January 30th-February 3rd Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

January 30th- February 3rd

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 3 Week 4

Main selection:  Frog and Toad Together

Weekly Question:  What changes happen in a garden?
Amazing Words: gardener, nature, sprout, dim, shade, sprinkling, humongous
High-Frequency Words: afraid, again, few, how, read, soon
Phonics Target: Adding endings; Vowel r-Controlled ar

Comprehension skills: Author's Purpose
Comprehension strategy: Visualize

Genres:  Animal Fantasy
Written Expression: Predicate Expander "When" (The goose honked nervously this morning.)
Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 3 Family talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6-week overview of the unit. (Sent home January 10th)
• Practice reading words (see white sheet sent home Friday) for Unit 3, Week 4 (fourth column). Please return sheet by Friday, February 3rd for students to be tested on Week 4 words. 

Fundations: Unit 8, Week 2

Students will learn about...

• Consonant blends and segmenting and spelling words with four sounds (review)
• Baseword and suffix -s (review)
• Digraph blends (lunch)
• R-controlled vowels (er, ir, ur)
• Sight Words: her, over, number
• Unit Story: The Pink Dress

Math in Focus

Chapter 8
**Chapter 8 test will be on Monday, January 30th**

Addition and Subtraction Facts to 20

Prerequisite skills: Add/Subtract 0, use fact families to solve problems, addition facts (expanded form 10 + __, compare numbers to 19)
Thinking Skills
- Analyzing parts and whole

Problem Solving Strategies  
                                     - Guess and Check
                                     - Solve part of the problem

           Objectives

                                    - Use different strategies to add 1- and 2- digit numbers.
                 - Subtract a 1-digit number from a 2-digit number with and without regrouping. 
                 - Solve real world problems
       We are beginning to do some explicit instruction around money. We will begin by identifying coins by name and how much they are worth.  

*                                      

Science

Backyard Growers Enrichment
     This week the lesson is called “Dirt Made
My Lunch.” The students will be deconstructing
a cheeseburger and filling out a sheet explaining
how dirt makes a pizza.

Social Studies

   We are beginning our Economics Unit this
week by developing an understanding of our 4
basic needs (food, clothing, shelter, love) and
the difference between needs and wants. 

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music; Library

TUESDAY: Early Release

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.; Backyard Growers

FRIDAY: Art; Music

Writing Workshop

     

Six Traits of Writing: Organization 
     The students are off to a great start with understanding the format and elements necessary for a “How-to” book. Last week the students began writing the steps for “How to Eat an Oreo Cookie.” Each student had a chance to share their version with the class. In the meantime, the students will be picking a topic that they know a lot about and begin writing their own “How-to” guide.
We will also discuss and practice using the elements necessary for a persuasive reading response.
This week’s mini-lessons will include…
- Transition words to continue the flow of
our writing.
- Uppercase, spacing and punctuation
- How to organize our writing

                   Parent Reminders

1. We went to the library today. Make sure to return books by Friday or Monday morning!
2. There is an early release on Tuesday, January 31st. School will be dismissed at noontime. 
3.Wish list- Clorox wipes and tissues
4. Before School Help-  Thursday mornings at 8 a.m. 
5. Scholastic Book Club: February book catalogs went home last week. Please send your orders and money in by Friday, February 3rd!
6. Valentine Celebration (2/16)— $2.00 for supplies is due ASAP so we can order everything. All of our volunteer spots have been filled! Thank you to everyone who has offered to volunteer their time to help out at the celebration. We want to make sure everyone who wants to volunteer is able to for our class events. Your support is greatly appreciated. If you have not been able to volunteer, do not fear! There are more opportunities coming up!
7. We are in our 94th day of school already! That means February 7th will be our 100th day of school. The children are encouraged to bring in 100 of something that can fit into a sandwich baggie. 

Have a great 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: Coin Game  (due on Friday)
Wednesday: Dialogue Journal (due on Friday)

Thursday: Comprehension (due on Friday)