Monday was a wash for us for Riggs and Saxon Math because we had MAPS testing during those blocks. I did however get excellent data.
Riggs:
- We reviewed the first five strokes and learned the last two.
- We practiced strokes in shaving cream, on Riggs paper, and on sandpaper with cinnamon sticks.
- On Thursday we capped it off with Riggs strokes 1-7 test. As a class they did fairly well. We do need to tighten up spacing, the strokes starting in a certain place and touching all the baselines that they need to.
- So next Monday we will review and Tuesday test again. Please continue to practice at home and stress the importance of going slow, leaving comfortably close space and touching the baselines. Once we have students strokes tightened up we can start our phongrams!
Stroke 1-the circle: Spacing over to leave enough room for a full round circle which will sit “comfortably close” to the margin line, just under the middle dotted line, begin at 2 on the clock. Go up and around, touch the dots and go down past 10 to 8; set your circle on the baseline and round up past 4 to 2. Stop and lift your pencil. Remember your circle should be comfortably close to the margin line.
Stoke 2-the short line: Begin at the middle dotted line and pull a line straight down to the baseline. Stop and lift your pencil.
Stroke 3-the tall line above the baseline: Begin just below the top base line and pull a line straight down to the baseline. Stop and lift your pencil.
Stroke 4-the tailed line extending below the baseline: Begin at the middle dotted line and pull a line straight down past the base line, stopping just above the lower dotted line. Lift your pencil.
Stroke 5-the first diagonal line: Begin at the middle dotted line, above 10 on the clock. Slant your line forward, straight down past 4 on the clock to stop at the base line. Lift your pencil.
Stroke 6-the short cross line: Begin just above the middle dotted line, make a small horizontal stroke in the direction we read and write. Stop and lift your pencil.
Stroke 7-the second diagonal line: Begin at the middle dotted line above the 2 on the clock. Slant your stroke backwards past 8 to stop at the base line. Lift your pencil.
Riggs clock: 
Riggs letter strokes 
Saxon Math:
- This week we acted out "Some, Some More and Some, Some Went Away" stories. Five chairs were arranged at the front of the room and students were asked to get on and off of the train. We talked about first, middle, last ("the passengers in the first and last seats of the train get off.) and first, second, third, fourth and fifth (the passengers sit in the second and the fourth seats). We counted how many were on the train and if 2 more passengers got on (adding) and off (subtraction) how many passengers were then on the train.
- We talked about triangles and how many sides, vertices and angles it has. We also started filling out a shape chart that asks us how many sides, vertices, angles, what kind of line (curved or straight) and what that shapes looks like in real life (a circle could be a clock, a triangle could be a slice of pizza, etc). We practiced sorting students by red sweaters or not, sleeve length, shoes etc.
- In written practice the students have been working on writing numbers 11 and 12 and reinforcing first, middle, last, left and right.
- Next week we will be practicing writing numbers 13, 14 and 15 as well as starting to look at pennies.
Core Knowledge:
- We finished up our unit on the seasons.
- We filled in the rest of our tree.
- We talked about the water cycle which was perfect because the next day there was a huge puddle on the playground and it was perfect to reinforce the words the students learned: precipitation, condensation and evaporation. They were fascinated!
- The students were able to draw what a tree looks like in each season and to answer questions about the seasons. What are the four seasons? What are your favorite seasons and why? How does the weather effect us? What is a blizzard? What is the difference between thunder and lightning? How do we stay safe in a storm?
General:
- A big thank you to all the parents, family members and friends who volunteered and donated to the Jog-a-Thon! We appreciate it! As green forms get returned back to school we will be working on thank you cards in class.
Days to remember:
- Friday October 21st is our school field trip day. We are traveling with 1st grade to Old McDonald's Farm in Corbett, Oregon followed by a visit to Bushue's Family Farm in Boring. When we get back to school (sometime after 1) we will be weighing our pumpkins, guessing how many seeds are in each one (parent chaperones I would love your help to cut the tops off the pumpkins while the children are playing at recess), counting the seeds and seeing if pumpkins will sink or float.
- Friday October 28 and Friday November 4th are parent teacher conferences. If you have not yet signed up please do so! Here is the link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090e49a9ae2ba3fc1-october For conferences bring in your child's planner if you have questions or concerns about behaviors or homework.
