12/13-12/17

This week we reviewed the content we learned from our unit 2 Reading Street book. We took our unit 2 test on the computer, and every single student earned an A!!!!! I am so very proud of this class! They are very hard workers!

We also read numerous Jan Brett books and completed activities related to her books.

In math we compared numbers using less than, greater than, and equals symbols. These first graders even solved equations (and then asked for more difficult equations)!!!

We had our class holiday party on Friday, and the students had a wonderful time! I appreciate everyone's help with the party!!!

We are entering our last three days at Hampton Cove. Our new classroom is almost ready, and there is no way that I could have gotten it ready this quickly without the help of so many of you! You have carried countless boxes and furniture items for me, hot glued, laminated, and organized!!! It is a treat to have such amazing parents this year! This move is very bittersweet. While we are certainly ready to be in our new beautiful school, we are going to miss our friends dearly! If you have the opportunity, please make sure to hug a Hampton Cove parent or faculty member and share a special memory with them about their wonderful school! I know I loved my time at Hampton Cove!!!

12/6-12/10

The theme for the week was changes. We discussed and read about all sorts of changes. We learned that almost everything changes, and that some changes are easy, while others are difficult. I'm sure you have noticed a lot of changes in your child since the beginning of first grade!

We also learned about action words (verbs) and played a fun little game where I gave the class a sentence with a missing verb. Each student then wrote a verb to complete my sentence. We did a lot of these, and we were quite entertained the whole time!

In phonics we discussed the vowel sounds of y. At the end of a one syllable word, y makes the long i sound (cry). At the end of a multi-syllabic word, y makes the long e sound (happy). Students drew and labeled a t-chart on their whiteboards. They then read a poem and sorted words ending in y by the vowel sound of y.

In math we compared numbers, counted money, and continued to hone our addition and subtraction skills!

We completed our study of land, water, and air by sharing our terrific rock collections!

11/29-12/3

We did a lot of comparing and contrasting this week! The Venn diagram is becoming our best friend, and the students are getting better at comparing and contrasting each time we complete a Venn diagram! On Monday we read about ants. We compared ants to humans and then told the differences between them. We read our story "Honey Bees" and discussed the different jobs of the bees in the hive. There are worker bees, just like many of us work. There are soldier bees, just like there are soldiers in the military who protect our freedom, and there is a queen bee who leads her hive.

Bees make honey, so our class tasted honey on Friday, and it was yummy!!!

In math we learned about ordinal position (1st, 2nd, etc.), and played Ordinal I Spy. The class just loved that game! We are also continuing to count money.

Our unit of study this week and next focuses on air, land, and water. We have discussed oceans and continents, land formations, natural resources, and map skills. We are working in science and social studies books simultaneously! First graders get so excited about the text books. Too bad that excitement fades in a few years. ha!

So many of you have helped with moving items to the new classroom, have unpacked boxes, and have donated money or services to our new classroom, and I am very appreciative of your help! This has been a special year with very special children, and I know we are all excited to get moved into our beautiful new school to make more special memories!!! Thanks for all that you do!