Ms. Crowley's Grade 1/2 Class : November 2015

Grade 1 November Updates Ms. Crowley
Thank you to the families who have donated Kleenex boxes and other items for our classroom. We are about to enter the cold and flu season. Our students would benefit if each family was able to donate one box of Kleenex for the classroom. If you happen to have any containers of Lysol wipes, that would be helpful too. Seasonal Changes It is important for us to dress appropriately for different weather conditions. Please continue to support your child in selecting warmer clothing for our colder school days. Hats and mitts/gloves are strongly encouraged. * It would be helpful if names could be written on clothing tags, should items be misplaced. * We also suggest that an extra pair of socks, underwear, and pants be packed in your child’s backpack, just in case. Earning Coins for Our Store We are looking for donations for our prize bins. As a class, we earn coins for having our agenda signed, homework done, and book bags completed. I also use the coins as an “I caught you..” Students can earn coins at various times for following our rules and expectations, doing their best work, being helpful, and so on. Coins can also be lost, but we hope this will not happen. At the end of the month, the kids can cash in their coins for various prizes. Any donations, such as small toys, bookmarks, pencils, or candy would greatly be appreciated.	Literacy Literacy groups are running smoothly! We engage in various literacy activities. Students work with their spelling words (use white boards, magnetic letters, and rainbow writing, read-to-self, read-to-someone, and have time at our listening centre. I read individually with a few students to see how they are progressing. We have introduced and discussed a variety of word solving, comprehension, and fluency strategies. We work on this as a whole group and individually. This is an opportunity for us to model, support and encourage the continued use of these strategies. All kinds of new and difficult words are being solved. We are busy thinking about what makes sense, looking for key clues, using our phonics, looking for small words inside big words, looking for similarities (in word beginnings and word endings), trying poppers, and rereading sentences! Please encourage and support your child to read and write at home.
Word Wall Words and Phonics In Grade 1, we have reviewed individual letter sounds, established that vowels make at least two different sounds, and that the consonants “Cc” and “Gg” make two sounds each. We will be beginning to explore blends (e.g., br, tr, fl, bl) and the sounds for th, sh, ch and wh. We have also been starting to talk about bossy e and counting syllables in words. Don’t forget to study the Word Wall Words that break our phonics rules! We have been calling them “tricky words”. Please continue to collect and review the Word Wall Word on a regular basis! We don’t want the children to lose skills that they’ve worked so hard to gain!	Pride, Compassion and Perseverance (Roar) This year we will continue to focus on these three character traits: Pride, Compassion and Perseverance. Please ask your child about the four Bravheart Agreements (Tribes) and talk about the golden rule at home: Treat other people the way that you want to be treated! (Mutual Respect)
Mathematics We have been working very hard on our counting patterns, repeating patterns, and number words from zero to twenty. We are starting to talk about how to collect data, pose questions for surveys, and create pictographs and concrete graphs. Grade 1s have been looking at more challenging repeating patterns. This month we will be focusing on sorting, data, creating graphs, and measuring length and area using non-standard units. We will also be continuing counting by 1s, 2s, 5s, 10s, to 100, and continue working with money.	Check out our Grade 1 Blog http://crowleygr1.blogspot.ca
	Upcoming Dates November 9-Hands On Science Dynamic Dinosaurs 11 - Remembrance Day 30 Safety Village Trip December 2-Hands On Science Crystal Snowflake

Student Leader Schedule

This month we will focus on “Pride” for our oral presentations.

Please support your child in selecting something that makes them “proud”. The oral presentation should include at least 3-5 facts. Photographs/objects that tie into the presentation are welcome!

You can use this Q-Chart to ask and answer “pride” questions with your child:

?	is	did	can	would	will	might
who
what
when
where
why
how

E.g., Accomplishments in a sport, music, visual arts, dance

Special firsts, a family member, or a new role/responsibility

Superstar Student Leaders

10-Stella	20-Alex	1-Sophia
11-Mackenzie	23-Abby	2-Jamielynn
12-Danielle	24-Keegan	3-Cailyn
16-Alexis P.	25-Raya	4-Janae
17-Aiden	26-Alexis G.	7-Jash
18-Dryden	27-Josh
19-William	30-Aubrey

Ms. Crowley's Grade 1/2 Class

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Thursday, November 5, 2015