Over the course of the year, I will be updating this website to keep you up to date on what's going on in 1-Bu. Hopefully you find this website a useful tool.
Here's what we've been working on in the classroom so far :
Reading : We have spent a lot of time going over the four main parts of reading workshop and practicing them each day, along with other reading workshop routines and expectations. Ask your child what we do in reading workshop. First, we get ready by putting our book bins out. Then, we go to the rug for a mini-lesson. After that, the students go off and read. Finally, we come together again at the rug for a share.
Phonics/Phonemic Awareness : Do you know the difference between phonics and phonemic awareness? We'll be spending a lot of time very systematically working on both of them this year, as they are crucial parts of students' reading and writing development. Phonemic awareness is the study and manipulation of sounds. Phonics is the study and manipulation of the relationship between sounds and written symbols (i.e. letters). So far, we've almost reviewed everything the students did in kindergarten in regards to rhyming, segmenting and changing parts of words, and connecting letters to their basic, most commonly used, sounds.
Writing : We are officially launching writing workshop this week, which follows the same structure as reading workshop. Up until now, the students have been working on many beginning of the year writing tasks.
Math : So far, we've reviewed a lot of math that the students learned in kindergarten. We've been counting, skip counting, and using a number line. The students also played a math game on the Smartboard called Monster Squeeze.
Social Studies : Our first unit focuses on the community. We started learning about our community by talking about our classroom and school community. We have been working on getting to know each other so that we can have a strong, cohesive, and safe classroom community.
Here are some pictures of the first couple of weeks at school :