Holiday Fun!!

Dear parents,

Thank you to all the parents who helped and donated food to our party today! We had fun making a snowman ornament, eating and making pancakes and playing "minute to win it" games!

I am so proud of our class. Every day they come to school to learn. The students are kind to each other. They love taking on new challenges, just like today making the 100 cup tower! Below are a few photos from our fun morning!

I hope you have a wonderful holiday with family and friends. Enjoy your children at this special time of year.

Week of December 19-22

Dear families,

We are nearing the end of 2016! Our class is very excited for the holidays and the upcoming winter break!

This week we read the book The Biggest, Best Snowman and practiced retelling the story. We have been focusing on remembering the main events in order, the characters and the solution. After reading the book we wrote a retelling of the story onto a snowman. The students will need to be retelling independently in January.  Please have your child practice retelling stories at home after reading to help them prepare. You can practice retelling with any familiar book.

In writing, we are "Writing for Readers". This week I have been showing students how to make their writing readable for a partner. We have been picking one writing goal each day to focus on. We will wrap up this unit the week after we return from our break.

In math, we have been working on learning rules for facts. Yesterday we discussed the +0, +1 and the doubles rules. We will work today on ways to make 10. We will play the two-fisted penny game and "Fishing for 10." Both are great ways to practice making 10.

In science we will be doing a sink and float experiment tomorrow. We will begin working with solid mixtures after the break. In class last week we discussed matter in the form or a solid, liquid or gas. We learned that liquids take the shape of what ever container is holding it. We watched a short video on the three forms of matter. We also observed water in a bottle and how it moves with the bottle as you tip it.

It is very cold out and we have been indoors for the last two days. Tomorrow looks like it could be warmer! It is best to please continue to send the necessary snow clothes. Hopefully the really cold weather is ending today!

Our party is this Thursday at 10:30-12:00. If you are sending in food for the party, you can send it in tomorrow!

Thank you,
Mrs. Scheck

Friday fun!

Dear families,

It has been a busy week in first grade!

In Science I introduced liquids to the class. We started with discussing what we already know about liquids. Then we explored seven different liquids in bottles. The students rolled, spun, shook and watched each liquid. We learned several new vocabulary words; viscous, transparent, translucent, foamy, and bubbly.  We observed corn syrup in a bottle and discovered it was viscous because it moved slowly. We shined a flashlight on the different liquids and observed which ones were translucent.  Students may come home asking to do some "experiments"!

In reading this week we read the book The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes. We discussed the beginning, middle and ending. We wrote about the story. We learned a new vocabulary word: auditorium.

In Social Studies we read The Story of Ping. We discussed consequences. Ping is a duck who does not listen to his master's call and ends up hiding to avoid his consequence. We used pictures from the story to practice beginning, middle and end.  We wrote using transitional words; first, next, then and last.

In math, we practiced measuring with blocks, paper clips, dominoes, craft sticks and unifix cubes.
We learned that to measure something accurately you need to do these things: no overlapping, use one size object, measure to the end (not past it) and not to leave spaces.

In writing, we have been working on adding descriptive words, reading to check for beginning, middle and ending. Using spaces, spelling the popcorn words correctly and using neat handwriting.
We will continue with Writing for Readers next week!

Today we painted a fun reindeer picture.
It was a busy and productive week!

Have a great weekend,
Mrs. Scheck

Tower Building 

Today we worked like engineers. We used materials from our science kits to build a tower. We tried many ways to make our towers work. We found that materials that were rigid and strong worked best. Others materials that were too flexible were not as good. Many students had to start all over. Some students borrowed ideas from other towers they saw. Last we looked at the leaning tower of Pisa. We talked about what materials were used and how to fix it!
Way to go, Engineers!

Nov. 28-Dec 2

Dear families,

December already! I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. The students came back eager to share all the fun they had celebrating with family and friends.

This week we read the book On Down the Road.  After reading the story students made text to self connections with the main character. We discussed and wrote about a new character trait: cautious. We learned new a vocabulary word: Dillydally.  The book had a strong beginning, middle and end. We will focus more on re-tellings as we get closer to the middle of the school year because in January, I will be re-assessing all students for reading. Along with determining reading levels, I will be assessing comprehension. To help at home, ask this questions after reading:
Who were the characters?
What was the setting or where the story mostly took place?
What was the problem?
What are the main events (in order)?
How was the problem solved?
What connections can you make to the story?

The reading books that are coming home are familiar and it is best to practice retelling with a familiar story.

In writing, we are working on making our writing readable. We wrote for partners this week. Sharing our writing is important, students loved hearing compliments and one suggestion about their work as they read each others stories. We also re-read our stories to see if anything in our story did not fit. We crossed out parts that were not on topic. We also circled popcorn words in our writing and fixed them up. I gave the students another tool to use for writing, a blends chart.

