March 25th-March 29th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

March 25th- 29th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 4 Week 3

Main selection:  A Trip to Washington D.C.

Weekly Question:  What treasures can we find in our country?
Amazing Words: nation, symbol, tourist, abandon, splinter, sunken, harbor, statue
High-Frequency Words: found, mouth, once, took, wild
Phonics Target: Vowel digraphs oa, ow (coat; snow); Three Consonant Blends (splash)

Comprehension skills: Facts and Details
Comprehension strategy: Important Ideas

Genres:  Expository Text
Written Expression: Predicate Expander "When" (The sun shines in the afternoon.)
Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 3 Family talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6-week overview of the unit. (Sent home March 6th)
• Practice reading words (see white sheet sent home Friday) for Unit 4, Week 3 (third column). 

Fundations: Unit 9, Week 1 & 2

• Students will learn about...

  • Closed syllables with short vowels
  • Closed syllable vs. open syllable
  • Vowel team sounds: ai, ay, ee, ea, ey, oi, oy
  • Sight Words: between, each
  • Unit Story: Fred the Frog
  • Unit 9 Test on Wednesday, March 27th

Math in Focus

Chapter 12
**Chapter 12 test on Wednesday, March 27th**

Numbers to 40

Pre-requisite skills: Count on from 10-20, Read place value charts, Compare/order numbers to 20, Make number patterns (skip counting 10-20). 

Thinking Skills
- Analyzing parts and whole
- Sequencing and comparing

Problem Solving Strategies  
- Look for patterns
- Use before-and-after concept

           Objectives
- Count on/Read/Write numbers 21-40 in numbers and words.
- Use a place-value chart to show numbers to 40
- Show objects to 40 as tens and ones
- Use a strategy to compare numbers to 40
- Compare and order numbers to 40 
- Find the missing number in a number pattern

*                                      

Science

Space Unit
Patterns in the Sky
     This week our next unit begins! Students have already taken a pre-test about patterns in the sky to gather information about students' knowledge. The first lesson will be an introduction into patterns in the sky and beginning to observe the sun. 

     

Social Studies

   We are starting our National Symbols Unit this week. We will learn about four American symbols (American flag, Statue of Liberty, the bald eagle, and the White House) in depth starting with the American flag. 
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: Music

THURSDAY: Curious George; P.E. 

FRIDAY: Art; Music

Writing Workshop
Six Traits of Writing: Organization
     This week students will listen to a story all about emotions and how those emotions are described with specific words, phrases and illustrated with specific colors. After reading the story, I will have students choose an emotion we discuss and brainstorm. I will give students 3 minutes to finger paint a picture that they felt showed the emotion they chose. This week, students will be continuing to think of specific words to go with different emotions. 

Genre Writing: When I Grow Up
     This week students will finish brainstorming everything they know about the career they want to be when they grow up. Then using the information each student put on their brainstorming page, students will begin to formulate reasons and organize the reasons into a graphic organizer with an introduction and conclusion. 

This week's mini-lesson will include...
- What is voice? 
- How does word choice help with voice? 

     

                   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. "Reading is thinking!" The most important part of your child's reading blog is the discussion they have with you about the books. Please mark down which questions you discuss. Thanks!
4. Report cards were sent home on Friday, March 22nd. Please sign the orange envelope and return it to me this week. Thank you!
5. April Scholastic Catalog- The April Scholastic catalogs will be sent home this week. April orders are due on Monday, April 1st. 
6. Curious George Field Trip-On Thursday, March 28th, the West Parish first grade will be going to see the production of Curious George: The Golden Meatball at The North Shore Music Theater. We will leave shortly after school begins and we will be back in time for recess and lunch. 
7. American Symbols Play- The first grade will be putting on a play about American symbols at the end of the year. The students are very excited about this. More information will be sent home soon!
8. Wish List- snacks, paper towels
9. Friday Science Lesson- This Friday, March 29th we will be going outside for our first Patterns in Sky lesson to observe the Sun. Each child needs a pair of sunglasses to complete this lesson. Please have your child bring in their own pair of sunglasses to use. Thank you!

