May is such a lovely time of the year.  We find ourselves surrounded by blossoming flowers, trees and shrubs.  So too, our first graders have blossomed into independent learners.

In phonics, having completed our study of long vowels, we will now turn our attention to diphthongs and other vowel patterns. The children will learn to decode words with the aw/au “Hawk” sound.  They will also explore the long oo “Hoot Owl” sound and the short oo “Brook” sound, as well as the oi/oy “Coil” sound.  Finally, we will study the silent consonants: kn, gn, wr, and ph.  Our spelling program will conclude with a review of long a, i, and o words ending in “Magic E”.  These spelling and phonetic skills will be put to practical use during Writer’s Workshop.

Math lessons will focus on the study of fractions. The children will learn to identify fractional parts of shapes and sets.  The terms numerator and denominator will be introduced.  They will compare fractional parts to discover equivalent fractions.  For example, 1/2 is the same as 2/4.  We will then use the Number Grid to study number patterns, as well as add and subtract tens.   Finally, the children will enjoy solving and creating their own number grid puzzles.

Themes this month will include Mother’s Day, environmental issues, and the study of insects. We will be raising painted lady caterpillars so that the children can observe the process of metamorphosis into butterflies. We will enjoy many delightful stories related to these subjects.