QE Musical TOMORROW

Tomorrow is the night! 

Our 1st graders, along with 2nd and 3rd grade, have been working extremely hard to prepare for the QE musical.  It will take place tomorrow, March 16th at the Quakertown High School.  Students should arrive by 6:15PM and meet me in the front row to sit with our class.  

All guests can find a place in the auditorium to watch the show, beginning at 6:30PM.  

Please remember to have your child wear their emoji t-shirt and jeans.  

Here's in a sneak peek from our dress rehearsal:

We look forward to seeing you!

Seesaw

I'm very excited to announce that we will be using a new app in the classroom called Seesaw.  Seesaw is a digital portfolio where you will be able to see the activities and learning that your child is engaging in in the classroom.  This app will be almost entirely controlled by the 1st graders.  They will be taking videos, uploading pictures, recording voice threads, etc.  These artifacts will then be uploaded via Seesaw, and you as the parent will be able to view them on the Seesaw app or online via their website.  View the video below to see how it works!

Another neat feature of the app is that you may interact with your child by 'liking' their work or commenting.  I will also use the app for communication to share announcements, student work, and pictures.  

Today your child will be coming home with a paper listing directions on how to login to the parent portion of your child's account.  (You will use the QR code to gain access to your child's specific portfolio.)  You may download the Seesaw Parent Access app in the app store to utilize the resource on any phone or tablet.  If you prefer to use a computer you may also view the Seesaw website.

The children are EXTREMELY excited for you to see their first post from Friday!  

Solids and Liquids

Our 1st graders engaged in a variety of science experiments this past week to culminate our unit on solids and liquids.  

At the start of the week we made sensory bottles.  The children combined salt, glitter, glue, and water to make their shakeable concoctions.  






At the end of the week we made our much anticipated SLIME!  The children dissolved borax in water and combined the mixture with glue, water and food coloring.  











Up next, we will shift our focus to the study of maps in social studies.  

100th Day Ideas

Looking for some inspiration for the 100th Day on Wednesday?  

Girls: glasses, canes, pearls, skirts, dresses, heels, wigs or gray hairspray, makeup for wrinkles
Boys: glasses, canes, suits, suspenders, mustaches, wigs or gray hairspray, makeup for wrinkles

Here's a quick glimpse into our 100th Day last year for some additional costume ideas!











We're looking forward to seeing the creative 100-year old outfits on Wednesday!

Pen Pals

You may have noticed that your 1st grader recently came home with a letter from a new friend!  This year we will again be partnering with a 1st grade class in Allentown to be pen pals.  We have received our first letter from our Allentown friends and have successfully written back to them.  We discussed the 5 parts of a friendly letter.  (See if your child can sing our song and name all 5 parts.)  We also learned that in friendly letters we SHARE and CARE.  We share by answering our friend's questions and telling them about ourselves, and we care by asking questions that we'd like to find out more about.  



The excitement on the children's faces when they received their letters was priceless. Consider having your child write a friendly letter to a relative or friend!  

We will be having a picnic to meet our pen pals in person later this spring!

Measurement

This month in math we're studying measurement.  Our children are learning how to measure with standard (centimeters) and non-standard (paper clips) units.  Through our investigations we have uncovered 4 tips for measuring:

1. Line up objects by their endpoints
2. Connect the length units
• No overlapping
• No gaps
3. The length units must be the same length

Consider allowing your child to use non-standard units to measure items around your house using the above guidelines.  Children could measure using toothpicks, paper clips, pennies, etc.  Or, if you have a standard measuring tape or ruler around the use the children could measure using centimeters.  1st graders can also practice ordering groups of objects from shortest to longest and longest to shortest.  

Our next investigation in math will involve organizing and analyzing data using charts and graphs.  You can prepare your child for our upcoming topic by reviewing how to draw and read tally marks to match numbers up to 30.  

