Word of the Week

One of the weekly features in our classroom is our WOW word.  WOW words stand for Wonderful (W) Outstanding (O) Word (W) of the week!  Our WOW word this week is Unite.  The definition we're using is "to join together."  We have been using this word all week and are trying our best to fit it into our daily conversations and use it as much as we can in sentences.  Through our WOW words, we discuss the part of speech it is;  if it's a person, place or thing- that's a noun.  If it's a describing word, it's an adjective.  If it's an action or "doing" word, it's a verb.  We discovered that because uniting is something we can do, unite is a verb.  We also talked about pronunciation guides and how if we're not sure how to say the word, we can use those.  To say "unite" correctly you say it like, "yoo-nahyt."  The first graders loved reading the pronounciation of unite to say the word. 

In math today we discussed addition.  We first talked about what addition means- putting things/numbers together and counting the total; and then how we know we're going to be adding- whenever you see the + sign.  We talked about what adding 0 to a number does and what adding 1 to a number does. Avery helped us notice that when you add 1 to a number, you move up one place on the number line.  (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)  This was an amazing discovery in our classroom today!  To practice what we had learned, we used our math deck of cards to add numbers and write number sentences.  We also used our number lines to help us add and help us count up.  For example, if you turned over a 5 and a 3, you would start at 5 on the number line and move up 3 spaces and land on 8.  Then we wrote, 5+3= 8.  Using a number line is an excellent way to help us add.

 Gavin uses the number line to add two numbers.

 Another group uses the number line to help write their number sentence

 Hailey shows us how she uses the number line to add

In reading today we introduced the second of five reading choices we will have during our literacy block.  The first, read to yourself, the first graders are so good at it was time to move on!  The second, read with a partner, went so well.  The first graders practiced taking turns, reading quietly, and sharing their thoughts with a friend.  Soon we will have learned all five of our daily choices and will be incorporating them into our reading time. 

 Tucker and Hannah read together

 Summer and Joud partner read

 Gavin and Ava read together

Mark and Matthew share their favorite books

Wallah chose lunch with her teacher to celebrate her awesome behavior so she and Hannah joined me for lunch in the classroom today.  We had a lovely discussion about our friends and family before we all went to recess.