I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families. The Beardsley Zoo visited Monroe Elementary before the break. The children had fun watching Mrs. Kovachi holding an exoskeleton of a very large spider!
We will be filling the month reading books about various winter holidays and learning a little bit about how people celebrate this month.
The children will be exposed to various types of informational writing. They will write opinion pieces and how-to books. I think that this will be a very exciting unit for the children.
We are beginning a new module in math. The children are learning a quick way to add three numbers by finding a group of ten first. As always, we will continue to work on problem solving and computation.
We are still reading The Year of Billy Miller. Ask your child, did Billy ever stayed up all night? Talk to your child about how they think Billy feels about his sister Sal.
Have a wonderful week and don't forget that we have an 12:20 dismissal on Wednesday.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Wow, November is going by too quickly!
The children learned about why we celebrate Veterans Day and the importance of the holiday.
We are discussing the problem and solution in the stories like Brave Irene by William Steig and Strega Nona by Tomie DiPalo.
The children are embracing Writers Workshop and are starting to use craft moves that they see their favorite authors use. Ask them what ellipses are!
We are finishing our first module in math. The children are really becoming efficient at adding and subtracting. They continue to practice solving math problems clearly and efficiently.
I also started to read aloud The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes. Ask your child about Billy and why he is worried about second grade.
We have also been working on capitalization and punctuation.
Report cards will go home on Friday. Please remember that they are new and based on end of the year standards. I am eager to sit down with you to give you a true picture of your child as a learner and member of our classroom .
Have a terrific week ahead.
The children learned about why we celebrate Veterans Day and the importance of the holiday.
We are discussing the problem and solution in the stories like Brave Irene by William Steig and Strega Nona by Tomie DiPalo.
The children are embracing Writers Workshop and are starting to use craft moves that they see their favorite authors use. Ask them what ellipses are!
We are finishing our first module in math. The children are really becoming efficient at adding and subtracting. They continue to practice solving math problems clearly and efficiently.
I also started to read aloud The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes. Ask your child about Billy and why he is worried about second grade.
We have also been working on capitalization and punctuation.
Report cards will go home on Friday. Please remember that they are new and based on end of the year standards. I am eager to sit down with you to give you a true picture of your child as a learner and member of our classroom .
Have a terrific week ahead.
Monday, November 4, 2013
November News
Here is an update of all that is going on in our classroom!
Phonics: The children have been learning about consonant clusters and changing first and last letters in words to make new words. We also have been reviewing syllables. Please continue to work on sight words at home. This will strengthen their reading.
Reading: The children are all blossoming as readers. Please continue to have them read the books in their reading bags nightly. I will be working one on one with the children in reading during the next few weeks. Therefore, you may not see many new books home. This is a great opportunity to read books together and discuss the characters, setting, problem and solution.
Writing: The children are really enjoying the process of becoming authors and telling their own stories. We are working on unfreezing their characters, making them talk, feel and think.
In our WYNN groups some students are working with the reading teachers while others are working on math fact fluency. A great app for aiding fluency is math number run.
Math: We have been working on subtraction and continue to work on problem solving.
Social Studies: We will discuss the process of voting and Election Day.
Have a great week. Stay warm!
Phonics: The children have been learning about consonant clusters and changing first and last letters in words to make new words. We also have been reviewing syllables. Please continue to work on sight words at home. This will strengthen their reading.
Reading: The children are all blossoming as readers. Please continue to have them read the books in their reading bags nightly. I will be working one on one with the children in reading during the next few weeks. Therefore, you may not see many new books home. This is a great opportunity to read books together and discuss the characters, setting, problem and solution.
Writing: The children are really enjoying the process of becoming authors and telling their own stories. We are working on unfreezing their characters, making them talk, feel and think.
In our WYNN groups some students are working with the reading teachers while others are working on math fact fluency. A great app for aiding fluency is math number run.
Math: We have been working on subtraction and continue to work on problem solving.
Social Studies: We will discuss the process of voting and Election Day.
Have a great week. Stay warm!
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
34 Days in First Grade!
We are all settled in to the routines of first grade. I believe that the children really enjoy being in school all day long. They are eager to get out for recess and go to specials. They enjoy the time experimenting in science and working in reading groups. The following are a few updates for this week.
