Eighty-Third Day of School

We have begun the second part of our Early World Civilizations unit in content knowledge. We are learning about and comparing Egyptian civilation to the Babylonians. We have learned that both civilations relied heavily and were built near great rivers. They each had writing systems for keeping historical records. In the course of our discussion we learned that there are 7 continents and 4 (or 5) oceans.

There is Math homework tonight. Two math reports will be scored and reported to Schoology soon.

Tomorrow (time and circumstance permitting) we will show what we know about opinion/arguement/persuasive writing as we take our writing pretest.

In Science we began a unit on earth science where we examine Earth's relationship to the sun. We learned the term 'perihelion'. And how important the tile of the Earth's axis is in determining our weather patterns.

We have begun our middle-of-the-year Reading battery assessment for mid-year reporting.

Seventy-Second Day of School

Technical issues have caused a number of delays in disseminating information.

We have completed revision and editing lessons for our informational pieces. Growth is clearly evident in several students' work.

There is Math homework tonight. If you are a parent wondering your child's homework may be, at least one set was left in the classroom.

In our content knowledge unit, we learned that people in the Mesopotamian region were plytheistic. When their knowledge (scientific) could not help explain phenomenon, it was attributed to gods and goddesses. 

The 1st grade team has decided that 1st graders will wear festive bright colors for the winter performance next week.

Our next goal in Learning ABC is level I. We are keeping an eye out for x10 and x15 badges as well. Also, the student with the most skills mastered between now and the end of January in IXL, will receive a prize.

Sixty-Seventh Day of School

In our content knowledge unit, we learned how records were kept from at least 5,500 years ago in Mesopotamia:

• Records were kept on clay tablets.
• Wedge-shaped impressions were made in the clay which could then later be read.

There is Math homework tonight.

Sixty-Sixth Day of School

Today we began new units in Math, content knowledge, and word study.

In content knowledge, we learn about and compare our oldest known world civilizations. Our study begins with Mesopotamia, specifically Babylon. We've learned that

• Mesopotamia laid between 2 rivers, Euphrates, Tigris.
• The city constructed a system of canals to divert water to land set back from the rivers.
• The rivers were used for transport to trade between regions.

In Math we discussed and practiced strategies for adding 3 or more addends.

There is Math homework tonight.

In Writing we selected one of our informational pieces for the revising process.

Fifty-Seventh Day of School

In Writing we touch-and-talked our facts (at least 2) for our new topic.

We began our 2nd unit in our violence prevention curriculum.

Math application:

Taylor and her sister Reilly each got 4 books from the library. Then, Reilly went back in and checked out another book. How many books do Taylor and Reilly have together?

Scores for this assignment have been posted to Schoology.

There is Math homework for tonight.

Our speeches will be taped tomorrow provided no technical problems.

Fifty-Sixth Day of School

In Writing today, we chose our topic for our second informational text. Upon draft completion, we will select one paper and complete revisions on that text.

Math application (near doubles):

    Chleo needs 11 juice boxes for the party. She grabbed 7 grape and 5 apple. Did Chleo grab        the correct number of juice boxes?

We took our Math fluency quiz for parts of '10' today. Grades have been posted in Schoology.

Fifty-Fourth Day of School

Math application problem (near doubles):

 Devonne needed 10 candles to set the table. She grabbed 5 tall candles and 4 short candles.   Did Devonne grab the correct number of candles?

There is math homework tonight.

Forty-Ninth Day of School

In Writing today, we added transitions. A transition is used to connect ideas together. Examples of informational transitions include: also, another, other, more over, but.

There is Math homework tonight.

Forty-Seventh Day of School

In Writing today, some writers took some time to add more facts to their work, while others continued drafting their first facts.

Math application problem:

Jonathan has 3 stickers. Marlin has 4 stickers. Anna Marie has 5 stickers. They each get 2 more stickers. How many do they each have now?

There is Math homework tonight.

Forty-Fourth Day of School

In Writing, we touched and talked 2 things we know about our topics. A template will be sent home so that parents may follow along with the lessons.

For our content curriculum unit, we explored the digestive system:

• The digestive system helps to break down our food into nutrients which can be used for processes by the body.
• After being chewed, muscles move the food down the esophagus into the stomach staying there for 2-3 hours until it is turned to liquid.
• It then passes into the small intestine where the nutrients are picked up by the bloodstream.
• The entire process can take 2-3 days.

Math application problem:

    

    Jordan had a set of 6 pencils. His teacher gave him another set with 7 pencils. How many pencils did Jordan have now? (Strategy: think 'doubles plus one').

There is Math homework again tonight.

Room 11 will be open tomorrow night for Family Math Night from 5-6 p.m.

Forty-Third Day of School

For Writing today, we completed the brainstorming  process by making a final selection of topic for our first informational piece. Everyone present was able to select a topic.

