November 12th-16th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

November 12th-16th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 1 Week 6

Main selection:  Animal Park

Weekly Question:  What can we learn about wild animals by watching them?

Amazing Words: 

High-Frequency Words: home, into, many, them

Phonics Target: Short u: u; Final Consonant Blends

Comprehension skills:  Cause and Effect

Comprehension strategy: Text Structure

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 5 & 6 (last two columns only). I will be finishing Reading Street Unit 1 sheets on Friday, November 16th.

Fundations: Unit 3 (Week 2 of 2)

 ** Unit 3 Test on Tuesday, November 13th**
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: or, for

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

Light- Last week students discussed how light can pass through some objects, but not others. We reviewed the three types of objects: transparent, translucent, and opaque, and tested the first three objects (construction paper, wax paper, and plastic wrap). This week students are experimenting with the last three types of 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. 

Social Studies

Thanksgiving Unit
We will be continuing to work on developing an understanding of life as a colonist and a Wampanoag Native American. We’ll finish learning about the homes of the Wampanoags and begin learning about the Pilgrims' home.
Second Steps—We began our Empathy Unit last week with identifying feelings. This week we will continue to build on our knowledge in identifying our own feelings.

 Specialists

MONDAY: No SCHOOL!

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music; Picture Retakes

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art; Music

Writing Workshop

Genre Writing~ Narrative
     This week students will have to brainstorm ways to escape a Thanksgiving dinner and write sequential steps to help a feathery friend out of trouble. Students will learn how to write an introduction and concluding sentence.

Writing Fluency-This week the class will complete their second fluency prompt. Each fluency prompt will be 5 minutes long. One minute for students to brainstorm ideas about the prompt's sentence starter and 4 minutes to write their ideas. The goals for each fluency prompt are to see growth in the number of words students write and to see students applying grammar and writing skills they are learning throughout the year. 

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.

Framing Your Thoughts ~ Connector ('and')/Predicate Expander of Where

     This week students will be introduced to the predicate expander of where (The dog races in the park.) and will also practice using the connector ('and') in bare bone sentences. Students will practice using this part of a sentence during literacy centers and convention writing time. 

This week’s mini-lessons will include:

• Choose a topic 
• Use important details to tell about a topic
• Use uppercase at the beginning & punctuation at the end
• Use spacing between words
• Writers reread their writing to see if it makes sense and stays on topic.

                   Parent Reminders

1. We do not have library this week. Please make sure you help your child remember to bring in their book for next Monday.
2. No school on Tuesday (11/12).
3. Scholastic Orders- November orders will be placed today.
4. Just a heads up…photo retakes will be on Wednesday, November 14th.
5. Reading Phonics & Sight Word Lists (Unit 1)- Unit 1 Cards will be handed back next Tuesday, November 13th. Please practice Week 6 (the last column only) of your child's Reading Street word lists. I will be collecting the Reading Street Unit 1 sheets on Friday, November 16th to check-in with students for the last week. Thank you!
6. Dialogue Journal- A journal entry should be written each week. I hand out journals on Wednesday and the journal should come back on Friday or the following Monday.
7. Thanksgiving Week Homework- Next week, all homework will be sent home on Monday, 11/19 and is due back on Wednesday, 11/21. 

Have a wonderful week! 

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)

Thanksgiving Math Activity (due on Friday) [Sent home on Tuesday] 

Dialogue Journal #6 (due on Friday) [Sent home on Wednesday]