Sunday, June 16, 2019

June 17th & June 18th Newsletter

Dear First Grade Families, 
    I give you back your child, the same child that you entrusted in my care last fall. I give you back your child a little bit older a wee bit taller and a whole lot smarter! It has been my pleasure and privilege to watch their character, personality, and intellect develop day by day as we learned new things together. 
   This year we have lived, studied, learned, laughed, sang, and grown up together. We have become a close-knit classroom family and will always be a part of each other. Remember that I will always be interested in your child and their destiny, wherever they may go, whatever they may do, and whoever they may become. I look forward to the day when I hear that familiar name linked with great accomplishments!
                         Thank you for sharing your child with me!
                                                                                           Miss Biggar


June 17th & 18th Important Parent Announcements

  1. On Monday June 17th, your child will bring home completed work. Everything your child brings home will stay at home.
  2. On Tuesday, June 18th, our grade is holding a final celebration, our end of the year luau. Please make sure your child is dress in their best luau gear for the day.
  3. June 18th is an early release. Students will be dismissed at 12 noon. 

Monday, June 10, 2019

June 10th-June 14th Newsletter


First Grade Newsletter
June 10th-June 14th

Literacy
Reading Street: End of the Year Test
The students worked very hard and did their best on their End of the Year Reading Street test. They should be very proud of their effort!


Math in Focus


Chapter 19: Money
**Chapter 19 test will be this week**
Prerequisite Skills: Know penny, nickel, dime and quarter, Use pennies to buy things

Thinking Skills
- Comparing
- Analyzing parts and whole

Problem Solving Strategies  
                                            - Make a systematic list
                                            - Make suppositions

           Objectives
- Recognize and name penny, nickel, dime and quarter.
- Understand the symbol for cents.
- Skip-count to find the value for a set of coins of equal value.
- Choose the correct value of coins when buying items.
- Count money up to $1 using the counting on strategy. 


*                                      
Science
Life Science
Birds of a Feather Flock Together
This week students will learn about the different external parts of a bird and discuss the different types of beaks.
     
Social Studies

Flag Day
We'll be reviewing what we learned about the American Flag to help celebrate the flag's birthday!

Quality & Traits Unit
This week the students will begin sharing their famous American reports with the rest of the class.
    
 Specialists


MONDAY: Music
TUESDAY: P.E.
WEDNESDAY: Field Day!
THURSDAY: P.E.
FRIDAY: American Symbols Play; Disney Nature Movie


Writing Workshop

     The students are working on drafting and publishing their informative letter to their new second grade teacher introducing themselves. They will include some of their traits, strengths, weaknesses and a question.
     In our final writing project for the school year, they will reflect upon various aspects of the year in a homemade First Grade Memory Book.




     
                   Parent Reminders

1. All library books are due this week. You'll be contacted if your child has any outstanding books.
2. "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!
3. End of the Year Luau- To celebrate all that we have accomplished this year, the students and teachers are going to have a First Grade Luau on the last day of school, Tuesday June 18th. This celebration is only for students and teachers. I have sent a Bloomz message asking for volunteers to donate supplies. Please reply in the comment section of the post with the item you would like to donate. All supplies need to brought to school by Monday, June 17th (except for the watermelon slices which can be brought the morning of Tuesday June 18th). 
5. Our American Symbols Play is this Friday, June 14th. The performance will begin at 10:00 AM in the Gym. 
6. **Homework Changes**- We will continue to eliminate homework assignments as the school year winds down. Last week was our last week for our dialogue journals and math. This week will be our last week for reading logs. 

Have a fantastic week! Stay cool!

Miss Biggar


Homework for the Week
 Daily
Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Addition Math Facts to 10 (ALL)
Coin Games
American Symbols Songs 
American Symbols Lines (if given)

This week's homework:
 Reading Log (due on Friday)

Monday, June 3, 2019

June 3rd-June 7th Newsletter


First Grade Newsletter
June 3rd-June 7th

Literacy
Reading Street: Unit 5 Week 6
Main selection: The Stone Garden
Weekly Question:  What can happen when someone has a new idea?
Amazing Words: accomplish, doubt, original, glider, (un)manned, soar, exclaim
High-Frequency Words: answered, carried, different, poor
Phonics Target: Prefixes: un-, re-  (undo, remove); long o & i (gold; wild)
Comprehension skills: Theme
Comprehension strategy: Inferring
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Written Expression: Predicate Expander "What/Whom" (She brushes my hair.)
Reading Street Parent Connection:
  • Unit 5 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 5, Week 6 (sixth column). 
Fundations: Unit 13, Week 2 & 3

Students will learn about...
  • Adding -es ending to words with digraphs and blends (i.e. lunches, brushes)
  • Trick Words: look, good, new
Math in Focus


Chapter 17: Addition and Subtraction within 100
Prerequisite Skills: Making tens and ones, adding tens and ones with regrouping, subtracting tens and ones

Thinking Skills
- Deduction
- Identifying patterns and relationships

Problem Solving Strategies  
                                            - Simplify the problem
                                            - Guess and check

           Objectives
- Add a 2-digit number and a 1-digit number without regrouping.
- Add two 2-digit numbers without regrouping.
- Subtract a 1-digit number from a 2-digit number without regrouping.
- Subtract two 2-digit numbers without regrouping.


*                                      
Science
Patterns in the Sky
The Moon & Stars
     Last week students will learn about the facts and figures of the moon and learned about the stars. 
Life Science
Birds of a Feather Flock Together
Students week students brainstormed ideas about the essential questions for this unit, "What do we know about birds?", "What birds to do we know?", and "What details do we know about them?". This week students will learn about the different external parts of a bird and discuss the different types of beaks.
     
Social Studies

Quality & Traits Unit
This week the students will begin sharing their famous American reports with the rest of the class.


 Specialists


MONDAY: Music
TUESDAY: P.E.
WEDNESDAY: Music; Backyard Growers
THURSDAY: P.E.
FRIDAY: Art; Music


Writing Workshop

     Our next writing piece will be an informative piece. The students will be writing a letter to their future 2nd grade teacher. This week we will be brainstorming and beginning to write our final letters.




     
                   Parent Reminders

1. This week is the last week that our class will go to the library and check out books. All library books need to be returned by Friday, June 14th
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. Each student needs to bring in a snack everyday to school. If this is not possible for you, please let me know and we can work something out. Thank you!
5. American Symbols Play- If you child received play lines, please practice these lines everyday. Role playing by being the other characters in your child's scene will help students practice their lines. By the time the play comes, we would like these lines to be memorized. Your child's lines are highlighted in yellow and your child's part in the play is in the top right corner.
6. Scholastic Book Club June catalogs went home last week on Wednesday, May 29th. Orders are due this Wednesday, June 5th, so books come in before summer break. 
7. End of the Year Assessments- Our End of the Year Reading Street test will be given this week on Friday, June 7th. It assesses all reading skills taught this school year. 
8. End of Year Homework- I will be eliminating homework as we continue to move towards the end of the year. This week will be the last week for our reading passages and dialogue journal. please respond to my final letter and send your child's journal back in. This week play the Race to 25 game to practice working with coins. Next week I will send the recording sheet home to be completed. 


Have a wonderful 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
American Symbols Songs 
American Symbols Lines (if given)

This week's homework:
 Reading Log (due on Friday)
Money Game (Daily) [Sent home on Tuesday]
 Dialogue Journal (due on Friday) [Sent home on Wednesday]