Polar Express!

Welcome to the Polar Express!  Enjoy this classic read by Liam Neeson.

Want to learn more about the author, Chris Van Allsburg?  Check out his official website, here!

Looking for some more Polar Express fun?  Try this Polar Express game!

Christmas, Hanukkah, & Kwanzaa Stories

Hanukkah in Alaska! Read by Molly Ephraim.

Turkey Claus



The Christmas Bear by Henrietta and Paul Stickland - Read by David Tennant

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Science Update - Waves: Light and Sound

We are excited about our new science unit - Waves: Light and Sound.  To help understand the science concepts we are learning about, here are some cool videos Mrs. Perry found to help us learn!

Sound for Kids

Want to see vibrations making sound in real life?  Check out these music videos from The Piano Guys!  When you hit a key on the piano, there's a little hammer that hits the strings inside... but you can also pluck the strings inside too!  It all comes together to create sound waves that are music!



Here's a holiday favorite they play the same way!



You can use vibrations to make music from just about anything?  Not convinced?  Check out the music from Blue Man Group!  What can you vibrate to make sound out of?

Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza

As you watch, think about how the adventures of the Little Red Hen are the same or different between The Little Red Hen and The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza.  Try using this sentence starter: 

In the first book, The Little Red Hen _________________, 

and in the other book she_________________.

Light and Sound

VIDEO LINK - Study Jams - All About Sound!  Also, check out the LIGHT study jam!

Discover how you can change the pitch of a guitar!

More fun with sounds!

Olive the Other Reindeer

The Little Red Hen

Can you retell the main events using the words first, next, then, last?
Who is your favorite character from the story?  Can you describe them using key details?  Use this sentence stem in your journal:  

My favorite character is _______________.   They are ____________.

Weekly Spelling Update 2.4 Glued Sound -nk

This week, we are reading and spelling words with -ank, -onk, -ink, & -unk These letter combinations are read as chunks. Even though there are three sounds they are read closely together as glued sounds.  

Click here for 2.4 Spelling City practice (words with -ank, -ink, -onk, & -unk). 

Heart Word Practice!  Heart Words this week are: also, most, & too.

For HEART WORD practice, Spelling City has separate lists of our High Frequency Words (HFW). 

2nd Quarter High Frequency Words!

Support Make-a-Wish! Write a Letter to Santa!

For every letter sent to Santa (delivered online or in stores), Macy's will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish foundation!!  Write your letter today!

https://www.macys.com/social/believe/

Another How To Video!

Science - The Listening Walk

We're launching our NEW science unit on light and sound!

Spelling Update: 2.3 Ending Blends

This week, we are working on unit 2.3, Reading and spelling words with ending blends ( -nt -lm -nd -st -lk -lt -ft -pt -sp -mp -sk).  Our heart words this week are new, old, & right.

 

Click here for this week's spelling focus - 2.3 Words with Ending Blends

For HEART WORD practice, Spelling City has separate lists of our High Frequency Words (HFW).

2nd Quarter Heart Words

1st Quarter Heart Words

K Heart Words

Remember, your child is responsible for knowing all previously taught heart words and spelling focuses. 

 

Reading HW Reminder

Just as a friendly reminder from the first grade team...

The reading passages that the first grade team sends home do not correspond to the current spelling list.  Often, the reading homework is recursive (review) practice.  Expect to continue to see short vowel passages sent home throughout the school year.

 

CCPS's spelling/phonics program in first grade doesn't have the students memorizing a set list of words, but rather focuses on the application of a spelling/phonics concept.  For example, last week was words with beginning blends, while this week our focus is on words that have ending blends.  Once your child has mastered a concept, they should be able to apply it to new words, even if it is a word they haven't seen before.  So, after this week, your child should be able to tackle a word like "blend" - a word that has both a beginning blend, an end blend, and a short vowel sound -- even if they've never spelled it before!  It's pretty amazing what words your child can spell when spelling is tackled this way!  

Be sure to keep practicing those heart words!  By now, your child is responsible to knowing all kindergarten and first quarter heart words.  As new words are learned, be sure to keep brushing up on those already learned!

Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

Want to learn all about the first Thanksgiving?  Check out Scholastic's Virtual Field Trip resources by clicking the picture below.

In social studies, we are continuing to learn about maps and features of our land.  We're learning all about the continents and bodies of water.  Try checking these online resources out!

Continents & Oceans Game

Continent Matching 

All About the World Geography (Easy to Expert Mode)

Geography Quiz! 

Common Core Link: Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

And since we're on break later this week, here's two Turkey Day links just for fun!

Dress Tom the Turkey!

