January 21st-January 25th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

January 21st-25th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 3 Week 1

Main selection:  A Place to Play

Weekly Question:  How do places change?
Amazing Words: growth, population, teeter, public, makeshift, crooked, shuffle, spindly
High-Frequency Words: always, become, day, stays, things, nothing, everything
Phonics Target: Vowel sounds of y (my, funny); syllable pattern (hi, so, me)

Comprehension skills: Sequence
Comprehension strategy: Summarize

Genres:  Realistic Fiction
Written Expression: Predicate Expander "How" (People cheer loudly!)
Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 3 Family talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6-week overview of the unit. (Sent home January 22nd)
• Practice reading words (see white sheet sent home Friday) for Unit 3, Week 1 (first column). Please return sheet by Friday, January 25th for students to be tested on Week 1 words. 

Fundations: Unit 7, Week 3

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
• Unit 7 Test is on Friday, January 19th.

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
       We are beginning to do some explicit instruction around money. We will begin by identifying coins by name and how much they are worth.  

*                                      

Science

Physical Science Unit

Light and Sound Waves
     This week students will finish their recording sheets for the drum and rice experiment. They will also be conducting a vibration experiment with a cup of water and shoe box drum. After discussing their findings, students will record what they found. 

    

Social Studies

   We are beginning our Economics Unit this
week by developing an understanding of our 4
basic needs (food, clothing, shelter, love) and
the difference between needs and wants.

Mrs. LaBella kicked off her safety unit last Thursday! The students review the 3 R's to remember how to stay safe and the Never-Never rules. She will be coming in this Thursday to further discuss how to stay safe. Each session she comes in, she will be handing out a homework assignment to the students. Her assignments need to be done with an adult to go through the paper and discuss what the child has learned during each session. Mrs. LaBella has promised the children who bring in all 6 homeworks a special prize. 

 Specialists

MONDAY: No School!

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art; Music

Writing Workshop

Framing Your Thoughts ~ Winter Barebone Sentence Book
     This week students will finish their winter barebone sentence and complete the final draft with a detailed illustration

Writing Fluency-This week the class will complete their fourth 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. 
Genre Writing- Opinion
      This week students will begin to discuss the components of an opinion piece of writing. We will discuss the meaning of opinion, explore our opinions on different topics, and look at key components of an opinion writing prompt.
      We will continue to practice writing how-to pieces. 

     

                   Parent Reminders

1. We did not go to library today due to no school on Monday. Make sure to return books by Friday or Monday morning!
2. We are beginning our Economics Unit this week by developing an understanding of our 4 basic needs (food, clothing, shelter, love) and the difference between needs and wants.
3.Wish list- Clorox wipes, tissues, and paper towels. 
    4. Math Facts—Thank you for the feedback about how the practice is going at home. I have received a few notes about who is ready to be checked so I’ll do that this
week. Even if you feel your child has mastered this skill, please continue to practice these facts at home to build their automaticity. This week the focus will be on doubles facts (2+2=4, 3+3=6, 4+4=8, etc.) and double +1 rule (3+2=5, 1+2=3, 3+4=7, 4+5=9, etc.). I will be checking in with each student's progress with +0 and +1 rules. 
5. Scholastic Book Club: February book catalogs will be going home with students this week. Please send in your orders and money by Friday, February 8th!

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
Addition to 10 Math Facts

This week's homework:

Monday:  Reading Log (due on Friday)

Tuesday: Math Fact Practice-Focus: Doubles & Doubles +1 Rule  (Daily)
Let's Go Shopping! Coin Game (Daily)

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