Week 12

Here are some highlights from the week...

In reading, we are continuing to practice strategies for decoding tricky words. Our main focus has been identifying when there is a tricky word and solving it right away. The first graders are working hard to build their stamina - reading longer and stronger! Here are some strategies to reinforce when your first grader is reading at home:
  • Check the picture
  • Look at all of the parts of the word
  • Try it 2 ways (flip the sound)
  • Check-it and do a double check (does it look right? sound right? make sense?)
  • Get a running start
  • Context (use the words around the word to figure it out)
This week we learned "how to" make our How-To writing even stronger, with an introduction! To create a strong introduction for our how-to books we need to include 3 parts: hook, telling your topic, listing the materials. Here's an example from one of our first grade writers: First, we start by asking a question "have you ever wondered how to make paper fly?" Next, we tell our topic "to learn how to make paper fly, read my book about how to make a paper airplane!" Finally,  list the materials "you will need paper and glue"

I encourage you to make some How-To books with your first grader at home (ex. how to clean your room, how to brush your teeth, how to make your bed, etc.) Writing practice AND self management skill building?! Sounds like a win-win to me!

In math this week we started making the connection between addition and subtraction with fact families. The first graders practiced using three numbers to make four number sentences. 
Example: 11, 5, 6

5+6 = 11
6+5= 11
11-6 = 5
11-5= 6

This is a great way to reinforce/ build number sense while also helping students recognize and understand the relationship between addition and subtraction!

 We ended the week with our first art literacy lesson! The first graders learned about illustrations through picture books and then got to create their own illustrations using watercolor pencils. Check out their amazing art work on display in the hallway! And a HUGE shout out to all the parent volunteers that made it possible. If anyone is interested in leading our next art literacy lesson, please let me know! 

 At the end of the day we had an assembly featuring the Wilson leadership team. The highschool students lead the students in different games and talked about the importance of working hard and trying your best at school! It was an exciting way to jump start the weekend :)

Reminders:
Sunday, November 17: Foundation Top Golf Fundraiser, 12:00-3:00pm 
November 18-26: Stephenson Book Fair 
November 22: Grandparents and Special Friend’s Day, 9:00 - 10:30am

Here are some photos from art literacy...














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