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]