Stuffy Day , Celebrating Ms. Roy and Other Adventures from 11/7-11/11

This week our students celebrated Ms. Roy.  She is expecting a baby boy at the end of November and will be on maternity leave until January.  Our students made her an advice book to help her care for her new baby and a beautiful thumbprint art print.  We also earned Stuffed Friend Day!  Students were able to bring in a stuffed friend to spend the day with.  Just a reminder that if your child was not able to be at school, they may bring their stuffed animal on their first day they return.  

Next week we will be learning all about vegetable farms.  On Friday we will be making vegetable soup.  If you would like to donate a vegetable for our soup, please send it in on Monday or Tuesday with your learner.  That way I will know what I need to pick up at the store for our soup. 

Learning highlights from the week:

• Math:  Some first graders worked on multiple ways to solve a problem and solving missing addend problems. Grade 2 worked on solving missing addend problems using a place value model.  For example, for the problem 42+___ = 70, students filled in 42 squares on a 100’s graph using a colored pencil. (4 full rows of 10 and 2 extra)  They then filled in that graph to 70 using a different color, first finishing off the row of 2 to make 50 and then 2 full rows of 10.  This gives students a visual of 42+28=70

• Reading:  This week’s focus was the introduction of new word features.  Students also worked in their book groups looking for text features and character traits. 

•  Writing:  We continued working on our small moments unit. Students have been brainstorming moments that are true and writing with increasing detail including actions, thoughts and feelings. We have also been discussing how to wrap up a story.

• Social Studies:  We continue to work on the economic cycle of buy, produce and sell.  This week we discussed how farms make products they can then sell in order to make money.  We explored fiber farms and the products that are made from various fibers.  We got a chance to touch raw alpaca fiber!  We decided it was softer than sheep wool. 

• Mindfulness:  For the month of November we are focusing on gratitude.  Students have been practicing reflecting on what they are thankful for.  We have begun discussing all the small things we are grateful for and during the All School Morning Meeting students shared things they were grateful for.