February 10th-February 14th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

February 10th- February 14th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 3 Week 5

Main selection:  I'm a Caterpillar

Weekly Question:  What changes can be seen in nature?

Amazing Words: cycle, develop, insect, rearrange, flurries, emerge, fragile, vessel

High-Frequency Words: done, know, push, visit, wait

Phonics Target: Contractions; Vowel r-Controlled er, ir, ur

Comprehension skills: Fact and Opinion

Comprehension strategy: Text Structure

Genres:  Literary Nonfiction

Written Expression: Predicate Expander "When" (The goose honked nervously this morning.)

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 white sheet sent home Friday) for Unit 3, 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), & -nk/-ng glued sounds (bank, rink, sung, long)
• Spelling CVC words with suffix -s
• Trick Words: why, by, my, try
• 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, who, what, when, where, here, there

**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 9

Length

Thinking Skills
- Comparing
Problem Solving Strategies  
- Act it out
- Use a diagram

           Objectives

                                    - Compare two lengths, using the terms tall/taller, long/longer, and short/shorter.
                 - Compare more than two lengths using the terms tallest, longest, and shortest.
                 - Use a common starting point when comparing lengths.
                 - Measure lengths using non-standard units and understand that using different non-standard units may give you different measurements for the same thing.

This next week we will be wrapping up our mini-lesson on money at our Valentine's Celebration. The students will be making change and shopping at three different stores. **Continue to play the coin games at home for added practice.**

*                                      

Science

Physical Science
Light
     Last week students tested their predictions about how to get the light from the flashlight to shine on a target (piece of paper with an 'X') using a mirror and their knowledge about reflection. All of the groups predictions and attempts were very inventive! This week students will watch a movie about reflection and begin to brainstorm things they know about 'sound'. 

Social Studies

   Economics Unit- This week we will continue to review our knowledge about economics. The class will be completing activities that apply what they know about needs, wants, goods, and services. 
Second Steps- This week, the students will be reviewing calming strategies for strong emotions and learning to use self-talk as another calming strategy. 

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: Valentine's Day Celebration

FRIDAY: Art; Music; Sing!

Writing Workshop
Pen Pal Letters
     This week students will receiving a letter from another first grade student in Gloucester. Each student will read and respond to their pen pal's letter using our letter format (greeting, body, closing, & signature). Students will be asking their pen pals questions to gather information about him/her. 

This week's mini-lesson will include...
- Letter format
- How to respond to a letter
- Grammar (punctuation, uppercase)
**We will also be finishing all of our other writing projects that we have been working on to make room for our big writing project that begins in March.**

     

                   Parent Reminders

1. We will not be going to the library on Friday, 2/14. 
2. Reading passages are due on Thursday. Reading Street Word Lists are due on Friday. 
3. Please make sure to record the comprehension questions you discuss with your child on the reading log each night. Thank you!
4.. Scholastic Book Club- February book orders have been ordered. I will send home the books when they arrive at school.
5. Valentine Celebration (2/13)— Thank you to everyone for your donations and have offered to help out! We still need 1 more parent volunteers to come in and help! Volunteers, please be here by 12:00 so I can let you know which centers you will be running. The kids are very excited! Thanks again!
6. On Friday, I will be sending home your child's Math workbook from the first half of the school year. You can use this at home for extra practice. 
7. Shoe tying- When your child wears snow boots to school, they have up to 6 opportunities to tie their shoes. Please help your child learn this important life skill. 
8. Sing! Movie- On Friday, February 14th the first grade will be watching the movie Sing!. 
9. Valentine Share- Please send in your child's valentines in on Friday, February 14th to pass out to their classmates.

One more week to go! 

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)

Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Fluency Reading
Number/Letter Formation
Number Sense Math Games
Money Games
Addition Facts to 10

This week's homework:

 Reading Log (due on Friday)

 Valentine Math Fact Sheet  (Due on Friday) [Sent home on Tuesday]

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