January 1st-5th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

January 1st-5th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 2 Week 5

Main selection:  Life in the Forest

Weekly Question:  How are plant and animal communities important to each other? 
Amazing Words: environment, require, thrive, inhale, slimy, sludge, capture, creature
High-Frequency Words: grow, under, water, around, food, find 
Phonics Target: Long e_e (Pete)/ Long u_e (use); Inflected Ending -ed (called, printed, fetched)

Comprehension skills: Author's Purpose
Comprehension strategy: Background Knowledge

Genres:  Expository Text
Written Expression: Predicate Expander "How" (The kitten pounced quickly on the sleeping boy.)
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 & 5 (fourth and fifth column). 

Fundations: Unit 7, Week 1

Students will learn about...

• New glued sounds- ang, ing, ong, ung
• Pluralization
• Sight Words: why, try, my, by
• Unit 7 Story: King Sam

Math in Focus

Chapter 8

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

*                                      

Science
Physical Science Unit

Light and Sound Waves
     This week students will be introduced to the second part of the unit: sound waves. Students will learn about vibrations and what it means by experimenting using cup drums, rice, and an unsharpened pencil. At the end of the experiment, students will record and reflect on what they observed.  

Social Studies

   Our calendar-based theme for the next two weeks will be able New Year's resolutions and the efforts of Dr. Martin Luther King. 

Second Steps—We will be finishing up our
Empathy Unit with a lesson on how to show care and concern.

 Specialists

MONDAY: No School

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art; Music

Writing Workshop

Genre Writing~ Opinion
     This week students will be writing an opinion piece about their favorite food and giving reasons why it is their favorite.

New Year Resolutions
     This week students will be learning about what a resolution is and brainstorming resolutions for our new school year. Students will write their resolution on a star and illustrate what they have decided to do or not do. The class' resolutions will be hung around the classroom to begin the new year. 

Framing Your Thoughts ~ Winter Barebone Sentence Book
     This week students will brainstorm winter subjects, predicates, and predicate expanders of where. Each student will write three barebone sentences using the winter themed vocabulary, but they will choose the sentence that they feel is their best sentence and they can draw a detailed picture for.
      We will also discuss and practice using the elements necessary for a persuasive reading response. 

     

                   Parent Reminders

1. No library this week.
2. Please make sure to pack a snack and water for your child each day. 
3.Wish list- Clorox wipes and paper towels
4.  Reminder: We will have outdoor recess as long as it is at least 20F, so please send your child with a coat, hat, and mittens/gloves. Also, please label all of your child's winter clothing. Some children have a hard time identifying their own clothing. Thank you!
5. Math Facts- Next week I will be sending home math fact sheets to cut out, a Ziploc bag to keep them in, a ring and directions. Stay tuned for more information!
6. Jan Brett Celebration was a huge success! Thank you again for all of the donations and parent volunteers who made this celebration possible.

Happy New Year! 

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) [Sent home on Tuesday]

Number bond Math Game Recording Sheet (due on Friday)

Dialogue Journal (due on Friday) [Sent home on Wednesday]

Mitten Comprehension (due on Friday) [Sent home on Tuesday]