In math, we have completed unit 3. We have begun a unit 4.  Unit 4 is mostly about measurement. Students will learn to measure using non-standard ways (like a paper clip or pencil). I will also introduce tools for measuring. A family letter for unit 4 will come home Monday.
We had a math assessment for unit 3. I will be sending it home next week. Please go over anything your child needs extra practice on. The most difficult parts for many students was explaining the way they solved problems.

In Social Studies we have been sharing the wonderful family trees! If your child still has not completed this project, please turn it in next week. We will read the book The Goodness Gorillas and The Kindness Quilt. We will talk about ways to be kind  and write on lightbulbs how to "light up the world with kindness."

In Science we are imagining we are engineers. We will build towers with different objects. We will compare our towers and tell how we built them. This is always a fun experiment!

I am beginning to plan for the Holiday party on Dec. 22nd. We will have a pancake breakfast. The party will be at 10:30-12:00.  We hope to have volunteers to make pancakes and help with a craft. We will watch a Holiday movie in the afternoon. Look for more information coming soon. If you are wishing to join us or help out, please eamil me and let meknow. I have parents who are already volunteering, but we can always use more hands!

Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Scheck

Week of November 21-23

Dear families,

This week in first grade we went on a field trip to the Ann Arbor Hands-on Museum.  The students were able to interact with all the displays. There were several activities that involved liquids that the students told me were their favorites. In the water room, students were able to build with plastic pipes and divert water in different directions. On the second floor, students could put a bubble around themselves. They learned through trial and error to pull the rope up slowly and to be still inside the bubble so it would not pop! If you are interested in visiting the museum with your child it is a fun experience. There is so much to see and do!

We have begun our Science Unit called "Solids and Liquids." We began today discovering the different properties of solids. We learned two new vocabulary terms: rigid and flexible. We have noticed solids are made from these materials: plastic, wood, metal and rubber. We will work on identifying and grouping solids based on their different properties next week.

In writing, we have been working on Writing for Readers. Students are very aware now of what readable writing looks like. We focused yesterday on zooming in on one small moment and staying on topic.

In math we are toward the end of unit 3.  Today I introduced "Frames and Arrows." Students learned how to look for a pattern and follow a rule for a frame and arrow. A home link is going home today for extra practice.

In Social studies, our family trees are due on Monday, November 28th.  Please let me know if you need more time or further assistance in making a tree. Also note a family tree is more than a picture of your family.  It needs labels for each person and/or a picture of each individual member and a shape to put the tree on, it could be an apple tree or holiday tree, etc.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Mrs. Scheck

Week of November 14-18

Hello Families!

First grade is getting ready to start a lot of new things in the coming weeks!

In reading, we have moved on to a new unit called Digging Deeper: Reading for Meaning. We have been working on being problem solvers when we read. Students have been practicing strategies in their reading groups and during Daily 5.  One strategy we have focused on this week is taking words apart and using a part we know to solve a new word. This is a strategy that will last a long time. Students working on longer words should be taking words apart at the biggest part they know. We read the book Elmer and the Kangaroo this week. We used the book to practice view points. We did a Step Inside and looked at the story from the Kangaroo's perspective and Elmer's perspective.  We learned two new character traits: optimistic and pessimistic.

In writing, we have cleaned out our writing folders. Our new writing unit is called Writing for Readers. We have been working on making our writing readable. We have looked closely at our own writing and came up with a list of things that are needed to make it readable.

• spaces between words
• neat handwriting, using lowercase letters when they are appropriate
• capitals to start a sentence and for names only
• periods, exclamation points and question marks
• popcorn words spelled correctly

We will keep with this unit for about 4 weeks!

In math, we have begun Unit 3. We are practicing hopping on the number line and skip counting. Please practice skip counting by 2, 5, and 10 to help your child at home.

Today and tomorrow we will be using the number line to add and subtract. Tonight we will have a home link to review these concepts.

In Social Studies, we made our time lines and read the book Birthday Presents. We will read more about family trees this week. The family tree project is due on Monday, November 28th. Please let me know if you child needs more time.

Science will start this week! Our first unit is called Solids and Liquids. This is a fun hands on unit. Our first task is sorting objects by their properties and using solids to make a tower.

Monday is our field trip! Chaperones are asked to be at school by 9:15 a.m. Students need to eat a good breakfast, wear walking shoes, and be ready to have fun at the Ann Arbor Hands-On museum!

Thank you and have a great week!
Mrs. Scheck

Week of November 7-11

Hello wonderful families!

