Monday, October 25, 2021

Week of October 25th-October 29th

 

First Grade Newsletter
October 25th-October 29th

Literacy
Reading Street: Unit 1 Week 4
Main selection:  Fox and a Kit
Weekly Question:  How do wild animals take care of their babies?
Amazing Words: observe, wild, parent, canopy, screech, million, native, reserve
High-Frequency Words: eat, five, four, her, this, too
Phonics Target: Inflected Endings -s and -ing
Comprehension skills:  Main idea and Details
Comprehension strategy: Important Details
Genres:  Literary Nonfiction
Reading Street Parent Connection: 
  • Unit 1 Family Talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6 week overview of the unit. (Sent home Oct. 4th) 
  • Family Times gives various activities that can be done at home that connect to the concept we're learning this week.
  • Practice reading phonics and sight words for Unit 1, Week 4 (fourth column only). Practice the words in column 1, 2 and 3 that have a dot/star/dash next to them. These are the words your child struggled to read. 


PHONICS
Spelling 
  • Skill(s): Use digraphs (sh, wh, th, ch)
  • Tapping out sounds in words with CVC patterns (Consonant, Vowel, Consonant; such as 'cat') 
  • Trick Words: as, has, in, into
  • Review trick words and practice using in writing: theofand, a, is, his
**Trick words are irregularly spelled words that each child is expected to be able to spell in their writing.**
Lively Letters (Sounds)
  • Review stories and sounds for each letter pair: No new pairs
  • 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, ng, wh

  • Handwriting Without Tears
    • Review all letter formations
    • Alphabetical order 

Math in Focus
Chapter 2
Addition and Subtraction within 10
Pre-requisite skills and number sense

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



Science
Space Unit
Patterns in the Sky
     This week students will represent the phases of the Moon using Oreos. Each student will be paired up with a partner to complete this activity. After each group has completed their Moon phase page, the class will enjoy a sweet treat. 

Social Studies
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 "How do wild animals take care of their babies?".
In Second Steps, students will continue to learn the 4 Skills for Learning. This week, students will learn how to be assertive when learning. I encourage the students to use the skills that they have learned about throughout their day and find the strategy that works best for them. Last week students learned how to be a bucket filler and shared with their classmates different things that fill their buckets (compliments, acts of kindness, safe words and actions, etc.). They also learned the difference between tattling and reporting. We recited our Tattle Battle Pledge every morning after we recite our classroom rules.

Specialists
MONDAY: P.E.
TUESDAY: Art
WEDNESDAY: Music
THURSDAY: P.E.
FRIDAY: Art

Writing Workshop
This week students continue the morning work assignment that requires students to about one activity that they did over the weekend, including who was there, where the event took place, and how did the child feel about this event (favorite/worst part, sad, excited, etc.)The purpose of this exercise is for students to practice putting their ideas on paper through words and illustrations.

Genre Writing-Narrative
     This week they will continue to write and I will conference with each student to help him/her continue their story.

Spooky Sentences
     This week students will brainstorm about nouns (subjects) and verbs (predicates) that have to do with Halloween. Once the class comes up with a list of nouns and verbs, students will practice writing sentences using these parts of a sentence focusing on uppercases to begin a sentence, appropriate punctuation, spacing, and on-topic sentences.
                  
Parent Reminders
1.  There is an early release on Thursday, October 28 at noontime. Please send any dismissal changes to Ms. Lane in the front office because I will not be in school.
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 Catalogs Delay: I apologize for the September Scholastic catalog order delay. Due to the nature of these delays, I will be sending out the holiday catalogs this week. All holiday 
5. Fall Parent Conferences- Thank you to all of the families that I met with last week for conferences. If you have not scheduled a parent-teacher conference with me yet, please email or message me on Bloomz to give me a time that you can make.
6. Math Homework- For math homework this week, please watch the "Cluster Cards 4" and "Cluster Cards 5" videos.
7. Monday Library Time- Our class has library time on Mondays at 2PM. Please make sure your child has their book in their backpack on Monday morning to return in the afternoon. If a student does not return their book on Monday, s/he will have to wait to take another book out the following week.
     
Happy Halloween! 
Have a spook-tacular week!

Mrs. Ash

Homework
Your child will bring home their red homework folder on Monday. Inside the folder is a reading log, math activity with materials, and individual login information for all of our online platforms. This week students should be reading for 10 minutes, write a letter in their journal, and watch the Cluster Card 4 & Cluster Card 5 math videos that will be posted on Bloomz.
Your child also will bring home their Dialogue Journal (penpal journal). Please read my letter and have your child respond to it in 1 penpal letter. If I did not write your child a letter, your child can write to me about anything s/he wants. Once your child has finished his/her letter, return it to school. If I did not receive your child's journal last week, please have your child write a letter to me this week and I will check both letters once the journal is turned in. 
Behind the reading log, there is our word lists for the next 6 weeks. Please practice the marked column words in Column 1,2, & 3 and all of the words on the fourth column on the sheet every day this week. I will check in with each child at the end of the week. 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.)