Making 10 to Add

Upon our return from Thanksgiving break we began module 2 in math which focuses on an introduction to place value through addition and subtraction within 20.  At this point in the year, after finishing module 1, we hope to have 1st graders that are able to add fluently within 10.  Knowing those basic addition facts with sums to 10 is a building block that should be in place as we move forward to more complex addition strategies.  The quicker your child is able to recall those facts the better!  Especially important are the sums/partners of 10 i.e. 1 and 9, 2 and 8, 3 and 7, etc.  If your child could use extra practice with these facts consider playing the following game at home with a standard deck of cards!

As you can see from the homework this week, students are now using these skills to make a group of 10 to add since 10 is a "friendly" number.  When adding with three addends we're looking to circle the two addends that make 10 and then add.  For example, 6+4+5 would become 10+5.  Moving forward students are then training their thinking to make a group of 10 when adding with 9 or 8.  To get more of an understanding of this concept you can watch the following YouTube videos:

Making 10 to Add - Drawing a Picture Strategy

Making 10 to Add - Decomposing Strategy

Our children are really getting the hang of this skill!  Ask your child to explain this concept to you and I bet they'll be able to teach you just as they were able to teach their partners today!

As always, Reflex is also a great way for your child to practice their math facts as well.  You can download the app or go to REFLEX to login.

Nonfiction Writing

1st graders LOVE to be the teacher!  They are experts on many topics.  Naturally, they enjoy teaching others about their favorite topics, whether it be cheetahs, hockey, how to take care of a pet, or how to add and subtract.  

Over the next two months we will be writing informational, or teaching books.  The children will inform their readers about topics they feel they know A LOT about.  Two weeks ago an 'Expert List' was sent home to help your child brainstorm topics that they would be able to write many facts about.  This will help them along their journey of informing their readers.  

Encourage your child to read nonfiction books at home, or consider taking them to the library to select a few new titles!  Point out the text features that nonfiction writers use to share information such as headings, labels, captions, diagrams, etc.  

Most importantly, share in the excitement of your child!  Ask them what topic they're currently writing about each day.  Have them share the facts they know about their topic.  Perhaps even help them research a few more facts to support their topic by looking online or in a text.  

We can't wait to share some of the finished products with you!  

Happy Thanksgiving =)

November Dates

Important dates to remember in NOVEMBER:

November 3rd, 7th, and 10th - Conferences

I look forward to meeting with you to discuss your child's progress throughout the first trimester.  We will celebrate successes and set goals for the coming months.  A reminder was sent home with your scheduled date and time.  Should a conflict arise please contact me to reschedule.

November 4th - Book Fair

November 8th - No School

November 23rd through 28th - No School: Happy Thanksgiving!

Social Studies

Since the start of the year we have been focusing on the topic of communities in social studies.  Our 1st graders learned about families, rules, citizenship, and community helpers.  Our children wrote about what they want to be when they grow up, and their projects are displayed in the hallway for you to see during conferences.  

Two weeks ago we had the privilege of meeting and learning about some of our very own Quakertown community helpers.  The Quakertown firefighters came to QE to discuss fire safety.  







  

After Halloween we will conclude our unit on communities by discussing the three different types of communities: urban, rural, and suburban.  Then we will begin our first science unit of the year, weather!  

Math Homework Helpers

Our first module of math this year is entitled: Sums and Differences to 10.  We have been working on combinations to 10 since the beginning of the year.  For instance, the combinations of 8 are 0+8, 1+7, 2+6, 3+5, and 4+4.  Our 1st graders have been playing a variety of games and completing number bond dashes to be able to recall these facts quickly and easily.  Look for an upcoming blog post on games you can play at home to help your child with their fact fluency!









Your child is coming home this evening with a large white packet of homework helpers.  This packet should be left at home and can be used to assist you with the vocabulary and set up of your child's homework.  There is one homework helper sheet for each Eureka homework sent home.  You can find the corresponding homework helper by looking in the top right hand corner of your child's homework for the lesson number.  See below - 





If you have any questions regarding the math homework or need any assistance deciphering any of the new language or formats used within our new Eureka math program please feel free to contact me!

Phonics and Reading

Our first graders are off and running!  

