Week of September 27-October 1

First Grade Newsletter

September 27th-October 1st

Literacy

Reading Street: Unit R*

Main selection:  School Day/Farmers Market

                   Weekly Question:  What is around us at school?/What can we see around our neighborhood?

                   Genres:  Realistic Fiction

                   Comprehension skills:  Realism/Fantasy, plot

*We review concepts taught in Kindergarten during our Review Unit.

PHONICS

Lively Letters (Sounds)

• Review stories and sounds for each letter pair: ng, wh
• Last week’s letter pairs: p/b, t/d, k/g, f/v, qu, m/n, s/z, j/ch, r/l, x/y/c, w/h,  a/o, u/i, e


Handwriting Without Tears
• Review all letter formations
• Alphabetical order 

Math in Focus

Chapter 1

Pre-requisite skills and number sense

**Chapter 1 Test on Thursday, September 30**

Objectives

-  Count from 0 to 10 objects 

-  Read and write 0 to 10 in numbers and words

     -  Compare two sets of objects by using one-to-one correspondence 

      -  Identify the set that has more, fewer, or the same number of object

- Identify the number that is greater than or less than another number

-                                                -  Make number patterns

*Please note:  Math instruction in this unit is reviewing groundwork established in Kindergarten.  We will be building upon these skills as we progress through the future math units.

Science

Space Unit
Patterns in the Sky
     Last week students took three different observations of the Sun in the sky as well as the location and length of a shadow (we used a light pole in the bus loop). This week, students will discuss the Sun observations they recorded last week and the Sun's patterns.

Social Studies

Last week, we developed our classroom rules  and logical consequences together. This week we will continue to engage in friendship-building, cooperative exercises, always emphasizing the importance of friendship, unity, and cooperation. We will continue to talk about the power of our choices using the book What Should Danny Do?. 

Our social studies learning this week is embedded in our reading program. We will be focusing on families and community through our readings.  This week the children will work to answer the question "What is around us at school?" and "What can we see around our neighborhood?".

Specialists

MONDAY: Music

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Art

THURSDAY: Music

FRIDAY: P.E.

Writing Workshop

This week students continue the morning work assignment that requires students to about one activity that they did over the weekend. The purpose of this exercise is for students to practice putting their ideas on paper through words and illustrations.

Genre Writing-Narrative

This week students will begin learning about our first genre of writing, a narrative. We will discuss the different pieces and parts of a story and how they fit together.We will also write our first whole class story together.

Grammar-Sentence Structure (Nouns)

     Students will review the meaning of a noun and examples of different nouns. They will participate in activities to help them identify different nouns and brainstorming nouns that they already know.

                  
Parent Reminders

1.  Picture Day is on Tuesday, September 28th.

2.    Please be sure your child returns their green school-to-home folder and their homework folder to school everyday.  Also, please check your child's school-to-home folder each day for important handouts. I will write about specific handouts that you should be looking for throughout the week in this section of the newsletter. Students should also have their red homework folders in their backpacks every day.

3.    Children should bring in a small healthy snack (separate from their lunch) to have in class at 9:50 a.m. Please make sure that it is nut-free and has no glass products.

4.    Scholastic Catalog order: September orders have been placed and will be sent home when they are in. Be on the lookout for the October catalog!

5. Fall Parent Conferences (10/21 & 10/28)- Please sign up for a parent conference slot on Sign-Up Genius on our Bloomz account. These signs ups will be for in-person meetings. If you would prefer a Zoom meeting, please email or Bloomz message me. We can set up a time that works for you. I look forward to meeting with you all!

 

Have a great last week of September!

Mrs. Ash

Homework

Your child will bring home their red homework folder on Monday. Inside the folder is a reading log and math activity with materials. I will also include individual login information for all of our online platforms. This week students should be reading for 10 minutes and play the new math game. There is a paper with number names ('two') and symbols (5). please cut out each box and follow the instructions. The homework folder should always be brought to school in your child's backpack, but only returned on Fridays. (Keep completed work in the homework folder. I will take it out on Friday.)