First and Second Grade Celebration! Lunch in the Classroom!

 

Check out this Lunch Bunch! 

 

Responsive Classroom Morning Meeting

Each morning we begin our day with  Morning Meeting. In the first few weeks of school we have been learning about greeting each other, sharing, asking questions and making comments. We also have LOVED playing some fun games each day.  This time of day has really helped build a fun and supportive learning community. 

One part of morning meeting that I look forward to is sharing time! We will begin having special share days each week. Students are encouraged to bring in items, photos, books, games etc. that are special to them. All special share items will be kept on my desk or in your student's backpack when they are finished sharing. If you want to email me special pictures, I can display them on our SmartBoard.  

hmarcelino@wesvt.net 

First and Second Grade Share Days

The Week of Sept. 13

 

Upcoming Events

Sept. 20 - After School Program Begins 

Sept. 21- Class Picture Day 

September 30- Book Order Due

*Please remember to pack your student's laptop, book bag, and return to school each day*

Readers' Workshop

In reading, the first and second graders are learning to book shop. We are learning to pick a healthy balance of books.  Books can be hard, just right and/or easy. Students will have a mix of books in their book bags. We are reading independently for 10 minutes each day. Next week, we will learn to read with our reading partners! 

*Reading pillows will stay here at school in your student's cubby. Please help your student find a pillow they are comfortable leaving here at school.**

Math

In first grade math, we are learning some fun new math games. After our math lesson, students choose a game to work at for additional skill practice. 

We are learning to subitize different groupings and write numbers up to 20. Students are working with different models from Kindergarten such as: ten/twenty frames and tally marks. In first grade math we work on persistence and flexible thinking. Students share strategies with each other and learn there are many ways to work through a problem! 

Writers' Workshop

In writing, we are working on writing our first "small moments" stories. We read a great mentor text called Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall. This story models for kids how to write about a tiny moment in time.  We are working on a planning strategy we call "touch, tell, sketch and write", where students verbally tell a story, then sketch pictures to help tell about their ideas and remember each part. Finally we are working on writing words to match our story. 

Spelling/Fundations

In first and second grade, we use a combination of spelling programs to meet the needs of various spelling stages. All students will take a spelling assessment which will help me to learn more about each child's strengths and needs.  During the week, your student will have a warm -up whole group lesson, and then will work in small groups to practice specific skills.  Here are a few examples of activities your student will do at school:

Fundations Magnetic Board

This helps with letter id/ sound and word building. 

Word Sort

Words sorts are a way we practice reading/writing various spelling patterns.

The Week of September 7

 

Upcoming Events

*Please remember to pack your students laptop and book bag and return to school each day*

Sept. 13 School Wide Celebration- Tie Dye Twist Up Day 

September 16 - Yom Kippur/No School

Sept. 21- Class Picture Day 

September 30- Book Order Due

Friday Circle 

Today we had our first Restorative Circle in class. Here are the important ideas we will be talking about this year. Today we learned our routine for our class circle. We sang our class song Three Little Birds by Bob Marley, passed our friendship rock around and took turns answering some cool get to know you questions. 

Readers' Workshop

This week, we learned how to book shop and picked our comfy reading spots. The first and second graders are working on building independent reading stamina. We also got to use cozy reading pillows. We are learning the routines of Readers' Workshop and practicing each day. 

Next week, Ms. Russin and I will begin our fall reading assessments. These assessments will help us plan upcoming instruction.  Our first unit of study will be Building Good Reading Habits. 

                           

                                                                                                            

Writers Workshop

In writing, we are working on learning how Writers' Workshop works! We are having fun using our colorful flair pens, and did some planning for our upcoming unit on narrative writing. We are also learning how narrative writing goes by reading some awesome mentor books.  Our first unit will be on writing about our favorite places and memories made there! We call this unit "Small Moments".

PAWS Rules 

In class we talked A LOT about our classroom rules and expectations. We use the phrase "expected" and "unexpected" when talking about our rules here at WES. We created a class promise with what we expect our friends and teachers to do each day. Each child contributed and signed our promise! 

Regulation Station

The first and second graders will be learning about their brain in the upcoming weeks. We will use an amazing curriculum called MIND UP.  This week, we learned the word regulate. We talked about feelings and emotions and what we can do when our body feels "dysregulated". All students were invited to try some tools at the regulation station that can help us return to work when we feel regulated. 

Indoor Recess

Not going to let the rain get us down! Having some fun during indoor recess! 

The Week of August 30, 2021

 Welcome to First and Second Grade!

Throughout the week, I will send out pictures, and updates to keep you informed at home. You will receive a google form and a permission slip in your child's blue home-folder .  Please return either form to me so I can begin including photos of our kiddos . Thank you :) 

Upcoming Events

No School- Labor Day - Sept. 6

No School  Yom Kippur -  Sept. 16

First Week Info

I  LOVE this time of the year! Getting to know my students and their families is one of my favorite things to do. This week, we got to know each other, learned basic classroom routines and expectations, played games during Morning Meeting, worked on a project that helped us learn to use our classroom materials and explored our laptops. Next week, we will begin basic routines in Readers' Workshop, Writers' Workshop and Math. 

*Reminder to 2nd grade families, Mrs. Day will be teaching your student math this year*

Safe and Healthy Learning Targets

The first and second graders are doing a great job following our safe and healthy expectations. We take several mask breaks throughout the day! Here are the expectations we have been working on. 

 

Use hand sanitizer to keep our hands clean.

Wash our hands for 20 seconds often throughout the day.

 

Wear and store our masks correctly.

PBIS 

(Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports)

Throughout the first six weeks of school, we take lots and lots of time to teach and practice our school expectations. Each child has a small PAWS chart on their desk/table. As I teach the expectations and students begin to practice them, I give them positive reinforcement several times throughout the day. I work hard to explicitly tell students what they are doing well and give them a stamp on their chart. When a child has filled up their chart, they place it in our classroom jar, when that is filled up we uncover a puzzle piece from our schoolwide puzzle in the hall. Our class has already take off a piece! 

PAWS RULES

P ut your best foot forward
A lways respect yourself, others and the environment
W ork together to solve problems
S afety at all times

Hopes and Dreams

We have begun working on our Hopes and Dreams for the school year. This year we read the book Quiet Hawk a resource from The Responsive Classroom. Students learned the power to tune in (hush, look, listen, understand), and what persistence looks like. Students each decorated their own hawk feathers, and created a dreamcatcher. We wrote our some hopes and dreams down, and glued them onto our dreamcatchers! We will display our Hopes and Dreams in the classroom and use them to create our classroom rules. 

COVID Related Remote Learning Plan

On Thursday, students brought home their laptops, book bags and a blue Emergency Remote Learning Folder. Included in each child's blue folder are materials and an outline of what remote learning will look like. We spent some time learning about our laptops, Seesaw and Dreambox, but this is in the very BEGINNING stages! I know they were excited to show you what they learned. Please keep the blue Emergency Learning Folder at home. Your student will bring their laptop and book bag home each day.

**Please be sure to return your student's bookbag and laptop each day**