Doubles!

Our new math topic is all about doubles!  We'll be using doubles to help us solve "near doubles" as well.  For example, if the student knows that 6+6=12, then he/she can also figure out that 6+7=13.  Check out these students playing a game to sharpen their doubles facts!

Here are a couple songs that we have learned in class to help us remember our doubles facts.

Math is Magnificent!

As part of our daily math curriculum, students work with partners to solve math problems and equations.  The students use counters, cubes, or play games to help them learn new math skills.  The students below are playing an addition game while practicing the "count on" strategy.  Who knew learning could be fun??  :)

Literacy "Work" Stations

The students are becoming pros at our literacy stations!  Students do about three stations each day while I work with small guided reading groups.  Our stations include Read to Self, Work on Writing, Buddy Read, Handwriting, Poetry Station, Classroom Library, Listening Station, and iPads.  Take a look at these students working hard, learning, and having fun!

Handwriting

More Handwriting

Poetry Station

Listening Station

iPad Station - a 1st grade favorite! 

Work on Writing

Buddy Read

More Buddy Read!

Ask your child which station is his/her favorite.  

Also ask your child WHY it is important for us to do our stations.  :)  

I'd love to hear your child's answers in the comments below!

What a Week!

We've been quite busy in First Grade!  Our main focus in Reading this week was identifying story elements.  In the picture below, the students matched each clue to the correct story element from a chapter in Frog and Toad titled "Cookies."  

The students also worked with a partner to recall story elements from the book, 

The Bear Who Wouldn't Share.  

Our spelling/phonics focus for the upcoming week will be digraphs: wh, th, and sh.  These can be tricky!  Please practice the words at home.  Here is a short video that reviews the digraphs.  

Welcome to Mrs. Dippold's First Grade Class!

Wow, I can't believe it's that time of year again!  For me, the start of the school year brings excitement, nerves, new goals, and new beginnings - and most importantly, a new class of eager first graders!  I can't wait to get to know my wonderful new students!!!

I hope you will check our classroom blog often.  I'll post important news, special dates, what we are learning, and best of all, lots of pictures of what's been happening in our room!

The Back-to-School Open House is on Thursday, August 6th.  Stop by anytime between 5:00 and 6:30pm and say hello, check out your child's new classroom, and drop off school supplies.  It is extremely helpful to me if you have pencils already sharpened and everything labeled with your child's name or initials (scissors, glue, notebooks.... yes, even individual markers and crayons, eeek!).

On Back-to-School Night, the students usually love getting a preview of their new room, sitting at their very own desk, and finding their name on the hallway bulletin board and around the classroom.  It also eases some anxiety prior to the first day of school.  I will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the new school year on Thursday evening, or you may email me anytime at jessalyn.dippold@fhsdschools.org.

I look forward to seeing you, and especially your wonderful first grader, on Thursday evening!

Enjoy the remaining days of summer!  The real fun begins on August 11th - the first day of First Grade!  I'm excited!  :)

Mrs. Dippold

Solids, Liquids, and Gases - Oh My!

We spent the week learning about the three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas.  See if your child can find a solid, liquid, and gas at your house.  I'd love to hear about what he/she finds in the comments below.

On Monday we took two bags of ice and placed one in the sun for 10 minutes and the other in the shade for 10 minutes.  The students predicted which would melt faster, and then wrote about what really happened.

On Wednesday we mixed vinegar and baking soda to create the gas, carbon dioxide.  Our little scientists below were quite impressed with the results!

We also did an activity this week using cheerios as molecules to show how close together or far apart the molecules in a solid, liquid, and gas are. 

Great work this week, scientists! 

Pumpkin Party

Our pumpkin party was a HOOT!  The students played several games including Pin the Spider on the Web, Ring Toss, and Roll-a-Pumpkin!  They created paper plate ghosts and got to ice and decorate their very own cookies... right before scarfing them down, of course!