Oct. 24 - 28, 2022

 Hello, Grade 1 families!

Learning Intention: I can recognize and analyze letters and sounds in words. 

Since September, we have been working in small reading groups to focus our reading work more intensely and explicitly for each child. During this time we work on letter names, letter sounds, decoding (reading) CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) words, encoding (spelling) CVC words and learning about high-frequency words. We have small group instruction with Mrs. McKay every day and then read decodable books with Miss Pearl (our lunchroom supervisor) and Ms. Grant (our new Literacy support teacher for Gr 1 & 2). 

One fact I just read about is that within our lists of high-frequency words, the first 13 words make up more than 25% of printed words. If we can help our students store these words in their brains, it frees up a lot of time and memory for decoding other words. When I teach these words, we discuss what words are decodable (ex: and) or have decodable parts (ex: to). The 13 words are: 

1. the
2. of
3. and
4. a
5. to
6. in
7. is
8. you
9. that
10. it
11. he
12. for
13. was

For all words, we go through steps to ensure we know the word. 

1. Say it! We say the word and activate its meaning. Ex: and, I like cookies and ice cream. 
2. Tap it! We analyze the sounds we hear in the word. We use our arms to show the sounds we hear. (Ex: /and/)
3. Map it! We look at how the word is spelled and how the sounds we hear relate to the letters written. We use boxes and put one sound in each box. Ex: a | n | d  
4. Write it! We either write the word on whiteboards or sky-write it in the air. 
5. Use it! We use the word in a sentence with our partners. 

We also met with our Grade 4 biddies this week. Ask your child who their buddy is! We completed a Halloween Escape Room to try and help Mrs. McKay turn back into a teacher... Check it out here!