Newsletter for the Week of Oct. 28th

A Look at Our Week

This was Red Ribbon week!  We decorated our door and each student wrote a sentence on how they stay healthy and safe.

Ugh, we also had our first taste of winter!  Of course everything stopped to watch the snow falling and they couldn't get enough of it at recess.  

This little guy has been getting ready for winter by feasting in the trash can right outside our window.   Does that make him our pet chipmunk now?  We've seen him on a daily basis scurrying back and forth.

I read the story, Creepy Carrots, and students had to write their opinion on who they thought the villain was in the story-Jasper or the Creepy Carrots.

We spent the week learning more about pumpkins but took the time to paint some funny pumpkin faces!  They make me laugh every time I walk outside the classroom door!

After reading the story, Spookley the Square Pumpkin, students made their own Spookely.  Each teacher in our community read the story and made pumpkins. We now have a pumpkin patch spread throughout our community!  Look how adorable they are.

Newsletter for the Week of Oct. 21st

Meaningful Morning Tubs FUN

I found these morning tub labels here (Meaningful Morning Tubs) and decided to try them out.  I was looking for more hands on activities where my kids could work together to design, create, and solve problems.  

They were a BIG hit and they can't wait to try them out again next week!

Build a Haunted House

Build a Pumpkin Patch Using Different Shapes

Design and Build a Spider Web

Design and Build a Monster

Readers Make Connections

We've been learning about squirrels!  We've read a lot of informational books and during Writer's Workshop wrote squirrel facts.

We connected to Scaredy Squirrel by writing what we were afraid of.  Here are some examples.

There are two sides to every story and if you're looking for a book that shows that this is the perfect book!  The first story is about a little girl who thinks she's rescuing a beast.  The beast is NOT happy though.  The second story is the beast telling his side.

Readers Ask Questions Before, During, and After Reading

This week we worked on asking questions by starting with, "I wonder..."

I introduced this strategy with the book, Officer Buckle and Gloria.  We brainstormed questions as we read.

We practiced throughout the week in our Readers' Notebooks.  Here are some examples.

Gymnastics at the Y

We went to the YMCA for gymnastics during our gym time.  The kids had a blast.  Enjoy the pics!!

A HUGE thank you to Mrs. R. who sets this up for us every year!

Meet Gage

Meet Collin

Newsletter for the Week of Oct. 15th

Newsletter for the Week of Oct. 8th

A Trip to the Apple Orchard

We went the apple orchard.  Enjoy the pics!!

A Look at Opinion Writing

We've been working on Opinion Writing.  In first grade, students should be able to state their reason, give a reason, and write a wrap up sentence.  Students have shared if they like their name, what their favorite color is, and what type of pet they'd like to have.

Here are a few examples.