Grade One We completed the second math module in which students learned about place value and addition and subtraction within 20. Some of the key concepts first graders learned include the following:
After working with 10 for the past several weeks, students now can name a ten and use the “say 10 way” to describe a number. For example, 15 would be 10, 5 because it is one 10 and 5 ones. The work we’ve been doing to represent ten in different ways such as two 5-groups, the Rekenrek, and 10 fingers, are all renamed as a ten and some ones. The ten has shifted to being one unit, a structure from which students can compose and decompose teen numbers. This significant step forward sets the stage for understanding all the numbers within 100 as composed of a number of units of ten and some ones. The unit of ten is the foundation for our whole number system wherein all units are comprised of ten of the adjacent unit on the place value chart. First grade students are studying astronomy in our Listening and Learning time. Ask your child what we call a scientist who studies space (astronomer). We learned about the different ways the Earth moves (rotating on its axis and revolving around the sun). While looking at a globe, students learned we live in Morgan Hill, which is in California, a part of the United States, on the continent of North America. And, North America is on our own planet Earth. We learned that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. The horizon is the place where the Earth’s surface and the sky appear to meet. All objects in space actually pull on all other objects, but larger objects pull harder than smaller objects. The force that causes objects to pull on each other is called gravity. As this pulling action happens, the force of the sun’s gravity holds Earth in its place. Although Earth continues to follow its orbit around the sun, the earth does not wander off into space. | Grade Two Students continue to learn about cycles in nature. This week they learned about the four seasons of the year and the characteristics of each season. In addition, they learned about animal behavior during each season. They discovered how some animals adapt to the changing seasons while some animals migrate when seasons change. In addition, they learned that plants use water and sunlight to make their own food, as well as oxygen for us to breathe. This process is called photosynthesis. It is during springtime that this great burst of life and energy occurs. Ask your child to describe the different seasons. Also, second graders are reading non fiction books on the life cycle of different animals. And, students are creating layer books in class to show their learning about life cycles. In math second grade students are learning to use math drawings to represent adding numbers within 200. Students are learning to regroup 10 ones as one ten and 10 tens as one hundred. Then they relate their drawings to the vertical written method. The use of manipulatives and math drawings allow students to see numbers in terms of place value units and serves as a reminder that they must add like units (e.g., knowing that 74 + 38 is 7 tens + 3 tens and 4 ones + 8 ones). When math lessons just focus on the written algorithym, students may not give total attention to understanding the value of each digit within a number, as well as why and how the written method works. When students use the place value chart as an organizer and simultaneously use the written method students recognize both the value of numbers when they are not on the place value chart, and like units. The same is true when students make math drawings and use place value language to relate each step of the drawing to a written method. The different representations serve to solidify the understanding of the composition and decomposition of units, moving from concrete to pictorial to abstract. Students are encouraged to explain their thinking and to use multiple strategies in solving problems. |
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AuthorHello, I am Renee De Villez. This page is about the activities going on in my classroom. My audience consists of the parents of the students in my class. Other parents and teachers are welcome to read it as well. Archives
May 2017
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