Whisper Phones

Listen to yourself reading.  Does it sound smooth? Does your voice get lower and slower or faster and

higher depending on the feelings related to the story?

Weekend Sharing

We are working on our Listening and Speaking skills.  

Awesome Reading Observation

During his retelling after reading, this student included details of what he learned in the picture that the words didn't tell.  There was a mother and a baby dolphin in the show at the aquarium.

Donuts with Dad

4 Square Writing Share

Spirit Day

Please have your first grade wear Concord, Lindbergh, or green, or gold tomorrow for our spirit day.

Reading Discussions

Students work on "Stamina Reading" everyday.

Prior to reading we have quick discussions about things good readers do and think about while they read.

After independent reading, student do "EEKK" reading with their partner. 

During sharing time, this set of partners told about their discussion of a book they were reading together.  They noticed that the illustrations had action lines to show movement, a technique we aim at using in our written pieces.  They also discussed together things they learned from the pictures that go beyond what the words say.

We celebrate their awesome conversation.

If you give a first grader marshmallows and toothpicks.....

they'll probably want to make geometric shapes.

Food for Thought for Parents

Here is an interesting, quick-read, literally less than 2 minutes, that gives some great tips about reading with your child.   Please take a look.

http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2013/03/8-ways-parents-discourage-their-kids-from-reading.html

Students need to bring a cereal box...

Students need to bring a cereal box for a craft related to our writing unit.  

We won't need the box for at least a week, but if please send one or extras as soon as you have one.

Thank you!

Why Do We Ask Your Child To Read Every Night? 

LET'S FIGURE IT OUT --- MATHEMATICALLY!

Student A reads 20 minutes five nights of every week;

Student B reads only 4 minutes a night...or not at all!

Step 1: Multiply minutes a night x 5 times each week.

              Student A reads 20 minutes x 5 times a week = 100 minutes/week

          Student B reads 4 minutes x 5 times a week = 20 minutes/week

Step 2: Multiply minutes a week x 4 weeks each month.

          Student A reads 400 minutes a month.

          Student B reads 80 minutes a month.

Step 3: Multiply minutes a month x 9 months/school year

          Student A reads 3600 min. in a school year.

          Student B reads 720 min. in a school year.

Student A practices reading the equivalent of ten whole school days a year.

Student B gets the equivalent of only two school days of reading practice.

By the end of 6th grade if Student A and Student B maintain

these same reading habits,

Student A will have read the equivalent of 60 whole school days

Student B will have read the equivalent of only 12 school days.

One would expect the gap of information retained will have widened considerably and so, undoubtedly, will school performance.

Some questions to ponder:

 

Which student would you expect to read better?

Which student would you expect to know more?

Which student would you expect to write better?

Which student would you expect to have a better vocabulary?

Which student would you expect to be more successful in school....and in life?

 

 

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, America Reads Challenge "Start Early,Finish Strong: How to Help Every Child Become a Reader." Washington, D.C.

Fractions

Hexagon Cover Up Game

Please try to send something to help our Daisy Scouts collect donations for the Humane Society.

Please read together at home.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss

Mrs. Graef's Library Lesson

The first graders learned about author Tomie dePaola.

Revisit his website and his book list:

http://www.tomie.com/about_tomie/