October 29th-November 2nd Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

October 29th- November 2nd

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 1 Week 4

Main selection:  Fox and a Kit

Weekly Question:  How do wild animals take care of their babies?
Amazing Words: observe, wild, parent, canopy, screech, million, native, reserve
High-Frequency Words: eat, five, four, her, this, too
Phonics Target: Inflected Endings -s and -ing

Comprehension skills:  Main idea and Details
Comprehension strategy: Important Details

Genres:  Literary Nonfiction
Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 1 Family Talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6 week overview of the unit. 
• Family Times gives various activities that can be done at home that connect to the concept we're learning this week.
• Practice reading phonics and sight words for Unit 1, Week 4 (fourth column only).   

Fundations: Unit 3 (Week 2 of 2)

 ** Unit 3 Test on Thursday**
Students will learn about...

• Introduced to digraphs: wh, sh, ch, th, ck
• Spell words with digraphs
• Observe the form of a narrative story (character, setting, and main events)
• Sight words: we, he, she, be, me

Math in Focus

Chapter 4

Subtraction Facts to 10 

Thinking Skills
- Analyzing parts and a whole

Problem Solving Strategies 
- Guess and check

Objectives

      - Take away to subtract
                                        - Count on OR back to subtract
                                        - Use number bonds to subtract
                                        - Write and solve subtraction sentences.
                                        - Tell subtraction

*

Science

Weather- This week students will learn about clouds, how they are formed as well as the names & characteristics of the different types. 

Light- Last week students discussed how light can pass through some objects, but not others. We discussed the three types of objects: transparent, translucent, and opaque. This week students are experimenting with six different materials. They will be making predictions as to what they think the object is (transparent, translucent or opaque) and then using their flashlight to test the material. After they have tested a material, they will record the outcomes.
Decomposition of Pumpkin-Last week students made wonderful observations about our decomposing pumpkin. Once students record their observations, they make a prediction. Some students think the pumpkin will continue to grow while others think it will start to rot. The class will continue to record and predict what will happen to the pumpkin over the next couple of months. 

Social Studies

Thanksgiving Unit
We will begin working on developing an understanding of life as a colonist and a Wampanoag Native American. We’ll start by learning about each of their homes.
Character Education—We will begin our Empathy Unit this week with identifying feelings. 

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music

TUESDAY: P.E.; Halloween Parade

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: Early Release!

FRIDAY: Art, Music

Writing Workshop

Framing Your Thoughts 
    Last week students completed their first barebone sentence book and we will also learned about the connector ('and') that connects two subjects or predicates in a sentence. This week students will practice subjects, predicates, and connectors to construct sentences using partner shares, creating sentences from pictures and writing sentences.
Genre Writing~ Narrative

      This week we will begin our pre-write with brainstorming characters, the setting, and discuss problems vs. solutions of students' stories. 

Six Traits of Writing~ Ideas
     When writing the stories, each student will be looking at their heart inventory paper to find ideas of what topic they would like to write about. Once the students have a topic, they will write five important details they want to share in their story about the topic. These details will be in one or two word phrases on the Five Finger Detail organizer. By giving students the organizer, the focus will be more on five solid details about the topic than writing a proper sentence.

This week’s mini-lessons will include…

• Choose a topic 
• Use important details to tell about a topic
• Use spacing in between words 
• How to write an introduction and closing

                   Parent Reminders

1.  Scholastic Reading Club-November catalogs will be going home this week. November orders are due Friday, November 9th.
2. Our class' library time is Monday at 1 p.m. Please have your child return their library books to school on Friday or Monday morning.
3. Halloween Parade- Our Halloween Parade is tomorrow, October 30th beginning at 2:25 p.m. Please be at the school by 2:15 p.m. to watch the parade. If I have confirmed with you about volunteering, please be in Room 116 by 2:00 p.m. If you would like to dismiss your child right after the parade, please send in a note tomorrow morning with your child in their green homework folder. 
4. Ten Fram Math Game- I sent home the directions to the newest math game. Use the number symbol cards (ex: 1, 2, 3, 4..) for your child to choose from. Each child can choose what they would like to build the number with (ex: Legos, buttons, Goldfish, etc.)

5. Unit 1 Reading Card- I recorded how many of the phonics and high-frequency words your child read correctly. I also starred the words you did not read correctly. This week you’ll practice the fourth column of words. Please note I am looking for the students to be able to read these words with automaticity (within 3 seconds). If your child needs a new list, please let me know. (Reminder: please return these on Fridays.) 

6. Parent Conferences & Confirmation Slips- The second round of conferences will be held this week on Thursday, November 1st in my room (Room 116). If your child's conference is this week, please be thinking about questions and/or concerns you may have about your child as well as academic and social goals you have for him/her. I sent home conference confirmations last week and the last of the confirmations will be sent home tomorrow. If I have not received a conference slot time from you, I attached a updated late sign up sheet. Please send back in ASAP. Thank you!

Happy Halloween!

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Number/Letter Formation

Math Number Sense Games

This week's homework:

 Reading Log (due on Friday)
Ten Frame Math Game [Sent home on Tuesday]
Dialogue Journal #4 (due on Friday) [Sent home on Wednesday]