Weekly Update 9/6/19

In math, we continued to focus on strategies for addition this week. Students also practiced solving addition word problems. In centers, students are beginning to use code.org to learn beginning coding skills.  Next week we will move on to the second half of the chapter, which covers subtraction strategies.

In reading, students practiced using expression to read books in different ways and worked with partners to "sneak peak" a book by looking at the cover, back of the book, and table of contents. Our chapter book for read aloud is Flat Stanley. We will soon be starting a Flat Stanley project that will relate to our next social studies unit covering maps and geography. Students began to decorate their own "Flat Stanleys" to prepare for the project. More details will be sent home soon!

We read the book, The Best Part of Me, and used it to inspire this week's writing. Each child picked a body part they felt was their favorite. Next, they wrote paragraphs with a topic sentence, reasons, and a concluding sentence about why it was their best part.

We finished up our first social studies unit by learning about the three types of communities: rural, suburban, and urban. Students made graphic organizers to draw examples of what they may find in each type of community. Now, we are switching over to science. Our first unit is learning about the tools scientists use to learn new information. The children worked in groups to begin to explore a variety of objects using rulers and magnifying glasses. They sketched and wrote about their objects in science journals.