Have a fantastic week! 

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)
Reading Street Reading Word List

Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Number/Letter Formation
Addition Math Facts to 10 (ALL)

Math Number Sense Games
Coin Games
Sight Word Reading & Spelling

This week's homework:

 Reading Log (due on Friday)

Zero the Hero Math Game & Recording Sheet (due on Friday) [Sent home on Tuesday] 

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

March 18th- March 22nd Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

March 18th- 22nd

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 4 Week 2

Main selection:  Cinderella

Weekly Question:  How can a story be a treasure?
Amazing Words: delightful, tangle, imagination, peer, original, royal, carve, sighed
High-Frequency Words: colors, draw, drew, great, over, show
Phonics Target: Vowel digraphs ea; Adding Endings -es/-s, -ed, -ing

Comprehension skills: Theme
Comprehension strategy: Visualize

Genres:  Fairy Tale
Written Expression: Predicate Expander "When" (The sun shines in the afternoon.)
Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 3 Family talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6-week overview of the unit. (Sent home March 6th)
• Practice reading words (see white sheet sent home Friday) for Unit 4, Week 2 (second column). 

Fundations: Unit 9, Week 1 & 2

Students will learn about...

• Closed syllables with short vowels
• Closed syllable vs. open syllable
• Vowel team sounds: ai, ay, ee, ea, ey, oi, oy
• Sight Words: say, says, see, between, each
• Unit Story: Fred the Frog

Math in Focus

Chapter 12
Numbers to 40

Pre-requisite skills: Count on from 10-20, Read place value charts, Compare/order numbers to 20, Make number patterns (skip counting 10-20). 

Thinking Skills
- Analyzing parts and whole
- Sequencing and comparing

Problem Solving Strategies  
- Look for patterns
- Use before-and-after concept

           Objectives
- Count on/Read/Write numbers 21-40 in numbers and words.
- Use a place-value chart to show numbers to 40
- Show objects to 40 as tens and ones
- Use a strategy to compare numbers to 40
- Compare and order numbers to 40 
- Find the missing number in a number pattern

*                                      

Science

Physical Science (Light & Sound)
     This week each group will build their device using the resources that are provided. After the devices are built, each group will present their devices to the rest of the class.
     

Social Studies

   We will use our Social Studies time for Science this lessons this week. 
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: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art; Music

Writing Workshop
Six Traits of Writing: Organization
     This week students will listen to a story all about emotions and how those emotions are described with specific words, phrases and illustrated with specific colors. After reading the story, I will have students choose an emotion we discuss and brainstorm. I will give students 3 minutes to finger paint a picture that they felt showed the emotion they chose. This week, students will be continuing to think of specific words to go with different emotions. 

Genre Writing: When I Grow Up
     This week students will begin to brainstorm what they want to be when they grow up. Each student will choose a career that they want to be and brainstorm reasons why they want that career. 

This week's mini-lesson will include...
- What is voice? 
- How does word choice help with voice? 

     

                   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. 
2. Please make sure to record the comprehension questions you discuss with your child on the reading log each night. Thank you!
3. March Scholastic Orders- March orders were placed last Friday. I will send home the books when they are in!
4. Curious George Field Trip-On the permission slip for the Curious George field trip, there was an error. The form stated that there is a $12 cost, but there is no cost for the students to go see Curious George. If you sent in money, I will send home the money with a note attached to the envelope. Thank you!
5. Buses- I was informed last week that students should not be riding on different buses unless it has been approved by Kathy Verga, our transportation manager. If you send your child in with a note about a bus change, I will assume that you have put in a request for the change through Kathy Verga and it has been approved by her.
Kathy Verga Contact Information
kverga@gloucesterschools.com
(978) 282-3001

Have a fabulous week! 

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
Addition Math Facts to 10
Irregular Word Spelling & Reading

This week's homework:

 Reading Log (due on Friday)

 Zero the Hero Game (Daily) 

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

Sight Word Spelling

Dear First Grade Families,
Below is a list of sight words your child is required to spell correctly in their writing activities,
including their dialogue journals. Please practice spelling these words at home and in
your child’s dialogue journal letter. Thank you!

