Learning Plan April 1-3

Hi Grade 1 Families! Below are some activities for this week.  

Learning Plan – April 1-3

Task 1

Activity – Drawing/Writing

Draw a picture and write about what you have been doing since school ended.

Guiding questions:

-how are you feeling?

-what is different? What is the same?

-what are the things you like about being at home all day?

-what do you miss?

-what is something fun that you have done with your family?

-do you have any questions for your teacher?

Learning Intentions:

-I can draw a detailed picture to represent my ideas

-I can write and/or verbally share about my experiences

Extension (optional):

-students can edit and check their work for punctuation, proper spelling of sight words and upper and lowercase letters

Important note – this is a shared literacy activity. The goal is for students to share how they are feeling/thoughts about how things have changed in the past couple of weeks. The goal is for students to draw a detailed picture and write about their experiences. You can support students with spelling, sounding out words and generating ideas. You are also welcome to support them by scribing (write some of their ideas for them) if necessary. The focus of this task is less about printing/spelling and more about students sharing their feelings/thoughts.

 Task 2

Activity – Building/Writing

Option 1

Using materials that you have at home, build something unique and special. Get creative!!

Guiding questions:

-what is it called?

-what is it used for?

-how does it work?

-how would you describe it?

-what materials did you use?

Option 2

Using materials that you have at home, build a setting and characters. Write a story about it!

Guiding questions:

-where does your story take place (setting)?

-who are the characters?

-what is the problem?

-what is the solution?

-what happens in the beginning, middle and end?

Learning Intentions:

-I can use a variety of found materials (tin foil, paper, blocks, lego, sticks, rocks, etc) to represent my ideas

-I can share my ideas through writing

-I can check for upper and lowercase letters and the proper spelling of sight words

Extension (optional):

-complete both tasks, try and record your ideas in different ways, for example in Task 1 students could draw a diagram and include labels and in Task 2 they could write a simple story

Task 3

Activity – Math

Shape Hunt – Go on a shape hunt around your house looking for and recording the 3D objects that you see! Look for (at least) the 3D objects below and see how many of each you can find. Choose a way to record your findings.

 

Guiding questions

-what 3D objects can you find around the house (for example, a can of soup is a cylinder shape)?

-what 3D objects can you name?

-how will you record your ideas? (tally marks, graph, list, pictures)  

-what other 3D objects do you see?

Learning Intensions:

-I can name 3D objects

-I can identify 3D objects around my house (can – cylinder)

-I can record my findings

Extensions:

-after the shape hunt, answer the following questions:

            -which 3D object has the least? Which has the most?

            -count the number of each that you found, is the number odd? even?

            -add all of your groups together, how many shapes did you find in total?

-describe 3D objects using the terms vertices and edges

-compare and describe three different 3D objects

-build 3D objects using materials that you can find around the house (playdough, toothpicks, pasta, marshmallows etc. with permission, of course!)

Task 4

Math

Grab, Estimate, Count

Choose different sets of objects around your house (coins, pasta, buttons, cereal) take a handful, estimate how many, count and record the number.

For large amounts, have students count 10 and put them aside. Seeing what 10 looks like will help them make an estimate for the rest of the group. “If this is what 10 looks like, how many do you think there are in the whole group.”

This also leaves lots of options for how kids choose to count the group. They can count by 2, 5, 10 or find other ways to count. Students are working toward using more efficient strategies.

 Reading

On top of these three tasks, we encourage students to be reading for 20 minutes each day. After reading, have your child discuss what they have read. Some comprehension question you can ask after reading include:

-where did the story take place (setting)?

-who were the characters?

-what happened at the beginning, middle, end?

-can you summarize the story?

-what is one new fact that you learned (non-fiction texts)?

-what would happen if….

-why do you think….

*If your child would like to share their work with me, you are welcome to take a picture and include it in an email. At this point we are unable to open attachments, but can see photos that are included in the email itself. This is completely optional*

Update

 Dear Parent(s) / Guardian(s):

Thank you for your patience as we work through some necessary planning in preparation for resuming structured learning opportunities for your child. I understand there has been a lot of uncertainty about what learning is going to look like moving forward. I can assure you that we are going to work on key learning outcomes at-home within the parameters established by the province and CBE.

To help me understand your family’s access to technology, can you please provide responses to the following three questions:

▪ Does your child have access to a computer, laptop, iPad/tablet, smart phone?

▪ Does your child have access to the Internet?

▪ Is your only option a paper-based education for your child?

While the lessons I will be providing are aimed to minimize technology, there will still be times where we will need to rely on technology as a resource. It is important that your child knows their CBE ID#, email and password. The CBE ID# can be found on their digital report card through PowerSchool. When you check in and reply to this email, I will send you your child’s email and password.

Starting Friday April 3, you will receive from me a weekly learning plan for the upcoming week. Each week’s plan will highlight what we are working on, various resources and an explanation of your child’s activities or tasks.

I will have a Grade 1 learning plan, for this week communicated to families via email and blog by the end of the morning on Tuesday March 31. In the meantime, read a story together and share your favourite part.

I will primarily be communicating with you and your child via email with all learning plans also posted to the blog. As time moves on I also intend to use Google classroom and if necessary, will replicate lessons into a paper format.

Students and/or parents can reach out to me for help or for clarification via e-mail at kjpittman@cbe.ab.ca or meafraser@cbe.ab.ca. If you have questions during the weekday, I expect to be able to answer most questions that same day. If specific support is needed I can also be available to call you at a time that is convenient for you.

I recognize this is new for most of us and we will get through this together. I am here for your child and look forward to being in regular contact with you and your child.

Sincerely,  

Kim Pittman and Meagan Fraser

Spring Break

Hello families, 

We hope you are having a good week. Just a quick reminder that next week is Spring Break for families and teachers but we look forward to connecting again March 31. Below are a few pictures from this year to remind the kids of some of the regular activities we do in grade 1. 

Thinking of all of you!

Mrs. Pittman and Ms. Fraser

Explore, test, observe, discover

Listen to stories

Be creative and make up stories

Look closely and sketch 

Find cozy spots and read!

Explore your backyard. Spring is coming so look for signs! Below is something I noticed in my yard. 

Pussy Willows!

We miss you!

Room 15/16 boys and girls, we miss you!!! Our room has been very quiet the past couple of days and we sure miss seeing your smiling faces every morning.
Parents and families, while we are figuring out the next steps, you can refer to the CBE website for activities to do at home. We hope you are all doing well and staying healthy.
https://cbe.ab.ca/programs/curriculum/learning-at-home/Pages/default.aspx

Animals!

For the past few months we have been reading a book called "Heartwood Hotel." This story is set in the Fernwood Forest at an animal hotel. Although the story is fictional, it is fact based in many ways. It focuses on animals, habitats, needs, seasons and friendships. As we near the end of the first book, the students are choosing an animal character from the story that interests them and will focus on this animal for some upcoming projects. Today the students used clay to create a sculpture of their animal. We also talked about a community helper called a Wildlife Rehabilitator. After reading a story about a team of experts that take care of ocean animals who need help, the students brainstormed information that they would need if they were to become a wildlife rehabilitator and expert about their animal. Students began their research today and will share their findings to educate others about their animal.

Reminder: Conference bookings can be made as of today. Conferences will be next Thursday March 19 and Friday March 20.