Wonderscape Academy1st grade

September · Week 1 · Day 2 · School day 2

Day 2: Our Names Matter

Week 1 planDay 3 →

Play with your child: Count On to Add

Today’s goals

  • Phonics: Short a RF.1.2b, RF.1.3g
  • Reading: Routines; who, where and what happens in a story RL.1.3, SL.1.2
  • Math: Add by counting on from the bigger number 1.OA.5, 1.OA.6
  • Science: Five senses: observe and describe like a scientist K-2 science practices (observe)

Materials

  • Chrysanthemum (or another book about names)
  • Two dice
  • A cloth bag with a pine cone, a spoon and a cotton ball [any 3 safe objects]
  • Writing paper and crayons

Swaps in [brackets] use things most homes have.

The day, step by step

  1. 10–15 min Morning meeting and calendar 1.NBT.1, 1.NBT.2

    1. Greeting: choose a greeting (wave, high five, elbow bump) and greet each person by name.
    2. Calendar: "Today is ___. Yesterday was ___. Tomorrow will be ___." Read the date together.
    3. Days of school: add one straw. Today is day 2.
    4. Weather: mark the weather chart and the outside temperature (warm, cool or cold).
    5. Question of the day: "Who chose your name? Do you know what it means?" Everyone answers in a full sentence.

  2. 15–20 min Phonics and decodable reading RF.1.2b, RF.1.3g

    1. Warm-up: flash the sound cards from earlier weeks, then the new pattern (/a/).
    2. Read and sort the words: cat, map, bag, sad, ham, jam, van, cap, fan, tag.
    3. Word chain: change one sound at a time and read each new word: cat → hat → ham → jam → jab → cab.
    4. Heart words: the, a, is, I. Say the word, spell it aloud, write it, and put a heart over the tricky part.

  3. 20–25 min Reading workshop and read-aloud RL.1.3, SL.1.2

    Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes (or any story about names)

    1. Before: "This story is about a mouse who loves her name. Look at the cover. How do you think she feels?"
    2. During: "How does Chrysanthemum feel now? What made her feelings change?"
    3. After: "Who are the characters? Where does the story happen?" Draw a quick character-and-setting chart.

    Then read: 10 minutes of independent or partner reading from "just right" books.

  4. 25–35 min Math and math centers 1.OA.5, 1.OA.6

    1. Roll two dice. Find the bigger number and say it.
    2. Count on the smaller number of dots with your finger: "6... 7, 8."
    3. Write the number sentence: 6 + 2 = 8. Repeat 5 times.

    Math center: Roll and count on: two dice, a recording sheet with 10 number sentences.

  5. 15–20 min Science K-2 science practices (observe)

    1. Say: "Scientists use their senses to notice. Which five senses do we have?" (see, hear, smell, touch, taste).
    2. Pass around a mystery bag with 3 safe objects. Describe each by touch only: "It is bumpy. It is cold."
    3. Open the bag and check. Ask: "Which sense helped most?"

  6. 15–20 min Writing W.1.3, W.1.2, L.1.2

    Write your name in big letters. Under it write: "My name is ___. I like my name because ___."

    Sound spelling is real writing in 1st grade. Expect correct spelling for heart words and patterns already taught.

  7. 20–30 min Centers and independent practice

    • Word building: magnetic letters or letter tiles for short a words
    • Book bins: choose two "just right" books for your book box
    • Math: ten-frame flash and count-on dominoes
    • Listening: a read-aloud recording from the public library

    Device time (5 to 10 minutes, together): Count On to Add.

  8. 5 min Closing circle SL.1.1

    Ask: "What is one thing that makes your name special?" Each child shares one thing.

Support: Use one die and add 1 or 2 each time.
Stretch: Use a 10-sided die or number cards to 9.
Look for: Can your child explain why we start with the bigger number?

Short day? Do the morning meeting, phonics, reading and math. Fold science or social studies into the read-aloud talk.