Sight Words/Word Wall Words:

To begin the year we reviewed K sight words, and now we are into our second week of 1st grade sight words.  Sight words (or word wall words) are words that we want our children to know automatically since their irregular spelling patterns make it difficult to "stretch/sound out" i.e. the, have, are, etc.  These are also words that will appear most often in our texts so the more practice the better!  You can find the weekly sight words listed on the cover page of the homework packet each week as well as on the final page of word cards.  Please work with your child on reading these words and keep all the word cards in a safe place at home to consistently review throughout the year.  You can have your child make a second set of the words on index cards and play the traditional memory/concentration game!

Phonics and Spelling:

Throughout the next few weeks we will be focusing our phonics and spelling on short vowels.  Last week we were introduced to Scaredy Cat A for short vowel A, and this week we met Icky I for short vowel I.  All of our spelling words follow the pattern for the week.  You can ask your child about these characters and what they say and practice reading and writing short vowel words with A and I.  Next week we'll be introduced to our next phonics friend to go along with short vowel O.  

 

Reading Strategies:

When our first graders get stuck on a word while reading we encourage them to utilize a reading strategy.  Students have been introduced to three reading strategies so far this year.  In your child's Reading Folder you see a bookmark that depicts the reading strategies.  When reading with your child at night please encourage them to use these strategies to solve unknown words.  The following strategies have been introduced:

If you haven't already done so please enter your email in the box to the right of this webpage to receive an email each time there is a new blog post.  I will begin to update this site with ways you can help your first grader at home as well as important events and dates.

Welcome!

Welcome New 1st Grade Families!

It was wonderful meeting many new families at our Ice Cream Social last week.  This blog will be utilized throughout the year for communication and keeping families aware of what is happening within the classroom.  By submitting your email in the box on the right hand side of this page you will receive an email notification each time there is a new post.  I'm looking forward to a great 2016-2017 school year!

A few reminders for the first week of school - 

Snack: We have a snack break around 11:00 each morning.  Please send your child with a small snack each day whether they are packing or buying lunch.  


Lunch: You may access the QE lunch menu here.  If your child will be buying lunch from the cafeteria you may pay online using a debit/credit card or sending in cash/check.  

1. Use this link to pay online.

2. If you prefer to send your child with money please send cash/check in a sealed envelope with your child's first and last name and student ID number.  

Please help your child familiarize themselves with their student ID number which will be used to access their account for lunch.  We will practice walking through the lunch line and typing in account numbers on the first day of school.  I also have a card made for each child with their student ID number on it that they may use until it is memorized. 


Specials: We end each day with specials from 3:00-3:45.  We rotate through specials on a 6-day cycle.  Each month I will place a calendar that depicts what special we have each day in your child's Take-Home Folder.  For your reference, below is our special schedule for the first week:

• Monday - Gym
• Tuesday - Art
• Wednesday - Spanish
• Thursday - Computers
• Friday - Music

Dismissal:  Dismissal is at 3:50.  Students will be exiting through the playground door.

I'm looking forward to meeting my new first grade friends bright and early tomorrow morning!  If you have any questions at all please feel free to email me.  You can reach me at kriley@qcsd.org.

SLIME

To conclude our science investigation on solids and liquids we made SLIME!  We combined a bottle of glue with water and mixed borax with water until it dissolved.  Then we slowly combined the two mixtures until our slime began to form.  We got a bit messy, but had a ton of fun in the process!

Up next, we switch our attention back to social studies to take an in-depth look at using and creating maps.  

P.S. Keeping your child's slime in a ziploc bag or other airtight container in the refrigerator will give it its best chance at survival!

100th Day Costume Ideas

Need some inspiration for the 100th Day on Wednesday?  

Girls: glasses, canes, pearls, skirts, dresses, heels, wigs or gray hairspray
Boys: glasses, canes, suits, suspenders, wigs or gray hairspray

Here's a quick glimpse into our 100th Day last year for some additional costume ideas!

We can't wait to see those 100-year old 1st graders on Wednesday!