Field Trip Fun by Everyone!

Who doesn't love field trips?  The first graders had a blast on their first field trip of the year.  As part of the Metro Learning Bank Experience, students experienced fine art by attending MSUM's own Fuego Tropical performance.  Students not only sang and danced along to the wonderful steel drum performance, but they also learned proper concert etiquette.  They wowed me with their excellent behavior as I knew they would!

What does it mean to imagine, design, create, engineer and experiment?  This week students learned all about the STEM Design Loop and made their way through their first investigation in our study of gravity and motion.  After reading Jack and the Beanstalk, students were challenged with designing their own beanstalk or tall building with a team of "engineers" (aka 1st grade students).  Students imagined their beanstalks and then made a plan.  Students were challenged with working together to discuss the plans and select the best for the group.  We even introduced our friend "Mr. Talking Stick" to help facilitate a one person talking at a time rule.  In the end, our engineering may need a little more practice, however, we are well on our way to learning how to improve the engineering process.  Check out the process along with the final products that the teams made.  

All About Josephine

Have you met sweet, Josephine?  Josephine loves the fact that her name has 9 letters and so do I!  Josephine loves the color pink, horses, and math.  The class was amazed to find out that there is even a Lake Josephine.  We did a bit of research only to find that there is not only a Lake Josephine in North Dakota but also one in Minnesota. We thought it was so neat I had to include the picture from her poster for you to see!

A Peek at Our Week

Reading: In reading students just completed Unit 1 and took their first reading assessment of the year.  It was long, but the students kept positive attitudes and did their best to remember and apply all of their new knowledge.  This week we will practice summarizing the main event in a story.  We will also practice reading and writing words with double final consonants and ck.  

Writing: Students are working are on their personal narrative stories in writer's workshop.  We like to call these, Small Moment stories, as they are about one moment in their life that they tell bit by bit including lots of details.  This week students will take the stories they have been working on and visit the "Revising and Editing Table" in our classroom with a partner to make their writing even stronger.  I can't wait to share their published pieces with you at conferences.

Math: The focus of our math instruction this week will be to introduce the final two pieces of MATH workshop!  Students will be introduced to 12 hands on games that can be played individually or with a partner during our math workshop.  We will also be getting five, new classroom iPads that students will learn how to utilize during math.  I was able to take time over the long break to get things set up and ready for students on Monday!  

Science: We are continuing our work in our gravity and motion unit.  This week students will learn about motion in terms of pushing and pulling.  Students will explore friction through hands on practice outside (let's hope the weather cooperates).  All of this will lead into the final STEM activity where students will design and engineer a six-foot marble run using ramps.  We can still use your toilet paper tubes if you have any!  Any extra will be kept for another project that takes place in May.

Upcoming Reminders

October 23: Wear NFL Jerseys to kick off Fuel off to Play 60

October 31: Fall Party 1:15-2:30

This week in 1st grade...

We've just hit the 30 day mark for 1st grade, and we are well on our way to a successful year!  The first graders work hard everyday, and I am already seeing them shine in so many areas.  After filling our class gumball machine, students brainstormed and voted for a class party.  PJ's and stuffed animals won!  Students had fun reading to their little critters during Daily 5!

Pajama Day with stuffed animals!

Just a friendly reminder that the weekly homework menus are a required homework piece for all 1st graders at Washington.  Additionally, guided reading books have started to make their way home with your student (Be on the look out for a large plastic book bag!).  Please listen to your reader and initial the slip within two school days.  These books (and any other books you read to your child or your child reads to you) can make their way onto the Book-It Reading log!  Even if your child isn't a pizza eater, it is a great routine to get into to prepare for the Reading Medalist program that will begin in January.

This week at Washington is Box Top Collection week!  Thank you to the families that have already sent Box Tops in periodically.  I have been holding on to these for collection week so we already have a nice start.  Additionally, the Washington PTA is hosting the Scholastic Book Fair.  Our class will visit the fair on Thursday, October 12.  Please feel free to send money with your child in an envelope or baggy labeled with their name.  The awesome volunteers will help your child select books and get them their change.  

All About Jaxon

This week we had the privilege of learning more about Jaxon.  He is a great kiddo with a great knack for math!  Jaxon brought his fidget spinner to school for show and tell and even showed us how he can balance it on his forehead, spinning!  On Friday Jaxon brought one of his favorite treats to share, Sour Skittles!  We decided to practice sorting by using our alligator tongs to divide skittles among our groups.  

A Peek at Our Week

Reading: Because reading is such a huge component of our day, I have started sending home the Journeys home link letters for your information.  They include all of the weekly phonics, grammar, spelling and target skills we are working on for the week.  Each week, students complete a performance assessment where they write about the story we have read.  They practice finding text evidence to support their responses.  I will have their performance assessment booklets available at conferences. 

Math:  In math students are working hard on addition to ten.  The number bond tool was introduced and students are utilizing it to break numbers into parts.  For example, 4 can be made with 2 and 2, 1 and 3, and 0 and 4.  In the coming weeks, small group math will begin.  Similar to reading, an independent practice model will be introduced to support students at four stations.  This week two of the four stations of our MATH workshop model were introduced:  The A - At your seat and H - Hands on components.  Below students practice two hands on activities with partners to strengthen number sense and addition.

Science: We have made our way through the life science unit in 1st grade with numerous stories, projects, experiments and demonstrations.  Science can be SO fun and it is especially helpful to have it at the end of the day when little minds are tired and looking for something engaging to do!  We finished learning about plant parts by comparing the human body to a plant to describe the parts of a plant.  We also went on a nature hunt looking for living things.  We then used Pic Collage to share all of our photos. After learning about different animal homes, students used paper plates to create their own animal habitat.  If you subscribe to Seesaw, I snapped a photo of each firstie and uploaded it to their Seesaw portfolio!  Aren't they adorable?

Roman allowed us to "label" him with plant parts.

Animal and plant sorting

We found lots of "living things" on our nature hunt.

Writing: Students have made their way through the writing process and are busy fancying up their final piece of writing for our introductory unit.  We will have our writing celebration on Tuesday, where students will get to share their pieces with the classroom.  Right now, students are enjoying designing their covers and adding colored illustrations to make the pieces complete! (I'll snap some photos or videos to add to Seesaw when they share!)

Upcoming Reminders:

October 9-13: Box Top Collection Week

October 12: Scholastic Book Fair

October 13: PTA Movie Night

October 13: Scholastic Book Order's Due (Code HXP7Y)

October 16: Field Trip to MSUM - Poco Fuego

October 18: Learn Not to Burn Firefighter Visit 

October 19-20: No School