Reading Strategies & QR Codes

Guided reading groups have begun!  This is one of my favorite times of the day because I get a wonderful glimpse of where each student is as a reader.  This week we learned the importance of setting a goal for our reading and writing progress.  The children recognize that they have a lot of growing to do as a reader and writer, but the job isn't so daunting if they focus on ONE thing at a time.  The reading strategies picture above are "friends" we use to help us decode longer words we are starting to see in our books.  Stretchy Snake and Chunky Monkey have been our focus, but Flippy Dolphin and Skippy Frog have become certain students individual focus, and the kids are really connecting with these characters.  I hope you are recognizing your child mentioning these "friends".  This same list is on an informational sheet in your child's blue reading book bag.  I don't meet with every group every day, but I do meet with each group at least twice a week.  They don't always get a new book if we are still finishing one, but you will get a post-it note stamped "Parent Signature" when they have something to read and share with you.  Here's what's coming up....

Reader's Workshop:  We have completed our "LAUNCH" unit that taught us all about Reader's Workshop, and we will begin our FICTION unit next.  The stories I get to read aloud are so wonderful that I hope you remember to ask your child about them.  "The Mightiest" by Keiko Kasza is our first story.  This unit teaches the different types of fiction:  realistic, historical, fantasy, traditional.  It also focuses on each fiction story's characters, setting, problem and solution, as well as a lesson the author wants to teach us.

One of our final stories from this unit, and it's so good!
Don't read it to your child yet, but it might be one to have at home!

Writing:  We have mostly finished our Autobiographies and will be sharing them soon with other first graders.  These will be available for you to read on Open House Night, Oct. 22.  Next we will learn all about How-To Writing.  Information will be sent home soon on this because the children will be choosing a topic to write their own how-to story, and they will need some brainstorming assistance from you to help them think of a topic they know enough about AND can explain how to do to others.  Examples include:  how to make a bed, how to give your dog a bath, how to make pancakes and how to draw a fairy.

Math:  Many lessons in math lately have been about pennies and nickels.  The children need to know how to exchange 5 pennies for 1 nickel, count a combination of pennies and nickels, identify each coin front and back, and draw the coins needed to represent an amount.  This is a difficult concept for many.  Our test on this will be the week of Oct. 19.  We also have begun "Math Workshop" 1-2 days a week.  This is similar to Reader's Workshop in that the kids are divided into groups and rotate through the 4 stations listed below.  We are just beginning this, but it will become more regular in our schedule.

M = Math Facts Practice (either paper/pencil, game or app)

A = At Your Seat (applying a skill taught either with paper/pencil or on an app)

T = Teacher Time (small group work with me)

H = Hands-on (applying a skill taught with manipulatives or a game)

Science:  We continue to learn about Living and Non-Living Things with our upcoming focus on plants.  Beginning in November, we will begin a Social Studies Unit on Voting and Patriotism.

QR Codes:  The kids are loving this enrichment option for them!  Below is a code that will show you how to draw Christopher Columbus' ship.  You will need a QR Reader app, such as Red Laser, to open the code.  The kids can show you!  Each week I put up 6 new codes relating to the topic we are studying that week, and during Daily 5, when they get their work completed, they can choose a code to learn more about what we are studying.  They each chose a mini stamper and they have a weekly stamp card to keep track of the codes they have completed, so look for those stamp cards to come home!  Pictures from Columbus Day and Tie Dying will come soon.

Scan to see how to draw Columbus'  ship!

I hope that gives you a glimpse of our school days!