December 18th-22nd Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

December 18th-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, Week 4 (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

Light and Sound Waves
Last week students carried out two different experiments using mirrors, a flashlight and target in order to test the law of reflection. They learned about concave and convex curves as well as how light's reflection changes with each curve.  This week students will be wrapping up our lesson on the law of reflection by using paint and their hand prints. 
 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. 

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 discussing accidents.

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music 

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: Sing-a-Long; Jan Brett Celebration

FRIDAY: Polar Express; Early Release

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 Wednesday, 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 Friday, December 22nd.
3. 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 Thursday!
4. Pajama Party- On Friday, 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.
5.   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 Thursday, 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. 
6. Holiday Break Reading Challenge- On Thursday (12/21), I will be sending home a reading log for students to complete over break. The logs will be due on our first day back, Tuesday, January 2nd. The reading log is a challenge to add some excitement for the students. 
7. Dialogue Journal- There will be no dialogue journal entry for this week. Please complete the activities in the packet that was sent home today, Monday December 18th and return on Friday, December 22nd.

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
Math Number Sense Games

This week's homework: 

Reading Log (due on Friday)
 Shape Find Math Activity (due on Friday)
Holiday Tree Comprehension Sheet (due on Friday)

December 11th-15th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

December 11th-15th

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 2 & 3 (second and third 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

Light and Sound Waves
Last week students learned about the law of reflection by watching a demonstration using a ball. Students recorded what they saw with a scientific drawing and a small explanation in their science journals. This week students will carry out two different experiments using mirrors, a flashlight and target in order to test the law of reflection. 

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—This week Mrs. Labella will come into our classroom to continue to teach us about our emotions. 

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music; Library

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. 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. This week, we will plan 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 18th. :) 

                   Parent Reminders

1. Our class went to the library today. Please remind your child to bring back their library book by next Monday, December 18th. 
2. Please make sure to pack a snack and water for your child each day. 
3. Jan Brett Celebration-  If you have signed up to donate supplies for our celebration, please send in your supplies any time between today and Tuesday, December 19th. The supplies are due on Tuesday, December 19th at the latest. Thank you for your support!
4. Pajama Party- On Friday, 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.  
5. Reading Street Unit 2 Word Lists- This week have your child practice reading and spelling the words from column 2 and 3 on their Reading Street word lists. I will collect the lists on Friday, December 15th to have each child read the words in the second and third column. 

Have a wonderful week! 

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)

Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Number/Letter Formation
Math Games

This week's homework:

  Reading Log (due on Friday)
 Number Bond Sentences Math Game  [Sent home on Tuesday]
 Dialogue Journal (due on Friday) [Sent home on Wednesday]
 December Celebrations Comprehension Sheet (due on Friday) 

December 4th-8th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

December 4th-8th

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 2 (second 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

Light and Sound Wave Unit 
Last week students experimented with six different materials to test if they were transparent, translucent or opaque. They made predictions as to what they thought the object was (transparent, translucent or opaque) and then using their flashlight, they tested the material. After they tested a material, they recorded the outcomes.  
This week the student will review what they already know about how light travels and learn about the law of reflection through a series of experiments.  

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....

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music 

TUESDAY: Early Release

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art; Music

Writing Workshop

Jan Brett Author Study~ Mitten Riddle

     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. 

Six Traits of Writing~ Ideas

      This week students will continue to brainstorm ways to escape a Thanksgiving dinner and write sequential steps to help a feathery friend out. Students will also be learning about conferencing and I will conference with each student about their writing.

Framing Your Thoughts~ Predicate Expander of Where
This week students will begin to practice making their own barebone sentences using the predicate expander of where. This expander begins to allow students to add detail to their barebone sentences. Students will be creating sentences based off of pictures, personal experiences, and brainstorming winter-themed subjects, predicates and predicate expanders of where. 

This week’s mini-lessons will include… 
- What an individual conference is 
- How to give compliments to their peers 

- How to make constructive suggestions to improve their peer’s stories

                   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 5th at noon!
3. Scholastic Book Club catalogs will be going home
tomorrow (Tuesday, December 5th). 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” or gift
books for your child, please let me know and I
can contact you when the books are in.) Orders
are due by Monday (Dec 11th), 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.
5. It’s just about hat and glove season…please label everything, if possible. Sometimes the children have a hard time identifying their
own clothes.

Have a fantastic week! 

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)

Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Number/Letter Formation
Number Sense Math Games

This week's homework: 

Reading Log (due on Friday)
Number Bond Math Game Recording Sheet  (due on Friday) [Sent home on Tuesday]
 Dialogue Journal (due on Friday) [Sent home on Wednesday]
 December Celebrations: Kwanzaa (due on Friday)