For Math, we took the fluncy quiz for parts of 9. Grades have been posted to Schoology.

In Reading, we were reintroduced to the Learning A-Z platform. Our first goal in the platform is to progress to level G. Once the first 3 students make it to level G, the class goal will move to level H. We were also told of incentives marked by badges earned. 

Forty-First Day of School

Math application problem:

    Marla and Carla are twins. Whatever Marla has, Carla has too. Marla has 4 dolls. How             many dolls do they have together?

   Together the have 10 stuffed animals. How many stuffed animals does Marla have?

    How many stuffed animals do they have altogether?

In Writing, we continued the brainstorming process while preselecting a few topics which would be first choice selections on which to write.

Forty-First Day of School

In Writing today, we brainstormed topics for our new informational unit. We will be writing "all about" essay. For the parents participating at home, the brainstorming process for this segment is for the writer to simply make a list of topics which they know a lot about. For example, the writer may feel they know a lot about panda bears:

• Giant panda bears have black and white fur.
• Pandas eat bamboo for approximately 10-16 hours per day.
• Pandas can swim and climb.
• Giant pandas live in China.

Math application problem (this story was very tricky for us do to reading comprehension levels even after explanation):

    May and Kay are twins. Whatever May has, Kay has too. May has 4 dolls. How many dolls     do they have altogether? Kay has 3 stuffed animals. How many stuffed animals do they            have together?

Thirty-Ninth Day of School

Math application problem:

    Jordan had 3 pencils in a container. His teacher gave him 4 more pencils to add to the                container. How many pencils were now in the container?

Grades for this problem have been posted to Schoology.

We are approaching the end of our first Math unit which means Math homework will come home with increasing regularity. Please continue to read with your child every day. Our new Writing unit (informational text) will start this week. Paper will be sent home for parents to follow along. This genre is considerably easier for students to learn.

Thirty-Fifth Day of School

In our content knowledge unit we discussed the muscular system.

• There are voluntary and involuntary muscles
• There are 650 muscles in the body.
• Muscles expand and contract.
• Muscles are attched to bones by tendons in order to help them move.

Math application problem (20):

Laura had 5 fish. Her mother gave her 1 more. Laura’s brother, Franklin, had 1 fish. Their mother gave him 5 more. “That’s not fair! He has more fish than I do!”

Grades for 19 and 20 have been posted to Schoology.

Note: It should have been mentioned at Back-to-School that we do not celebrate individual birthdays in class. We will take time out to celebrate 3 events in the year: the last day before winter break, the 100th day of school, and the last day of instruction.

Thirty-Fourth Day of School

Math application problem:

    Dylan has 4 cats and 2 dogs. Samuel has 1 mama bunny and 6 baby bunnies. Do they have     the same number of pets?    

Thirty-Third Day of School

Today we completed our 4th lesson in our violence prevention curriculum and learned what to do when we aren't successful at something we try.

We took a Math fluency quiz and grades are posted to Schoology.

Math application problem (Pets):

    Dylan has 4  cats and 2 dogs at home. Laura has 1 dog and 5 fish. Laura says she and Dylan     have an equal number of pets. Dylan thinks he has more pets than Laura. Who was right?

Rubric scores are posted to Schoology.

There is Math homework tonight.

Thirty-First Day of School

There is Math homework tonight. It may prove challenging to 1st graders. Today we practiced with equivalent and non-equivalent expressions today. Tomorrow our Math workshop will reflect this concept.

In our content knowledge unit, we discussed the skeletal system. Key concepts:

• Our bodies contain approximately 206 bones.
• Bones are stronger than steel.
• Bones provide support and protection for the soft parts of our body.

Thirtieth Day of School

In Writing today, we shared their editing and spelling strategies. Then some writers read their stories aloud to the class.

Math application problem:

    There are 10 swings on the playground, and 7 students are using them. How many swings        are empty?

So far, all of the application problems which have been turned in as homework have all been completed to the level of a score of 4.

Score for this application problem have been recorded to Schoology.

For our content knowledge unit, we discussed how the body is make up of organs which work together to complete a task, such as digestion, as part of a system. In the body, systems network togther. These are key concepts for the unit as well as key vocabulary.

For Visual Art, we practiced whole figure gesture sketching to show bodies in action. This will come in handy for future planning as part of the writing process.

Twenty-Sixth Day of School

In Writing today, we revised our settings. When revising in Room 11, we swith from using a black ink pen, to a blue one. Our revising process for today was simply to re-read and add any missing information that would help our reader to better undertand our setting.

Math Workshop application problem:

    There were 10 bowling pins standing. Raquel knocked down some over; 7 were left                standing. How many pins did she knock down?

Note about homework: hopefully parents are finding a few minutes each to follow our writing unit while their child watches their own writing processes. Homework in Math will become more regular as we make our way out of this first unit.