Thank you to all the parents who came on Tuesday to Parent Teacher Conferences. It was great to meet with you and share all of the things we are learning and doing in First grade!

We read the book A Frog Thing this week. We focused on how to retell a story and include the beginning, middle and ending. We practiced writing a retelling with pictures and words. Students also learned two new vocabulary words from the book: modest and determined. We discussed how Frankie the frog was persistent in his goal of learning to fly!

In writing, we have been working on adding details in our stories to help readers visualize what happened in our small moments. We read the book A House For Hermit Crab by Eric Carle. We talked about the details Hermit Crab had on his shell. We have been using a writing check list to be sure to put capitals and periods in the right places and to check for ourselves if we spelled the popcorn words correctly.

In math this week we are working on Unit 3. We have been writing and solving number stories for subtraction. We will develop strategies to help solve stories such as drawing a picture and using a number model to solve.

In social studies, we have begun a new unit on Families. We will read the story The Family Book by Todd Parr. we will see some examples of how to do our family tree project. We will also make our personal time lines this week. If you child has not sent in three pictures for their time line, please send them in by tomorrow.

Our field trip to the Ann Arbor Hands-on Museum is coming up soon. Permission slips and money are due by Monday, November 14th.

Next week is diversity week! We will go to an assembly on Monday. Please contact me if you would like to share some of your family's culture with the class. You may come in and read a book or share an artifact the students would love it!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns please email or call me!
Mrs. Scheck

Happy Halloween

Week of October 24-28

Hello Families!

I can't believe we are in the last week of October! This fall is flying by so fast!

This week in First Grade we have been reading the book Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hills.
We have been using this book to discuss the question, "how do you take charge of your own learning?" In the story Rocket does many things to help himself learn to write. He practices, writes down words, asks questions and writes his story over several days. This is the way our students are also learning. We learned two new vocabulary words: timid and inspires. We will write about the book on Friday.

In writing, we have been working on personal narratives and we have been working on going back to fix up our stories. We have been using popcorn words, stretching a story over 3 pages and zooming in on the most important part!

In reading groups I have been sending books with students. Most students have a book every other day. Sometimes a group spends 3-4 days reading a longer book. Please be sure to have your child read the book to you and send it right back to school.

In math, we are reaching the end of Unit 2. Tomorrow we will have a unit test on how find a sum, ways to make 10, and number stories. There will be home link tonight that is a good way to practice number models.
There will also be a cumulative test on Tuesday, November 1st. This is a review of both units 1 and 2.

In Social Studies we will begin a new unit on maps next week!

Our Halloween party is on Monday Oct. 31st. Please send costumes to school. If you are joining us for the party, the parade starts at 10:45 a.m. School will be dismissed at 12:09 p.m.

Lastly, if you have not already done so, please sign up for a parent teacher conference on Nov. 8th between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. I have many slots open for the mid-day but evening slots have mostly been taken... please email me if you can't find a time that works for you. There is no school on Nov. 8 to allow for these conferences.

Have a good week!
Mrs. Scheck

We had fun at the Color Run! Thank you PTA!

And thank you to the students for the walkathon donations!

Week of October 10-14

Hello Families!

This is what we have been working on all week in our classroom...

In reading, we read the book Boss Baby. We looked carefully at the illustrations in the story. We learned how the author used words to tell her story and a lot of pictures. We practiced using pictures in our stories to help add meaning to the words. We started a new read aloud chapter book, Charlotte's Web by E. B. White. We have learned two new vocabulary words this week: Litter and Runt. We have begun tracking our new words together in class.

In shared reading, we have learned how writers use quotation marks to show a character is talking. We learned what an explanation mark is used for and how to end a sentence with a question mark!

Our new popcorn words this week are: best, big, had, has, he, his.

In writing, we have begun a new unit called Small Moments. We have learned a small moment is something that happened (not pretend). We have read the book Salt Hands to give us a clear example of how a small moment works. We have practiced writing small moments and setting the scene in the our story including when it happened and where.

In math, we have begun unit 2. We will be learning all the ways to make 10. This is an important skill to have. We learned two new games to play to practice making ten: penny plate and the two handed penny game.

In Social Studies, we are wrapping up our unit on Rules at Home and in School. We have discussed fair and unfair, how laws can be changed if they are unfair, and the civil rights movement which allowed all children to go to school together.

I have begun to put students in reading groups. We have learned all the components of Daily 5. Next week we will begin using Daily 5. You will begin to see little books come home. Please have your child read the book several times. Always return the book the very next day, even if you do not get a chance to read it.

