Everyday is a new adventure here in first grade. I structure the classroom to create an evironment that fosters cooperation and creativity. Oftentimes, the students are spread out all over the room, working on a variety of projects. The work I do with your child allows them to guide their own learning, while have access to a variety of materials and manipulatives for understanding. I observe each child during these times through the work they do, or the conversations they have to assess several learning skills, such as compare/contrast, cause/effect, asking questions, testing hypothesis, and sharing what they have discovered. During conferences I will share in detail about what your child is doing both with thinking skills, as well as share their path to mastery with skills in reading, writing and math.
This year we are continuing our studies using the lense of "Interactions." That means as we discuss a variety of topics, we are looking for ways people, events, and places connect with each other and within our own lives. This trimester, we are looking at the idea of "community," and how states of matter interact in the world around us. I plan my instruction based on the class' prior knowledge and interests. Please check back weekly to catch a glimpse of what we do!
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| We use the smartboad A LOT as a learning tool |
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| The answer today is 4. What is the problem? An open ended activity that meets all levels in math. |
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| We are organzing a community service project already. Stay tuned for more info next week! |
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| This group is helping to put together a parent letter for our community project. |
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| Building with manipulatives is a HUGE part of learning and understanding several math concepts. |
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| AH is designing his perfect community. So far, it has an apartment complex, a park and a grocery store. |
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| This is our current understanding of what makes up a community. I will do this at the end of our study to compare/contrast new understandings. |
