December 19th-22nd Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

December 19th-22nd

Literacy

This week we will be reviewing concepts and skills from previous weeks of Reading Street.
Reading Street: Unit 2 Week 4 

Main selection:  The Big Circle

Weekly Question:  How do animal communities work together to survive?
Amazing Words: enemy, extinct, boisterous, protect, crater, holler, swamp, bluff
High-Frequency Words: down, inside, now, there,       together
Phonics Target: Long o: o_e; Contractions (can't)

Comprehension skills: Sequencing
Comprehension strategy: Inferring

Genres:  Fiction
Written Expression: Predicate Expander "Where" (Snowmen melt in the front yard.)
Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 2 Family talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6-week overview of the unit. (Sent home November 16th)
• Practice reading words for Unit 2, Weeks 1-4 (first to fourth column). 

Fundations: Unit 6, Week 3

Students will learn about and review...

• Base word and suffix with the suffix -s
• Sight Words: where, here, there
• Reading Selection: Jack's Bags

Math in Focus

Objectives
- Practice reading and writing 1-20 in
numbers and words.

- Use a place value chart to show and
compare numbers to 20.

- Create number bonds for numbers to 10.

- Review addition and subtraction
strategies.

- Introduce addition fact flashcards to 10

*                                      

Science

Solids, Liquids and Gases
This week the students will continue to learn about the three types of matter. 
 - Gingerbread Ingredient Smell Test: Students will be challenged to explore their sense of smell as they investigate the question, "Do all things have odor?" They will also determine whether the ingredients are solids or liquids. 
- Compare and Contrast: Observe and record how four liquids are alike and different.

Social Studies

          Jan Brett Author Study 

   Through the story Annie and the Wild
Animals, children will learn about animals that
hibernate /migrate during the winter. They will
create a bird feeder for those animals that
stay and adapt to the change of the season.

Second Steps—We are continuing our
Empathy Unit by thinking about how people’s
emotions can change.

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music 

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Jan Brett Celebration

THURSDAY: Early Release

FRIDAY: NO SCHOOL

Writing Workshop

Six Traits of Writing~ Ideas

     This week the students will be putting their final pieces on their animal riddles that will be a part of our Jan Brett celebration and hang out in the hallway for other students and visitors to enjoy. They turned out fantastic! 
     The Polar Express letters are also coming along! Students have finished planning their letter using a graphic organizer and are writing their rough draft, conferencing with me, and completing their final written draft. After they have completed their final written draft, I will be typing each student's letter. We will be passing the letters out to the other classes on Tuesday, December 20th. 

                   Parent Reminders

1. Our class went to the library today. Students will be allowed to take library books home for the holidays. If you have received a slip for an overdue book, please return it as soon as possible. 
2. Early Release Thursday, December 22nd.
3. Scholastic Book Club catalog orders went home today.
4. Jan Brett Celebration-Thank you for supporting our class by donating supplies and/or taking the time to come volunteer in the classroom! We are very excited for Wednesday!
5. Pajama Party- On Thursday, December 22nd, there will be a pajama party for our class to celebrate our hard work over the past four months. Your child should have a clean pair of pajamas on and are allowed to bring their slippers to wear around school. Please do not bring in any valuable stuffed animals or blankets from home. Each student should have another pair of shoes to wear for outside.  
6. Winter break practice packets- Reading is essential in first grade and it is imperative your child continues to read throughout the break as well as practice letter and number formation. On Wednesday, December 21st I will be sending a practice packet home for your child to use during winter break that includes decodable readers, a number formation guide, and letter formation guides. 

Have a fantastic week! Happy Holidays!

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)

Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Number/Letter Formation

Monday:  Reading Log (due on Thursday)
Tuesday: Snowman Math Facts (due on Thursday)
Wednesday: Christmas Poem (due on Thursday)

December 12th-16th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

December 12th-16th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 2 Week 4 

Main selection:  The Big Circle

Weekly Question:  How do animal communities work together to survive?
Amazing Words: enemy, extinct, boisterous, protect, crater, holler, swamp, bluff
High-Frequency Words: down, inside, now, there,       together
Phonics Target: Long o: o_e; Contractions (can't)

Comprehension skills: Sequencing
Comprehension strategy: Inferring

Genres:  Fiction
Written Expression: Predicate Expander "Where" (Snowmen melt in the front yard.)
Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 2 Family talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6-week overview of the unit. (Sent home November 16th)
• Practice reading words (see white sheet sent home Wednesday) for Unit 2, Week 4 (fourth column). 

Fundations: Unit 6, Week 2

Students will learn about...

