February 13-17th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

February 13th- 17th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 3 Week 6

Main selection:  Where Are My Animal Friends?

Weekly Question:  What do animals do when the seasons change?
Amazing Words: hibernate, migrate, autumn, weary, freeze, bitterly, temperature
High-Frequency Words: before, does, good-bye, oh, right, won't
Phonics Target: Comparative Endings -er, -est; Consonant Pattern -dge

Comprehension skills: Draw Conclusions
Comprehension strategy: Background Knowledge

Genres:  Drama
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 6 (sixth column). Please return sheet by Friday, February 17th for students to be tested on Week 6 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
• Unit 8 Test will be on Wednesday, February 12th.

Math in Focus

Chapter 11
Picture Graphs and Bar Graphs

Thinking Skills
- Comparing
- Classifying 

Problem Solving Strategies  
- Make a systematic list

           Objectives
- Collect and organize data
- Show and understand data shown in a picture graph (also using symbols).
- Draw a picture graph.
- Make a tally chart.
- Show and understand data shown in a bar graph.

This week we will be wrapping up our mini-lesson on money at our Valentine's Celebration. The students will be making change and shopping at three different stores. **Continue to play Collect 25 at home for added practice.**

*                                      

Science

Backyard Growers Enrichment
     Due to the snow day last week, we are looking to reschedule our last session with Miss Gabi when we return from February break. 

Social Studies

   Economics Unit- This week we will shift gears to learn about goods and services. The students will sort pictures into two piles, goods and services and determine which ones fulfill a need or a want. 
Second Steps- We are continuing our Emotional Management unit this week with a lesson on positive self-talk.

 Specialists

MONDAY: SNOW DAY

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music; Book Swap

THURSDAY: P.E.; Valentine's Celebration

FRIDAY: Art; Music

Writing Workshop
Six Traits of Writing: Organization
     The students are off to a great start understanding the format and elements necessary for a 'how-to' book. The students will be picking a topic that they know a lot about and begin writing their own 'how-to' guide.
This week's mini-lesson will include...
     - Transition words to continue to the flow of our writing.
     - Uppercase, spacing and punctuation
     - How to organize our writing

     

                   Parent Reminders

1. We missed our library time this week due to the snow day. We will be going to the Book Swap on Wednesday. 
2. Reading passages are due on Thursday. Reading Street Word Lists are due on Friday. 
3. Please make sure to record the comprehension questions you discuss with your child on the reading log each night. Thank you!
4. Before School Help-  Thursday mornings at 8 a.m. 
5. Scholastic Book Club: February book orders were sent home today! Enjoy your books! 
6. Valentine Celebration (2/16)— Thank you to everyone who sent in donations and have offered to help out! Volunteers, please be here by 12:15 so I can let you know which centers you will be running. The kids are very excited! Thanks again!
7. On Friday, I will be sending home your child's Math workbook from the first half of the school year. You can use this at home for extra practice. 
8. Shoe tying- When your child wears snow boots to school, they have up to 6 opportunities to tie their shoes. Please help your child learn this important life skill. 

Winter has finally arrived!
One more week to go! 

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: Collect 25 Game  (due on Friday)
Wednesday: Dialogue Journal (due on Friday)

Thursday: Valentine's Comprehension (due on Friday)