What are we doing the week of November 4-8

This week in writing we are concentrating on our penmanship.   We are working out the kinks in our penmanship. We are noticing sinkers or floaters, reversals or "sloppy". Take a few minutes to notice their penmanship writing. 

** I sent home a few weeks ago a packet of "How-to form lower case letters."  

                     

                      Writing in First Grade
                        check out this article that I found 
                            (click right on Writing in First Grade above)

WE are beginning to see our mistakes and be able to fix them.

Notice how we match our "sounding out" to our writing with remembering to use proper handwriting formations.  This is hard.  With your help at this point you can have your child reflect on their writing.  

Thumbs up - Great

Thumbs sideways- Just OK

Thumbs down- not so good, then why.

       Reading- Our Kids Did it.

  

    Our class was able to Read to Self for 15 minutes.

At the beginning of the school year our kids wanted to set a goal.  The goal was to be able to read alone, in a perfect spot for 15 minutes.  On Tuesday October 29th our class read for 15 minutes with minimal interruptions. On the 30th we did it again. On the 31 we read for 13 minutes.  Hey, understandably, it was Halloween.  Then on Monday they read again for 15 minutes. (I was absent on Friday) Tuesday was a quick my treat of ice cream sundaes!  I was so proud of our kids for accomplishing the ability to "Really Read" for 15 minutes.

Now your saying my child can NOT do this at home.  Well yes they can- in a quiet Perfect Spot.  Take some time with your child and find that "Perfect Spot" at home. A "Perfect Spot" where your child can start building stamina while reading at home.

As of  November 2013 build stamina and share that reading is great!

I would say up to 15 minutes of reading.

                          MATH

Our Kids have just finished the first 2 units in math.  You will receive your child's testing info by Monday of next week.

I am using our kids testing to assign parts of IXL to each students individual needs.

In our Unit 3 Everyday Math Program

Visual Patterns

Number Patterns

Counting on a number grid

Time- hour and 1/2 hour

Calculators

Money- P N and Dimes- yes dimes are here.  

Math Work you can always do at home.

Math Facts example- 0+1=, 0+2=, 0+3=, 0+4= the zero math facts

               the ones math facts

Sequencing numbers, tricks to help remembers the facts.

Number stories

This week we will concentrate on Odd and Even Numbers, coin counting ability to physically count N and P's and the ability to show their thinking on paper. 

(Don't go any higher than $1- unless your child is ready for that)

                                                 Sequencing

For the next few weeks our underlying theme will be sequencing. Sequencing in many different areas of our day-to-day lives as a First Grader. Sequencing is a part of reading comprehension, math, writing and our day to day tasks!  

• Sequencing is the understanding how to retell a story.
• Understand one story format- beginning, middle and ending.
• Sequence through a series of tasks.
• Math - understanding the sequence of a day (Time)
• Reading-First Then Next Last
• Writing- A capital letter ALWAYS starts a sentence and a voice mark at the end of a sentence.
• Math- Time, number order
• Brushing your teach
• "Routine"