Butter Making, Friday Letters and More! 10/31-11/4

 

Learning highlights from the week:

• Math:  First graders are working on finding many ways to add the same number. For example all the combinations that add up to 9. Grade 2 worked on place value with a focus on tens and ones, solving problems with efficient strategies and adding coins. 

• Reading:  We practiced sight words, mapping both the expected and unexpected sounds.  We worked on stretching out the sounds of letters in words to help us with both reading and spelling. Students also worked in their book groups.  Some are working on sharing favorite parts of their book others are working on 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. 

• Mindfulness:  For the month of November we will be focusing on gratitude.  Students have been practicing reflecting on what they are thankful for. This coming week we will begin a gratitude journal in which students will make an entry each day about something they are grateful for. 

• Social Studies- We are continuing with our Farm to Table- Farms of Vermont Unit.  This week we enjoyed learning about Dairy Farms. We enjoyed making butter! Next week we will learn about fiber farms.

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?