New Year, New Things to Learn!

We're back to school in 2009! The kids all seemed very ready this week to get back into their school routines. We started a new theme in Reading (Home Sweet Home), a new chapter in Math (Geometry and Fractions), a new unit in Science (Space), and all our Centers were new, too. Guess who worked during vacation?

Our story this week was "Moving Day," about a hermit crab who had to find just the right home to live in. We also practiced sounding out lots of new words using digraphs (sh, th, and ch).

All the kids are becoming more independent readers.


We often partner read, where the children read to each other and help each other sound out new words.

Each week, in addition to our main story in our anthology, we read three stories in a Phonics Reader. These stories provide additional practice on whatever sounds we are working on during the week.

Copies of these stories are sent home each week for more practice at home.

Our new Math Center is all about shapes. We can use shape templates to draw pictures, do a puzzle, manipulate solid shapes, make symmetrical designs, and read books.

At the Winter Center, we can make snowmen puppets, read books, do puzzles, make snowflakes, or write stories about favorite winter activities.

Our puppets were fun to make!

At the Science Center, we are learning about Space. There are lots of books to read, activity books to color, and also a space shuttle puzzle.

We can even design a space vehicle using Connects.

Since our current theme is Home Sweet Home, we have been talking about different kinds of shelters. We got to design log cabins using Lincoln Logs.

Kaitlin added some Ring-a-ma-jigs for towers on the roof.

This one has a fence all the way around the house, and multiple roof lines. Do we have some future architects in training?

Next week, we will be starting SNAP, our program for encouraging memorization of addition and subtraction facts. Please dig out the flash cards and spend 5-10 minutes of practice each night in preparation for 3-minute timed tests on Tuesdays and Thursdays! We will also start learning the long vowel sounds, so check out the new spelling words as listed on the Peek-at-the Week. They all have the long a sound, with silent e at the end.

Typically, January and February are huge growth months for first graders, particularly in reading. Encourage lots of expression in oral reading - watch for exclamation and question marks and remind your little reader to make his/her reading sound exciting and interesting!

Thanks again for all of your help!