Weekly Update, October 4 - 8

Hello Awesome First Graders and Amazing First Grade Families!


Reminders:
* Conferences are this week.
* We have early release days Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Updates:
We do NOT have new spelling words for the week. 

This week we are doing a social studies unit on Flat Stanley!  We are also continuing our study of Johnny Appleseed in our center activities.  Flat Stanley is a chapter book and the kids are so excited to read a chapter book.  I will read one chapter to the kids each day and then we will do a Flat Stanley activity.  Today we read chapter 1 and we learned how Stanley  became Flat Stanley!  After we read, the kids made their own Flat Stanleys.  They turned out so great!  The kids will take their own Flat Stanley with them on Fall Break and write about their adventures!  Please stay tuned for more information!

The kids had a great time in centers and they worked so hard!  The centers for the week include:
1.  Listening - The kids watched a story about Johnny Appleseed on the computer.  It is a neat video where a narrator tells the story of Johnny Appleseed and he draws an illustration as he talks.  After the video, the kids write about Johnny Appleseed using Johnny Appleseed specific vocabulary.
2.  Science - The kids loved practicing the scientific method to complete a science experiment!  The kids did an experiment to see what would happen when you put a carrot and an apple in water.  They hypothesized, performed the experiment, recorded their results and made their conclusions.  They even got to draw a picture!  They were excited to learn a lot of great science vocabulary and they loved doing the experiment!
3.  Writing - The kids learned and wrote about Johnny Appleseed while reviewing their mapping skills from a few weeks ago.  The kids followed directions and used their mapping knowledge to learn where Johnny Appleseed planted his apples.  After they were done they wrote 3 facts about Johnny Appleseed and they also wrote what they liked about him.
4.  Math - The kids did two activities: sequencing and patterning.  In the sequencing activity, they sequenced the steps that Johnny Appleseed would take to plant his apple trees.  In the patterning activity, they looked at patterns and decided what would come next.  After that, they created their own pattern.
5.  Reading - The kids read leveled books in the Bee Quiet corner.

In writing we wrote thank you letters to our friends at Walgreens.  Walgreens generously donated school supplies to Harelson.  The kids did a great job writing thank you notes to show their appreciation!

In math we began Chapter 3, a subtraction unit.  The kids had a lot of great practice writing addition sentences and their addition skills really carried over to subtraction today!  I was so impressed with how well the kids transitioned from addition to subtraction.  They are doing a great job!  Your child came home with a parent letter with some information and a subtraction activity.  This paper does not need to be returned.  The kids finished Chapter 2, an addition unit on Friday with a test.  The test will be shared at conferences.

In computers today we learned all about Flat Stanley!  If you'd like to see what the kids did in computers today, please click on the link directly below this one, "Computers, 10/4."  Kids - the Flat Stanley websites are on the links section of my website if you would like to explore them.

Have an A+ week!
Mrs. Johnston