Explorers 3/3/23

 Hello Explorer Families!

March is reading month!  Just a quick plug - try to set aside time to read each day with your child at home. Reading books aloud to children stimulates their imagination and expands their understanding of the world. It helps them develop language and listening skills and prepares them to understand the written word. Even after children learn to read by themselves, it's still important for you to read aloud together. If you are in need of “new books”, visit your local library or try https://www.storylineonline.net/ or https://www.storylineonline.net/.  Newspapers, cereal boxes, magazines, and recipes are also great ways to incorporate reading. 

Peak at our Week

ELA

As part of our word study this week, we talked about being part of team fry or team candy. Ask your child to tell you more. Several groups have begun reading chapter books and participating in a book club style group.

How To writing provides  great practice in logically sequencing events (a tough skill to master)…to the level at which someone else can follow the directions. Additionally, it gives us the chance to review and practice those very-important transition and time-order words (first, second, then, next, also, last, finally, etc.). To hook the students, we tried several hands-on activities. These served as the perfect opportunities to model the how-to process. 

Science

First graders are continuing to learn about the Earth.  Ask your child to tell you about daytime and nighttime.

Second graders  have been learning how the Earth changes. Some changes happen quickly such as volcanoes, landslides, mudslides, and earthquakes. Other changes happen slowly over many years. 

Math

Our first grade level mathematicians worked this week with ways to make ten using ten frames/counters using a story problem to pull needed information from.

Our second grade level mathematicians are learning to regroup when adding two digit numbers.  We used individual dry erase boards to talk about the steps needed to solve our problems and when regrouping was/was not needed.

Our third grade level mathematicians continue on their multiplication journey learning the fun of multiplying with zero and one.  Playing multiplication Splat has been so much fun!

Social Studies

Our first graders are learning about maps:  why they are used for, the different Our first graders are learning about maps:  why they are used for, the different types of maps and the type of information maps give us.  We will be creating our own classroom maps and perhaps even a treasure map to share with the second graders.

Our second graders are working on their ideal communities.  We created blueprints this week and started on our final designs.  The excitement is high as the children devise their ideal power source, natural characteristics, man made characteristics and their own clever ideas such as a Target store in their own community!