First Graders had a short, but wonderful, December! There were so many exciting things that happened this month, that it is hard to pick a highlight! Students enjoyed a field trip, performing in the Winter Program, completing a BIG puzzle, having a Snack Party with their younger buddies, and having their culmination for their Rohan Woods Shoppers Project! First Graders also celebrated the holidays by participating in Christmas Around the World, learning various traditions that other cultures celebrate. Lastly, students celebrated their success with Project by boarding the Polar Express in their pajamas!
Here are some of the things our First Graders have been working on during the month of December:
- Reading and completing workbook pages across various subjects independently
- Strengthening fluency and comprehension skills while reading
- Reading with expression
- Listening to books on audio to strengthen auditory comprehension
- Spelling words (Second Grade curriculum) that focus on long o: o, oa, ow and /k/ sound spelled c, k, ck spelling patterns
- Practicing instant recognition of high frequency words
- Word Work involving sand, tiles, and magnets
- Strengthening stamina while writing
- Proper writing mechanics, such as: correct letter formation and sizing, appropriate spacing, and the use of punctuation
- Singapore Math- Numbers to 20: fact families, number bonds, addition and subtraction facts to 20
- It’s a Small World After All! Postcard Project continues! Students enjoy putting new push pins in the map, reading postcards from around the world, and learning about the world around them!
- Showing patience, responsibility, and leadership qualities with both our younger EC Buddies and Senior Kindergarten Math Buddies
- Project- First Graders worked with Second and Third Grade for the Rohan Woods Shoppers project (formerly Schnucks Shoppers). Students visited the local Schnucks to interview workers and get accurate pricing for their department items. Students then worked to create their departments out of materials they “ordered” from their teachers. First, Second, and Third Grade held a culmination (a grocery store in the classroom) for parents and loved ones! It was a HUGE success. Students felt proud of their hard work!
- In Social Studies, First Graders traveled on the “classroom airplane” during the Christmas Around the World unit. Students made luggage, a scrapbook, and got boarding passes. While visiting each country, students wrote about their travels in their scrapbooks, learned how to say words in other languages, discovered new traditions and customs, made a craft representing each country, and listened to popular music during the holidays in each country!
- Students continued to work on team building, collaboration, compromising, and problem-solving skills.
- Archie the Eagle continues to travel home with one lucky First Grader each weekend! The student picked to bring Archie home must write about their time with Archie in an Adventures with Archie journal! First Graders must include the following in their writing: name, date, title, juicy words and details.
- Keeping an eye out for random acts of kindness, completing acts of kindness, and filling our Kindness is Cooler board with kindness hearts!
First Graders learned so much about the world around them in December! Stay posted to see what 2018 brings for First Grade!
– Ms. Coleman