Animated Thanksgiving Puzzle

The First Thanksgiving

Click here to visit The First Thanksgiving to learn all about this historic day of thanks.

Don't forget - your disguised turkey is due Monday!  

Student How To Videos!

Some of our students have gotten a head start on practicing their "How to" writing with creating a "How to" video!  Check them out below!  Way to take your learning to the next level!

Blends Videos - br, tr, dr, fl, fr

Weekly Update 2.2 Beginning Blends

This week, we are working on unit 2.1, spelling and reading words with beginning blends (cl-, bl-, fl-, gl-, pl-, sc-, sl-, sn-, sw-, st-, sp-, sk-, br-, cr-, dr-, fr-, gr-, pr-, tr-, tw-).  Our heart words this week are new, been, & want.

 

Click here for this week's spelling focus - 2.2 Words with Initial Blends

For HEART WORD practice, Spelling City has separate lists of our High Frequency Words (HFW).

2nd Quarter Heart Words

1st Quarter Heart Words

K Heart Words

Remember, your child is responsible for knowing all previously taught heart words and spelling focuses. 

Student How to Videos!

Calling all first graders!  Make your own "How To" video using the words first, next, then, and last.  Send the link to Mrs. Perry and we will post it on our website!  What will you teach us?  Here are some examples from last year!  (This is an optional extension project!)



How to Brew Coffee (for your mom or dad) -

How to Dance the Macarena  -

How to Draw a Unicorn -

Teamwork

What exactly IS a team?

Watch the short clips below.  Pick one situation and tell how it was better for the animals to work as a team.

Curriculum Update: Spelling 2.1, How To Writing, and more!

This week, we will work on reading and spelling words with the suffixes -s and -es. 

Click below on the focus to visit Spelling City:

2.1 -S and -ES Suffixes

2nd Quarter Heart Words

1st Quarter Heart Words

K Heart Words

First grade is also going to learn about "How To" writing.  Here are some great videos showcasing how to do some activities:

 

 

Halloween Stories

We hope everyone stays safe tonight trick-or-treating!  Enjoy these Halloween themed stories!

Pick one to watch, and talk with a parent or partner about each question below: 

• Can you tell the story in  over your 5 fingers?
• Can you identify the main characters?
• What is the setting (time and place)?

Shaun the Sheep: Halloween  

The Berenstein Bears and the Spookiest Pumpkin

I Need My Monster!

Winnie the Witch

Friendly Letters

We've been learning all about friendly letters as we write letters home to family members each week!  Check out this short YouTube video to help you learn the parts of a letter!




If you are interested in writing your OWN friendly letter, check this site out: Friendly Letter Maker!

Spelling Update: 1.8 -ff, -ll, -ss, & -zz

This week, we are reading and spelling words with -ff -ll -ss -zz.  The letters f, l, s, z are almost always doubled when they come at the end of a one- syllable word with one short vowel. 

Our heart words this week are from, try, and why.

Click here for Spelling City 1.8 word practice.

Click here for first quarter heart word review.

Click here for kindergarten heart word review.

Parents:  You may find this video helpful:

Math Homework - Subitizing

At open house, we discussed the importance of subitizing and moving beyond 1:1 counting. We have already sent home some basic flashcards to start developing your child's ability to subitize.  But what if your child finds the cards dead easy? Or by now needs things changed up a bit to stay engaged?

 Well, here are some more  subitizing activities for your child.

Next Step - games through 10:  https://www.haverford.k12.pa.us/cms/lib/PA01001043/Centricity/Domain/1441/Savvy_Subitizing_Cards.pdf  

Need a challenge with more complex patterns?  Try these games:
https://www.emsisd.com/cms/lib/TX21000533/Centricity/Domain/3442/dotcards.pdf

Both these games require you to print them out.  Please email your child's teacher if you do not have access to a printer.  We can print them out for you!

Count Your Buttons Day!

Oct 21st was Count Your Buttons Day!

Here in first grade we LOVE to celebrate holidays of all shapes and sizes.... (ha!  Get it?  All shapes and sizes?  Just like buttons?  No?  Just Mrs. Perry find this funny then?)  This particular holiday lends itself PERFECTLY to our current math unit: Building Numbers and Place Value.  Grab some buttons!  Count them as bundles of 10s and leftover 1s!

Need some ten frame mats?   Link to 1 per page / 2 per page: http://www.mathwire.com/templates/tenframemat.pdf   In first grade, we work with numbers up to 120, so print out a couple charts to work with.  However, it would be wise to start with numbers in the teens first.  Questions you can use are: "How many groups/bundles of ten do you have?"  "How many leftover ones?"  "When you count, do you have to count the whole mat of 10 individually or could we count by 10s?" etc....




