Week of April 27- May 1

DDear parents,

First graders have been observing their mealworms in class this week and today we had our first mealworm change into a pupa! This was very exciting. The pupa stage looks much different than the larvae stage. We will continue to care for and observe the mealworms until they become adult insects. We will be getting our second insect next week.

In math we are wrapping up unit 8. We spent some time reviewing place value and telling time. The unit 8 test is tomorrow, please review the following at home: counting tens and ones, greater and less than - comparing numbers, cutting a shape into two equal parts, and using a three digit number identifying place value with ones, tens, hundreds.

In writing we are wrapping up our unit on Realistic Fiction. Today we practiced putting transitional words into our stories.  We will be selecting a story to illustrate at the end of the week.

Next week we will begin a non-fiction writing unit. This unit will help prepare the students to write their insect reports at home very soon. The blank report with instructions and your child's chosen insect will come home this week. You will need be help your child find a resource and write their insect report to share in class.

In reading this week we have read the book No Queen Today. We discussed the vocabulary words horrendous and screeched. We looked for blends in the story and practiced reading the repeating phrase.  Popcorn words this week are: all, call, ball, tall, caller, taller.

The field trip to Maybury Farm on May 15th will be here before we know it! Please be sure to send in your child's permission slip and money if you have not yet sent it in to school. 

Thank you, 

Mrs. Scheck

Week of April 20-25

Dear parents,

This week in First Grade we are preparing habitats for our first insects, the mealworms, to arrive this week. Students have learned that all living things need 4 things to survive: air, water, food and space. We will be caring for the insects in the room and observing how they change. We will record our observations.  No insects will be coming home, but encourage your child to be an active observer! 

In reading this week, we are learning how to change our voices to sound like the character when there are question marks and exclamation points and action words. We read the big book A Rumble and a Grumble to practice.  We are also reading lots of realistic fiction books to get ideas for our own writing. We read Henry and Mudge to see how an author issues real problems to write about a character. Our popcorn words this week are: pack, snack, shack, crack, trash, and splash.

In writing we have begun writing our realistic fiction stories. We practiced for a few days just writing the first age of a story. We dreamed up a character and a problem for our character. Now we will learn different ways authors begin a story with action, dialogue or setting the scene. 

In math, we have worked this week on adding amounts of money together in a pretend shopping spree. We will work on dividing a shape into equal parts and begin to learn the fractions 1/2 and 1/4. Look for another home link tomorrow. 

All field trip money and permission slips are due on April 28th.

The book fair is open! Our day to shop is Friday, please send money in to school marked with your child's name.

Thank you, 

Mrs. Scheck

Week of April 13-17

Dear parents, 

Welcome back! I hope everyone had some fun on Spring break and got out to enjoy the beautiful weather the last few days. Spring is finally here!

This week in First grade we are moving on to a lot of new units in math, science and writing.

In reading, we will be studying characters and how they move and behave. We will notice how authors show characters feelings. I will be reading books that have characters that the students can use to help in the their own writing, we will read Twilight Comes Twice by Ralph Flecther this week.

In writing, we have been busy publishing stories from the Authors as Mentors unit. I have been typing their stories up and the students have been illustrating them. We will share our finished stories later this week. Starting tomorrow, we will begin working on Realistic Fiction stories. We will continue to read a lot of books that will provide strong examples of the new genre.

In math, we have begun Unit 8, the family letter went home yesterday.  We will be focusing again on money. We have been counting coins and playing coin top it in class. We will also be discussing place value to the 100's place. We will make the connection between ones and pennies, tens and dimes and dollars and 100's. 

Our new science unit is beginning this week, we will be discussing insects and what we know about them. We already began today by writing down what we think we know about insects. Tomorrow we will write the things we want to learn about them.  Real, live insects will be arriving the middle of next week! This is an exciting time, we will be caring for and studying the insects from now til June.  We will learn what their needs are to survive and how they go through metamorphosis.  We will watch several insects go through a complete metamorphosis!

