In phonics, we worked on adding suffixes s and ing to words. To help us, we traced our spelling words with brown beans. When it was time to add suffix -s to a word, we traced the -s with white beans. That was a center this week, and the students enjoyed it immensely! If your child has difficulty reading a word that has a suffix, try covering up the suffix, and having your child to read the base word. Then let him/her add the suffix. This helps tremendously. We also counted syllables (or word parts). We count syllables by holding our hand slightly under our chin and saying a word. Each time our chin drops to hit our hand, that is a syllable. Syllabication is very important, as it helps us to spell long words by breaking them into chunks. Call out a few words so that your child can count the number of syllables (s)he hears.
We read A Fox and a Kit from our Reading Street book, and we discussed the main idea of a story. When you read a book with your child, ask him/her what the story is mostly about. We also read LOTS of books in small groups. The progress your children are making in their oral reading is outstanding! I could not do what I do with them without your help, so please keep up the reading at home! It really pays off!
In grammar, we worked on word order in sentences and completing cloze (fill in the blank) sentences. At the vocabulary center, students had to solve jumbled sentences. I wrote about seven sentences (using story words), each on a different sentence strip, and then cut them apart and put them into their own numbered Ziploc bags. Students took turns reading their cards, and making a sentence with the cards. They loved it! After completing the sentences, students used foam letter tiles to spell each story word.
In math we continued to study place value. When a completed math worksheet comes home, please remember to review it with your child. Place value is a tricky skill that is extremely developmental. We will revisit it throughout the school year, and it will be one of the first skills reviewed in 2nd grade. Below are a few pictures of the class working with place value.
On Fridays, students love to visit math stations. There are quite a few different activities at math stations. This week students worked with pattern blocks, legos, play-doh, and dot cubes. They rotate to each station and have a blast with math manipulatives!
We talked about farm life during our unit of study. The students were read a few farm themed books. We talked about the many jobs of farmers, and they learned about habitats. They even got to watch some online videos of animals in their natural habitats. We will continue our farmlife study for a few days next week and then we will begin studying all about apples to honor Johnny Appleseed's upcoming birthday. I'm looking forward to our apple tasting on Friday!
I recognize those foam alphabet tiles! We have a set at home. A different type of set -- about 2 in letters -- reside in the bathroom where my kids can make up words on the tub surround or as my son and I figured out we made rockets, a swan and "boats." Connect the bottom of a W to the back of the 2 and you get a "swan." Floats well in the water, too. :)
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