Monday, October 18, 2021

Week of October 18th-October 22nd

 

First Grade Newsletter
October 18th-October 22nd

Literacy
Reading Street: Unit 1 Week 2
Main Selection: The Big Blue Ox
Weekly Question:  How do animals help people?
Amazing Words: past, present, produce transportation, danger, serve, snuggle, enormous, powerful
High-Frequency Words: blue, help, little, from, use, get
Phonics Target: Short 'o', plural -s, consonant 's' /z/
Comprehension skills:  Character and Setting
Comprehension Strategy: Visualize
Genres:  Animal Fantasy
Reading Street Parent Connection: 
  • Unit 1 Family Talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6 week overview of the unit. (Sent home Oct. 4th) 
  • Family Times gives various activities that can be done at home that connect to the concept we're learning this week.
  • Practice reading phonics and sight words for Unit 1, Week 3 (third column only). Practice the words in column 1 and 2 that have a dot/star/dash next to them. These are the words your child struggled to read. 


PHONICS
Spelling 
  • Skill(s): 
  • Tapping out sounds in words with CVC patterns (Consonant, Vowel, Consonant; such as 'cat') 
  • Trick Words: a, is, his
  • Review trick words and practice using in writing: theofand
**Trick words are irregularly spelled words that each child is expected to be able to spell in their writing.**
Lively Letters (Sounds)
  • Review stories and sounds for each letter pair: No new pairs
  • 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, ng, wh

  • Handwriting Without Tears
    • Review all letter formations
    • Alphabetical order 

Math in Focus
Chapter 2
Addition and Subtraction within 10
Pre-requisite skills and number sense

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



Science
Space Unit
Patterns in the Sky
     Last week students learned that the Earth rotates on an axis. They also learned that when we face the Sun, it is day time, and when we are facing away from the Sun, it is night time.  This week students will begin to learn about the Moon. 

Social Studies
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 do pets need?".
In Second Steps, students will continue to learn the 4 Skills for Learning. This week, we will practice using self-talk throughout the day. Students will also learn how to be assertive when learning. I encourage the students to use the skills that they have learned about throughout their day and find the strategy that works best for them. 

Specialists
MONDAY: Art
TUESDAY: Music
WEDNESDAY: P.E.
THURSDAY: Art
FRIDAY: Music

Writing Workshop
This week students continue the morning work assignment that requires students to about one activity that they did over the weekend, including who was there, where the event took place, and how did the child feel about this event (favorite/worst part, sad, excited, etc.)The purpose of this exercise is for students to practice putting their ideas on paper through words and illustrations.

Genre Writing-Narrative
     This week they will continue to write and I will conference with each student to help him/her continue their story.

Grammar-Sentence Structure (Verbs)
     This week students will brainstorm about nouns (subjects) and verbs (predicates) that have to do with Halloween. Once the class comes up with a list of nouns and verbs, students will practice writing sentences using these parts of a sentence focusing on uppercases to begin a sentence, appropriate punctuation, spacing, and on-topic sentences.
                  
Parent Reminders
1.  There is an early release on Thursday, October 21 at noontime.
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 Catalogs: The October catalogs will be sent home this week. October orders are due on Friday, October 22nd at 12 noontime. (I have not received our September orders yet due to delays in shipping. I will send those books home as soon as they come in.)
5. Fall Parent Conferences (10/21)- I will be sending conference time reminders tomorrow to everyone who has a time slot on Thursday. With the reminder, I will include a link to a survey for each family to fill out. This survey includes families sharing questions, aspects of learning, and concerns/interests/questions about your child. My hope is to use this information to be able to guide our time and make it as meaningful for you. If you have not signed up for a conference time, please email or message me on Bloomz with a time that works best for you. Thank you!
6. Math Homework- For math homework this week, please rewatch the "Cluster Cards 1,2,3" video that was posted last Thursday. Once your child has watched the video, s/he needs to record all of the combinations for each card on the page.
     
I look forward to meeting with you all! 
Have a spectacular week!

