First graders have been studying towns, focusing on what a town needs and wants. They also discussed how towns are planned, with residential and commercial areas. Students partnered up to create a plan, then an actual town map. Now, social studies marries word study. The city planners are using everything they know about long and short vowels and vowel teams to label all parts of their creations. Soon, their masterpieces will grace the bulletin boards outside the first grade classrooms. Be prepared to be impressed!