This is a GREAT short video of the history of buttons... 


Is button manufacturing more your style?  Here's a video on how buttons are made.

Punctuation

Can you put the  right end punctuation mark on sentences?  Try playing these games for some extra practice.

 End Punctuation Game:  Help the dogs with punctuation!

Sentence Shooter - Shoot paper airplanes to show the right punctuation!

Want more of a challenge??  Try these out!

Punctuation Sentence Sort - Reading Challenge 

Can you guess the end punctuation mark?

Geography Update: Compass Rose

Here are some cool compass rose games:

Follow the Directions Game

Use Compass Points to Explore the Rain Forest!

Parents, 

We are starting to learn about the compass rose map tool and how it can help us find directions (north, south, east, and west) on a map.  Today, we will send home a small social studies project - our students will be making their very own compass rose out of creative materials!  Be sure to review the project assignment that comes home with your child.  We look forward to students sharing their projects in class!   

Spelling Update: 1.7 -am, -an, & -all

Spelling Update

This week, we are working on unit 1.7 - reading and spelling words with -am, -an, and -all.   Our heart words this week are word, work, and very.  Use the links below to access our lists on Spelling City.

Both m and n are called nasal sounds because the sound comes out the nose.  The m and n change the short a sound from a pure short a to a nasal sound.  The letter l is a liquid sound and distorts the vowel sound as well.  These letter combinations will be read as chunks with the sounds glued together.  Teach the exceptions pal and gal during this unit.

Click here for this week's spelling focus -am, -an, & -all).
For HEART WORD practice, Spelling City has separate lists of our High Frequency Words (HFW).  Here is the link for HFW for the first quarter.

If your child still needs to practice reading and writing K sight words, keep practicing them too!

DreamBox and Writer's Workshop Update

Math Update

Now that we're about a month into the school year, each class has had a chance to access Dreambox Math on our classroom iPads.  The first grade team would like to see students access Dreambox Math at home for at least two 15 minute sessions a week.  Since we do not send home math or spelling homework on the weekends, Friday - Monday would be the ideal time for students to do this.   For direct access to Huntingtown Elementary's Dreambox page, use the link on the righthand sidebar.

ELA Update

We are well into learning about the text elements of fiction and nonfiction!  Our Writer's Notebooks will give us a place to practice being authors and illustrators!  Check out Amelia's Notebook to see what an authentic writer's notebook can and should look like!  Below is an animated version of the story we're looking at in class. 

Amelia's Notebook Part 1

Amelia's Notebook Part 2

Spelling Update: 1.6 Short Vowel Review

This week we are continuing to read and spell all short vowel CV and CVC words.  If your child is able to read and spell short vowel words, review/study those first quarter heart words!      

Our heart words this week are there, where & your.  If your child is still struggling with kindergarten heart words, continue to practice them!  

 Quarter 1 Week 6: Short Vowel Review

Click Below for Heart Word Practice!

Quarter 1 High Frequency Words 

or

Kindergarten High Frequency Words

NonFiction Characteristics

Spelling Update: Short e (and review of other short vowels)

This week, we are reading and spelling short e words with the VC and CVC pattern. We are also reviewing all previously taught vowel patterns.  Heart words are: some, come, and or. 

Click HERE for 1.5 spelling: Words with the short E pattern.

Short A and Short O - Geraldine

Geraldine is one silly giraffe, but she and Mr. Thorne love teaching you all about phonics!

Generating Seed Ideas, Short I and Short u words

Generating Seed Ideas: Writing

Spelling Update

This week, we are working on unit 1.4 - reading and spelling short i and short u in VC (vowel consonant) and CVC (consonant vowel consonant)  words.   Our heart words this week are one, two and were.  Use the links below to access our lists on Spelling City.

Click here for this week's spelling focus (short i & short u).

For HEART WORD practice, Spelling City has separate lists of our High Frequency Words (HFW).  Here is the link for first quarter heart words.  

If your child still needs to practice reading and writing K sight words, keep practicing them too!

Literature or Non-Fiction?

This week, we've explored literature and informational texts.   Here are some great discussion ideas (essential questions) for reinforcing what we've learned in school at home or in centers:

• What are the characteristics of literature?
• What are the characteristics of informational text?
• How is literature different from informational text?
• How can you determine if a text is literature or informational?

Here is the fiction text  we read in class:



Here is another literature (fiction) story, Badly Drawn Dog.

https://youtu.be/1Smml-s9g84

 
Now, let's look at some informational text. 





Revisit our essential questions. Talk about them with an adult or your partner. Can you spot the differences between these two kinds of text?