JANUARY 25TH-29TH Sunshine Smiles Writing Workshop Choices and Genres Using Visuals to Support This week, the SUNSHINES reviewed different types of writing genres. They talked about narratives, opinion writing, informational texts, “how-to” writings, and more. During Writing Workshop, they get to choose what they would like to write about and what format to put it in. Check out the learning that is radiating from the SUNSHINE room this week! Themes of the Week: * Choice in Writing Procedures Writing Workshop * New Word Wall Words The Sunshines continue to work with 100’s charts and participate in place value activities. Finding Evidence to Support Reading Thinking * Tricky Words * Matter:Solids, Liquids, Gases Words of the Week: winter, interest, split, care, quiet, get, should, will, what, here Differentiated Reading Groups 1 Science/Social Studies/Health Reading * The Sunshines have been working really hard * This week, we continued our unit on MATTER. The SUNSHINES experimented with solids and liquids. We looked closely at different solids and liquids and identified properties that they displayed. Our big buddies helped up with some of the observations. We also journaled about how matter changes phases through experiments completed in class. to independently figure out “tricky words” on their text level. Ask your child to tell you a variety of ways that they can solve a word if they get stuck. * We have also been working on responding to books by making connections, identifying favorite parts and characters, and observing what the author is trying to tell us. Math * We continued to work on looking closely at 100’s charts and place value. The Sunshines participated in collaborative activities to identify, recognize, and build numbers using tens and ones. They also used 100’s and 200’s charts to fill in puzzles and observe number patterns. * * *We finished our formal unit on opinion writing. We will now have choice writing during writing workshop. We reviewed the different types of writing (narrative, opinion, informational, “how-to”, etc) and their purposes. Look for the opinion writing rubric with your child’s piece(s) to come home next week. * We continued to practice number routines that focused on number lines, making numbers in different ways, solving story problems, making tens and ones, and working with a 100’s chart. * We continue to work on transferring word wall words correctly into our writings. Please practice the words of the week at home. We are working on seeing parts of words and writing words quicker based on what we see and know (not writing words letter by letter). Technology * The students used the computers to practiced leveled texts and math skills. Writing * We took our winter dictation sentence assessment. Continue to look on Progress Book for updated grades and information on your child’s learning. UPCOMING EVENTS AND REMINDERS * Please send in a baggie of 100 items (pennies, paperclips, stickers, etc.) by THIS Friday, January 29th. * Book orders are due THIS Thursday, January 28th. There are a lot of good books for first graders in this order. * Please continue to check Progress Book for updated information on your child’s learning. * Our Valentines Day Party will be on Friday, February 12th at 10:15 a.m. You are welcome to send in Valentines for the class on this day. * Please continue to read with your child at home each night. * Conferences are coming up! The conference dates are February 23rd and 25th. More information about signing up will be coming home soon! 2