Miss Abbi Biggar

the a and is his

of as has to into

we he she be me

for or you your I

they was one said from

have do does were are

who what when where there

here why by my try

put two too very also

some come would could should

her over number

March 11th-March 15th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

March 11th-15th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 4 Week 1

Main selection:  Mama's Birthday Present

Weekly Question:  How can a surprise be a treasure?
Amazing Words: 
High-Frequency Words: about, enjoy, give, surprise, worry, would
Phonics Target: Vowel digraphs ai. ay; Single and plural possessives

Comprehension skills: Draw Conclusions
Comprehension strategy: Monitor and Clarify

Genres:  Realistic Fiction
Written Expression: Predicate Expander "When" (The sun shines in the afternoon.)
Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 3 Family talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6-week overview of the unit. (Sent home March 6th)
• Practice reading words (see white sheet sent home Friday) for Unit 4, Week 1 (first column). 

Fundations: Unit 9, Week 1 & 2

Students will learn about...

• Closed syllables with short vowels
• Closed syllable vs. open syllable
• Vowel team sounds: ai, ay, ee, ea, ey, oi, oy
• Sight Words: say, says, see, between, each
• Unit Story: Fred the Frog

Math in Focus

Chapter 11
**Chapter 11 Test on Friday, March 15th**
Picture Graphs and Bar Graphs

Thinking Skills
- Comparing
- Classifying 

Problem Solving Strategies  
- Make a systematic list

           Objectives
- Collect and organize data
- Show and understand data shown in a picture graph (also using symbols).
- Draw a picture graph.
- Make a tally chart.
- Show and understand data shown in a bar graph.

*                                      

Science

Physical Science (Light & Sound)
     This week students will finish planning their light and sound devices. Each group will build their device using the resources that are provided. After the devices are built, each group will present their devices to the rest of the class.
Earth Science (Patterns in the Sky)
This week students will take a pre-assessment for our Earth Science unit to see students' knowledge of patterns in the sky and aspects of space that are involved with the patterns in the sky (moon phases, the sun in the morning, afternoon, and evening, and movement, etc.)
     

Social Studies

   We will use our Social Studies time for Science lessons this week. 
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: Music

THURSDAY: EARLY RELEASE

FRIDAY: Art; Music

Writing Workshop
Pen Pal Letters
     This week students will continue to 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. The students will be 'mailing' their letters back to their pen pals this week. 

This week's mini-lesson will include...
- Letter format
- How to respond to a letter
- Grammar (punctuation, uppercase)
- Questions to ask a pen pal to gather more information about the person

Response to Text- Opinion
      Students will respond to a Reading Street text (I'm a Caterpillar) they have read during a previous week. They will reread the story and state their opinion if they believe the caterpillar or butterfly works harder using evidence from the text to support their answer. 

     

                   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. Early Release on Thursday, March 14th at noontime.(If your child's pick up changes from the normal transportation, please send in a note.)
5. Math Facts- As I check in with your child, I will send a note home about which rules they still need to work on. If they have the majority of the math facts mastered, I will send home the subtraction fact cards. Keep up the good work! 
6. Fry 200 Words- I sent home a list of sight words your child should know by the end of first grade.
7. On Dr. Seuss' birthday, we had some special readers... Ms. Nedde, Mrs. Ricci-Munn and Mrs. Dundin read to our class! Students were able to ask questions and express their opinion of their favorite book. 

Have a fantastic week! 

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)

Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Sight Word Practice
Number/Letter Formation

Math Number Sense Games
Coin Games
Addition Facts to 10

This week's homework:

 Reading Log (due on Friday)

 President Graph & Tally Chart Activity (due on Friday) [Sent home on Tuesday]

 Dialogue Journal (due on Friday) [Sent home on Wednesday]
The Magic Pot Comprehension (due on Friday) [Sent home on Tuesday]