December 16th-December 20th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

December 16th-20th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 2 Week 5

Main selection:  Life in the Forest

Weekly Question:  How are plant and animal communities important to each other? 

Amazing Words: environment, require, thrive, inhale, slimy, sludge, capture, creature

High-Frequency Words: grow, under, water, around, food, find 

Phonics Target: Long e_e (Pete)/ Long u_e (use); Inflected Ending -ed (called, printed, fetched)

Comprehension skills: Author's Purpose

Comprehension strategy: Background Knowledge

Genres:  Expository Text

Written Expression: Predicate Expander "How" (The kitten pounced quickly on the sleeping boy.)

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 (see white sheet sent home Wednesday) for Unit 2, Week 5 (fifth column). 

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 digraphs (sh, th, ch, wh, ck) & blends (st, mp, br, sl)
• Spelling words with blends & welded sounds (an, am, all)
• 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

Light and Sound Waves
Last week students brainstormed everything that they know about light. This week students will conduct a pinhole experiment using a box, flashlight, and red crayon. Students will observe the inside of the box with and without the light (shown through a pinhole on the side) looking through an opening.
 Gingerbread Ingredient Smell Test: Students will be challenged to explore their sense of smell as they investigate the question, "Do all things have odor?" They will also determine whether the ingredients are solids or liquids. 

Social Studies

Jan Brett Author Study 

   Through the story Annie and the Wild
Animals, children will learn about animals that
hibernate /migrate during the winter. They will
create a bird feeder for those animals that
stay and adapt to the change of the season. Students will also listen to Christmas Trolls and Gingerbread Friends.

Second Steps—We are continuing our
Empathy Unit by discussing how feelings can change in a situation.

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music 

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: Jan Brett Celebration

FRIDAY: Holiday Sing-a-long; Polar Express

Writing Workshop

Six Traits of Writing~ Ideas

Jan Brett Mittens     
This week the students will be putting their final touches on their animal riddles that will be a part of our Jan Brett celebration and hang out in the hallway for other students and visitors to enjoy. They turned out fantastic! 

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
     Last week students listened to  the stories, The Gingerbread Baby and The Gingerbread Man. At the end of the week, the students needed to choose which story they wanted to write an alternative ending for. Once the student chose the story, they began to brainstorm their ideas for their endings. This week students will write and illustrate the endings to their story. 

                   Parent Reminders

1. We will not be going to library this Friday (12/20). Enjoy the book your child picked out for two weeks! 
2. Snack Time- There has been a wave of students who are throwing away the food that they bring from home. Please remind your child to eat the snack that they have brought from home. 
3. Jan Brett Celebration-Thank you for supporting our class by donating supplies and/or taking the time to come volunteer in the classroom! If you have not brought in your supplies, please bring them in no later than Tuesday, December 17th. We are very excited for Thursday!
4. Pajama Party- On Friday, December 20th, there will be a pajama party for our class to celebrate our hard work over the past four months. Your child should have a clean pair of pajamas on and are allowed to bring their slippers to wear around school. Please do not bring in any valuable stuffed animals or blankets from home. Each student should have another pair of shoes to wear for outside.
5.   Winter break practice packets- Reading is essential in first grade and it is imperative your child continues to read throughout the break as well as practice letter and number formation. On Thursday, December 19th, I will be sending a practice packet home for your child to use during winter break that includes decodable readers, a number formation guide, and letter formation guides. 
6. Holiday Break Reading Challenge- On Thursday (12/19), I will be sending home a reading log for students to complete over break. The logs will be due on our first day back, Thursday, January 2nd. The reading log is a challenge to add some excitement for students' reading. 
7. Homework- All homework will be sent home on Monday (except for the dialogue journal) for this week. Please complete the activities in the packet that was sent home today, Monday December 16th and return on o before Friday, December 20th at the latest.

Have a fantastic week! Happy Holidays!

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)
 Help the Snowman! Hundreds Chart  (due on Friday) [Sent home on Monday]
Dialogue Journal Letter (due on Friday) [Sent home on Tuesday]
December Celebrations Comprehension Sheet (due on Friday) [Sent home on Monday]

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]

December 2nd-December 6th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

December 2nd-December 6th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 2 Week 3 

Main selection:  Who Works Here!