In phonics we are continuing to do a lot of word work. The children are changing part in words to make new words. They are learning that if you know one word it helps you to read or write another set of words. Please continue to practice high frequency words at home a few nights a week.
I switched some reading groups around and collected books. You will be seeing some more books come home this week. Continue to read nightly with your child. Have them read to you as well.
In math we have been working on math facts and problem solving. At times, the homework refers to 5 group cards. We are not using them right now so you can have your child skip questions that refer to those cards.
In science we are experimenting with shadows. The children are really enjoying this unit. Please ask them about the experiment we did on the soccer field. High Touch-High Tech will be visiting all the first grades on October 29th to culminate our unit on Sunshine and Shadows.
The firefighters came to visit last week to talk to the children about fire safety . The children will be assessed on their knowledge of fire safety for Social Studies.
The children have once again filled their super behavior jar and have earned a special treat. I am allowing them to bring in a small item for Show and Tell on Friday. It must fit in their backpacks. The children also have to be able to tell us 3 things about their special item.
Have a great week!
In phonics we are continuing to do a lot of word work. The children are changing part in words to make new words. They are learning that if you know one word it helps you to read or write another set of words. Please continue to practice high frequency words at home a few nights a week.
I switched some reading groups around and collected books. You will be seeing some more books come home this week. Continue to read nightly with your child. Have them read to you as well.
In math we have been working on math facts and problem solving. At times, the homework refers to 5 group cards. We are not using them right now so you can have your child skip questions that refer to those cards.
In science we are experimenting with shadows. The children are really enjoying this unit. Please ask them about the experiment we did on the soccer field. High Touch-High Tech will be visiting all the first grades on October 29th to culminate our unit on Sunshine and Shadows.
The firefighters came to visit last week to talk to the children about fire safety . The children will be assessed on their knowledge of fire safety for Social Studies.
The children have once again filled their super behavior jar and have earned a special treat. I am allowing them to bring in a small item for Show and Tell on Friday. It must fit in their backpacks. The children also have to be able to tell us 3 things about their special item.
Have a great week!
Sunday, September 29, 2013
End of September already?!
It is so hard to believe that it is fall and almost the beginning of October. We are in full swing in our room and the children have adjusted to their new classroom, classmates and teachers nicely.
The children have a few new faces this year. Mr. Moretti as their PE teacher, Mrs. Schdiman has their music teacher and Mrs. Ramano as our para professional in our classroom. Mrs. Lubbers, Mrs. Kovack and Mrs. McCauley are our reading specialist who the children join during WYNN. Also your child may see Mrs. Sampieri, Mrs. Sekelsky or Mrs. Quinlan during WYNN as well. Just wanted you all to know the names in case they came up around the dinner table.
A few other names you may be hearing are Kevin, Donald, George and Cynthia. As in Kevin Henkes, Donald Crews, George McClement and Cynthia Rylant. They are amazing mentor authors who we refer to often during Writer's Workshop. The children are blossoming as writers and enjoy writing about themselves through small moment stories. Ask them about Writer's Workshop.
The children are also becoming mathematicians and embracing our new math modules. I am really impressed how they are grasping the concepts of part-part-total and addition. We have been working on problem solving everyday as well. Ask them about their math journals.
We are also beginning our science unit about sunshine and shadows and we will be doing some experiments this week.
Please remember to have your child read the books in their reading bags and read to them nightly for pleasure. It also helps their fluency to hear strong readers .
Most importantly, enjoy this month of beautiful afternoons before it begins to get dark quick. Play outside, go for walks and spend time talking to them about their day. Remember, they will only be this young once.
Have a beautiful week,
Mrs. Crenwick
The children have a few new faces this year. Mr. Moretti as their PE teacher, Mrs. Schdiman has their music teacher and Mrs. Ramano as our para professional in our classroom. Mrs. Lubbers, Mrs. Kovack and Mrs. McCauley are our reading specialist who the children join during WYNN. Also your child may see Mrs. Sampieri, Mrs. Sekelsky or Mrs. Quinlan during WYNN as well. Just wanted you all to know the names in case they came up around the dinner table.
A few other names you may be hearing are Kevin, Donald, George and Cynthia. As in Kevin Henkes, Donald Crews, George McClement and Cynthia Rylant. They are amazing mentor authors who we refer to often during Writer's Workshop. The children are blossoming as writers and enjoy writing about themselves through small moment stories. Ask them about Writer's Workshop.
