Fast Facts

Since Fast Facts are part of your daily routine, I am searching for new ways to keep you entertained while learning. Sheppard Software states that they make learning fun and they definitely live up to their claim. They offer a variety of games that give you the option of choosing what type of fast facts you want to practice (addition/subtraction/multiplication/division). The only drawback I see is that they are not specifically focusing on the facts we are presently studying (the +0 and +1 facts). Still, there is no harm in exposing your child to the other facts they will encounter this year. One nifty feature on this site is that you can email your teacher your score! If you need my email address, write me a note at school. Since this is public, I am not comfortable posting my address here.

As you check out the site, you will find other topics besides addition facts. This quarter we will be exploring place value (tens and ones), time (hour and half hour), and measurement.

Check out the other subject areas at the top of the page for more exciting activities. If you have older students, there is even practice for the SAT! Have fun exploring!

If you come across any sites that you particularly like, please post them in the comments so that other families can check them out!

Absolutely Whootie

It's sometimes amazing how I can stumble upon sites when I least expect it! This morning I was checking to see if our library system carried ebooks (for my personal reading) when I stumbled upon a link on their site called Start Squad. It is from the North Carolina Library System and contains LOTS of links. Please check some of them out and let me know what you think! :-)

The one that I was immediately drawn to was Absolutely Whootie (if you follow the links in Start Squad, it is under the Reading category). It has a large selection of multicultural stories from around the world that are read to aloud. For those of you on Facebook, you can become a fan and receive updates from the site. I cannot wait to explore this one when I have more time!

OK, kids, here's your challenge...listen to some of the stories, then choose one you want others to read. Here's an example of an entry (based on The Mitten):

I read The Mitten by Jan Brett. In this story Nicki loses a mitten and all sorts of animals decide to climb inside. I think you should read this book because it is amazing how many animals can fit inside.

When you post, I will reward you at school. HAPPY READING!!!

Jan Brett Author Study

First grade is presently engaged in an author study of Jan Brett. The first book we are sharing is The Mitten. We are discussing and creating good questions about the story, a practice that all good readers share. For instance, BEFORE reading, we look at the title and the cover and ask questions that lead us to wonder what may happen in the book. For The Mitten, we asked if all the animals were actually characters in the story. We also asked why there was just one mitten (since we usually talk about 'mittens'). DURING the reading we stopped after every few pages and developed new questions based on what was going on and then formed new questions. A few of the questions we asked were....Will all the animals fit? Is Nicki going to realize that he lost a mitten? AFTER reading we asked why the author wrote the story and if there was a lesson to learn. To practice this skill, students were given other books and asked to write their own questions about those books. Help your child with this skill when you are reading books together. :-)

Online, check out Hedgie Loves to Read. It is available for download and even has audio so you and your child can listen to it.

Also, if you are on Facebook, check out the Jan Brett fan page. You can help our school win a free visit from Jan Brett by becoming a fan of hers. Make sure you hit the tab that says CONTEST and then enter our school library as your library of choice (Cape Hatteras Elementary, Buxton, NC, 27920). Please help spread the word! :-)