• Base word and suffix with the suffix -s
• Pluralization
• Narrative fiction vs. informational books 
• Reading with accuracy
• Sight Words: who, what, when
• Reading Selection: Jack's Bags

Math in Focus

Chapter 7

Numbers to 20
Prerequisite Skills: Count & compare to 10 , Make patterns (counting on/back)

Thinking Skills
- Analyzing patterns & relationships

Problem Solving Strategies  
                                     - Look for patterns

                               Objectives

                                                                                  - Count on from 10-20
                                  - Read and write 11-20 in numbers and words.
                                  - Use a place value chart to show numbers to 20.
                                  - Show objects up to 20 as tens and ones.

*                                      

Science

Solids, Liquids and Gases
This week the students will continue to learn about the three types of matter. 
 - Compare and Contrast: Observe and record how two designated solids are alike and different. 
- Compare and Contrast: Observe and record how four liquids are alike and different.

Social Studies

Jan Brett Author Study 
Gingerbread Baby
   This week students will be read Gingerbread Baby, The Gingerbread Man, and The Gingerbread Girl. The students will have state which character they liked best and explain why they liked that character. 

Second Steps—We are continuing our
Empathy Unit by thinking about how people’s
emotions can change.

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music 

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art; Music

Writing Workshop

     

     This week students will write their rough drafts in a structured graphic organizer for writing a letter to someone. I will conference with each student and encourage them to put their own creative spin in their letters. After conferencing with each student, I will type their letters into a final draft for students to learn how to fold and put in an envelope. We will address the letters to the students in the other classrooms and seal the envelope with a fancy emblem. In each letter envelope, there will be a special Polar Express train ticket the other students will need in order to enter our classroom to watch the movie with us.

Polar Express Invitations 

     The week of December 19th, the first grade will be watching The Polar Express. Since the movie is going to be showing in our classroom, I thought it would be a fun idea for each student from our class to write a letter to two students (one from each of the other first grade classes). I explained to the students that this is a "top secret writing mission" for the next couple of weeks. Last week, we planned the important pieces of information that should be in our invitation (where, when, time, and what to bring to the movie). 
    
     I also have been asked how the students of our class will be able to "board" the Polar Express train if they do not have tickets. I explained to the class that they will be receiving a special piece of mail during the week of December 19th. :) 

                   Parent Reminders

1. Our class went to the library today. Please remind your child to bring back their library book by next Monday, December 19th. 
2. Please make sure to pack a snack and water for your child each day. 
3. Jan Brett Celebration- A supply list went out on Friday, December 9th. If you would like to donate one or more of the supply items, please write your name next to the line and send in the sheet. I will be sending home confirmation slips for the supplies you signed up for. The supplies are due on Tuesday, December 20th at the latest. 
4. Pajama Party- On Thursday, December 22nd, there will be a pajama party for our class to celebrate our hard work over the past four months. Your child should have a clean pair of pajamas on and are allowed to bring their slippers to wear around school. Please do not bring in any valuable stuffed animals or blankets from home. Each student should have another pair of shoes to wear for outside.  

Have a wonderful week! 

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)

Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Number/Letter Formation

Monday:  Reading Log (due on Friday)
Tuesday: Kwanza Kinara Math Fact Sheet  (due on Friday)
Wednesday: Dialogue Journal (due on Friday)
Thursday: Hanukkah (due on Friday)

December 5th- 9th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

December 5th-9th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 2 Week 3 

Main selection:  Who Works Here!

Weekly Question:  Who works to make our community a nice place? 
Amazing Words: citizen, community, law, leader, branch, headquarters, earn, patrol
High-Frequency Words: people, live, work, who, out
Phonics Target: Long i: i_e; Digraphs- wh, ch, tch, ph

Comprehension skills: Author's purpose
Comprehension strategy: Important ideas

Genres:  Expository Text
Written Expression: Predicate Expander "Where" (The sunflower blooms under the blazing sun.)
Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 2 Family talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6-week overview of the unit. (Sent home November 16th)
• Practice reading words (see white sheet sent home Wednesday) for Unit 2, Week 3 (third column). 

Fundations: Unit 6, Week 1

Students will learn about...

• Base word and suffix with the suffix -s
• Pluralization
• Narrative fiction vs. informational books 
• Reading with accuracy
• Sight Words: are, were
• Reading Selection: Jack's Bags

Math in Focus

Chapter 7

Numbers to 20
Prerequisite Skills: Count & compare to 10 , Make patterns (counting on/back)

Thinking Skills
- Analyzing patterns & relationships

Problem Solving Strategies  
                                     - Look for patterns

                               Objectives

                                                                                  - Count on from 10-20
                                  - Read and write 11-20 in numbers and words.
                                  - Use a place value chart to show numbers to 20.
                                  - Show objects up to 20 as tens and ones.

*                                      

Science

Solids, Liquids and Gases
This week the students will continue to learn about the three types of matter. 
 - Mystery Bags: Students will try to
guess what was inside 5 different brown
bags by feeling the object inside. They
will be predicting, recording and
checking their guesses.
- Students will sort a list of things by
which type of matter it is (solid, liquid,

gas). 

