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]