Explorers 3/10/2023

 Hello Explorer Families!

Peek at our Week

ELA

As part of our literacy curriculum, students are given opportunities to grow their phonics skills. Phonics instruction teaches children how to decode letters into their respective sounds. This is a skill that is essential for them to read unfamiliar words by themselves.T he transition from slowly sounding out a word, to rapidly recognising it, is what we call “learning to read by sight”. Every reader must make this transition to read fluently. Readers use phonics skills, beginning with letter/sound correspondences, to pronounce words and then attach meaning to them. As readers develop, they apply other decoding skills, such as recognizing word parts (e.g., roots and affixes) and the ability to decode multisyllable words.

How can families help their student at home?

1. Read to your child.

2. Listen to your child read daily. If your child stumbles on a word, encourage them to sound it out.

3. Revisit familiar books.

4. Encourage your child to write in a journal or small notes or jokes. Students have to listen for sounds in the words he or she wants to write. 

If you would like more information, you can look here - https://www.literacyideas.com/how-to-teach-phonics.

Science 

First graders are learning about the surface of the earth. We have created a diagram of the layers of the earth. Ask your child to name the layers for you.

Second graders are learning about slow and fast changes to the earth.  We will learn more about weathering and erosion. 

Math

Our first level mathematicians are learning how to make a 10 and add on to it.  We use a ten frame to make a group of 10 and add our “leftovers” to solve for the final answer.

Our second grade level mathematicians are continuing to strengthen their skills when adding 2 digit numbers.  It is wonderful to see their smiles when they are correct in their computations and we had lots of cheering and celebrating this week as our skill set continues to grow.

Our third grade level mathematicians are truly enjoying growing their knowledge of multiplication facts using repeated addition and picture cues to problem solve as well as lively games of Multiplication Splat.

Social Studies

Our first graders mapped out important parts of our classroom and continue to work on their mapping skills by creating a map of an ideal school playground here at Branchline School.  We talked about the importance of where equipment is located and how to best use our space.

Our second graders are adding the final touches to their ideal community posters.  Some found great techniques to make buildings stand up straight and created 3 dimensional houses.  It has been so much fun to watch the creativity and excitement of our second graders while working on their communities.