Friday, May 5, 2017

Hello Friends and Families!  Happy Friday!

Reading Workshop

The past few weeks we have been focused on meeting the characters in our books.  We revisited the importance of previewing new stories to get ready for our new reading adventures. We discussed the importance of learning all we can about our characters from clues the author gives us.  With our partners we practiced connecting the parts of our stories together (how the problem in the story is connected to the beginning of the story OR how the problem gets solved closer to the end of a story).  We also talked about the importance of noticing character relationships and how that helps us get to know our characters better.  We've been practicing rereading as well to discover new details about our characters that we may have missed the first time around.

Writing Workshop
In writing we have begun our final unit about writing our fictional characters.  We tapped into our instinct to pretend.  We created characters, thought up imaginative settings for them, created ways to get them in and out of trouble, and somehow manage to end the story happily.

Math
In math we have completed our unit on length.  We have compared and ordered by length, we used a third object to indirectly measure and compare 2 objects, and we used connecting cubes as nonstandard units to measure and compare the lengths and heights of objects.  This week we begun our unit on time.  We began by first making sure we understood the hour and minute hand.  Then we learned to tell and write time to the hour on both an analog and digital clock.  

Important Dates:
May 10th-PLC Early Dismissal
May 18th-Trip to Barnes Nature Center
May 24th-PLC Early Dismissal
June 13-15th-Early Dismissal
June 14th-Field Day/Picnic/Author's Celebration (more info to follow)
June 15th-Last Day of School

Barnes Nature Center Visits Wheeler

Hello Friends and Families!  Happy Friday!

Reading Workshop

The past few weeks we have been focused on using our reading tools to understand our books.  We learned the importance of rereading when something doesn't make sense or when we are aware that we don't understand a portion of text. We discussed the importance of making a movie in our minds to picture or visualize what is taking place to help us understand what is happening in the story.  With our partners we practiced acting out portions of our books to help us understand this skill.  We also talked about the importance of keeping track of who is talking.  One way readers can do this is by paying close attention to quotation marks and dialogue tags (said Bill, shouted Ted).

Writing Workshop
In writing we getting ready to conclude our persuasive writing unit.  The students have written all types of reviews including restaurants, movies, games, toys, and books.  One of their favorite pieces was persuading the leprechaun to come to their trap.  We learned to talk right to our readers balancing that fine line of being persuasive but not bossy.  We learned to write catchy introductions and conclusions with urgency.  We also worked with our writing partners to give each other writing check ups to make sure our reviews made sense and were easy to read.

Math
In math we have continued our experience with tens and ones.  We added groups of 10, added tens on a hundred chart, added tens to 2-digit numbers, used mental math to add tens, added to a 2-digit number and we practiced solving word problems. I reinforced the importance of drawing pictures and writing number sentences.  I also challenged the students to find another way to solve the problem.

Working on adding with pattern blocks


Read Across America Day




Problem Solving with a group


Addition/Subtraction Quizes


Working with tens and ones


West End Blend Assembly


Have a wonderful weekend!

😊  Mrs. Mocarsky 😊

Please remember:
-practice +/- facts to 20-return book bags daily
-wear sneakers on Friday

-return library books on Thursday

What's the News in Room 10 Week of 2/13/17

Hello Friends and Families!  Happy Friday!

Reading Workshop

The past few weeks we have been focused on adding new tools to read challenging words.  We discussed strategies such as thinking about the story to problem-solve words, thinking about what kind of word would fit, slowing down to break up long words, and using words we already know to help solve words we don't know.  As partners we have learned to keep track of the story, making sure our partner's reading sounds right, and reminding our partners to use what they know about word parts when they get to a tricky word.

Writing Workshop
In writing we have begun our unit on persuasive writing.  We have learned to explain judgements in convincing ways by giving as many reasons as possible for our opinions.  We have read and studied the work of others (using other students' work-not in our class, as an example).  We have learned to expect that others will disagree with us and how we can politely disagree with others.

Math
In math we expanded our experience with tens and ones.  We counted with groups of 10's and leftovers, discussed numbers mad with 1's, discussed writing numbers in expanded form (46 is 4 ten's and 6 ones or 40+6=46).  We learned to break apart a ten to make 10 ones and write new representations in expanded form.  We also learned to make an organized list to show and write a give 2-digit number.  When we return from our long weekend, we will begin our topic on comparing and ordering numbers to 100.

