Mrs. V's All Star Learners Classroom: October 2013

Dear Parents of First Grade All Stars,
     Our week started off with a great whole-school celebration of "Peace Day" on Monday. Near the end of our day the students went outside to form a human peace sign. Not only did the human peace sign look spectacular, it also was very powerful emotionally as the children stood holding the peace flags they had made and sang together as a school community. We then convened in the auditorium and representatives from each grade level spoke about how they would try to make the world a more peaceful place. Then they added their grade level's puzzle piece to the school's world puzzle. The first graders spoke about how they would work together as a team to notice and practice kind and thoughtful acts. Hooray, first graders!
     Our literacy work this week included work on more short a words spelled with -an and -ap. We developed our class anchor chart throughout the week. Ms. Stella said she was impressed with the -an and -ap words the children generated and learned. I completely agree with her! One child suggested "app", as in "There's an 'app' for that!" (Talk about technology influencing our language!) Then, upon my questioning, another child was able to say that app was short for application! Wowie-Zowie! Many other impressive -an and -ap words were suggested by the students and found by "word detectives" in their readings. Before reading their just-right books, the students selected and read short books like Max, Sam and Al, A Pack and A Sack, Cats and Hats, etc. that are chock-full of short a words. They read-to-self and also read with a buddy. Several students asked me if it was "all right" if they read MORE THAN ONE of these short a books! I know I don't have to tell you what my answer was! I love this class! Both Ms. Stella and I worked with small groups of kiddos on letter sounds and word attack skills. The children enjoyed working with Ms. Stella using the letter tiles and picture clues. We continued reading and practicing our October poems...even during snack time! Although they did not think they were doing word work during snack time, some kiddos were using my letter stamps and ink pads making words and sentences! THANK YOU again for all the awesome at-home reading logs you've been sending in. The children are very proud to hand them in to me and to share what they are reading at home. Reading to, with, beside your child is not only a fun together time, but also a tremendous motivator that helps to build the love of reading as well as skills. I truly appreciate your at-home reading time with your child!
     The children recorded their -an, -ap, and priority spelling words in their spelling journals and practiced with "look, say, cover, write, check." They also learned how to use their spelling words for a practice called "pictionary." The kiddos had to write their words and draw pictures to show they knew the meanings of their spelling words. Some great discussions of different meanings of words occurred as they worked to complete their "pictionary" drawings. Yesterday our fourth-grade buddies came during the morning to give the spelling tests to their first-grade buddies. Thanks, Fourth Graders! Thanks also for the at-home spelling practices. Without your super extra practices at home, the children would not have done as well as they did on their spelling tests. We took the pretest on the short i base words that will be our focus next week. Please look for your child's list, "Your Words This Week" sheet, to come home on Monday.
     During our writers' workshops we continued our lessons on personal-narrative writing. The children continued to work on their rough drafts of their small moment "me" stories. They are working hard to try to "write across pages" as they build a story with a beginning, middle, and end. The students also had time to continue work on their alphabet books, if not yet done, and also to write in their writers' journals. I have been taking home some writers' journals each night to read and to write some questions and comments to try to help or encourage the kiddos to push themselves to write "longer and stronger." The picture dictionaries and personal dictionaries were out in force again as the kiddos "researched" ideas and words for their writings. Hooray!
     On Monday our math lesson was a review and practice of all the skills and processes covered in the second chapter. The chapter test was on Tuesday. As for every test, we met on the rug first to read all the questions together. Then the children returned to their desks, put up binders as "privacy dividers", and worked to complete the test. I was proud of how hard they tried and how well they did. We then started our work with tens using the oh-so-popular "foamy" ten frames. The children practiced making numbers, showing ? plus ? would make 8, 9, etc., how many away from 10, etc. It is amazing how using these ten frames helps the kiddos not only "see" and think in tens, but also start to make some more facts "snap facts"! Our graphing questions again this week included math practices. (Although, when I "changed it up" and made a graphing question about short a words, some students said, "How come it's not a math question?" LOL)
   During our science lessons we continued our seed work. We explored inside a seed and sprouting steps. We read and discussed a big book called Seeds Get Around. Then the students showed what they learned by working on how seeds are scattered and get around. Yesterday we read and discussed the latest "Scholastic News" issue entitled "Investigate Pumpkins". (This issue should have made its way home yesterday for discussions and/or rereads. Please let me know if you did not get it.)
     At the end of the day yesterday we got together with our fourth-grade buddies for "Buddy Work." This week we had fun with a couple of Halloween-themed projects: pop-up jack-o'-lanterns and Halloween characters on straws. (One of the fourth graders suggested using these characters as pencil toppers instead of on straws! I love when the students come up with these clever ideas!)
   I will close with a "brag" about our kiddos. When I picked up the class from recess, the lunch aides told me that they were "THE BEST" at following directions and lining up in the lunch room and at the end of recess! I told the children how VERY PROUD that news made me! I also told them that I would include it in this blog letter because I knew their parents would be so proud of them, too! Please congratulate your child and give them an extra hug!
     Thank you again for all your fantastic support at home.
   Respectfully,
     Mrs. V.