Busy, Busy, Busy!

I have to apologize for not posting lately...we have just been so busy at school!
It is exciting to watch the students as they grow as readers. Remember, your child should be reading nightly at home. This month we will begin our mid-year reading assessments. Your child should be reading at least level E books by this time of the year. They need to be at least on a level I by the end of first grade. Of course, they need to not only be able to read these books, but also read them fluently, and comprehend what they are reading. Have your child practice retelling their books they read at home. More information about the skills and strategies that your first grader must use was sent home earlier this month.
In writers workshop we will continue with the persuasive writing genre until Winter Break. The students have been stating their opinion on a topic that they feel strongly about. They then must support their opinion with good reasons and include clear, strong details.
In math we have been playing games that help us learn the different ways we can use 2 addends to make 10 and how the number 10 can help us use the numbers 11-20. Later this month, we will begin our unit on geometry. We will observe, describe, compare, classify, represent, and build with 2-D and 3-D geometric shapes.
In science we will continue our study of the surface of the Earth. The students have been observing rocks, different types of soil and the effects of weathering and erosion on the Earth.

Officer Friendly Visit

We were excited to have Officer Cummings come speak to the first grade classes last week. Officer Cummings is also a neighbor of mine! He told the students all about his uniform and we got to go outside and get a close look at his police car. We learned many important things such as...to never touch a bullet or a gun...use 911 for emergencies only...and to stay away from strangers.
Thank you Officer Cummings!