Weekly Question:  Who works to make our community a nice place? 

Amazing Words: citizen, community, law, leader, branch, headquarters, earn, patrol

High-Frequency Words: people, live, work, who, out

Phonics Target: Long i: i_e; Digraphs- wh, ch, tch, ph

Comprehension skills: Author's purpose

Comprehension strategy: Important ideas

Genres:  Expository Text

Written Expression: Predicate Expander "Where" (The sunflower blooms under the blazing sun.)

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 (see orange sheet sent home Monday) for Unit 2, Week 3 (third column). 

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: REVIEW
• 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 5
**Chapter 5 Test on Tuesday, December 3rd**

Shapes and Patterns

Thinking Skills
- Induction; Analyzing patterns and relationships

Problem Solving Strategies  
- Guess and check

                               Objectives

                                                                                  - Identify, classify, describe, and sort plane and solid shapes.
                                  - Divide shapes into two and four equal parts and describe the parts.
                                  - Describe the whole as the sum of its parts.
                                  - Combine and separate plane and solid shapes.

Science

Patterns in the Sky

 Last week students learned about observing stars through a fictional story, How Many Stars in the Sky? by Lenny Hort. Students were split into three groups to learn about how to present the different patterns we have learned about, the Sun, Moon and stars. Each group will create a poster that will hang out in the hallway for the rest of the school to use to learn about the patterns of the sky. 

Social Studies

          Jan Brett Author Study 

The Mitten

Animal Riddles: Students will come up with
animal clues and make an interactive writing
piece for others to guess their animal.
Vocabulary: admire, jostle, commotion
Winter Holiday Unit-  During the month of December, students will be learning about different holidays that are celebrated. This week students will learn about Kwanzaa and major symbols that represent the traditions of the holiday. 

Second Steps—Mrs. LaBella will be coming into the class to share different ways that we can help others. 

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music; Book Fair (Wish List)

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music; Book Fair (Purchase)

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art; Music

Writing Workshop

Jan Brett Author Study~ Mitten Riddle

     This week students will begin their mitten riddles. Each student will choose an animal that crawls into the mitten from Jan Brett's story, The Mitten. Once each student has an animal, they will begin to write three clues about the animal to help readers guess what the animal is before the reader uncovers the picture. Students will work on their rough drafts this week.  

Six Traits of Writing~ Ideas

      This week students will conference with me about their Tom the Turkey stories and begin writing their final drafts. 

Framing Your Thoughts~ Predicate Expander of Where
This week students will begin to brainstorm winter- and holiday-themed subjects, predicates, and predicate expanders of where to begin creating our second barebone sentence book. 

This week’s mini-lessons will include… 
- What an individual conference is and includes
- Using complete thoughts
- Punctuation
- Uppercase at the beginning of a sentence and lowercase at the end

  Parent Reminders

1. Our class will not being going to the library this week due to the book fair. Our book fair dates are Monday, December 2nd to fill out our wish lists at 1PM. Our class' purchase date is Wednesday, December 4th at 9AM.

2. Scholastic Book Club catalogs will be going home this week. I know we just had the book fair and I do not want anyone to feel pressure to order more books. I had some parent requests for the December catalogs and thought I would just send them to everyone. If you want any “surprise” or gift books for your child, please let me know and I can contact you when the books are in.) Orders are due by Monday (Dec 9th), so the books can be delivered before the holiday break. (Online code—P9JVK).

3. DIBELs Winter benchmark testing will be done with Ms. Nedde this week.

4. It’s just about hat and glove season…please label everything, if possible. Sometimes the children have a hard time identifying their own clothes.    

Have a fantastic week! 

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)

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

This week's homework:
Reading Log (due on Friday) [Passed out on Monday]
Number Bond Addition & Subtraction Sentences Game Sheet (Daily) [Passed out on Tuesday] 
Dialogue Journal #10 (due on Friday) [Passed out on Wednesday]
Kwanzaa Comprehension Activity (due on Friday) [Passed out on Wednesday]

November 25th-November 29th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

November 25th-November 29th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 2 Week 3 

Main selection:  Who Works Here!

