October 3-7th Newsletter

 First Grade Newsletter

October 3-7th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 1

Main selection:  Sam, Come Back!

Weekly Question:  What do pets need?
Amazing Words: need, tickle, responsibility, faithful,
                            responsibility, shelter, fetch, cuddle, 
                            heel
High-Frequency Words: come, in, my, on, way
Phonics Target: Short 'a', -ck (rock)

Comprehension skills:  character, setting
Comprehension strategy: monitor/clarify

Genres:  Realistic Fiction
Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 1 Family Talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6 week overview of the unit. (Sent home Oct. 3rd) 
• Family Times gives various activities that can be done at home that connect to the concept we're learning this week.
• Practice reading phonics and sight words for Unit 1, Week 1 (first column only).   

Fundations: Unit 2 (Week 2 of 2)

Students will...

• Manipulate the beginning, middle, and end sounds of words
• Blend and read words with three sounds, including short vowel sounds
• Segment and spell words with three sounds, including short vowel sounds
• Begin learning sentence dictation starting with capitalization, punctuation (period), and proofreading steps 
• Sight words: the, of, and
• Unit 2 Test on Friday

Math in Focus

Chapter 2

Number bonds

Thinking Skills
- Analyzing parts and a whole
- Deduction

Problem Solving Strategies 
- Act it Out
- Guess and Check

Objectives

      - Identify the use for number bonds (to show parts and a whole)

      - Use different math materials to find number bonds, such as connector cubes and math balance

- - Find different number bonds for numbers to 10
- - Understand there are more than one set of parts for a whole
*  *Chapter 2 Test on Thursday*

Science

Living vs. Non- Living & Lifecycles- This week we will continue to build on the students' knowledge of living and non-living things by discussing plant lifecycles (specifically pumpkins). Students will take part in read alouds, cutting and gluing activities, writing activities and even taking a field trip! 
The class will be taking a field trip to the Topsfield Fair where the students will see baby chicks, prize worth vegetables and fruits, farm animals, an elephant, and much more!

Social Studies

     We will be focusing on what pets need through our weekly readings. This week the children will work to answer the question, "What do pets need?"

In Second Steps, we will continue to learn how to be assertive when learning for the fourth and final Skill for Learning. I encourage the students to use the skills that they have learned about throughout their day and find the strategy that works best for them. 

 Specialists

 

MONDAY: Music

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music; Topsfield Fair field trip

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art, Music

  

Writing Workshop

Framing Your Thoughts 
    Last week we focused on reviewing the subject of a sentence and examples of different subjects. This week students will begin reviewing predicate (verb) of 'barebone sentences'. There will be whole group discussion and brainstorming, partner discussion activities, and individual writing activities. 

Six Traits of Writing~ Ideas 
     This week I will be reading Go Away Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley. The students will be asked to draw the monster's features with each step that the book gives them without knowing what they are drawing until the very end. Once they have drawn the monster from the book, they will be asked to draw a monster of their own as well as three or four steps that makes their monster unique and would help someone identify the monster. This lesson is to help students see how strong and specific details are important to see the whole picture.  

                  Parent Reminders

1.   Parent/Teacher Conferences—I will be sending home a slip about available times on October 20th and November 17th. If none of the dates & times work for you, please send a note in with dates & times that work for you.

2.  Topsfield Fair Field Trip (Oct. 5)- We are all set and ready to go to the fair on Wednesday! Please make sure your child has a bagged lunch with their name on it, no glass, and peanut-free food. If your child needs school lunch, please send in a note on Tuesday, Oct.4th. Also make sure your child has appropriate clothing on for being outside in chilly weather (warm coat, pants, sneakers, etc.). We will be leaving the school at 9:15 a.m. and returning at 1:30p.m. 

3.  Scholastic book order- Please return money for books in the October issue by Friday, Oct. 14th, so that I can get your autumn books to you in time for fall festivities.   

4. Wish List- Clorox wipes and paper towels are two items that the class is going through fairly quickly. If you would like to contribute and donate one of those two items, feel free to. Thank you for your support!
5. The school has a half day on Tuesday, October 4th. Please send in a note if your child's after school pick up is different than normal. Thank you!
6. Our class will be going to the library on Mondays at 1:00 p.m.
7. If you have had a CORI done through the Blackburn Drive main office, please contact Lois Lane in the main office at West Parish Elementary to get another one done. Due to positions and procedures moving around, the CORI paperwork needs to be done through West Parish's main office, not the Blackburn Drive office. I apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you for your support of our class!

Have a great week!

Miss Biggar

Homework

Monday:  Reading Log (due on Friday)
Tuesday: Chapter 1 Lesson 3 Math worksheet (due on Wednesday)
Thursday: Poem (due on Friday)