Social Studies

          Jan Brett Author Study 

The Hat
How is The Hat similar and different from
the story The Mitten? Vocabulary: ridiculous,
startled, magnificent
Second Steps—We are continuing our
Empathy Unit by thinking about how people’s
emotions can change.

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music 

TUESDAY: Early Release

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art; Music

Writing Workshop

Six Traits of Writing~ Ideas

     This week I will be conferencing with the students about their animal riddle clues. Students will move onto their final draft of their animal riddle and complete the riddle with a picture of the animal they chose. 

                   Parent Reminders

1. Our class went to the library today. Please remind your child to bring back their library book by next Monday, December 12th. 
2. Early Release Tuesday, December 6th at noon!
3. Scholastic Book Club catalogs will be going home
tomorrow (Tuesday, December 6th). I know we just had the book fair and I
do not want anyone to feel pressure to order
more books. I had some parent requests for the
December catalogs and thought I would just send
them to everyone. If you want any “surprise”
books for your child, please let me know and I
can contact you when the books are in.) Orders
are due by Friday (Dec 9th) so the books can
be delivered before the holiday break.
(Online code—P9JVK).
4. DIBELs Winter benchmark testing will be

done with Ms. Nedde this week.

Have a fantastic week! 

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)

Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Number/Letter Formation

Monday:  Reading Log (due on Friday)
Tuesday: Shape Hunt  (due on Friday)
Wednesday: Dialogue Journal (due on Friday)
Thursday: December Celebrations (due on Friday)

November 28th-December 2nd Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

November 28th-December 2nd

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 2 Week 2

Main selection:  The Farmer in the Hat

Weekly Question:  How is a school a community?
Amazing Words: 
High-Frequency Words: be, could, horse, of, old, paper
Phonics Target: Long a: a_e; Consonants c /s/; g /j/

Comprehension skills: Cause and Effect
Comprehension strategy: Monitor and Clarify

Genres:  Realistic Fiction
Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 2 Family talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6-week overview of the unit. (Sent home November 16th)
• Practice reading words (see white sheet sent home Wednesday) for Unit 2, Week 2 (second column). 

Fundations: Unit 5, Week 1

**Students will take the Unit 5 Fundations test at the end of this week.**
Students will learn about...

• Two new glued or welded sounds: /am/ and /an/ as in 'ham' and 'pan'. 
• Observe the form of a narrative story (character, setting, and main events) 
• Story: The Big Mess
• Sight words: from, have, do, does
• Trick Word reading test is on Wednesday and spelling test is on Thursday. 

Math in Focus

Chapter 5

Shapes and Patterns

Thinking Skills
- Induction; Analyzing patterns and relationships

Problem Solving Strategies  
- Guess and check
 
                               Objectives

                                                                                  - Identify, classify, describe, and sort plane and solid shapes.
                                  - Divide shapes into two and four equal parts and describe the parts.
                                  - Describe the whole as the sum of its parts.
                                  - Combine and separate plane and solid shapes.

*                                      

Science

Introduction to Matter: Solids, Liquids, and Gases

Observing Matter 

- Ways that matter can be grouped 

- Ways that matter can change

- 3 different forms of matter--solids, liquids, and gases.

 

Social Studies

          Jan Brett Author Study 

The Mitten

Animal Riddles: Students will come up with
animal clues and make an interactive writing
piece for others to guess their animal.
Vocabulary: admire, jostle, commotion

Second Steps—We are continuing our
Empathy Unit by thinking about how people’s
emotions can change.

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music 

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art; Music

Writing Workshop

Six Traits of Writing~ Ideas

     The students did a great job of coming up with ideas about how our feathery friend, Mr. Turkey, would escape Thanksgiving dinner. This week students will be learning about conferencing and I will conference with each student about their writing.

Framing Your Thoughts~ First Barebone Book
The students will be finishing their individual pages of our first class barebone book and by the end of the week, the book will be bound and published! This week the students will be introduced to another part of the Framing Your Thoughts sentence structure. The predicate expander of where allows students to add detail to their barebone sentences. Students will be practicing writing barebone sentences using all of the parts we have learned so far.

This week’s mini-lessons will include… 
Students will also learn about conferencing… 
- What a whole-class conference is 
- How to give compliments to their peers 
- How to make constructive suggestions to improve their peer’s stories

                   Parent Reminders

1. Due to the book fair, we did not have library today.
2. Book Fair is here! Our class will have a
chance to preview the fair this Tuesday and
their book wish lists will be go home. Then,
we’ll shop for books on Thursday. Catalogs
went home last week.
3. Throughout the month of December, we will
be working on an author study of Jan Brett’s
books. Before we break for the upcoming
vacation, we will have a Jan Brett
celebration. Our Jan Brett Celebration will be on
Wednesday, December 21 st . A letter will be
going home today with more information.

