Math Apps

Here are some of our favorite math apps.  Check these apps out for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, telling time, shapes, and other math skills.  

Click HERE to view a larger image of these apps.  These are just some of the apps we have as options.  Please email me if you'd like more!  

These apps can also be found on the "Apps" tab from the homepage of this blog.

Literacy Apps

One of the pieces of feedback I received from the Parent Communication survey you took in the fall is that you'd like more ideas for apps that promote skills practice.  Looking for apps to focus on literacy skills at home?  Here are some of our favorites in 1U.  These are just some of the apps we use.  If you'd like more, please email me.  CLICK HERE to view the apps in a larger image.  

I'm also working on a similar list for math apps and apps for creation.  Check back soon for those!

These apps can also be found on the "Apps" tab from the homepage of this blog.

Minute To Win It!

We had a BCPTO and PBIS celebration today!  Students wore pajamas and "jammed" out to music in the gym.  The BCPTO provided drinks and popcorn.  Students got to participate in different activities.  

100th Day Celebration

We had a fabulous time celebrating the 100th day of school yesterday.  We did a lot of counting!  I looked back at the first day of school pictures.  My, oh, my!  These babies are growing!

Winter FAST - Celebrations and Goals

Last week, teachers at Keystone Elementary sat down with students and administered the winter FAST assessment.  This is the assessment the state uses to determine if students are proficient in reading.  Check out the graphs below to see how your child did on the sight word and fluency portion of the assessment.  Please email me if you need your child's number.  The number has not changed since the last time I shared a similar graph.  Students are in a random order for confidentially reasons.  

Celebrations:

I see many reasons to celebrate after looking at both graphs.  

1. Many students scored at or above the proficiency range for the winter testing period in both areas.  
2. In the area of fluency, 16 students scored above the winter goal (41 words/min). 
3. Also in the area of fluency, 8 students scored above the spring goal (70 words/min). 
4. In the area of sight words, 19 out of 20 students met the winter goal (48 words/min).
5. In the area of sight words, 16 out of 20 students met the spring goal (68 words/min).  This was especially exciting for me!  That is a lot of students who are already where they need to be at the end of the year! 
6. All students have made gains since November.  This assessment is a little different compared the way we had been collecting data in November and December.  The January score is the median score out of three assessments taken back-to-back.  We will be able to see a clearer comparison come February.  

Goals:

There is always room for growth!  As I look over this assessment data, I've also come up with a few goals.  I will use this information to also create individual goals with your student next week. 

1. All students need to read 70 words in one minute by the end of the year.  I ask myself a lot of questions to figure this out and sometimes the answer changes half way through.  What do I need to do to make this happen?  If the student isn't reading fluently, where are the hang ups?  What can I do to ensure the student has tools to use to practice the skills at school and at home?   All might seem like a lofty goal.  I don't have it in me to say that only 80% or 90% will achieve this goal.  If I don't believe they can, they won't.  I believe all students have the ability to learn at high levels, and I want to work with you to make sure that happens!
2. All students need to read a J or above by the end of the year.  This data isn't reflected in either of these graphs but it goes hand-in-hand with this information.  J is a level we use to describe text.  One way we level text is by using the alphabet with A being a book for beginning readers and Z for more advanced readers.  I want to ensure all students can understand what they read at high levels.  We will continue to work on a variety of comprehension skills throughout the year.  Which ones do students need more practice in?  How can I provide prompts in their book baggies to let you know what they need to practice?

Soon, I will be sitting down with your child to create individual goals in the area of reading, math, writing, and behavior.  If you have something specific that you'd like your child and I to discuss, please email me as soon as possible. 

Fluency Graph

Sight Words Graph

George and Abe Projects - More Math!

Here are a few pictures of students working on their research project and of students working with new math station activities.  Thank you for sending these materials so we could create new learning games. 

WE NEED TOILET PAPER/PAPER TOWEL ROLLS.  Please send these to school for our project.  Ask your student what they plan to create for their research project. 

Valentine's Day in 1U

Valentine's Day Party -

Thursday, February 11th

Box - 

Coming home in your child's folder today is a pink sheet explaining how we do Valentine's Day boxes in 1U.  This is considered a family project.  Please decorate a shoe sized (or close to) box with your child to collect their cards.  Please get creative - make a house, a car, an animal, or anything you can think of that is different and fun.  Please leave a good size slot for cards and treats to be deposited and removed.  

Cards - 

If your child would like to hand out cards to classmates, they are welcome to as long as they deliver to everyone in our class.  There are 20 students in our class.  Please have your child write their name but NOT TO on the card.  Since everyone gets one, this makes the passing out process MUCH easier.  I appreciate your help with this!

Here are some examples of students I've had in the past with their boxes. 

Video Project for our Friends in Japan

The Bobcat Time group that I work with is working on a video response for these first graders in Japan.  Check out what they're wondering about celebrations.  I'll share our video response as soon as students have completed it!  Ask your first grade what they've learned about what school is like in Japan.  I've included the video in case your child isn't in a Bobcat Time group with me.  My son, Carson, watched it the other night and decided he likes things how they are here!  

 

Check out these pictures of students getting feedback about their holiday description from their taping partner.  

Math Transformation

I couldn't help but send you a few pictures of students during math.  I took a panoramic picture to show our classroom physically transforms during this time.  Today we became human counters in our life-size ten frames.  Continue to work with your child on basic facts at home!

There is a picture below of two students on an iPad.  The game they're playing is called Monster Squeeze.  Check it out in the App Store for a fun learning game for your first grader!