February 3rd-February 7th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

February 3rd- 7th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 3 Week 4

Main selection:  Frog and Toad Together

Weekly Question:  What changes happen in a garden?

Amazing Words: gardener, nature, sprout, dim, shade, sprinkling, humongous

High-Frequency Words: afraid, again, few, how, read, soon

Phonics Target: Adding endings; Vowel r-Controlled ar

Comprehension skills: Author's Purpose

Comprehension strategy: Visualize

Genres:  Animal Fantasy

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 4 (fourth column). Please return sheet by Friday, February 7th for students to be tested on Week 4 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: 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
     This week students will be testing 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. 

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; Library

TUESDAY: Early Release!

WEDNESDAY: Music 

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art; Music

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. 

Pen Pal Letter Writing
     This week students will be given a pen pal letter from another Gloucester first grader. We will go over what a pen pal is and begin writing our introduction pages with a portrait of each student and their names. We will be going over letter structures and how a letter should be written. I am very excited to see how these pen pal letters come out!

     

                   Parent Reminders

1. We will be going to the library this week. Please return your child's library books by Friday morning. 
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 are due on Friday, February 7th.
5. Valentine Celebration (2/13)— Thank you to everyone who has sent in $3 with your child. If you need assistance with the money donation, please contact me directly. We still need 1 more parent volunteer 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. 

Happy first week of February! 

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) [Sent home on Monday]

 Addition Facts to 10 (+6, +7. +8 +9)  (Daily) 

 Dialogue Journal (due on Friday) [Sent home on Wednesday]
Goods & Services Comprehension (due on Friday) [Sent home on Wednesday]