Week of 9/20-9/24

                                 

What a busy week our 1st graders had!  On Tuesdays and Thursdays we are welcoming 2 UVM students into our classroom. Miss Melanie and Miss Elizabeth are both juniors at UVM.  They are working on their practicum in our classroom.  They are both eager to work with our learners and we have enjoyed their energy so far.  

 Here are a few things we worked on this week:

This week we:

• Learned the Zones of Regulation and strategies to get yourself ready to learn

• Worked on subtraction strategies

• Learned 2 new reading strategies- get your mouth ready for the first sound and check the picture to see if it matches the first letter of the word

• Built equations and learned the importance of the math signs +, -, =

• Started our personal narrative unit

• Added to our reading stamina

• Practiced segmenting and blending CVC words

• Celebrated Fall in our Outdoor Classroom

Next week will will:

• Work in pushing through when things are hard

• Learn about ways to solve problems with friends

• Create our classroom rules to help us all meet our hopes and dreams for 1st Grade

• Work more on addition and subtraction strategies with games and word problems

• Learn more reading strategies and add “just right” books to our  book bins

• Continue to practice subtraction strategies 

• Introduce our Handwriting program

 

Our 1st Butterfly Has Hatched!

Our first butterfly has emerged from its chrysalis.  We are so excited to share the news, it's a girl!

You may be asking how do we know?  The best thing to do is ask your child, they know!  Boys have thinner lines on their wings and a dark spot on the lower 2 wings.  Girls have thicker lines throughout their wings.  It was so fun to watch her fly off and begin her migration!  

News from our Week

I couldn’t be prouder of our students this week!  They are learning our routines and expected behaviors!

I am so impressed with their efforts.  A few things to note:

Picture Day is Monday, 9/13 @ 8:45

Here is what we worked on this week in 1st Grade:

• Whole Body Listening and strategies to keep yourself focused during learning time

• 3 Ways to Read a Book- 

-Read the Pictures

-Read the Words

-Retell the Story

• All About Me Pages and Self Portraits

• Adding Strategies- Counting on and using a number line

• The life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly

• Outdoor Learning- Respecting our environment

 

 

Here is what is on deck for next week:

We will:

• Welcome 2 UVM student teachers into our classroom on Tuesdays and Thursdays

• Learn phonics skills and spelling patterns

• Work on lowercase letter formation

• Practice Read to Self and Partner Reading

• Introduce Word Problems and Strategies to Solve them

• Continue to build up our stamina and independence with tasks

Outdoor Learning at RES

 

Dress for Success:

Outdoor Learning at RES

Dear Families,

Outdoor learning is amping up at RES both as a practical response to health and safety regulations for Covid 19 and because we feel it is an important way to connect the concepts we are teaching in real and purposeful ways.

To enrich your child’s learning experience, your child will be going outside for learning activities on school grounds, in our incredible outdoor classroom spaces and nearby off campus for activities such as PE. We will be exploring in the sun, rain and snow.

You can help by: 

• Dressing your children for outdoor learning every day. In fall, winter and spring. The grass is really wet in the mornings and the air very chilly. Being over prepared is better than not having enough.

• Providing a change of clothing, socks and shoes (boots can be a change of shoes) in case they are needed. If your child gets dirty, they have been active and engaged in their learning. 

• A bag (plastic grocery one works) to put dirty or wet clothes in. 

• Providing boots for outdoor explorations when the ground and grass is wet, snowy or cold. It has been cold and wet in the mornings this week.

• Providing a reusable water bottle and a nutritious snack (which can be provided by the school).  

Recommended Clothing: 

• Wool or synthetic socks. Ones that wick moisture away from the skin. 

• Sneakers 

• Pair of waterproof boots.  

•  Outer shell of waterproof, windproof clothing, including a rain jacket and rain pants. 

• Warm and waterproof hat and gloves/mittens that slip on and off easily. 

• Layers that are breathable and wick moisture away from the skin.

• Extra layers, including a warm and waterproof winter jacket and snow pants. We will be active outside, but there will be times when we are sitting which can be chilly.

• An extra pair of warm gloves and warm socks to keep in their backpacks.

• Layers that are breathable and wick moisture away from the skin. 

Please reach out if you need help gathering these items.

Week 2 is in the Books!

We did it! Week 2 is in the books.

This week our class worked on:

• Spelling our last names and using lowercase letters in them except for the first letter.
• Learning the Group Plan and practicing thinking about others
• Daily routines and following our Class Schedule
• Strategies for counting and organizing larger amounts
• The life cycle of the buttery- This week we studied the egg and caterpillar phases.
• Outdoor Classroom expectations- how to be safe

What's on deck for next week?

• Hopes and Dreams- What do you want to learn the most in 1st Grade
• Comparing numbers- Greater than, Less than and equal to
• All about me writing and self portraits
• Whole Body Listening
• Introduction to Reading Workshop- Reading to Self and how to build stamina