Have a great weekend,
Mrs. Scheck

Week of September 26-30

Dear parents,

We have had a busy week in room 109!
In reading workshop this week we read the book If you Plant a Seed.  We discussed the themes: kindness and selfishness. We worked on the phrase "a heap of trouble" and what it meant. We will use the book today to practice a Visual Thinking routine called Step Inside. In this routine we will practice stepping inside the characters in the story and writing what we see, think, feel and wonder.
Our popcorn words this week are:in, is, it, if, me, mom. We have been looking for these words in our shared reading books. We have also focused on concepts about print, noticing and finding periods when we read.

During Daily 5 we have been reading independently for 17 minutes. I have been testing students using a "DRA" (developmental reading assessment) which helps me find their highest level of instruction in reading. The district has asked me to do further testing with our students this year. I will finish testing late next week and we will begin reading groups as soon as it is complete!

In writing, we have introduced real world reasons to write - letters and lists. We have practiced planning a story with a partner. We are now writing for 20 minutes independently!

In math we have completed Unit one. We took our first math assessment yesterday. This was challenging for some students. Extra practice and re-teaching may be needed on tally  marks, number stories and counting. We will continue to review them in class. I will check the assessment and send it home next week so you can review with your child at home.

In Social Studies we have begun working on the concept of Fair and Unfair. We will read the book Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King. We will learn the difference between a rule and the law. We will discuss how a law can be changed if it is not right. We will also read and discuss the story of Ruby Bridges in relation to how laws can be changed.

I am so enjoying the time we have had in our classroom!
There is no school on Monday, October 3rd.

Have a good weekend,
Mrs. Scheck

Week of September 19-23

Hello wonderful families!

It was so great to meet so many of you on Monday, September 19th for curriculum night.
I have sent home the information that was shared that night with students whose parents were not able to attend. Please check you child's backpack for a green folder containing information to be kept at home. Many students were excited to go on our math website and play "Monster Squeeze".  This fun game is great practice to reinforce number sense. If you have not watched your child play, I recommend trying it out.

This week in Reading workshop we are reading the book It's Mine By Leo Lionni. The book is about three quarrelsome frogs that have to learn how to share. We read the book and discussed the vocabulary word "quarrelsome." we will write about the story this week and keep going back to the theme of sharing and being kind.

Our Daily five has been progressing nicely this week. We have been reading to self for 14 minutes and reading to someone for 13. I have been able to assess students and am making progress toward reading groups!

The first set of popcorn words (I, a, am, at, an, as, and) came home on Monday. Students need to practice the words at home every week by cutting them out, writing and reading the words. Please practice at home. Next week a new list will be coming. Keep the words at home in the popcorn back and continue to go back and practice until the words are well known.

In math this week we have been working hard on adding one more or subtracting one less. We will learn the game "Top it" which is a lot like "War."  We will work on comparing numbers when we play. Thursday we will begin to explore using data in a Tally Chart.

In writing, we have been working on using writer's tools. I have shown the students how to put a date stamp on their paper and to use the stapler. We have practice saying words slowly and writing the sounds we hear.

We are off to a great start in Room 109! I am so happy to see how much the students are picking up the new routines in First Grade.

Thank you and have a great night!
Mrs. Scheck

Hello Families!

We are off to a great start in Room 109! Our class has a busy and fun-filled days as we are learning the our routines and the awesome things that we do in First Grade.

This week we will be reading the book Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. We learned how to turn and talk about the book with a partner. We will learn two new vocabulary words: dreadful and wilted. We will learn a thinking routine called Circle of Viewpoints where we look at the story from the perspective of each character in the book. We also will read Elmer. It is the story of an elephant that wanted to be like every other elephant. He learns to embrace his unique patchwork colors and to be himself. We will make our own Elmer pictures and write about why each one of us is special.
We have begun Daily five. Daily five is the structure I use to have the class working independently while I am teaching reading groups. The class is working on the first component called "read to self."

In writing we are rolling with our Writing Workshop. We have been working on building stamina as writers. We learned what to do when when we think we are "done" with a piece of writing.
Students have learned to: 1. add more to the words 2. add more to the picture and 3. start a new piece each time they finish a piece of writing. I have begun conferencing with students individually on their writing. So far, I have seen some great writing from our class!

In math, this week I will introduce tool kits and math tools to the class. We will work on counting strategies, counting by ones, twos, fives and tens. We will play fun math games: Penny-Dice game, Bunny Hop and Monster squeeze.

Thank you to everyone who sent in a family photo. It is not too late if you have not sent one in, please email me a picture of your family or send in a printed photo for your child to have on our "Friends and Family" Board.

I am enjoying getting to know each and every student in our class!

Have a great week,
Mrs. Scheck

Insect day

The students had a great time today sharing their insect models and reports with parents and visitors.

Thank you for coming to visit our insect museum!