The field trip note went home last night, I have many parents that wish to chaperone. I will be emailing the parents that I need for the field trip tomorrow. Thank you for your quick responses.

Have a great week!

Mrs. Scheck 

Week of March 30-April 2

Dear parents, 

Wow, I can't believe we are already looking at turning the calendar to April this week! We will also be on spring break this Friday, April 3! There is no school from April 3 - 12. 

This Friday also marks the end of the third card-marking period. I will be assessing students in math. We will take the third quarter math bench mark on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  I will break the test into a few pages per day. When we return from break, we will begin Unit 8. To better prepare for the test consider working with your child on the following: time to the half hour (they need to write the time and draw hands on a blank clock). Addition and subtraction facts- use some fash cards at home! Work on facts triangles by writing out the 4 facts.  Also, log onto www.everydaymathonline.com for games that mirror the ones we play in class for more fun practice. If you've misplaced your child's login ID, email me for a replacement card.

In reading, we have been reading non-fiction books in reading groups and as a whole class. This week I will begin to read realistic fiction stories. We will start thinking about the elements of this genre. We will read the book Not Norman, which is about a boy who gets a goldfish as a pet but decides he wants another kind of pet and tries his best to get rid of the fish.  We will learn how to develop a character through showing emotions and action. 

We will begin thinking about our new science unit soon.  We will be studying Insects after spring break. The students will love observing several live insects. We will care for, observe and write about them and have a hands on experience with mealworms. We will watch them change from larva to pupa to adult. We have a few exciting surprises just waiting for us in the classroom in April!

Remember to keep track of reading minutes on your at home reading log and turn it in on Mondays. 

Have a great week, 

Mrs. Scheck

Week of March 23-27

Dear parents,

This week in first grade we are enjoying learning from Mo Willems about how to be a better writer. We are practicing the following techniques in our writing: bolded words, tiny print to show sad or scared feelings, onamonapiea or sound words, a dedication page, using speech bubbles and thought bubbles. We have been writing stories like using craft like an author. We are getting ready to publish one story from The Authors as Mentors unit. We will begin a new unit after spring break called Realistic Fiction Writing. We have discussed the difference between fiction - fantasy, realistic fiction, and non - fiction. We shared our favorite one in class.

In math we are enjoying learning about geometric shapes.  We have discussed two dimensional shapes and will begin three dimensional shapes today.  I introduced symmetry.  Students worked with partners to make symmetrical patterns. The unit 6 math tests are came home on Thursday.  

In reading, we are finished with our non fiction unit of study.  We have learned text features and will write more non-fiction in April as our new science unit on insects begins.

We will be collecting our reading logs for the last time this coming Monday! The students have 

loved tracking their minutes!

Have a great week! 

Mrs. Scheck

Symmetry

Hello parents! 

Just a few pictures of your kids making symmetrical patterns with blocks! 

Enjoy your weekend, 

Mrs. Scheck

Week of March 16-20

Dear parents,

This week in first grade we are looking forward to the first day of Spring on Friday!

The student have been enjoying warmer weather and less snow. We will continue to wear our boots outside on these muddy days. Please send an extra pair of pants for wet and muddy clothes for your child to keep in their backpack.

This week in reading, we are continuing with non fiction texts.  We will read the book Raptors and learn about dinosaurs.  We will practice using our schema and I wonder statements to help with comprehension when we read.  

The popcorn word this week are: saw, straw, August, yawn, pause and because.  We will discuss the sounds -au and -aw make within words.  We will also sort words that end in -s or -es and begin to notice when to use -es.

In Writing, we will examine a new author Mo Willems to lead these writing techniques: bolted words, speech bubbles, and thought bubbles. We will read Are You Ready To Play Outside?

In math, we are preparing to take Unit 6 math test on Wednesday.  Students will need to write out fact families, tell time to the half hour, use and identify coins (penny, nickel,dime and quarter), read a tally chart, add to 20, fill in the rule for frames and arrows and write equivalent names for a number in a name collection box.  

We will be doing some St. Patrick's day fun tomorrow- some graphing and a small treat!

Have a great day, 

Mrs. Scheck