Weekly Update, October 22 - 26

Hello Spooky First Graders and Scary First Grade Parents!

Reminders:
* Our Halloween party is next Wednesday, October 31 and the kids are so excited for Halloween and our party! This week is going to be such a fun week learning all about pumpkins, doing Halloween centers and Halloween math activities!

This week we are doing a science, guided reading and writing unit on pumpkins! Today was messy and fun! We learned about pumpkin seeds, estimated the number of seeds in a pumpkin and counted them by 10s with our table group. Tomorrow we will learn the characteristics of pumpkins. We will also learn the 6 stages in the life cycle of a pumpkin. The kids will make a pumpkin out of orange construction paper and divide it into 4 sections. Each day the children will write on their pumpkin. On Wednesday we will learn about the uses for pumpkin seeds and each child will plant pumpkin seeds. On Thursday and Friday we will learn about the history of Jack-O-Lanterns and Halloween. The kids will create their own Jack-O-Lantern on the back of their fact pumpkins.

The kids had a great time in centers today!  The centers for the week include:
1. Listening - The kids listened to the story "Alice and Greta," a story about 2 witches. They made a broom out of construction paper and wrote their favorite part of the story and what it would be like to be a witch.
2. Science - Apple Bobbing! The kids made prediction about what kind of tub would be best to apple bob in, and what kind of apples would be the easiest to get. After they made their predictions, they got to bob for apples! This center was a big hit and all the kids are looking forward to this one!
3. Writing - The kids are writing about the 5 Ws of Halloween:
Who - is going with you?
What - are you going to be?
Where - are you going trick or treating?
When - are you going trick or treating?
Why - did you pick your costume?
This center got the kids thinking about Halloween and it got them really excited!
4. Math - Pumpkin Measuring: Estimate and check. The kids estimated the height, weight, circumference and number of creases on a pumpkin. After they recorded their prediction, they checked.
5. Reading - The kids did a Halloween word sort. They also read Halloween books and took turns “playing teacher” by reading to each other.

In reading we are continuing to work on independently using strategies. We are learning to read with expression. Be sure to listen for this in your child’s reading! Our making words focus is on words with short e and u sounds.

We have new spelling words this week. The kids have Rainbow Words for homework and they are due tomorrow. This week we are doing Halloween words instead of a word family.

In math we are continuing our work on addition accuracy and fluency with timed tests. Children progress at their own level.  If your child brings a test home with a line on it that says, "Finish at home." this shows how many questions your child answered in one minute.  The standard is three seconds per problem.  The kids did a wonderful job on their doubles 1 - 10 last week!  This week we will continue to review our doubles and also learn strategies to solve doubles plus one.  We are also working on number and operations in base ten.  The skills we will work on this week are counting on, writing numbers 1 - 120 and tens and ones place value.

We have a fun activity planned for computers this week.  If you'd like to see what the kids will do, please check the blog on Friday for the posting called, "Computers, 10/26."

Have an A+ week!
Mrs. Johnston