes of food. If you are able to donate they would greatly appreciate it.
Your kiddo has some homework this week. Your kiddo will need to disguise a paper turkey. We will be using these turkeys for a writing project, so please make sure they are returned no later than Monday, November 14. The paper turkey and more detailed instructions will be in your kiddo's green folder on Wednesday. Please do not go out and by supplies for this project. Only use what you already have at home.
In reading this week, we are focusing on buildings and what they are made of. We will also be learning about a new genre...fantasy! This week we will also be taking a look at the similarities and differences of homes around the world.
Our phonics and word work focuses this week are short u words and contractions with an 's.
This week in writing we are breaking down the parts to how-to writing. We will be learning that the introduction explains what the book is about and tells the reader why they might want to read it. The body will include a list of materials, equipment, or supplies needed and also list all of the steps to teach the reader how to do whatever the topic is. The conclusion will tell the reader what to do with the information they just learned. I love seeing what special talents and skills the students are able to teach the reader about!
In math, we will be working on finding missing parts in addition and subtraction problems. We will start with results unknown (sum/difference). We will move on to the change unknown (4 + ___ =6, 6-___ = 4) and end the week with the start unknown (___ + 4=6, ____ -4=2). We will also incorporate some word problems into this weeks lessons. The skills taught this week are much easier to understand when the students know their addition and subtraction facts. The Xtramath login in your conference packet is a wonderful tool to help students master their addition and subtraction facts.
Wishing you well,
Mrs. Dimock
Also, thank you for attending conferences. It makes such an impact on your kiddo's success in first grade if we are working together and are on the same page.
Ms. Voigt's class is hosting a food drive November 7-November 18. They are working to raise 1,200 cans, bags, and boxes of food. If you are able to donate they would greatly appreciate it.
Your kiddo has some homework this week. Your kiddo will need to disguise a paper turkey. We will be using these turkeys for a writing project, so please make sure they are returned no later than Monday, November 14. The paper turkey and more detailed instructions will be in your kiddo's green folder on Wednesday. Please do not go out and by supplies for this project. Only use what you already have at home.
In reading this week, we are focusing on buildings and what they are made of. We will also be learning about a new genre...fantasy! This week we will also be taking a look at the similarities and differences of homes around the world.
Our phonics and word work focuses this week are short u words and contractions with an 's.
This week in writing we are breaking down the parts to how-to writing. We will be learning that the introduction explains what the book is about and tells the reader why they might want to read it. The body will include a list of materials, equipment, or supplies needed and also list all of the steps to teach the reader how to do whatever the topic is. The conclusion will tell the reader what to do with the information they just learned. I love seeing what special talents and skills the students are able to teach the reader about!
In math, we will be working on finding missing parts in addition and subtraction problems. We will start with results unknown (sum/difference). We will move on to the change unknown (4 + ___ =6, 6-___ = 4) and end the week with the start unknown (___ + 4=6, ____ -4=2). We will also incorporate some word problems into this weeks lessons. The skills taught this week are much easier to understand when the students know their addition and subtraction facts. The Xtramath login in your conference packet is a wonderful tool to help students master their addition and subtraction facts.
Wishing you well,
Mrs. Dimock
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Back to It!
I will not be posting next Sunday since we will only be in school for a day and a half. We will spend that time reviewing and using it as a catch-up time.
A few important dates to remember...
Wednesday, November 16 is Panda Express Fundraiser Night. The information for this went home with your kiddo on Friday.
Thursday, November 17 there is a PTA meeting from 6:30-7:30 in the library.
Tuesday, November 22 is a noon dismissal day. If your kiddo needs a sack lunch please fill out the form that went home Friday.
Wednesday, November 23-Friday, November 25 are no school days. School resumes Monday, November 28.
Wednesday, November 30 is picture retakes
This week in reading, we are learning about communities in nature and are trying to answer the question, "Where do animals live together?" All of the reading groups will be reading a nonfiction text called, Meerkat Family. We will also be learning about various habitats.
In writing, we will begin writing our How-To Disguise a Turkey paper. We will be using the turkeys the kiddos disguised at home. Please make sure your kiddo has brought their completed turkey to school on Monday.
We will continue to work on missing parts in addition and subtraction problems. Last week our focus was finding missing parts in addition problems. We will continue to practice that skill and learn strategies for finding missing parts in subtraction problems. This is one of the toughest concepts we work on so we will be taking it slow and spending quite a bit of time on it.
I am so excited to continue working on our Light and Sound Module in Project Lead the Way. Last week, we learned what the problem is that we will be solving at the end of the module (A group of hikers is lost and needs to communicate with the other group.) and learned about the engineer design process. Over the next month or so we will be working on activities and projects that will increase our knowledge on light and sound. We will then apply that knowledge when we solve the problem and create a way to communicate using light and sound.
Have a wonderful week and Happy Thanksgiving!
A few important dates to remember...
Wednesday, November 16 is Panda Express Fundraiser Night. The information for this went home with your kiddo on Friday.
Thursday, November 17 there is a PTA meeting from 6:30-7:30 in the library.
Tuesday, November 22 is a noon dismissal day. If your kiddo needs a sack lunch please fill out the form that went home Friday.
Wednesday, November 23-Friday, November 25 are no school days. School resumes Monday, November 28.
Wednesday, November 30 is picture retakes
This week in reading, we are learning about communities in nature and are trying to answer the question, "Where do animals live together?" All of the reading groups will be reading a nonfiction text called, Meerkat Family. We will also be learning about various habitats.
In writing, we will begin writing our How-To Disguise a Turkey paper. We will be using the turkeys the kiddos disguised at home. Please make sure your kiddo has brought their completed turkey to school on Monday.
We will continue to work on missing parts in addition and subtraction problems. Last week our focus was finding missing parts in addition problems. We will continue to practice that skill and learn strategies for finding missing parts in subtraction problems. This is one of the toughest concepts we work on so we will be taking it slow and spending quite a bit of time on it.
I am so excited to continue working on our Light and Sound Module in Project Lead the Way. Last week, we learned what the problem is that we will be solving at the end of the module (A group of hikers is lost and needs to communicate with the other group.) and learned about the engineer design process. Over the next month or so we will be working on activities and projects that will increase our knowledge on light and sound. We will then apply that knowledge when we solve the problem and create a way to communicate using light and sound.
Have a wonderful week and Happy Thanksgiving!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)