Well, September sure did fly by in a blink and we now find ourselves off and running into October. It's quite nice to have the cooler temps and fall season upon us.
The children are doing a great job managing all of their first grade routines and responsibilities each week. A snapshot of some of the things we have been working on include:
- Read / Literacy Centers - word study, writing, independent and partner reading, Scholastic News, read around the room, poems, art and much more! As children work within the various centers, I have begun pulling groups of children to our reading table to teach key reading concepts and strategies, including skills around reading fluency, accuracy, vocabulary and comprehension.
- Math - We are reviewing and learning about strategies for accurate / efficient counting, best tools for problem solving, addition and subtraction story problems, team work via math games, and calendar skills. Through our daily morning meeting, we are also beginning to work on early place value and money concepts, and bridging this to our growing understanding of addition / subtraction. Learning how to "show your thinking" in clear, efficient ways is a big goal this year, as is learning how to flexibly problem-solve when presented with a more open ended task.
- Writer's Workshop: We have embarked on our first Unit of Study - Small Moments. This is a time when children will be writing stories about things that happen to them or things they like to do. The children are learning to generate ideas, plan their stories and write with increasing stamina each day. Our small moment writing is one of several units of study this year. Other types of writing will include units on non-fiction, as well as opinion pieces. We will also engage in a whole range of other daily writing opportunities as our year continues to unfold. Of course, spelling and mechanics (beginning capitals /spacing / punctuation) are ongoing goals as well. I am amazed at the writing being done so far here in Room 10, and we have lots more to come.
- Science - The children will soon begin their first science unit all about Solids and Liquids. Other science units this year will include animals / habitats, seeds and plants (think garden!) and of course, honeybees.
- Open Circle / Social Thinking - We have had several class meetings to begin building our classroom community, to generate ideas for the kind of place we want Room 10 to be (see photo above), and to problem-solve when conflicts arise. The children have been introduced to concepts around "expected" and "unexpected" behavior, determining the size of a problem and how to best go about solving it, using our words to navigate the times when perhaps we don't always make the best choices with friends, and celebrating the times when we do. All in all, we are off to a great start and we are coming together as an increasingly cohesive group.
I will be setting up a separate page on this blog to outline homework for the year, including expectations for reading and math. Please look for a new homework tab soon!
I am pleased to welcome Sonia Cunningham and Meghan Glenn as our room parents for the year. They are already putting in plans in place for our classroom Halloween celebration on Monday, October 31. More information soon about school-wide plans for that day.
As always, let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Email is the best way to reach me and I do my best to respond within a day or two. Happy October!