February 25th-March 1st Newletter

First Grade Newsletter

February 25th- March 1st

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 3 Week 5

Main selection:  I'm a Caterpillar

Weekly Question:  What changes can be seen in nature?

Amazing Words: cycle, develop, insect, rearrange, flurries, emerge, fragile, vessel

High-Frequency Words: done, know, push, visit, wait

Phonics Target: Contractions; Vowel r-Controlled er, ir, ur

Comprehension skills: Fact and Opinion

Comprehension strategy: Text Structure

Genres:  Literary Nonfiction

Written Expression: Predicate Expander "When" (The goose honked nervously this morning.)

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 Friday) for Unit 3, Week 5 (fifth column). 

Fundations: Unit 8, Week 2

Students will learn about...

• Consonant blends and segmenting and spelling words with four sounds (review)
• Baseword and suffix -s (review)
• Digraph blends (lunch)
• R-controlled vowels (er, ir, ur)
• Sight Words: her, over, number
• Unit Story: The Pink Dress

Math in Focus

Chapter 9

Length

Thinking Skills
- Comparing
Problem Solving Strategies  
- Act it out
- Use a diagram

           Objectives

                                    - Compare two lengths, using the terms tall/taller, long/longer, and short/shorter.
                 - Compare more than two lengths using the terms tallest, longest, and shortest.
                 - Use a common starting point when comparing lengths.
                 - Measure lengths using non-standard units and understand that using different non-standard units may give you different measurements for the same thing.

*                                      

Science

Physical Science
Light & Sound Review
     This week students will be bringing together everything they know about light and sound through an engineering project. Students will be assigned to groups to imagine, plan and create a machine that relays information through light and sound. After the groups have completed the construction of their machines, each group will present how their machine works.   

Social Studies

   Dr. Seuss- This week we will be learning about Dr. Seuss. Along with the history of his life, we will be going through many of his most famous books and discussing important literary elements that he uses throughout them.
Second Steps- This week Mrs. LaBella will be wrapping up her safety unit with the students. 

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music; Library

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art; Music

Writing Workshop
Pen Pal Letters
     This week students will receiving a letter from another first grade student in Gloucester. Each student will read and respond to their pen pal's letter using our letter format (greeting, body, closing, & signature). Students will be asking their pen pals questions to gather information about him/her. 

This week's mini-lesson will include...
- Letter format
- How to respond to a letter
- Grammar (punctuation, uppercase)
**We will also be finishing all of our other writing projects that we have been working on to make room for our big writing project that begins in March.**

     

                   Parent Reminders

1. Our library time is Mondays at 1 p.m. Please have books brought back to school by the Friday before or Monday morning.
2. Reading passages are due on Thursday. Reading Street Word Lists are due on Friday. 
3. Please make sure to record the comprehension questions you discuss with your child on the reading log each night. Thank you!
4. Math Homework-This week's math homework is practicing addition math facts to 10. Please play the coin games and number sense games given during previous weeks to help students practice and maintain their skills. 
5. Scholastic Book Club: March catalogs will be going home with students this week.  
6. Shoe tying- When your child wears snow boots to school, they have up to 6 opportunities to tie their shoes. Please help your child learn this important life skill.
7. Our Valentine Celebration was HUGE success! The kids had lots of fun using money to shop for goodies. Thank you again for all of your donations and support!
8. Spring Conferences- I will be sending home conference sign-up messages to a few select students. If you receive one, please send a message back with your availability ASAP. I hope to be sending confirmation notes with your conference time early next week. Thanks!
9. On Friday, March 1st, we will have a special, surprise guest reader! 
10. Math Facts- I will be checking in on your child's progress with the addition math facts. If they have the majority of the math facts mastered, I will send home the subtraction fact cards. Keep up the good work! 
11. Read Across America Day/Character Day (3/1)- On Friday March 1st, students will be able to dress up as their favorite book character. We will also be reading many different types of books to celebrate Read Across America Day as well as Dr. Seuss' birthday (March 2nd). If your child would like to bring in the book that they are the character in to read to a friend, please have them bring in a copy on Friday. 

Welcome back! 

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)

Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Number/Letter Formation

Math Number Sense Games
Coin Games

This week's homework:

 Reading Log (due on Friday)

All Addition Math Facts  (Daily)
 Dialogue Journal (due on Friday) [Sent home on Wednesday]

Dr. Seuss Comprehension (due on Friday) [Sent home on Tuesday]