December 9th-December 13th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

December 9th-13th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 2 Week 4 

Main selection:  The Big Circle

Weekly Question:  How do animal communities work together to survive?

Amazing Words: enemy, extinct, boisterous, protect, crater, holler, swamp, bluff

High-Frequency Words: down, inside, now, there, together

Phonics Target: Long o: o_e; Contractions (can't)

Comprehension skills: Sequencing

Comprehension strategy: Inferring

Genres:  Fiction

Written Expression: Predicate Expander "Where" (Snowmen melt in the front yard.)

Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 2 Family talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6-week overview of the unit. (Sent home November 16th)
• Practice reading words for Unit 2, Week 4 (fourth column) as well as from Weeks 1-3. 

PHONICS

Lively Letters (Sounds)

• Review each letter/letter pairs: p/b, t/d, k/g, f/v, qu, m/n, ng, a/o, j, s/z, ch, r/l, u/i, wh, e, x/y/c, w/h

Spelling 

• Skill(s): Tapping out sounds in words with CVC patterns (Consonant, Vowel, Consonant; such as 'cat') 
• Spelling words with digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh, ck)
• Trick Words: from, have, do, does
• Taught Trick Word List: the, of, and, a, was, to, or, for, me, be, she, he, me, as, has, into, you, your, I , was, one, said

**Trick words are irregularly spelled words that each child is expected to be able to spell in their writing.**

Handwriting Without Tears

• Review formation of the following letters…c, o, s, v, w, t, a, d, g, u, i, e, l, k, y, j, p, r, n, m, h, b, f, q, x, z
• Alphabetical order  

Math in Focus

Chapter 7

Numbers to 20

Prerequisite Skills: Count & compare to 10 , Make patterns (counting on/back)

Thinking Skills

- Analyzing patterns & relationships

                        Problem Solving Strategies  

                                     - Look for patterns

                               Objectives

                                                                                  - Count on from 10-20

                                        - Read and write 11-20 in numbers and words.

                                        - Use a place value chart to show numbers to 20.

                                        - Show objects up to 20 as tens and ones.

Science

Physical Science
Light and Sound Waves
This week students will discuss the question, "What do you know about light?" Students will share their thoughts and listen to their peers' ideas and then write a journal entry in their science journals. 

Social Studies

Jan Brett Author Study 

The Hat
How is The Hat similar and different from
the story The Mitten? 
Vocabulary: ridiculous,
startled, magnificent

Second Steps—We are continuing our
Empathy Unit by discussing how emotions can change.

Specialists

MONDAY: Music 

TUESDAY: EARLY RELEASE

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art; Music; Library

Writing Workshop

Six Traits of Writing~ Ideas

Jan Brett Mittens     
This week the students will be writing their animal riddles that will be a part of our Jan Brett celebration. The riddles will hang out in the hallway for other students and visitors to enjoy.

Tom the Turkey
     This week students will be conferencing with me about their stories and writing their final drafts that include illustrations. 

Gingerbread Story Endings
     This week students listened to  the story, The Gingerbread Man. The students will write an alternative ending for the story.

   Parent Reminders

1. LIBRARY TIME CHANGE- Our class will go to the library this week on Friday at 11 a.m. Students will be allowed to take library books home for the holidays. If you have received a slip for an overdue book, please return it as soon as possible. 
2. Early Release-Tuesday, December 10th.
3. Jan Brett Celebration-  Emily Sydow and Stephanie O'Neil will be contacting families to donate supplies for our celebration. If you have signed up to donate supplies for our celebration, please send in your supplies any time between today and Tuesday, December 17th. The supplies are due on Tuesday, December 17th at the latest. I am also looking for 1 more parent volunteer to come in and help run the celebrations. If you are interested, please contact me. Thank you for your support!

Have a fantastic week!

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)

Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Number/Letter Formation
Math Number Sense Games

This week's homework: 

Reading Log (due on Friday)
 Kinara Math Activity  (due on Friday) [Sent home on Tuesday]
Dialogue Journal Letter #11 (due on Friday) [Sent home on Wednesday]
Kwanzaa Comprehension Sheet (due on Friday) [Sent home on Wednesday]