March 9th-March 13th Newsletter

First Grade Newsletter

March 9th- 13th

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit 4 Week 2

Main selection:  Cinderella

Weekly Question:  How can a story be a treasure?
Amazing Words: delightful, tangle, imagination, peer, original, royal, carve, sighed
High-Frequency Words: colors, draw, drew, great, over, show
Phonics Target: Vowel digraphs ea; Adding Endings -es/-s, -ed, -ing

Comprehension skills: Theme
Comprehension strategy: Visualize

Genres:  Fairy Tale
Written Expression: Predicate Expander "When" (The sun shines in the afternoon.)
Reading Street Parent Connection:

• Unit 3 Family talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6-week overview of the unit. (Sent home March 6th)
• Practice reading words (see white sheet sent home Friday) for Unit 4, Week 2 (second 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 blends (st, mp, br, sl), -nk/-ng glued sounds (bank, rink, sung, long), and added endings (-s, -ing, -ed)
• Trick Words: some, come, would, should, could
• 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, why, by, my, try, put, two, too, very, also

**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 12
Numbers to 40

Pre-requisite skills: Count on from 10-20, Read place value charts, Compare/order numbers to 20, Make number patterns (skip counting 10-20). 

Thinking Skills
- Analyzing parts and whole
- Sequencing and comparing

Problem Solving Strategies  
- Look for patterns
- Use before-and-after concept

           Objectives
- Count on/Read/Write numbers 21-40 in numbers and words.
- Use a place-value chart to show numbers to 40
- Show objects to 40 as tens and ones
- Use a strategy to compare numbers to 40
- Compare and order numbers to 40 
- Find the missing number in a number pattern

*                                      

Science

Physical Science
Sound 
This week students will be learning about how sound travels. Students will be using string, a plastic cup, and a spoon this week to experiment with how sound travels and will record their findings into their science journals.      
     

Social Studies

   We will use our Social Studies time for Science this lessons this week. 
Second Steps- Last week students completed another safety lesson with Mrs. LaBella. Along with our safety lesson, students also learned about the first two STEPs in solving a problem (S: Say the problem. T: Think of solutions). This week students will continue to learn how to problem solve by reviewing the first two STEPs and learning about the last two STEPs (E: Explore consequences; P: Pick the best solution). Mrs. LaBella will be coming in for our third safety lesson this week. 

 Specialists

MONDAY: Music

TUESDAY: P.E.; Class Pictures

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art; Music; Library

Writing Workshop
Six Traits of Writing: Organization
     This week students will listen to a story all about emotions and how those emotions are described with specific words, phrases and illustrated with specific colors. After reading the story, I will have students choose an emotion we discuss and brainstorm. This week, students will be continuing to think of specific words to go with different emotions. 

Genre Writing: When I Grow Up
     This week students will continue to write their introduction sentences, 3 reasons, and closing sentences.  

This week's mini-lesson will include...
- What is voice? 
- How does word choice help with voice? 

     

                   Parent Reminders

1. Our library time is Fridays at 12:15 p.m. Please have books brought back to school by Friday or anytime throughout the week.
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. Math Facts- As I check in with your child, I will send a note home about which rules they still need to work on. If they have the majority of the math facts mastered, I will send home the subtraction fact cards. Keep up the good work! 
5. Trick Words- I have sent home and posted on our class blog a list of sight words your child should know by this point in the year.
6. A Year With Frog and Toad Play (3/26)-A permission slip went home on Monday for our class to go see the play, A Year with Frog and Toad, at the North Shore Music Theatre on Thursday, March 26th.  
7. March Scholastic Orders: March Scholastic catalog orders have been ordered and will be sent home when they come in. 

Have a fabulous week! 

Miss Biggar

Homework for the Week

 Daily

Reading Words (Phonics/Sight)

Reading Log (with discussion questions)
Number/Letter Formation

Math Number Sense Games
Coin Games
Addition Math Facts to 10
Irregular Word Spelling & Reading

This week's homework:

 Reading Log (due on Friday)

 Zero the Hero Game (Daily) [Sent home on Tuesday]

 Dialogue Journal (due on Friday) [Sent home on Wednesday]
Safety Unit Homework #3 (due ASAP) [Sent home on Tuesday]