We survived the first week...

The first week is always the hardest.  The students are still learning the new routines and rules of the classroom.  One of the first things we did this week was form our groups.  The students are seated in groups and give themselves a name.  Each day the groups can earn points by following directions.  At the end of the month, the group with the most points will win "Lunch with the Teacher."  I will provide lunch and we will eat together in the classroom.  This is a special time where I get to sit and converse with the students on a more casual basis.  It is always a big hit with the students.

So far the "Homeworks" group is in the lead but the other two groups are close behind.

This week in math we concentrated on adding to ten.  We use ten frame cards and even created rekenreks.  What is a rekenrek?  Here is a photo of one of the rekenreks we created.

It is a great tool to help the students visualize adding to 10 and to 20.  We will be continuing to use these to practice our math facts.  The students also took their first math facts timed test today.  Please do not be alarmed when they are sent home and you see their initial score.  This year they are required to complete 100 problems (both addition and subtraction) in 7 minutes.  We will be doing a lot of practice throughout the year and you will be surprised to see how much they will progress by June.  

In reading, we started off reading a fable, The Lion and the Mouse.  We practiced retelling the story and asking and answering questions.  Then we read "Meet the Artists", an expository text, about some special second grade students with special talents.  

We also practiced our vowel sounds this week.  We did hand signals to help us remember what each short vowel sound was.  We did a lot of white board practice with spelling words.

Next week you will start to see spelling words as well as homework come home.  Also, there will be a grammar worksheet as well.

In social studies, we started our unit on communities.  We focused on how people live, work and play in a community.  Balance and motion is our unit in science that we began this week as well.  Ask your child how they balanced a crayfish on their finger.

On Thursday we had a special assembly from "Safe Routes to School."  The speaker discussed the correct way to wear a helmet when bike riding and how to cross the street safely.

Today we had our kick off the new school year assembly.  We learned that our school goal this year is that everyone in the school will be creating goals and will be working to achieve them,  Our class came up with our goal.  

Our goal is to keep all the monkeys on green or purple.  So far so good,  

Have a great weekend.