Classroom Update

We have been working hard in our first grade classroom! Everyone is learning the new routines, procedures and expectations. We are learning how to show whole body, 5 star listening (eyes are looking, ears are listening, lips are closed, hands are still, feet are quiet). We are also working on doing our personal best! Basically this leads to being a good citizen both in and outside the classroom.

READING AND WRITING

We just completed our review unit in our reading series. Today we began Unit 1 - Back to School. In this unit the main focus is on answering  question - "Why do we go to school?"  This reading series might seem slow for some children, however, it is teaching very important skills for reading and writing. It is going back and building a strong foundation that will help your child become better at word attack, vocabulary, comprehension strategies, understanding the make up of words, omitting and changing sounds in a word and essentially becoming better readers and writers this year and in their future education.

MATH

We just completed the Unit 1 - Numbers to 10. The Math In Focus lessons consist of various questioning techniques to further concept understanding. For example, "What do you think?", "How did you get your answer" , "Explain this to the class". Math in Focus follows a guiding approach and allows for a lot of hands on work with manipulatives as well as encouraging reasoning and problem solving skills. These skills are essential for your child's learning and ability to think in the cognitive-pictorial-and abstract levels.

HOMEWORK

This reading series does not address spelling words until later on in the year. At that time, students will have homework that helps them study spelling words. It is assumed that your child practices high frequency words that have been introduced for 3-5 minutes a few times a week. Automatic recall is necessary for your child to become fluent reader.

Along with high frequency word practice, reading to your child nightly is very important to their development as a reader. When you read to your child, you are modeling appropriate fluency and expression. Eventually, your child should read to you. Your child should read or be read to 10-20 minutes per night. While reading, please talk to your child and ask them about what is being read (who, what, when, where, why and how). This questioning technique will help your child develop comprehension.

Reminders:
Ice  Cream Social is Thursday  9/29 6:00-7:30
Teacher Workshop Day - No school for students Friday 9/30

Thank you for being an important part of your child's first grade year!

Smiles,
Mrs. Salcito