Welcome back! 

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)

Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Number/Letter Formation

Monday:  Reading Log (due on Friday)
Tuesday: Math Worksheets (due on Friday)
Wednesday: The Farmer in the Hat Comprehension (due on Friday)

November 21st-November 23rd Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

November 21-23rd

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 2 Week 1

Main selection:  A Big Fish for Max

Weekly Question:  What does a family do together?
Amazing Words: chore, household, cooperation, rule, commute, subway, downtown, display
High-Frequency Words: catch, good, no, put, said, want
Phonics Target: digraphs sh, th; /ol/ sound in ball

Comprehension skills:  Sequence
Comprehension strategy: Predict; Set a purpose

Genres:  Animal Fantasy, Literary Nonfiction
Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 2 Family talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6-week overview of the unit. (Sent home November 16th)
• Family Times gives various activities that can be done at home that connect to the concept we're learning this week. 
• Practice reading words (see white sheet sent home Wednesday) for Unit 2, Week 1 (first column). 

Fundations: Unit 5, Week 1

Students will learn about...

• Two new glued or welded sounds: /am/ and /an/ as in 'ham' and 'pan'. 
• Observe the form of a narrative story (character, setting, and main events) 
• Story: The Big Mess
• Sight words: from, have, do, does

Math in Focus

**Due to students needing more time to practice the concepts at the end of Chapter 4, the test will be on Tuesday, November 22nd**
Chapter 4

Subtraction Facts to 10 

Thinking Skills
- Analyzing parts and a whole

Problem Solving Strategies 
                                     - Guess and check

                               Objectives

                                                                                  - Take away to subtract
                                        - Count on OR back to subtract
                                        - Use number bonds to subtract
                                        - Write and solve subtraction sentences.
                                        - Tell subtraction

*

Science

We will not be starting a new science unit until after Thanksgiving. We will continue with some Science mini-lessons while our main focus is on Social Studies. 
Our science learning is embedded in our reading program. This week we will be focusing on observing wild animals to gather information about them.

Social Studies

Thanksgiving Unit
We will be working on developing an understanding of life as a colonist and a Wampanoag Native American. We will be learning about the chores colonist and Native American children were responsible for and the activities both groups of children did for fun.
Second Steps—We began our Empathy Unit last week with identifying feelings. This week we are learning about how a person's feelings can change about the same situation.

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music 

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Early Release

THURSDAY: NO SCHOOL

FRIDAY: NO SCHOOL

Writing Workshop

Six Traits of Writing~ Ideas

     This week we will be reading a story about a great Thanksgiving escape! Students will have to brainstorm ways to escape a Thanksgiving dinner and write sequential steps to help a feathery friend out. 

Framing Your Thoughts~ First Barebone Book
The students will be finishing their individual pages of our first class barebone book. To complete the book, we will make a cover and then have the book bound. 

This week’s mini-lessons will include…

• Use uppercase at the beginning & punctuation at the end
• Use spacing between words
• How to write an introduction and closing
• Writers reread their writing to see if it makes sense and stays on topic.

                   Parent Reminders

1. Library day was today. Please make sure you help your
child remember to bring in their
book for next Monday.
2. Early Release for Thanksgiving break on Wednesday, November 23rd at 12 noon.
3. Math—Please continue to work on number formation at home. The students are writing a lot of numbers backwards, which is confusing them when trying to solve their math problems. Thanks for your support!
4. Unit 2 Reading Street Card due on Tuesday.
5. The students will take the District GRADE Assessment (standardized comprehension test) this week.
6. Book Fair is here! Our class will have a chance to preview the fair on Tuesday, November 29th and will shop for books on Thursday, December 1st. Catalogs will go home this week.
7. Over Thanksgiving break...please continue to have your child read daily. 
8. Trick Word Test…due to the craziness of this week, we will have our trick word reading and spelling test the week of November 28th. Please have your child practice spelling and reading the trick words on the study guide I sent home last Friday.
9. It’s just about hat and glove season…please label everything, if possible. Sometimes the children have a hard time identifying their
own clothes.
10. Unit 1 Reading Street test…Overall the
students did a really good job on this test
last week. They all worked really hard and
gave their best effort. It’s amazing how
much they’ve grown already since the first
day of school! As I tell them in class before
every test, there are two reasons we take
these assessments. First it’s to give them a
chance to “show off” everything they’ve
learned so far and feel proud of themselves.
The second reason is so that I can learn
what they don’t know and still need to
practice some more. 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)

Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Number/Letter Formation

Monday:  Reading Log (due on Wednesday)
Tuesday: Comprehension (due on Wednesday)