Weekly Question:  Who works to make our community a nice place? 

Amazing Words: citizen, community, law, leader, branch, headquarters, earn, patrol

High-Frequency Words: people, live, work, who, out

Phonics Target: Long i: i_e; Digraphs- wh, ch, tch, ph

Comprehension skills: Author's purpose

Comprehension strategy: Important ideas

Genres:  Expository Text

Written Expression: Predicate Expander "Where" (The sunflower blooms under the blazing sun.)

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 (see orange sheet sent home Monday) for Unit 2, Week 3 (third column). 

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: REVIEW
• 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 5

Shapes and Patterns

Thinking Skills
- Induction; Analyzing patterns and relationships

Problem Solving Strategies  
- Guess and check

                               Objectives

                                                                                  - Identify, classify, describe, and sort plane and solid shapes.
                                  - Divide shapes into two and four equal parts and describe the parts.
                                  - Describe the whole as the sum of its parts.
                                  - Combine and separate plane and solid shapes.

*                                      

Science

Patterns in the Sky

 Last week students learned about the stars. This week students will be learning about observing stars through a fictional story, How Many Stars in the Sky? by Lenny Hort. Students will also be split into three groups to learn about how to present the different patterns we have learned about, the Sun, Moon and stars. Each group will create a poster that will hang out in the hallway for the rest of the school to use to learn about the patterns of the sky. This week in our groups, we will work on collaborating and planning.

Social Studies

Thanksgiving Unit

We are wrapping up our work on developing an understanding of life as a colonist and a Wampanoag Native American. We will be learning about the activities the colonist and Native American children did for fun.

Second Steps—We continued our Empathy Unit last week with identifying feelings. This week Mrs. LaBella will come a talk to us about our emotions.

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: EARLY RELEASE!

THURSDAY: THANKSGIVING!

FRIDAY: NO SCHOOL!

Writing Workshop

Six Traits of Writing~ Ideas

     This week students will write their stories about how Tom the Turkey escapes Thanksgiving dinner. Each student will develop their own story using details such as different characters, whether or not if Tom escapes or gets caught, and how he is either captured or escapes. I am excited to read each student's story!

Timed Write #3
     This week students will complete their third timed write. The students will be read the story starter, given 1 minute to think about how they will continue to story, and write for 4 minutes.

Framing Your Thoughts ~ Predicate Expander of Where
     This week students will be practicing using the predicate expander of where (The snow drifts across the field.) by constructing their own from pictures, fall and winter-themed activities, and unscrambling sentences given to them during literacy centers and writing time. 

This week’s mini-lessons will include… 
Students will also learn about conferencing… 
- What a whole-class conference is 
- How to give compliments to their peers 
- How to make constructive suggestions to improve their peer’s stories

 Parent Reminders

1. Due to Thanksgiving on Thursday, we do not have library this week.

2. Wednesday, November 27th is an early release at 12 noon.

3. **UPDATED** Trick Word Reading & Spelling- On Monday, November 25th, I sent home the trick word reading and spelling list. I will be checking in with students on these words on Tuesday, December 3rd and Wednesday, December 4th. I will send home which words each child need to continue to work on. 

4. Reading Phonics & Sight Word Lists (Unit 2)- Unit 2 Cards will be handed back out on Monday, December 3rd. Thank you!
5. Dialogue Journal- A journal entry should be written each week. I hand out journals on Monday and the journal should come back on Wednesday or the following Monday.
6. Recess Gear- Due to the temperature slowly becoming colder, children need to wear or bring a coat, hat, and/or mittens to school in order to go out to recess. Please be sure to write your child's name on the tag or another convenient place on their gear. Thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)

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

Trick Word Reading and Spelling

This week's homework:
Reading Log (due on Wednesday) [Passed out on Monday]
Flip & Create Number Bonds Recording Sheet (due on Wednesday) [Passed out on Monday]
Dialogue Journal #8 (due on Wednesday) [Passed out on Monday]