Sept. 12th-16th Newsletter

 First Grade Newsletter

September 12-16^th

Literacy

Literacy Assessments:  Last week the students took a baseline reading assessment and their Fall DIBELs, which will help drive my instruction.  

I will also be conferencing with each student individually to assess their reading level and begin a personalized collection of books for them to read during independent reading.

Reading Street: Unit R*

Main selection:  Sam

Weekly Question:  What is around us at home?

Amazing Words:  furniture, tidy, unwind, cozy, middle, straw, yawn

Genres:  Realistic Fiction, Folk Tale

Comprehension skills:  character, setting

*We review concepts taught in Kindergarten during our Review Unit.

PHONICS

Lively Letters (Sounds)

• Review stories and sounds for each letter pair: u/I, qu/x/y/c, w/wh/h, e
• Last week’s letter pairs: p/b, t/d, k/g, f/v, m/n, ng, s/z, a/o, j/ch, r/l 

Fundations: Unit 1 (Week 1 of 3)

• Review formation of the following letters…t, b, f, n, m, c, a, i, r, o, g, d, s, e, u, l, h, k
• Alphabetical order

*Please note that Unit 1 of Fundations and Lively Letters are very fast paced reviews of the alphabet letter sounds and formations taught extensively in Kindergarten.

Math in Focus

Chapter 1

Pre-requisite skills and number sense

Objectives

-  Count from 0 to 10 objects 

-  Read and write 0 to 10 in numbers and words

     -  Compare two sets of objects by using one-to-one correspondence 

      -  Identify the set that has more, fewer, or the same number of objects

-  Identify the number that is greater than or less than another number

-  Make number patterns

*Please note:  Math instruction in this unit is reviewing groundwork established in Kindergarten.  We will be building upon these skills as we progress through the future math units.

Science

Our first unit of study will be living vs. non-living things.  We will observe, record and share our ideas together.  This week, we will discuss what makes something a living and non-living.

Social Studies

Last week, we developed our classroom rules together.  This week we will be brainstorming logical consequences to go with our rules. We will continue to engage in friendship-building, cooperative exercises, always emphasizing the importance of friendship, unity, and cooperation.

Our social studies learning this week is embedded in our reading program. We will be focusing on families and community through our readings.  This week the children will work to answer the question “What is around us at home?”  The students will also be learning how to participate in a discussion.

 Specialists

 

MONDAY: Music

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art, Music

  

Writing Workshop

This week students will begin a morning work assignment that requires students to write about one activity that they did over the weekend. The purpose of this exercise is for students to practice putting their ideas on paper through words and illustrations.

                  Parent Reminders

1.  Wish list: Thank you so much to everyone who sent in school supplies.  Our classroom is supplied and ready for a great school year! A wish list will be posted on the blog throughout the year if you would like to donate to our class.

2.    Please be sure your child returns their school folder to school everyday.  Also, please check it each day for important handouts and homework assignments. I will write about specific handouts that you should be looking for throughout the week in this section of the newsletter.

3.    Children should bring in a small healthy snack (separate from their lunch) to have in class at 9:45 a.m. Please make sure that it is peanut-free and has no glass products.

4.    Scholastic book order: I will be sending home the September catalog this week.  I will send these home monthly.  Please do not feel obligated to participate every month, but the prices are great and it’s a great way to build your child’s home library and add to our classroom selection. A handout will be attached to this month’s catalog explaining more about Scholastic orders. September’s order is due on Friday, September 23^rd.

5.    I am missing biographical information, pictures for our stars and quilt squares from a couple of students.  Please send those in ASAP.

I look forward to an exciting year in 1^st grade!

Miss Biggar

Homework

Monday:  Reading Log (due on Friday)