January 27th-January 31st Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

January 27th-31st

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 3 Week 3

Main selection:  The Class Pet

Weekly Question:  What do we learn as animals grow and change?

Amazing Words: features, nibble, swoop, natural, wriggle, crumple, tumble, mature, nudges

High-Frequency Words: away, car, friends, house, our, school very

Phonics Target: Ending -es, Plural -es; Vowels: r-controlled or, ore

Comprehension skills: Fact and Opinion

Comprehension strategy: Monitor and Clarify

Genres:  Expository Text

Written Expression: Predicate Expander "How" (People cheer loudly!)

Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 3 Family talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6-week overview of the unit. (Sent home January 10th)
• Practice reading words (see green sheet sent home Friday) for Unit 3, Week 3 (third column). Please return sheet by Friday, January 31st for students to be tested on Week 3 words. 

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 CVC words with suffix -s
• Trick Words: who, what, when, where, here, there
• 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, from, have, do, does, are, were

**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 8
**Chapter 8 Test on Tuesday, January 28th**

Addition and Subtraction Facts to 20

Prerequisite skills: Add/Subtract 0, use fact families to solve problems, addition facts (expanded form 10 + __, compare numbers to 19)
Thinking Skills
- Analyzing parts and whole

Problem Solving Strategies  
- Guess and Check
- Solve part of the problem

           Objectives

                                    - Use different strategies to add 1- and 2- digit numbers.
                 - Subtract a 1-digit number from a 2-digit number with and without regrouping. 
                 - Solve real world problems
       We are beginning to do some explicit instruction around money. We will begin by identifying coins by name and how much they are worth.  

*                                      

Science

Physical Science Unit

Light and Sound Waves
    Last week students experimented with six different materials (plastic wrap, wax paper, construction paper, cardboard tube, plastic container, and mirror). They made predictions as to whether they thought the object was transparent (clear), translucent (cloudy) or opaque (dark), and then used their flashlight to test the material. After they tested a material, they recorded the outcomes. 
   This week students will learn about the law of reflection. We will begin the week brainstorming the information we already know about reflections and then physically demonstrate the law of reflection using wall, a ball and bucket to show that when light hits a reflective surface it bounces back. Students will record and reflect on the activity demonstrating the law of reflection. 

    

Social Studies

   Last week we began our Economics Unit by developing an understanding of our 4 basic needs (food, clothing, shelter, love) and the difference between needs and wants.
This week students will continue to exercise their knowledge about needs and wants through different hands on activities. They will also learn about goods and examples of goods. 
In Second Steps, we began our third unit, Emotional Management, last week. We discussed how to identify our own feelings and strategies to help us work through them. This week we will discuss strong emotions and strategies to help us when we feel strong emotions. 

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art; Music; Library

Writing Workshop

Framing Your Thoughts ~ Winter Barebone Sentence Book
     This week students will finish their winter barebone sentence and complete the final draft with a detailed illustration.

Genre Writing- Opinion
      This week students will continue to practice the components of an opinion piece of writing. We will review the meaning of opinion, explore our opinions on a specific topic, and look at key components of an opinion writing prompt.
      The students will continue to write about the opinion topic they chose. 

     

                   Parent Reminders

1. We will be going to library this week on Friday at 12:15. Please make sure your child returns their book in order to check out a new book.
2. We are continuing to learn about our Economics Unit this week by developing a better understanding of our 4 basic needs (food, clothing, shelter, love), the difference between needs and wants, and goods.
3. Wish list- Clorox wipes, tissues, and paper towels. 
    4. Math Facts—This week the focus will be on the +3, +4, +5 rules. I will be checking in with each student's progress with +0, +1, & +2 rules this week.  Even if you feel your child has mastered the facts, please continue to practice these facts at home to build their automaticity. 
5. Scholastic Book Club: February Scholastic catalogs will be going out this week. Please complete orders and send in money by Friday, February 7th. Thanks!
6. Reading Passage—On Monday (January 27th), I will send home a reading passage for your child to practice reading. Since each student is in a different place with their reading ability, they will be practicing different skills. Please read through the directions on the back, which will tell you what to do. Thank you for supporting your child with their reading.
7. Money Practice- In light of our Economics unit, students have been learning to identify coins over the past week (name, value, and visual characteristics). I will be sending home the Let's Go Shopping game for math homework this week for students to continue to practice identifying coins and their values, names, and physical characteristics.
8. Valentine Celebration (2/13)- The first grade will be having their Valentine Celebration on Thursday, February 13th. An informational letter will be handed out today (1/27) with a class list on the back. 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
Number Sense Math Games
Addition to 10 Math Facts (+3, +4, +5)

This week's homework:

Monday:  Reading Log (due on Friday)

Tuesday: Math Fact Practice-Focus: +3, +4, +5  (Daily)
Let's Go Shopping! Coin Game (Daily)

Wednesday: Dialogue Journal (due on Friday) [Sent home on Wednesday]