Two-Syllable Words

We're focused on two-syllable words in Fundations now! Where to divide a word into syllables (there are rules for this), identifying the syllable type, and of course reading and spelling two-syllable words. Our strategy for reading or spelling a two-syllable word is to do one syllable at a time and then the whole word will be correct. Of course we also have to remember and incorporate everything we've already learned into this word work-- silent e, consonant blends, glued sounds, baseword/suffix, and more.

Our Current Read Aloud

During read aloud right now we are reading a chapter book, Beezus and Ramona, which is the first book of eight in the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary. If you haven't read it, it's wonderful! Great vocabulary, lots of true-to-life moments, not to mention the chance to discuss how daily life was a bit different decades ago when it was written. The class is enjoying the trials of Beezus and her little "exasperating" sister, Ramona. While the series would be difficult for most first graders to read independently, the other Ramona books might be a fun choice for parents to read aloud with your child now or in the future.

Red Celery

Here is some celery and white flowers after a night in red water. We had a very exciting discussion about the results of this science experiment! Ask your child: Why did this happen? What job does a stem do for a plant?

Notes on Field Trip & Other Upcoming Events

Spring Concert-- Thurs., May 24, 6:30 P.M.
No School (Memorial Day)-- Mon., May 28
Cedar Circle Farm Field Trip-- Wed., May 30 (We will be gone from WRS from about 9 - 12:30. Please have students bring a bag lunch and water. Dress to be on a farm and outside all morning (layers, comfortable shoes).
Students' Last Day of School-- Wed., June 13

Workplaces Update

Here are some pictures of our class working at some current math workplaces. We're playing games and practicing tens and ones, adding and subtracting larger numbers, equality, greater than/less than, and comparing numbers.

Eagle Cam

Occasionally we have been checking out the status of two adult bald eagles and two babies that can be seen in their nest in Washington, D.C. via this live eagle cam. You may want to check it out at home, it's pretty fascinating! We watched it a little during snack today.

https://www.dceaglecam.org/

All Set on Cereal Boxes

We have enough now for our upcoming project-- thank you!!

Sprouting Bags have Sprouted!

Our sprouting bags have sprouted! Recently we took them down off the wall to examine them closely. We drew how they had changed, and labeled the roots and the shoot of the new plant starting to grow. We did some detailed science drawings.

We decided to hang the bags back up afterward for a little while longer but this time, to see what will happen, we hung them upside down with the roots pointing up and the shoot pointing down. We are starting to notice some interesting changes that might help us better understand the role of the leaves and roots of a plant...

Tens and Ones

Friday we played a game in math called Two Turns to Win. Students had to work with bundles of ten and single sticks to practice adding two-digit numbers.

Cereal Boxes Wanted

Dear Families,

We are working hard on writing fiction stories in writing workshop. Students are all writing a series, or multiple books about the same character or characters. We are trying to get a lot of ideas of how to make our stories great from some favorite first-grade series like Henry and Mudge and Poppleton and Mr. Putter and Tabby. It is exciting work! In a couple of weeks when we wrap up the unit, I hope to have students show off a finished series by making a "boxed set" such as the way they might see published series packaged. As such, I'd like to collect an empty cereal box for each student to use. Thank you in advance if you can donate one or two!

Inside a Seed

We soaked seeds overnight. At first they were hard. After soaking overnight, we could split them open and learn about the parts!

 After:

 We labeled the parts of a seed.

Also this week we started some sprouting bags so we'll be able to see these seeds do their work up close.

And, of course, our study of plant parts would not be complete without trying to grow some of our own.