September 25th-29th Newsletter

 First Grade Newsletter

September 25-29th

Literacy

Literacy Assessments:   Students will be taking the Unit 1 Fundations test this week. The main concepts covered in this test are the sounds of letters and the formation of letters.

Reading Street: Unit R*

Main selection:  School Day/Farmers Market

Weekly Question:  What is around us at school?/What can we see around our neighborhood?

Genres:  Realistic Fiction, Folk Tale

Comprehension skills:  plot, realism/fantasy

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

PHONICS

Lively Letters (Sounds)

• Review stories and sounds for each letter pair: 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, u/i, qu, th, th 

Fundations: Unit 2 (Week 1 of 2)

• Review formation of the following letters…v, w, y, x, qu
• Alphabetical order
• Identifying beginning, middle, and end sounds
• Reading three-sound words with short vowels sounds (ex: mad, sat, etc.)

Math in Focus

Chapter 2

Number bonds

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

Science

In our first unit of study, students are learning about weather. Last week we discussed what weather is and important vocabulary that is associated with weather. This week we will learn about clouds, how they are formed as well as the names & characteristics of the different types. 
This week we will also be defining and discussing the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste).

Social Studies

This week, the students will continue to practice focusing and listening as well as learn to use self-talk for the third Skill for Learning in our Second Steps curriculum. These are skills I encourage students to use throughout the day to practice and find which strategy works better for them. The students will continue to practice and apply the Skills for Learning.

Our social studies learning continues to embed focusing on families and community in our reading program throughout this week. Our questions for the students will need to answer this week are, "What is around us at school?" and "What can we see around our neighborhood?". 

 Specialists

 

MONDAY: Music; Library; Backyard Growers

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art, Music

  

Writing Workshop

     This past week students began reviewing the subject (noun) and predicate (verb) of 'barebone sentences' using the Framing Your Thoughts curriculum. There have been whole group discussions and brainstorming, partner discussion activities, and individual writing activities. Students will be creating word lists for both subjects and predicates to use when writing individually. They will also be given pictures to pull ideas from.

Process Writing~ Narrative
    This week we will begin exploring narrative writing through reading Stega Nona. As a class, we will be finding the story's critical character, setting, and object. Students will be drawing the character, setting and object once the whole class has discussed the story. 

                  Parent Reminders

1.  Meet the Teacher Night is this Thursday, September 28th 5:00-6:00pm. I’m looking forward to meeting all of you! Please note—This is an adult-only evening.
2. Parent/Teacher Conferences—There will be a sign-up sheet available at Meet the Teacher night for upcoming fall conferences (Oct. 26th /Nov. 9th). 
3. Topsfield Fair Field Trip (Oct. 5)- The first grade will be going to the Topsfield Fair on Thursday, October 5th. A permission slip went home this past Thursday (One correction is that we will be going on Thursday, October 5th, not October 4th.). Permission slips and money need to be turned in no later than Friday, September 29th. If your child needs a school lunch, please contact me. Three chaperones have been chosen and will be contacted this week.Thank you to everyone who offered to volunteer for our field trip!

4. Scholastic book order- October's catalog will be handed out this week. Catalog orders and money will be due on Friday, October 13th.

5.    Number Formation Guide- The guide will be sent home this week. Try and isolate just two numbers to practice each night for a couple minutes. Doing too many at once will not help break bad habits.

6.    Wish List- Thank you for all of the donations! 
7.  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 nut-free and has no glass products.
8.  Dialogue Journal Letter: I sent home a reminder about dialogue journals today. Please take a look at it and bring any questions you have to Meet the Teacher Night. I will explain more then. Students will not be assigned dialogue journals until next week.

Have a fantastic week!

Miss Biggar

Homework

Monday:  Reading Log (due on Friday)
Tuesday: Number Formation (due on Friday)
Wednesday: Letter Formation (due on Friday)