Martin's Big Words

In recognition of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday, first graders enjoyed a read aloud of Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport. This picture book biography prompted discussion about race, inequality, Dr. King's religious inspirations, and his death.  First graders might have questions about the life and work of Dr. King at home this weekend!

Literacy: Informational Texts and Glued Sounds

First graders are delving more deeply into their study of the sun, moon and stars.  They are exploring observable patterns in the sky.  In our new unit, students are moving from narrative to informational texts that continue to grow their undertaking of patterns in the sky.  Our guiding question for this unit is:  “What patterns can we observe in the sky?”

This week we are  finishing up a unit in word study on glued sounds: -ang, -ing, -ong, -ung, -ink, -onk, -ank, -unk. Please take time to practice the following heart words at home with your child: why, by, try, my, two, too, also, put, come, some. Students are expected to read and spell these words. Thank you!

Winter Workshops Are Up and Running

 

Math: More Addition and Subtraction Within 20

 Addition problem investigations require students to add two or three numbers, with a total within 20. They start with problems in which two of the numbers make a ten (for example, 6+8+4$6+8+4$) and learn that they can add numbers in any order, which can make adding easier. They discover the usefulness of grouping numbers to find a sum of 10 when adding. Students find the sum of two addends, using methods by which they count on or use related facts they know.

For example, making a ten is helpful when finding the value of 9+5$9+5$. Students can take 1 from the 5 and group it with the 9 to make 10, and then add the 4.

Subtraction problem investigations require students to use the relationship between additon and subtraction and their understanding of the usefulness of a ten.

For example, if given 15 - 8, students may take away 5 to get to 10 and then take away 3 to find the difference of 7. 

They also may start with 8 and count on by 2 to get to 10, and then add 5 to reach 15. They see that the difference is 7. 

Second Step: Emotion Management

Our social emotional learning program, Second Step, began a new unit recently that focuses on emotion management. In this unit, students are taught proactive strategies to help prevent strong feelings from turning into negative behaviors. When intense feelings are allowed to escalate, strong physiological reactions hamper students' ability to reason and to solve interpersonal and other problems without aggression. The ability to keep strong emotions from escalating and driving behavior allows students the chance to employ many of the other skills practiced this year, such as effective communication, assertiveness, negotiation and compromise, and problem-solving. During today's lesson, first graders learned to identify their own feelings by noticing the physical clues in their bodies.  Using disappointment as the example, activities and discussions revolved around the idea that everyone has strong feelings sometimes.