October 14, 2019
Last week, Barn Swallows celebrated the 7 Strengths that they have been reading and thinking about during the first few weeks of school. The following list shows the strengths and the activities that have helped them begin to feel contributing members of a learning community:
In math, first graders began a measuring unit to practice nonstandard units of measurement. They used popsicle sticks and unisex cubes to measure several classroom items and their partners. The second graders played games using number racks to figure out missing addends when solving equations with sums up to ten. They continued to practice adding and subtracting facts with sums and minuends up to 20. They are using games and graphic organizers to visualize problems.
In science and for our Out & About, students learned that forests provide habitats for animals. They learned that Tillamook Forest is a temperate rainforest and that the forest has three layers; the forest floor, the shrub layer, and the canopy. They went on hikes to look for animal habitats and used natural materials to build their own models of animal habitats. They explored the stream and began to learn about currents by floating leaves and twigs down the river. They learned that the depth of a river varies but that the current usually moves faster toward the middle of the river in deeper water.
I look forward to seeing you at conferences this week! There will be an Usborne Book Fair in the art room during conferences. If you have not already scheduled a conference, please contact the office staff.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at e.conway@fgcschool.org.
Last week, Barn Swallows celebrated the 7 Strengths that they have been reading and thinking about during the first few weeks of school. The following list shows the strengths and the activities that have helped them begin to feel contributing members of a learning community:
- Belonging - Everyone has shared some of the things that makes them unique and books about things they want to learn about this year.
- Curiosity - Everyone created a page about something they are curious about for a class book.
- Friendship - We got together with partners and made "Friendship Posters."
- Kindness - Students practiced greeting each other in the mornings and treating each other with kindness. "Everyone made a Dozen Ways to Be Kind" flap books.
- Confidence - Barn Swallows have practiced reading every day and using new strategies and skills to help them become strong readers. They've read with partners, in groups, and independently.
- Courage - Everyone has shown that they are not afraid of a challenge by using new tools, reading with new people, and reading books that they've never read before.
- Hope - Students have begun to think about things that they hope for. Last week they began setting goals to help make their hopes realities.
In math, first graders began a measuring unit to practice nonstandard units of measurement. They used popsicle sticks and unisex cubes to measure several classroom items and their partners. The second graders played games using number racks to figure out missing addends when solving equations with sums up to ten. They continued to practice adding and subtracting facts with sums and minuends up to 20. They are using games and graphic organizers to visualize problems.
In science and for our Out & About, students learned that forests provide habitats for animals. They learned that Tillamook Forest is a temperate rainforest and that the forest has three layers; the forest floor, the shrub layer, and the canopy. They went on hikes to look for animal habitats and used natural materials to build their own models of animal habitats. They explored the stream and began to learn about currents by floating leaves and twigs down the river. They learned that the depth of a river varies but that the current usually moves faster toward the middle of the river in deeper water.
I look forward to seeing you at conferences this week! There will be an Usborne Book Fair in the art room during conferences. If you have not already scheduled a conference, please contact the office staff.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at e.conway@fgcschool.org.