100th Day of School!
On Friday, Feb. 3rd we celebrated the 100th day of school!!  Thank you very much to Mr. Thorpe who came in and helped out with a super-fun gum ball machine/100th day activity!  We also made maracas to celebrate our special day!

Hello Friends and Families!  Happy Friday!

Reading Workshop

This week in Reading Workshop we discussed taking ownership of our reading which we call "Being the BOSS of your own reading".  We celebrated signs of perseverance, discussed the importance of using ALL the strategies we know, as well as how important it is to stop when you're stuck AND when something doesn't seem right.  I also taught a reminder lesson on helping readers find the right tool for the (reading) job by asking these 3 important questions:  Does it look right?  Does it sound right?  Does it make sense?

Writing Workshop
This week we will finish up our unit on nonfiction writing.  As I mentioned in conferences, we have researched and wrote about 3 topics together:  Ponies, Owls, and Reindeer.  We will also take this week and research and write about tigers.  We have learned as writers of nonfiction, we can teach others about a topic we know all about.  We have learned about the text features used in nonfiction writing:  a big all about topic, a table of contents, headings on each page, pictures that include labels and/or captions.  We learned the purpose of an introduction and conclusion and what to include in each.  This final book will be a topic of their choosing and will be done independently.  Next week we will get back to our persuasive unit on writing reviews.

Math
This week in math we will finish up our topic on subtraction facts.  In this topic we have learned to make 10 to subtract, use related facts and fact families and using addition to help us subtract.  We will move on to our topic on counting and number patterns to 120.  We will start by making and using numbers 11-19 and counting by 10's to 120.

*Homework*

The students will receive a spelling homework packet beginning Monday, 1/23.  They will receive a menu of options to practice their spelling words and they can choose 3 different ways to practice them each week.  They will receive the packet on Monday and it is due back the following Monday.   Please continue to have them read from their book bags each night and to practice their addition and subtraction facts to 20.

Also, you have probably noticed a reading log coming home.  We have begun tracking our reading because we have a goal of individually reading 75 books by May!!  Any book they read at home may be counted as well as any books read on Raz-Kids.  Happy Reading!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

😊  Mrs. Mocarsky 😊

Please remember:
-practice +/- facts to 20-return book bags daily
-wear sneakers on Friday
-return library books on Thursday

Math Rotations








At the beginning of January, Mr. Line from High Touch High Tech kicked off our science unit on light and shadow.  We had a blast doing experiments with a flashlight!

Digital Version

Hello families!!!  Welcome to the digital version of What's the News in Room 10? !!!!

The past few days and weeks have flown by and the thrill and excitement of winter break is certainly in the air!

Reading Workshop

Last week we finished up our unit called Word Detectives where our focus was being on the lookout for difficult words, using strategies we know to solve those words, and checking our attempts.  In this unit we were able to draw on our prior knowledge, increase our acquisition of sight words, and use known words to help figure out unknown words.  We also focused on ways that readers look closely at words and use visual information effectively.  In January we will begin diving deeper in to fluency, phonics, and comprehension.

Writing Workshop
This week we will finish up our unit on nonfiction writing.  As I mentioned in conferences, we have researched and wrote about 3 topics together:  Ponies, Owls, and Reindeer.  We have learned as writers of nonfiction, we can teach others about a topic we know all about.  We have learned about the text features used in nonfiction writing:  a big all about topic, a table of contents, headings on each page, pictures that include labels and/or captions.  We learned the purpose of an introduction and conclusion and what to include in each.  This final book will be a topic of their choosing and will be done independently.  In January we will begin our persuasive unit on writing reviews.

Math
This week in math we will finish up our topic on addition facts to 20.  We learned strategies to help us such as making doubles, using doubles plus 1, doubles plus 2, and making 10 to add.  We also learned to add with 3 addends and solved word problems involving 3 addends.  We have been actively practicing our basic facts to 20 as well either by addition and subtraction quizzes or by using Xtra Math on the computer.  In January we will begin our topic on subtraction facts to 20.

