This morning we focused on the growly sound that e, i, and u make when they are bossed around by r! We edited our message for missing ir, er, and ur chunks, and brainstormed other words we could add to our pirate poem. Afterward literacy centers and guided reading, we played different tag games in phys ed and learned how to use some of the circus equipment. After recess we did Author's Chair to give each other "stars and wishes" feedback to improve last week's recipe-focused writing. Afterward, the students used their peer feedback to add juicy adjectives, details, and edit for punctuation and sneaky capital letters. In the afternoon we learned a fun new math game that helps us understand place value and counting on efficiently -- Race to 100! After music class, we played it with our grade four buddies. We finished our day with all of the grade ones practicing our songs for our Atria Retirement visit and the spring concert.
Mail Pockets
- February calendars went home with oldest and only students
Words of the Week
Each week we will focus on a set of high frequency words that we are using in our poems and morning message. Feel free to practice these and look for them in your own books! This week we are focusing on "bossy r," particularly ar and or.
for far short part are more or
Family Tradition Recipes
Please talk with your child about a recipe that is a tradition in your family -- it could be cultural, seasonal, passed down through generations, or just something special to/enjoyed by your family! We are exploring family recipes as a social studies-based writing project and with a well-known local cookbook author over the next two weeks, culminating in a Family Traditions Brunch on February 9th (8:00 am) We have done some initial reflection and journaling in class, but please send your child to school with a copy of their recipe for tomorrow if you have not already for further language arts activities. If you are unable to print it at home, no problem, just email it to me and I will happily print it. :)
Family Traditions Brunch
You are invited to share in the Grade One Family Traditions potluck brunch to celebrate the learning we have been doing around families, traditions, and recipe writing! Part of our social studies curriculum is understanding and appreciating traditions that shape our identities and communities. Students are encouraged to bring a dish that is a tradition for their family -- it could be cultural, seasonal, passed down through generations, or just something special to/enjoyed by your family! The children are working on turning these dishes into a community cookbook as a writing project. Our guest expert cookbook author is looking forward to attending this celebration after being part of our learning and writing process, and to help us photograph the food! Family members are welcome to join us for the brunch at 8:00 am on Friday, February 9. Please bring or send all necessary serving utensils with your family's dish, and we will provide plates, cutlery, and napkins.
Estimation Stations
Please consider contributing a small zip-lock bag containing a handful of countable items for class math estimation stations. The handful ideally contains between 10 and 100 items, and these items could be anything from dried beans or pasta, to paper clips, to buttons! Thanks very much for your contributions.
Please and Thank You!
- Thank you for returning school Library books for Wednesday (our scheduled weekly exchange time is Wednesday afternoon).
Volunteer Opportunities:
- We would love to welcome morning literacy volunteers into our classroom from 8:00 to 8:30 each morning. If there is one morning a week that works for you, wonderful, but drop-ins are always welcome, too! Just let me know the day before, please. This role will involve helping to create sight word rings, as well as reading one-on-one with students
- We would appreciate 3 or 4 volunteers to join us for a heartwarming (pre)Valentine morning at Atria Retirement Centre on Tuesday, February 13. We will be performing songs, reading, and crafting valentines with the senior residents.
-We are seeking 4-5 volunteers to join us for a fun, educational, and outdoorsy day at the Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre on Thursday, March 1.
- We can take 1 more volunteer to Telus Spark on Thursday, March 8.
Thank you very much for considering! Please email Elysa ([email protected]) or Danielle ([email protected]) if interested to confirm your availability.
Upcoming Dates
Jan. 31 - Edo Fun Lunch (must order by Friday, Jan. 26)
Feb. 1 - School Science Fair (our class is visiting at 12:30)
Feb. 6 - Calgary Symphony Orchestra field trip
Feb. 7 - School Council at 6:30 pm
Feb. 9 - Grade One Family Traditions Brunch (more information to come, but mark your calendar, please!)
Feb. 13 - Atria Retirement Home volunteer visit (singing, sharing books, and crafting valentines with residents!) in the morning
Feb. 14 - Early Dismissal: 11:45 pm
Feb. 15 - 16 - Teacher's Convention - *no school for students*
Feb. 19 - Family Day - *no school*
Feb. 21 - Opa Fun Lunch (must order by Friday, Feb. 16)
Feb. 28 - Pink Shirt Day
Mar. 1 - Fish Creek Park Environmental Learning Centre (all day field trip -- 4-5 volunteers needed)
Mar. 8 - Telus Spark field trip (can take 2 more volunteers)
Daily Challenge
In math we have been learning about comparing numbers using language like "fewer/less than, greater/more than, or as many/equal to." Can you find two sets of items in your house and compare them using this language? For example, we have a greater number of boys in our class (11), and fewer girls (9).