100 Days in First Grade !

This week first graders are celebrating 100 days in school. We wrote about our favorite day in first grade. Tomorrow we will begin our second 100 days journals! WOW! We are real writers now!

Real Writers Tell All About...

First graders read their 3rd informational book to their 4th grade reading buddies. The writing process begins by selecting a subject to write about, telling it across your fingers (5 big ideas), and writing the facts in a way that interests your audience. The next step is writing a Table of Contents that locates the big ideas. Lastly, first graders create a cover to make their book look fancy, like real books do. Ms. Gray and I are very pleased with the work done this week. Our 4th graders could not believe how detailed the stories were. Each student from room 16 filled out a small feedback checklist to give their buddy positive comments. Great things are happening in room 4!

Reading and Writing!

                                          

Checklists

Real writers use checklists to make sure they are doing their very best work. To help first graders become better authors we are reading/writing buddies with Mrs. Stolk's 4th grade. Every 2 weeks we read our information story to our 4th grade buddy. They support our work by helping us fill out our checklist. Fourth graders are learning as much as room 4 writers!

Writing Teaching Books

First graders wrote Narrative stories the first trimester. Their stories reflected their personal experiences with friends, family, pets, etc. Now a month into our second trimester writers are learning how to write a book that teaches all about a subject. We have written all about chipmunks, octopus, and this week we completed our third book, "All About Giraffes". Each book has a teaching point that increases student knowledge.

 

Readers Are Word Detectives!

First grade readers learn vocabulary words to increase word knowledge. They tackle 6-8 high frequency words every week, as well as words with short and long vowel sounds. We are approaching the half-way marker in first grade, and are now adding digraphs, 2 or more letters that make 1 sound. Skill sheets like this are completed by "partners". Pairs of students reread a story and locate words with these sounds.  They enjoy reading and hunting for as many words as possible!

Smokey the Bear Visits!

First graders were visited by the U.S. Forest Service, and the State of Oregon Parks Service. They presented a video, and talk about forest fire safety. The talk included what to do if they find matches or lighters.

First graders practiced the 3 things you must do to put out a campfire-

1. pour a bucket of water on the fire

2. STIR the ashes with a shovel

3. Check for heat with the back of your hand

REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT

until the fire is cold AND OUT!