Stories, Pumpkin Pie and Other Adventures from 10/24-10/28

 Learning highlights from the week:

• Math- First graders continued to build numbers in their teens using 10 frames. They also worked on automaticity with doubles and doubles plus 1 facts within 20.   Second grade math students explored number bonds, place value and word problems while doing some fun October themed math activities.  

• Reading- This week we continued to work on our center rotations.  Students rotate through 3-4 stations a day.  The stations include Word Work, Listening to Reading, Reading to Self and time with Mrs. Hackett.  During word work students are working on skills set to their learning level. Some students are working on decoding CVC words, some on blends and digraphs, and some are working on long vowel patterns.  

During listening to reading, students are using a rotation of the CD player, computers and ipads to hear stories and respond to them using their comprehension skills.

During time with me students are working on accuracy and fluency with individual words, sentences and texts.  They are bringing books home to practice.

• Writing- We continued working on our small moments unit with a focus on writing across many pages.  Next week’s goals will be making stories come to life by adding details and feelings.  

Social Studies- This week we explored pumpkin farms and the products they produce.  We made crockpot pumpkin pie.  Each student added one ingredient to our pie!  It was very tasty.  

 

Apple Farms and Applesauce Fun! 10/17-10/21

Farm to Table - Apples!

We explored apple farms this week as part of our Farm to Table- Farms Make Vermont Unit.  We used peeled and chopped apples and cooked them in the crockpot to make delicious applesauce!  Everyone gave it a try and almost everyone LOVED it!  Next week we will learn about pumpkin farms.  

 Learning highlights from the week:

• Math- Second graders have finished up their first unit and will be taking the assessment on Monday.  Our next unit will be a numeracy unit with the focus of adding and subtracting within 100 and problems with an unknown change (missing addend).  EXAMPLE:  34 + ______ = 50. 

First Graders wrapped up our geometry unit and will start a new unit called “How many of Each”.  Students will be putting together and taking apart numbers in the teens. We want students to understand that numbers in their teens are a group of 10 and some more.  We begin this work by using 10’s frames to help students visualize this concept.  

• Literacy- Literacy stations continue to go well.  Highlights of the week include mapping sounds, playing “Roll and Read”, sight word games, and listening to stories.  

•  Writing-We continued to work on our small moments stories about things we like and things we do.  Students worked on adding details to their stories. 

• Mindfulness- We are continuing with our school theme for the month, courage.  Who do you know that is courageous? How do they show courage?

Friday Letters, Grandma Sue, and More! 10/10-10/14

Friday our learners wrote their first Friday Letters to their families. They come home in a black composition book.   These letters tell a little snippet about our week.  They are a great way for families to learn more about our week and watch our learners progress as writers throughout the year.  Sometimes our Friday Letters might be a bit tough to read. If you can't read your child's letter, just ask them to tell you about their week.  Please write a note back to them, they love to read your letters! Help your learner remember to return the notebook by next Friday so they can write back to you.

 We also welcomed Grandma Sue to our all school morning meeting to thank her for the beautiful mural art she sponsored. Grandma Sue sang songs with us and shared her love of art and music with our learners.  She is truly a special part if the UCS community! 

 Learning highlights from the week:

• Math- Second graders are beginning work on Place Value.  We have been building 10’s and 1’s with unifix cubes and using those tools to help us solve math problems.  First Graders are continuing with their geometry unit and will wrap that unit up next week. 

• Literacy- Wow, literacy stations are going so well.  Students are engaged, working hard and doing some great reading.  I have started book clubs with a few students.  During these book clubs we will work on comprehension skills and look at author’s craft.  Other students are working on skills such as blending words together, recognizing and sounding out digraphs, beginning and ending blends and automaticity of all short vowel sounds. 

•  Writing-We created our “big adventures” stories, and we’re looking forward to writing about the silly, funny and memorable moments in our lives. 

Mindfulness- As always, mindfulness is a big part of our day at school.  We have been talking about the parts of the brain, especially the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex or the PFC.  We have also been talking about courage and what it means to be courageous.

 

Mindfulness, Routines and Smiles 10/3-10/7

 

Learning highlights from the week:

• Math- Second graders continued working on “enough for the class” problems.  

 Example:  Ms Green has 24 students and 16 pencils.  Does she have  enough pencils for the class?  How many more does she need?  I am looking for students to not only solve the problem, but to represent it   with an equation and show proof of their thinking. 

First graders continued to work on solving addition and subtraction problems using equations. We will begin a new unit on Tuesday focusing on geometry.  

• Reading- Our Reading Workshop is broken down into 4 stations.  Everyday students do at least 3.  They are Read to Self, Listen to Reading, Word Work/phonics, and working with Mrs. Hackett.  Students have done a great job learning our routine.  

• Writing-We have been talking about what makes a sentence this week.  We have discussed that a sentence needs a capital letter at the beginning; a period, exclamation point or question mark at the end and it has to be a complete thought.  In addition we started to write personal narratives.  These are stories about things that have happened or things we like to do.  

• Mindfulness- This week we focused on ways to self regulate.  We learned that you must be in the green zone to be just right for learning.  We learned ways to help keep your body calm and focused.  Check out our focus in these pictures!