September 18th, 2016

Please join us TUESDAY September 20th at 6:30 in our classroom. I will explain the classroom procedures and expectations as well as what we will be learning this year. So much information is shared in this meeting, please plan to attend! ​Remember, this is an adults only night! 

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Reader’s Workshop:. We are learning how to choose books that are interesting to us we are also learning how to record our books on Padlet. As you see these books coming home celebrate the new book, read it together and that's it! For now... we will soon learn how to determine if our is a book we can read alone, one they may need help with, and you will read WITH them, or if it's one you should read to them. 
Did you know you can read books without words? Did you know you SHOULD always read the pictures and use the pictures to help you read? Your first grader does! Ask them WHY we read illustrations and HOW we do! 

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Kick off your shoes and listen to us read a bit of a wordless book! 








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Writer’s Workshop: Oh, glory, does this class LOVE to write! We are learning how to use our linking chart to listen for sounds to spell unknown words. At this point the kids are responsible to attempting words they don't know how to spell using the linking chart.  Our stories can be about anything important to the writer.  We are beginning to find mentor authors and familiar books that support us by offering ideas for our writing. Having a mentor author and using their stories as a spring board for our writing gives us a solid foundation to our writing. 

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Math: What is Math? Ask your first grader to answer this questions, start a list and see how far they can go! We are exploring math in our world. We started this chart a week ago and we had only the words in green! Look how much we have discovered! 
As mathematicians we will work with others and independently to solve problems. Some of the problems we will explore will have various answers. Our focus is on the process. Mathematicians are; flexible thinkers, they work in efficient ways, they try various strategies, and they push through the hard parts. 
Skill focus- Counting and writing numbers up to 120

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Social Studies: In Social Studies we have been working on building our community through our Community Block Tower. We sit together in a large circle, one at a time students add a block to the tower. Students support each other through encouraging words as we build and especially when it falls! 
We've learned;

• you need a strong base to go up
• if you go too tall too quick the tower will fall
• this is a safe place to take a risk
• your friends will support you no matter what
• the tower has to have a balance 

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Did you know that Hilliard City Schools will have a levy on the ballot in November? Plan to attend the DCR Community Information event on September 29th at 7:30pm to learn about all the details.

Monday, 9/12           B Day -Art
Tuesday, 9/13           C Day-Gym
Wednesday, 9/14     A Day- Music
Thursday, 9/15         B Day-Art
Friday, 9/16               C Day-Gym

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
9/18: Community R Factor Training for Families, 7pm @ Darby High School
9/20: First Grade Curriculum Night, 6:30-7:30pm (adults only, please)
9/25: Community R Factor Training for Families, 7pm @ Darby High School
9/29: Levy Community Information Night @ Darby Creek, 7:30pm
10/1: Day of Play Cardboard Challenge @ Heritage Middle School, 9am-12noon
10/2: Community R Factor Training for Families, 7pm @ Darby High School
10/3: PTO Meeting, 7:00pm
10/7: Walk a Thon
10/8: PTO Family 1 mile Fun Run/5K Event, 8:00am
10/9: Community R Factor Training for Families, 7pm @ Darby High School
10/12: Picture Retakes