Have a WONDERFUL and RESTFUL Winter Break!!
😊  Mrs. Mocarsky 😊

Please remember:
-practice +/- facts to 20-return book bags daily
-wear sneakers on Friday
-return library books on Thursday

We practiced coding on Code.org on Wednesday during math.






Creating our gingerbread houses on Thursday.


Mr. B. reading us The Polar Express                       Reading by the fire        


We made the NICE LIST!!!

week of 1/12/15

Greetings and Happy New Year!!

I hope everyone had a restful vacation and enjoyed some time with family.  Let me tell you what's been happening in first grade since our return.

In Reading Workshop last week, we began our unit on informational text.  I began teaching the students about the text features that make nonfiction texts so different from fiction such as commonly seeing photographs being used more so than illustrations, tables of contents, headings, bolded words, glossaries, and indexes as well as the uses for these features.  This week we began reading a shared text called Sunshine and Shadows which ties into our science unit about light and shadow.  We will be learning about the Earth's rotation around the sun and how it causes us to experience day and night.  We will also learn about how shadows are created and what allows them to move and change.

In Writing Workshop last week, we began our final opinion writing subject-book reviews.  The students learned that writing book reviews are really not much different than a restaurant, toy, or movie review.  This week we are continuing our book review writing with a focus on ensuring all of the elements of good review writing are present:  starting our piece with a question, including a small amount of information about the book without spilling the beans, the inclusion of our own opinion, and leaving the reader with something to do (read this book today!).  We will finish up this unit on Monday of next week and be moving on to informational writing.

In math this week and last we have been on addition facts to 20 learning strategies to help us add such as:  learning our doubles facts, doubles plus 1 facts, doubles plus 2 facts, making 10 to add, and adding 3 numbers.  We also worked on problem solving with 2 question problems and word problems with 3 number.  We will be moving on to topic 6 next week which focuses on subtraction facts to 20.

Have a wonderful weekend!!!
~Mrs. Mocarsky

Please remember:
-practice +/- facts to 20
-return book bags daily
-wear sneakers on Wednesday
-return library books on Wednesday

The Month of December

Hi Everyone!  Happy Thursday!!!  The time is flying!!!  Let me recap what we have been learning over the past few weeks.

In Reader's Workshop, we have been focused on dramatizing characters and deepening our comprehension as we read.  We have been practicing using cues from the author as to how a sentence or part of a book should be read.  We have been paying attention to when characters are yelling, shouting, whispering, etc. and using those cues to help us understand how a character is feeling and why.  We have been trying to notice when a character is talking or when a narrator is telling part of the story.  We have thinking about the beginning, middle and end of our stories and how the character changes throughout the course of the story.  We have been practicing thinking like actors where we study the characters' feelings, words, and actions and acting out scenes in our stories with our partners.  We have also been working very hard on envisioning or picturing the details of what's happening in a story to help us understand our reading.

In Writing Workshop, we have been focused on opinion writing and more specifically writing reviews.  We have talked about why review writers write reviews, the power of persuasion, and the rating systems involved in writing reviews.  As writers we are learning to talk right to our readers and talk back (politely) to our readers who disagree.  We are watching our tone to make sure we aren't too bossy but still to the point.  We are making comparisons in our writing and we are learning to include suggestions and warnings.  We have learned to hook our readers with catchy introductions by asking questions, naming our topic, and finally giving our opinion.

In math we have moved on from our addition and subtraction facts to 12 topic and now we learning our addition facts to 20.  We start out by learning about doubles and near doubles (doubles plus one and doubles plus 2).  Our focus will be discussing the strategies that we can use to help us solve these problems.  Example, if you know 6+6=12, then you know 6+7=13 because the parts or addends are 1 number different, therefore the sums are 1 number different as well.

Have a fantastic weekend!!!!
Mrs. Mocarsky

A Few Reminders:

-early dismissal Tuesday, 12/23
-please send book baggies in DAILY so that students can swap out the books they are reading at home daily.
-have your child read every night-whether it be the book bag books or Raz-Kids, or a combination of both.
-send in an old sock to be used as a white board eraser.
-practice addition and subtraction facts to 20.