Language Arts

What are we learning?

Critical Literacy - Reading

In this unit, students learn there is another layer of meaning to be analyzed in texts. These include the explicit and, more often, implicit biases, messages, and belief systems that help us construct our understanding of the world.

All texts are written, or constructed, by someone and therefore all texts represent and promote a set of assumptions and beliefs. During this unit, students learn how to critically read texts as well as analyze their own biases and beliefs to understand the impact they have on their own reading. 

Persuasive - Writing

Young children are full of strong thoughts and opinions. They know what they like and what they don’t like and are often very willing to tell others about these opinions. Capitalizing on students’ thoughts and ideas empowers them to persuade others to see things the way they do.

 “Students have a sense of passion for the things they love to do. They also have a keen sense of what is fair and unfair. They want to do what is right, and when they see something that makes someone else feel bad, they want to do something to make it better. They are beginning to develop empathy, and we can foster all of this through persuasive writing.”

Home/School Connection

• Critical readers notice stereotypes in text and illustrations.
• Use these questions to initiate conversations while reading:

• What messages does this text promote? • What ideas does the author or text want me to believe? • What choices does the author make that shows me how he or she thinks or believes? • Which (types of) characters are considered “good”? Which (types of) characters are considered “bad”? • Do the characters act in predictable ways? Did the author write in such a way that you are surprised by the characters?

• Whose perspective is told? Whose voice is heard? Whose voice is not heard? Whose perspective is missing? • How are different people, ideas, and issues represented in text?

Math

What are we learning?

Money

• During this unit, students need many experiences counting collections of like coins. Consider beginning with collections of pennies, and highlight students’ strategies that involve making equal groups of five or ten to determine the value of the collection of pennies. Then pose tasks involving collections of nickels or dimes in which students need to determine the number of coins and the value of the coins in terms of pennies. Asking students to think about both the number of coins and the value of the coins will reinforce ideas around unitizing. An example of unitizing is understanding that a dime simultaneously represents 10 pennies and 1 dime (1 group of ten pennies). Since counting coins is an application of unitizing, this unit is an opportunity to spiral back to ideas around place value.

Home/School Connection

Have your student identify coins and their value and count different amounts of money using (pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters).

Science

What are we learning?

Spring Changes

• Students describe changes to their weather data as winter changes into spring. Students learn about how people respond to spring changes and they consider changes to their park they might expect to observe in spring.

Home/School Connection

• In what ways do people make choices?
• How do people get the things they need and want?
• How might people save money?

Social Studies

What are we learning?

 

Economics - Making Choices

• People make choices about things they want and need.
• People earn money in different ways to satisfy their wants and needs.

Home/School Connection

• In what ways do people make choices?
• How do people get the things they need and want?
• How might people save money?

Important Dates & Reminders

• May 2 - 6, 2022 Terraset Elementary’s Superhero Appreciation Week - Monday wear tiger print, Tuesday wear black, Wednesday wear white, Thursday wear orange, and Friday wear Terraset Spiritwear.
• Cuddle Up and Read Event - Wednesday, May 11^th 6:30-7:30 is Terraset’s Cuddle Up and Read event.  Come get your new, free books and learn how to help your child become a life-long reader.  Beginning now, please send in pictures of your Tiger reading, (the cuddlier the better) gently used magazines for kids and grownups, and gently used blankets all of which will be used at the event.  Thank you!!
• Friday, May 13, 2022: First grade field trip to Walker Nature Center for Mrs. McKinney’s and Ms. Vallinino’s classes.
• Friday, May 20, 2022:  First grade field trip to Walker Nature Center for Ms. Solana’s class.

Positivity Project

Week of:

• May 1 - 7  - Leadership
• May 8 - 14 - Outro - Other People Mindset

Family Resources: https://posproject.org/p2-for-families/

Password: P2

 

Click here to see what students are learning in Specials!