The children are also becoming mathematicians and embracing our new math modules. I am really impressed how they are grasping the concepts of part-part-total and addition. We have been working on problem solving everyday as well. Ask them about their math journals.
We are also beginning our science unit about sunshine and shadows and we will be doing some experiments this week.
Please remember to have your child read the books in their reading bags and read to them nightly for pleasure. It also helps their fluency to hear strong readers .
Most importantly, enjoy this month of beautiful afternoons before it begins to get dark quick. Play outside, go for walks and spend time talking to them about their day. Remember, they will only be this young once.
Have a beautiful week,
Mrs. Crenwick
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
First Grade is Fabulous!
Please send in an old sock to school so that your child may use it as an eraser for their white board.
Please sign up to be a Mystery Reader or sign someone up in your family. We already have 3 Mystery Readers on the calendar!
Don't forget to work on your child's Map of the Heart for Writer's Workshop. It will help them to generate ideas for writing. Ask the children about the writing process where they Touch and Tell, Sketch and Write. They will also tell you that we listen to classical music during writing. It seems to get their creative juices flowing!
We are working on reading fluently. The goal is to have the children read smoothly and not like robots. This is so important in helping them become successful readers. Some of the books in their bags may seem like an easy read but are they reading like a reader?? Also have them use their strategies when they have a book which is a little more challenging.
Homework will be given each Tuesday and Thursday night.
As you get Math work sent home and you see that the Math sprints are not complete. Do not worry. Sprints are designed to develop fluency. They are fun, adrenaline-rich activities that intentionally build energy and excitement for the students. The students start to recognize their increasing success and improvement is celebrated.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Addition and Subtraction Word Problems
We have been using our math brains to answer difficult math word problems. The children made up a list of ways in which we could solve problems.
*drawing pictures
*counting up or back
*using a number line or hundred chart
*using manipulatives
*using our fingers
I read the children If You Give A Pig A Pancake and all of the problems had to do with pig.
The children have been solving problems with addends unknow.
6 + ? = 10
? - 7 = 2
Also solving problems with both addends unknow.
Pig had 5 pancakes. How many were chocolate chip and how many were plain?
They have been working very hard on answering these "new to them" types of word problems. Ask them about it!
We have been using our math brains to answer difficult math word problems. The children made up a list of ways in which we could solve problems.
*drawing pictures
*counting up or back
*using a number line or hundred chart
*using manipulatives
*using our fingers
I read the children If You Give A Pig A Pancake and all of the problems had to do with pig.
The children have been solving problems with addends unknow.
6 + ? = 10
? - 7 = 2
Also solving problems with both addends unknow.
Pig had 5 pancakes. How many were chocolate chip and how many were plain?
They have been working very hard on answering these "new to them" types of word problems. Ask them about it!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Teacher Appreciation Week!
This has been such a special week. Thank you for the posters, fruit and other treats. The posters and letters were so heartfelt and made me cry. The children put so much of themselves into them. Thanks for helping them!
A new sight word list is going home today.
We are busy adding and subtracting. I told that children that they could use a number of strategies to help them. They can draw a number line to 20 on their paper, use manipulatives or count on or back.
We just finished our unit on shelters. We read the original 3 Little Pigs and watched a reading of The 3 Javellinas on You Tube. Then each group got different materials to build a piggie shelter and the wolves, our puppets, tried to blow the shelters down. Ask your child what happened!
The children wrote opinion pieces about which Henry and Mudge book by Cynthia Rylant was the best. They worked very hard on these and were eager to share with their classmates.
Please send in a mis-matched sock. We will use it to erase when we use the white boards.
Thanks again for a great week!
A new sight word list is going home today.
We are busy adding and subtracting. I told that children that they could use a number of strategies to help them. They can draw a number line to 20 on their paper, use manipulatives or count on or back.
We just finished our unit on shelters. We read the original 3 Little Pigs and watched a reading of The 3 Javellinas on You Tube. Then each group got different materials to build a piggie shelter and the wolves, our puppets, tried to blow the shelters down. Ask your child what happened!
The children wrote opinion pieces about which Henry and Mudge book by Cynthia Rylant was the best. They worked very hard on these and were eager to share with their classmates.
