January 8th-12th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

January 8th-12th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 2 Week 6
**Unit 2 Test on Friday**

Main selection:  Honey Bees

Weekly Question:  How is an insect community like a community of people?
Amazing Words: individual, industrious, special, creep, slither, romp, eagerly, wander
High-Frequency Words: also, family, new, other, some, their
Phonics Target: Long e: ee (keep); Two syllable words with consonants next to each other (basket)

Comprehension skills: Comparing/Contrasting
Comprehension strategy: Questioning

Genres:  Expository Text
Written Expression: Predicate Expander "When" (People cheer on New Year's Eve!)

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 Wednesday) for Unit 2, Week 4-6 (fourth, fifth, and sixth column). 

Fundations: Unit 7, Week 2

Students will learn about...

• New glued sounds- ank, ink, onk, unk
• Review glued sounds- ang, ing, ong, ung
• Pluralization
• Sight Words: put, two
• 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 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 starting Unit 3 that gives students tools to identify and manage their own strong feelings. 

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music; Library

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Early Release

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 finish their New Year's resolution pieces. 

Framing Your Thoughts ~ Winter Barebone Sentence Book
     This week students will finish their three basic barebone sentences (a subject and a predicate; Example: Snowmen stand.) I will conference with each student to discuss which sentence they want to use and correct spelling errors. Each student will write take their chosen sentence and add a descriptive predicate expander of where to their barebone sentence. Students will have another conference to correct spelling errors and discuss the predicate expander chosen. After the second conference, they will be given the final draft paper to copy their sentence onto and illustrate a detailed picture. 
      We will also discuss and practice using the elements necessary for a persuasive reading response. 

     

                   Parent Reminders

1. The class had library today. Our class' library time is Monday at 1 p.m. If you have any overdue books, please return them as soon as possible.  
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. Scholastic Catalog- I sent home the January catalogs today. Please order or send in orders by Friday, January 12th.
6. Math Facts- I sent home math fact sheets to cut out, a Ziploc bag to keep them in, a ring and directions. Please begin practicing the +0 rule math facts (EXAMPLE: 1+0, 0+1, 2+0, 0+2, 3+0, 0+3, etc). Let me know if you have any questions!
7. Reading Passage—Starting next Monday, I will be sending home a reading passage for your child to practice reading. Since each student is in a different place with their reading ability, they will be practicing different skills. Please read through the directions on the back, which will tell you what to do. Thank you for supporting your
child with their reading.
8. Journal Homework: Now that we are just about at the halfway point in first grade,
your child should write a minimum of 5 sentences in their journal letter.
9. Shoe tying and coat zippering…with the winter season upon us, there are many opportunities for your child to tie their shoes and zipper their coat in school. Please help them practice this life skill at home.

Have a wonderful 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:

Monday:  Reading Log (due on Friday)

Tuesday: Addition Facts to 10  (Daily) [Begin with the +0 rule] [Sent home on Tuesday]

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

Thursday: New Years Resolution Comprehension (due on Friday) [Sent home on Monday]