Kindness Week

  A look at our learning this week..

Fundations: we focused on the trick words and, are and to.  We call them trick words because they are tricky to spell.  You can't sound them out and just have to know how to spell them.  We will be learning more trick words over the course of 3rd trimester and will tie them into our weekly spelling words.  We also continue to work on tapping out 3 letter words to read and write and correct lowercase letter formation.  

Next week's new spelling words

is

his

Shared Reading: we learned the poems Jack and Jill and Roses are Red and read the big book What Animals Eat to help us practice our new spelling words and more practice using our reading strategies when we come to a tricky word. In the pictures below we are reading our new book with a buddy.  Our buddies know to prompt us to "try again" and use our reading strategies if we get stuck on a word.  If we try and are still stuck, our buddies can help us.  I encourage you to do the same when reading at home.  While we never want them to become frustrated when trying to read, it is important they try to figure it out before we just tell them. 

Writing Workshop: we have started our Informational/Non-Fiction Writing Unit.  Check out the anchor chart below to see what we have learned about this type of writing.  We researched penguins on the PebbleGo app and worked with a buddy to write down a few things we know or have learned about penguins. 

Ask your child to tell you 3 facts about penguins. 

Math: it has been a fun week learning about subtraction!  We have learned that subtraction means to "take away" and you end up with something less/smaller.  We have learned about the minus sign as well.  We did subtraction story problems together and used snap cubes and our fingers to help us solve the problems.  We then recorded our subtraction sentence on paper and brought those home on Wednesday.  We have also learned a fun new snap cube game called Disappearing Train to help us with the concept of subtraction.  We will continue to touch on the basics of subtraction throughout 3rd trimester.  We will work with numbers within 10. 

Library books: a reminder that students need to keep their library books in their backpacks at all times, unless reading. We definitely want them enjoying their books at home, but ask that they go right back in the backpack when finished, rather than a nightstand or place at home.  Often times students don't have their books on library day because they aren't doing this.  This also ensures books aren't lost or damaged.   

We will not have library check out next week due to the Scholastic Book Fair being set up.  We will get to preview the book fair during our checkout time instead.  

Valentine's Party: we had a fun day on Tuesday handing out valentines and during our party. Thanks to all who volunteered or sent supplies!  Here are a few photos, but more are posted on our class Facebook page.

Thursday craft: we read the book Love Monster, made our own Love Monsters and wrote what it means to be a friend.  This is such a great book about friendship; perfect for Kindness Week!

Kindness Week Assembly: we had our first whole school assembly on Monday for 1st grades service learning project to help Children's Grove.  We heard from student essay winners about what kindness means to them, Columbia mayor Barbara Buffaloe and Councilman Roy Lovelady.  Mr. Lovelady's dance troupe also performed. All dances were set to music about friendship, self love and positivity.  It was wonderful!  I posted even more photos and videos on our class Facebook page earlier this week.

Fun from our week