Grade 1/2 October Newsletter

Thank you for a wonderful first month of school. September was a terrific first month back at school! It was great seeing you and talking to all the families that came to “Barbeque and Curriculum night.”The students have been learning classroom routines and many new concepts of math, reading strategies and exploring their writing skills.

Math: “Number Sense and Numeration”

Grade 1’s are focusing on representing and comparing numbers to 50 (grade 2’s whole number to 100) using number lines, counters, snap cubes, ten frames, base ten blocks and hundred charts. We are also learning counting forward by 1’s, 2’s, 5’s and 10’s to 100 and backwards from 20 (Grade 2’s 1’s, 2’s, 5’s, 10’s and 25’s to 200 and backwards from 50). Problem solving is also a focus for both grades, but there will always be different problems for each grade. Students get many opportunities working with a partner or in a small group. The grade 1’s are learning about comparing and ordering numbers (e.g., 6 is 1 more than 5 or 4 is 1 less than 5). The grade 2’s are learning about related facts (e.g., 2+3=5, 3+2=5, 5-3=2, 5-2=3). Soon, we will be starting our new unit on “Patterning and Algebra”.

Reading: We have enjoyed reading with the “David Goes To School” series, “Chrysanthemum”, “Have you Filled My Bucket Today”, “Name Jar”. We have also read a book “Resect” on our Character trait of the month. Some of these books are also available online. Please encourage your child to read and listen these books again with you by clicking the following links.www.teachertube.com/video/ have - you - filled -a- bucket -a-narrated- picture-story-314https://www. youtube .com/watch?v=ggDAaANhxOs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fymBl4GfJjUStudents are learning decoding skills, making connections and comprehension skills to understand these books. Students have also started bringing their book bags to home. They should be able to read their take home books with some assistance. In addition to this, students have a new poem of the week. On Friday they take their poetry folder home to read with their family members. Please listen them reading.

Writing: We have been learning spelling by doing word family. Each week we choose one word family and learn to spell these words, write sentences and investigate different word family words at their own level. We also add new sight words to our word wall each week. With magnetic letters and large movable alphabets (Montessori Material), students break words apart and look at the spelling pattern. Students are also learning how to write a sentence using correct punctuation. Recently, the Grade 1’s and 2’s have started recount writing using a graphic organizer.

Social Studies: Grade 1 students are learning “Our Changing Roles and Responsibilities.” They are finding why their role at school is different from their role at home. Students will also think about situations in which they feel safe and confident, nervous or shy. They will also gather and organize some information on significant events, people and places in their

lives that contribute. Grade 2 students are learning “Changing Family and Community Traditions.” They are learning to compare some significant traditions and celebrations. Students will use this process to investigate some of the past and present traditions and celebrations within their families.

Grade 1 Grade 2

Science

Grade 1’s have started learning about “Daily and Seasonal Changes” and Grade 2’s are learning about “Air and Water in The Environment”.

If you have any further questions about any curriculum expectation, please call me at the school number: (416-396-8979).

Thanks you!

Mrs. Ohri (Grade 1/2 Teacher)