FIRST GRADE NEWS

In the classroom... Literacy

Students have been using the Phonics Dance, their Monster Words, new Hunks and Chunks, and the Word Wall for different activities throughout the day. We feel that all children need many opportunities to work with word chains, rhyming words, prefixes, suffixes, and vowel/consonant patterns. All of these activities help in spelling and increase word recognition and word decoding skills, even for our fluent readers. We continue to practice many reading strategies together as a class, in small groups, with partners, or independently during our independent reading time. Our goal in first grade is to promote fluent readers who can find enjoyment in just right books!

We are currently working in Unit 2 in our Everyday Math book. This unit focuses on the use of numbers in realworld contexts. Children will practice how to tell time to the hour, how to count collections of pennies and nickels and other coins as appropriate. The children will also continue to develop counting skills, solve addition and subtraction problems along with number stories using a number grid. Our math program continues to give your child rich opportunities to make connections between their own knowledge and experiences and learn skills in meaningful contexts so that mathematics becomes real (Everyday Mathematics).

Math

Halloween
The Halloween Party and Parade will be held on October 31st this year. We ask that you send your child to school on this day in his/her school uniform and carry his/her costume in a bag. We will give the students time to change into their costumes for the party and parade that afternoon. If you would like to arrive early to help the children get into costumes, please arrive by 1:30. Our classroom party will begin at 2:00 followed by the parade at 2:30. Thank you to those who have volunteered and to our wonderful room mom for organizing!