February 14th will be an exciting day as students can pass out their Valentine’s Day cards. We are also having a Gallery Walk that day. The Gallery Walk is at 8:30, and we’ll be sharing our Sun, Moon, and Stars Unit information. If you are unable to attend your student will share with a fifth grade buddy, so all is well either way!
 
In writing we are continuing finishing up our opinion pieces. The writing will be on display in our classroom before it is sent home.

If your child does not have new books in their book bag remind them to trade their books before he or she goes home (I will continue to remind them as well). Students will receive fewer books from myself in the next few weeks as reading testing for second trimester report cards will often take the place of guided reading for a bit. 

In math we are continuing our work on Module 7. After February break Module 8 will begin. Look for details regarding this module in this week's Friday folder. 

We have the dates for some upcoming field trips. On March 27th, we will have a walking field trip to Pizza My Heart. A permission slip will be sent home as the day gets closer. In terms of chaperones, the more the merrier for walking field trips. If you can attend we will be thrilled to have you! Please check that your volunteer registration is up to date with the office if you are interested. We will also go to the San Francisco Zoo on May 30th. As always, thanks to everyone for your support in helping our students learn!

Happy New Year! Even though this was a four day week for our students, we have hit the ground running! Before the break the students celebrated their informational writing (this has not been sent home yet, for the writing is spending time on our writing wall). We did a quick review of personal narrative this week as an outlet to share some of our adventures from winter break with one another! Next week we begin opinion writing. 

In reading, we are learning to be the boss of our own reading. In adult parlance, this means being able to self-monitor when there is a problem. If there is a problem when reading, students should stop to problem solve. A problem can be a decoding problem or a comprehension problem. We will be reviewing strategies, as well as learning some new ones, that students can use when such a situation occurs. 

Regarding math, the detailed Origo (our math publishing company) Module 6 information will go home with the homework on Monday. Students have been working on the concept of two parts and a total making up basic addition and subtraction facts. They use this information to solve simple algebraic problems. For example, if 3+5=8 then 8-_=3? 

We sent home the information about our sun, moon, and stars science unit the final day before break. Students will learn about patterns found in nature (day/night, the seasons, the moon's phases, the length of the days changing according to the time of year). If the weather permits, looking at the moon with your child and noticing changes will align with this unit. 

I hope everyone had a restful break! If not, perhaps your children getting back into a school routine will provide some relief! When I first started teaching, I was told by a seasoned educator that January brings the magic time in first grade. They begin to mature quite a bit, and they can do so much. Now that I'm a bit seasoned myself, I've found this to be true. This is a magic time of year to be a first grade teacher! Thanks for entrusting me with your students, and I wish you all a happy 2019.

During reading time, our students have earned their word detective badges as they've completed detective missions from headquarters (all in good fun, of course). Their missions have included being on the lookout for tricky words, using everything they already know to solve those words, and doing a slow check if necessary. They have done very well!

In writing, we have moved on from personal narrative to procedural writing (how to writing, in first grade parlance). Talking to your students about the steps needed to do things (first, we turn on the water, next we fill the watering can half way, third we...) is a developmentally appropriate way to help your child with this procedural writing and thinking. Today, for example, we made toast, and discussed and wrote about the steps in class. 

The Halloween Happening is tomorrow at 5:30! I plan to attend, and I look forward to seeing those of you who can join us there! Thank you!

It was so wonderful meeting all of the families during our conference weeks! Please excuse my lack of website updates during that busy time. I am excited to get back to it! 

PTA paid for our students to participate in a six week Starting Arts theater class (thank you Braly PTA). I have just been informed that our final class will be October 12th at 1:50. Our class had a bit of rescheduling due to the early release days for conferences. Families are invited to the final class on October 12th at 1:50 in the cafeteria. Please sign into the office if you are able to attend. I apologize for the late notice!

I've had a few parents ask about headphones. We will be using computers or
chrome books on Thursday most weeks. This Thursday all of the first grade teachers will be out for a SEAL training, so we will actually start using computers the following week. This gives you a little extra time if you're planning on supplying headphones for your child to use when we are utilizing technology!

Your student should have received a new (optional) math menu and a letter explaining the math unit we've started this week in his or her purple folder. Also, I've been informed that there is an error on this week's homework. Monday is missing from the day of the week page (the first page). Feel free to have your child add it in where there is space. Thanks for your flexibility!

We had a celebration on Friday because we finished our first writing unit (this is predominately an assessment unit). The first graders looked cute in their celebratory crowns! They held their books over their faces to take a photograph that would be appropriate to share on this website. We are going to start personal narrative writing this week. Students being aware of the genre they are writing about will inform their comprehension abilities in reading, as well. The first grade lingo we use to define personal narrative writing (from the writer's perspective) is that the story is "true and it happened to you." Happy writing!

Art is usually on Monday afternoons in our classroom. This week, art will be tomorrow (Thursday) due to the short week. We will be using paint, and though we are generally tidy, tomorrow might not be a good day to send your child to school in his or her best outfit. Thanks! 

This image is a poster we've built over the course of this introductory writing unit in our classroom. These are some of the things expected of first grade writers, and your child should be able to tell you about them. "Tap it out" is when students say their plan and tap the paper for each word (this helps with their spatial awareness). The ABC chart is a tool we use to help students access sounds quickly. Pardon my simple illustrations! 

Back to School Night is tonight! First grade is meeting in the library at 5:30. I hope to see you there! If possible, leave your children at home. This informative night is for the adults. Thank you!

Ask your student if he or she knows the Braly agreements! Braly students are safe, kind, and responsible. Today we discussed safety and what it means to be a safe student. Feel free to further discuss with your child!

We have a sight word song weekly in first grade. Sight words are high frequency words that first graders will learn to recognize quickly. We have already gone over this song in class, and you can ask your child to teach it to you. Even if your child is already an expert at this word, singing together will help his or her development! Also, our sight word songs increase in difficulty. A former student (now in middle school) once shared that he still uses our first grade sight word song to spell "because" correctly. Often sight words have parts that can help students spell other, more complex, words accurately, as well. 

Our first graders are continuing the good work in terms of learning our routines! Wishing you all a restful evening!