Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween 1L!

Check out some of the fun activities we did today!

Thank you to the volunteers who came today and provided supplies!

Mrs. Erwin was even our Mystery Reader today!

Have a very happy and safe evening with your families!

Love,
Mrs. L

How does a thermometer work?

How does a thermometer work?

Students took part in a demonstration of how a thermometer works this month. Students learned that a thermometer measures how hot or cold something is. A scientist says that the liquid in the thermometer expands and moves up or contracts and moves down the tube when the air, or other substance in contact with the thermometer, has more heat or less heat, respectively. How hot or cold the air will feel is measured by its temperature. We discovered that the red liquid inside the bottle will move up and down. When the temperature is hot, the red liquid will expand and fill more of the tube. In other words, the top of the liquid will rise. We also so when the temperature is cold, the red liquid will contract and move down. Finally, students came to the conclusion that the temperature of the air in the room is called room temperature.

-Stemscopes

Love,

Mrs. L

Bat Unit

Bats
A Nonfiction Unit of Study

We have learned that...

Nonfiction texts are about real life. 

Readers "read to learn" about topics from nonfiction texts. 

Nonfiction readers take a sneak peak even before they read a book or watch a video. 

Readers ask questions! 

Readers "stop and jot" down answers to questions they find on stickies or organizers.

Nonfiction readers learn more by chatting about a page with a friend 

Nonfiction readers and writers are word collectors.

Fiction can help to teach us about nonfiction topics too!

Over the next week or so feel free to take a look at these great Books and Videos about BATS! These are great homework choices that can enhance classroom discussions!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3w9ZbRQIek

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FVoTMOorXA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6rYJMddEzg

Be sure to visit Brainpop and search BATS. There is a great video there as well!

Love,

Mrs. L

Readers build good habits!

Reader's build GOOD habits!

Reader's set up their reading space, they take a sneak peek at their book before reading and they think about what the story is going to be about!

Reading partners work together! They grow ideas and give reminders!

Reading partners take turns reading the same page, different pages, they talk about the book after they are finished reading it and help each other set or meet reading goals!

Scholastic Book Orders

Scholastic Book Orders

Back by popular demand, I will be sending home book order forms with students monthly. I have placed the September book order already and those should be coming ASAP. I always place the order around the last week of the month in order to maximize the amount of points earned by our class. If you would like to order books, please do so online or send in checks in student GO Books. Scholastic book orders are a great way to keep your at home libraries up to date with your students changing interests or topics that we study in class. There is nothing like holding a book you are excited to read! It can really help to motivate!

Some topics to consider for this month:

Changing Seasons
Phases of the moon
Biographies (Columbus or Johnny Appleseed)
Kevin Henkes
Laura Numeroff
Bucket Filling

Happy Reading,
Mrs. L

Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus Study

1st graders have been studying a new biography this month, Christopher Columbus. We have reviewed, read, talked about and thought about this topic a lot! After this, we attempted to make some true statements about Christopher Columbus and his place in history. 

Visit Brainpop and search Christopher Columbus for a video to watch at home as a homework choice!

In the coming weeks we will be developing opinions about Columbus and expressing those ideas through writing and drawing.

Happy learning!
Mrs. L

Homework!

Homework in 1L

Thank you so  much for your time last week for curriculum night. It was so nice to see many of you here in 1L, sitting in your child's seat and learning about the fantastic things we will be doing here throughout the year. 

I have some exciting news! 

Students received their first homework log this week! 

These may be returned on Friday, or the following Monday depending on your family's homework routine. 

As I said on Thursday, the point of homework in 1L is to help establish routines and practice learned activities at home with your student. 

Notes about Homework:

• Students will be given blank pages in math, writing, reading, phonics and social skills throughout the week and those can simply be added to their "at home homework folder."
• Students can choose to finish those throughout the week. 
• "Unfinished Work," marked "complete and return" may also be added to their homework choices. I just ask that at some point it gets done.
• Students may bring back completed work anytime they wish. 
• Directions for math games may go home as well. These may be kept for future use! 
• If a piece of homework has a specific "due date" I will tell the students about it and write it on the activity. 
• Fundations Unit information and suggested weekly homework can also be added to the mix. 
• Trick words will be sent home with some students in the coming weeks. These may be used as homework choices too.
• Watch out for videos posted in the Blog! Videos are great homework choices!
• IPAD apps/educational software is also a choice. Just let me know on the bottom of the log what the student is using so that I can get a glimpse of their exposure!

Finally, encourage your students to vary their homework choices throughout the week and have fun learning with your students!

Student Council Updates

October Spirit Days:

• Red Sox day - this Friday (October 6th)!
• Halloween Colors  - Tuesday, October 31st

October Service Project:

• Kindness Grows!  Support the Sheehan Student Council's Joanne Hadalski Scholarship fund. Each spring, this money is awarded (in partnership with the PTA) to a graduating former Sheehan student. Our goal is for each class to try to raise $30. Each class will track how much money is raised on their Kindness Grows donation flower (which will be located in a safe spot in each classroom).

**The first School Store will be next Friday (10/13)! $5.00 limit please.

Thank you for your continued support!

Love,

Mrs. L