Please send in a mis-matched sock. We will use it to erase when we use the white boards.
Thanks again for a great week!
Friday, April 26, 2013
We celebrated Earth Day by talking about how to take care of our world. The students had a lot of great ideas and were very knowledgeable. We also watched videos on Brain Pop Jr. about recycling and our planet.
READ, READ, READ!! Now that the weather is nicer and Spring activities have begun please remember to take a quiet 15 minutes before bed and have your child read to you. It is the single most important factor in their reading success.
We have been working on segmenting and blending sounds. Please play follow the path and also make your own boards with new words. The children have also been working on writing word families. These are words that rhyme and also end with the same 2 letters. I will also send home a new sight word list this week so that you can continue practicing.
We are completing a unit on measurement. The children have been measuring the length, weight, capacity and area of certain objects. We have also been comparing the things that we measure. The children are becoming wonderful math mathematicians. They are adding and subtracting!
In science we will finish our unit on habitats and shelters next week.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Spring is here!
Sorry that I haven't posted in so long. We have been so busy making up for lost time with all the snow. Here is an update about what has been going on in Kindergarten.
The children have been busy researching and writing books about animals. They will be on display outside our classroom. I am really proud of the work they put into their books.
All of our students are readers! I am sure you are as pleasantly surprised as I am. Keep fostering that love of reading with them. Sit down each night for some book time and discussion. Don't give them a word right away when they get stuck. Ask them to use their reading strategies.
We are having a lot of fun in math. The children are playing a lot of number games that are causing them to really look closely at numbers. Our focus has been teen numbers and counting quickly by making groups .
We will begin a unit in science about animal habitats and shelters next week.
April 3rd and 4th are conference days with early dismissals at 10:15. Don't hesitate to request a conference even if I don't request one.
Happy Spring. As always, it is wonderful to have your children in my life. Thank you!
The children have been busy researching and writing books about animals. They will be on display outside our classroom. I am really proud of the work they put into their books.
All of our students are readers! I am sure you are as pleasantly surprised as I am. Keep fostering that love of reading with them. Sit down each night for some book time and discussion. Don't give them a word right away when they get stuck. Ask them to use their reading strategies.
We are having a lot of fun in math. The children are playing a lot of number games that are causing them to really look closely at numbers. Our focus has been teen numbers and counting quickly by making groups .
We will begin a unit in science about animal habitats and shelters next week.
April 3rd and 4th are conference days with early dismissals at 10:15. Don't hesitate to request a conference even if I don't request one.
Happy Spring. As always, it is wonderful to have your children in my life. Thank you!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
January News
We have been very busy in Room 24!!!
The children learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. and discussed their dreams for the world. Their writing and pictures are displayed outside our classroom.
I have been testing the children on counting to 100, our mid year math assessment and generating rhymes. The children should be able to count to 100 without prompts by the end of the year. They have made tremendous progress in writing numbers to 20! Please continue to work on number identification to 30. Also, review the shapes hexagon and rhombus. We will be working on that in class as well.
Continue to practice sight words and read nightly. This is the key to reading success!
This coming week we will begin non-fiction writing. We will start this unit by exploring penguins and making a class book of penguin facts. The children will all have the opportunity in the next coming months to write a non-fiction book on an animal of their choice. We will continue exploring properties of matter by conducting sink and float experiments and magnetic experiments. The children will also practice writing the letters Mm and Nn. Please hand in any homework by Friday.
As always, thank you for your continued support.
The children learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. and discussed their dreams for the world. Their writing and pictures are displayed outside our classroom.
I have been testing the children on counting to 100, our mid year math assessment and generating rhymes. The children should be able to count to 100 without prompts by the end of the year. They have made tremendous progress in writing numbers to 20! Please continue to work on number identification to 30. Also, review the shapes hexagon and rhombus. We will be working on that in class as well.
Continue to practice sight words and read nightly. This is the key to reading success!
This coming week we will begin non-fiction writing. We will start this unit by exploring penguins and making a class book of penguin facts. The children will all have the opportunity in the next coming months to write a non-fiction book on an animal of their choice. We will continue exploring properties of matter by conducting sink and float experiments and magnetic experiments. The children will also practice writing the letters Mm and Nn. Please hand in any homework by Friday.
As always, thank you for your continued support.
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