October Newsletter

October Calendar

Thursday 10/4 - Feast of St. Francis - Blessing of the Animals - Dress Uniform
*Friday 10/5 - Parents Drop In: Farm Tours, 7:55-8:10 AM

Monday 10/8 - Fall Holiday - No Classes
Saturday 10/13 - Walk for Uganda: 10 AM Walk Across the Golden Gate Bridge Registration/Donation Link
Mon-Fri - 10/15-19 - School Safety Week
Friday 10/19 - Feast of Mater: Dress Uniform with PINK Accents
                             NOTE: Singing Practice is Canceled This Morning
Wednesday 10/24 - Field Trip
Thursday 10/25 - Vishwa Shanti Dance Performance
Wednesday 10/31 - Halloween Parade, 1:30 - 2:30 PM

A Year of Robust Learning

LANGUAGE ARTS                       

Word study skills continue with the introduction of digraphs. Girls will continue to build words using:
• CVC (consonant•vowel•consonant) with digraphs: sh, ch, th, wh, and _ck (at the end).
• Welded Sounds: words with _all, _am, and _an. 
Our next unit opens with story posters, big book selection, Three Billy Goats Gruff, and concludes with a Reader's Theatre, Old Mother Hubbard's Hungry Family. 
Comprehension skills include learning to:

• Analyze characters through their actions, words, thoughts, and feelings
• Visualize to deepen understanding of characters
• Look for clues and evidence to find answers

WRITING WORKSHOP

First graders have continued writing small seed stories from personal experiences. Mini lessons are covering techniques that writers use to plan their stories. Girls are learning to construct complete sentences with attention to capital letters at the beginning and punctuation at the end. Writing skills being taught for strategies in spelling words, include:
• say it, slide it, hear it and write it
• use trick words
• listen for little words inside (fall, winter)
• write it part by part

Small Moments: Writing Partners

SCIENCE 

First graders are continuing their study of plants with growing wheat seeds. Girls will also begin an investigation about what plants and animals need to thrive in a terrarium habitat. Girls are engaging in science practices:
• making a model (terrarium)
• Observing animals (movement, eating habits)
• Communicating information orally, in writing, and through drawings
• Analyzing findings and constructing explanations (needs of plants, animals)

SOCIAL STUDIES 

The farm is a busy place! First graders are learning about the important contributions made by farmers. Throughout the fall months, girls are building an understanding of where our food comes from and how it gets from the farm to our plates. The farm theme is extended through related language arts, science, math, and design thinking challenges. Girls have been collaborating on designing a farm in small groups. Please join us for a "Farm Tour Day" on Friday, 10/5, 7:55-8:15 AM at morning drop off.

Design & Engineering Notebooks:
Sharing Sketches

Sketching Farm Map

Creating Farm Poster

SEL

SEL lessons are focusing on emotions and feelings. Girls recently completed a tri-fold booklet illustrating examples of feelings. Future lessons focus on expressing feelings through I-Statements and Win-Win strategies. After reading The Playground Problem, first graders will share responses about resolving problems through I-Statements. Girls will also role-play various scenarios to show problem-solving using: win-win, win-lose or lose-lose. 

Partner Talk: Emotion Cards

What is the Feeling Being Shown?

Sharing Ideas with Class

Making Feelings Booklets
  

MATH
We have concluded lessons using number bonds. Strategies introduced with number bonds  are being applied in Chapter 3: Addition facts to 10.   
   

Number Bond Challenge! Make 8
• First, Can You Find 4 Parts = Whole?

Turn and Talk with a Partner

• Next, add each of the 2 parts.
• Then, add the 2 parts.
• Do the 2 numbers = 8? 

Try It!
Finding Solutions to Equal 10