News From Our Hive
April 29, 2016
We began our ABC Countdown to the end of the year. A copy of the note sent home can
also be found on the classroom website. Next week we have: C-Crazy Hair Day, D-Dance
Day, E-Empty Your Desk Day, F-Funny Feet Day, and G-Gum Day.
Our field trip to Brookfield Zoo will be Wednesday, June 1. If you are interested in being a
chaperone, please let me know. Chaperones are required to ride the bus to/ from the zoo.
I can take 6 “official” chaperones, but all parents are welcome to meet us at the zoo.
Important Dates:
Open House: Thursday, May 5
First Grade Music Program: Wednesday, May 11
Early Release: Friday, May 20
First Grade Writer’s Expo: Tuesday, May 24
Early Release: Friday, May 27
Brookfield Zoo Field Trip: Wednesday, June 1
Contact
Information:
Sarah Adams
Office:
438-5986
Classroom:
540-2868
Email:
liz.szarek@lz95.org
We had TWO assemblies this week. First, we heard the lovely voices of the 4th and 5th grade chorus
on Wednesday. Our other assembly, Bringing Literature to Life, was on Thursday morning. Thank you
to our wonderful PTO for sponsoring it. We all enjoyed the show.
Reading: Students were introduced to sensory images this week. We discussed how words in poems
can awaken our senses and help us gain a clear understanding of the poem.
We also investigated and explored the purpose and inspiration for some poems by learning how
poets use observations, emotions, and personal experiences before they decide on a “big idea”.
During Literacy Stations, the students read to themselves, read to a partner, listened to Down By the
Bay on the iPods, visited www.myon.com on the laptops, sorted their word study words/ pictures,
wrote about Earth Day and butterflies, and sorted poetic devices.
Word Wall: We added three new words to our word wall: than, there, where. The next words are:
write, their.
Math: Adding and subtracting with two-digit numbers was our math focus this week. We started by
using a number track to add on 1, 2, or 3 from any number and then we began to add on in steps of
10. The students worked on counting back 1, 2 or 3 from any two-digit number and then moved to
subtracting in steps of ten from any two-digit number.
Writing: The students are working on collecting information for their “all about” book. This week we
began reading about our topic and developing a list of details and making a diagram.
CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE…
News From Our Hive
April 29, 2016
Science: We started our final science unit, HABITATS. In Chapter 1 the students explored some of the
places where plants and animals live. We read about land and water habitats and the students sorted
plants and animals by those that live in a water habitat and those that live in a habitat on land. They
also watched the unit launch video which introduced them to scientist Greg Marshall and his “critter
cam”.
4R’s: During our SEL lesson this week we learned about the ABCD method of solving conflicts. ABCD
stands for: Ask, “What is the problem?” Brainstorm solutions. Choose the best solution that will be a winwin for everyone. Do it!
Caldecott Club: Our last Caldecott Club of the school year was today. The students enjoyed hearing
Click Clack Moo and recreating one of the illustrations from the story. Each student’s beautiful
Caldecott projects will be bound together and sent home with you at Writer’s Expo on May 24.
We subracted 1, 2, 3 and 10’s
from two-digit numbers.
We worked on writing
questions and answers. We
began to read about our topic
and collect details.
Avary
We are learning about
habitats in science.
Habitats are where
plants and animals live.
Dylan and Alex
Darby