Our First Grade Classroom News Week of April 9, 2018 Our Learning Email: jsiegel@duxbury.k12.ma.us Our Learning Notes Science – We will be learning about Simple Machines (levers, inclined planes, wedges, screws, wheels and axles, and pulleys) and how they make life easier. The students will be reading some nonfiction texts to support their learning. Phonics – We will be introducing the vowel teams ue (e.g. glue) and ew (e.g. blew). We are practicing segmenting and blending words with 5 sounds that include basewords with suffixes. Old Trick Words: would, could, should, her, over, number, say, says, see, between, each, any, many New Trick Words: how, now, down Return your library books on Tuesday to check out a new book for vacation! A permission slip went home last week for an additional field trip to Darby Farms on June 5. Please send back the signed forms and checks as soon as possible so that the Front Office can process payment. Once all forms are received, we will be doing a lottery again to determine volunteers. Thank you! The students enjoyed a traveling science workshop on sound, hosted by the Discovery Museum in Acton. The kids were engaged in making hands on observations as they learned that sound is vibration, and took home a cup instrument of their own. If interested, please check out the following link to learn about sound activities or to complete a short survey for a free admission pass: http://tinyurl.com/TSWactivity. See the following page for photos! Reminders Our Learning Reading and Writing – As we continue with nonfiction, the students will practice comparing and contrasting two different texts on the same nonfiction topic as we gather information. This research practice will help inform their upcoming Life Cycle research projects. Math – We will finish Topic 9 with a lesson on comparing numbers with a number line. We will then jump to Topic 13, which teaches time, and we’ll start with understanding the minute and hour hands. Upcoming Dates April 16 - 20 No School – Spring Vacation April 27 Arbor Day @ 2:20PM – Families welcome to join at large playground May 7 Museum of Science Field Trip