Mrs. Ash

Homework
Your child will bring home their red homework folder on Monday. Inside the folder is a reading log, math activity with materials, and individual login information for all of our online platforms. This week students should be reading for 10 minutes, write a letter in their journal, and rewatch the Cluster Card 1,2,3 math video that is posted on Bloomz. Fill out the cluster card sheet after watching the video. 
Your child also will bring home their Dialogue Journal (penpal journal). Please read my letter and have your child respond to it in 1 penpal letter. If I did not write your child a letter, your child can write to me about anything s/he wants. Once your child has finished his/her letter, return it to school. If I did not receive your child's journal last week, please have your child write a letter to me this week and I will check both letters once the journal is turned in. 
Behind the reading log, there is our word lists for the next 6 weeks. Please practice the marked first column words and all of the words on the second column on the sheet every day this week. I will check in with each child at the end of the week. 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.)

Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Week of October 11th-October 15th

 

First Grade Newsletter
October 11th-October 15th

Literacy
Reading Street: Unit 1 Week 2
Main selection:  Pig in a Wig
Weekly Question:  Who helps animals?
Amazing Words: career, service, sloppy, scrub, tool, exercise, comfort, search
High-Frequency Words: she, take, up, what
Phonics Target: Short 'i', consonant 'x'/ks/
Comprehension skills:  Plot
Comprehension strategy: Summarize
Genres:  Animal Fantasy
Reading Street Parent Connection:
  • Unit 1 Family Talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6 week overview of the unit. (Sent home Oct. 4th) 
  • Family Times gives various activities that can be done at home that connect to the concept we're learning this week.
  • Practice reading phonics and sight words for Unit 1, Week 2 (second column only). Practice the word in column 1 that have a dot/star/dash next to them. These are the words your child struggled to read. 


PHONICS
Spelling 
  • Skill(s): Tapping out sounds in words with CVC patterns (Consonant, Vowel, Consonant; such as 'cat') 
  • Trick Words: theofand
**Trick words are irregularly spelled words that each child is expected to be able to spell in their writing.**
Lively Letters (Sounds)
  • Review stories and sounds for each letter pair: No new pairs
  • 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, ng, wh

  • Handwriting Without Tears
    • Review all letter formations
    • Alphabetical order 

Math in Focus
Chapter 2
Addition and Subtraction within 10
Pre-requisite skills and number sense

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



Science
Space Unit
Patterns in the Sky
     This week students will continue learning about the sun by watching "The Sun" featuring Bill Nye the Science Guy. Each student will collect facts that they hear about the sun, and then will share with the whole class. We will organize our knowledge on a KWL chart for students to see what we knew before the video, what we wanted to know about the sun, and then what we learned while watching.

Social Studies
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 do pets need?".
In Second Steps, students learned about the 4 steps to be a good listener (eyes watching, ears listening, bodies still, voices silent) and learned the first Skill for Learning (focusing attention). This week students will practice these skills throughout our day as well as learn the next two Skills for Learning.

Specialists
MONDAY: NO SCHOOL!
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
     Last week students began writing their first draft of their own stories. This week they will continue to write and I will conference with each student to help him/her continue their story.

Grammar-Sentence Structure (Verbs)
     This week students will continue to participate in noun and verb activities. They will also begin to write sentences using these two parts of a sentence (subject (noun) and predicate (verb)).
                  
Parent Reminders
1.  There is no school on Monday, October 11th.
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 Catalogs: The October catalogs will be sent home today. October orders are due on Friday, October 15th at 12 noontime. (I have not received our September orders yet due to delays in shipping. I will send those books home as soon as they come in.)
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!
6. Charleston Wrap Fundraiser- The Charleston Fundraiser materials went home last week on Monday, September 27th. All materials are due on Friday, October 15th.
     
Have a great week!

Mrs. Ash

Homework
Your child will bring home their red homework folder on Monday. Inside the folder is a reading log, math activity with materials, and individual login information for all of our online platforms. This week students should be reading for 10 minutes, play and record the number name/symbol math game, and watch 2 math videos that will be posted on Bloomz. Fill out the recording sheet after you play the number symbol/name math game. Your child also will bring home their Dialogue Journal (penpal journal). Please read my letter and have your child respond to it in 1 penpal letter. If I did not write your child a letter, your child can write to me about anything s/he wants. Once your child has finished his/her letter, return it to school. Behind the reading log, there is our word lists for the next 6 weeks. Please practice the marked first column words and all of the words on the second column on the sheet every day this week. I will check in with each child at the end of the week. 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.)

Monday, October 4, 2021

Week of October 4th-October 7th

 

First Grade Newsletter
October 4th-October 7th

Literacy
Reading Street: Unit 1
Main selection:  Sam, Come Back!
Weekly Question:  What do pets need?
Amazing Words: need, tickle, responsibility, faithful,
                            responsibility, shelter, fetch, cuddle, 
                            heel
High-Frequency Words: come, in, my, on, way
Phonics Target: Short 'a', -ck (rock)
Comprehension skills:  character, setting
Comprehension strategy: monitor/clarify
Genres:  Realistic Fiction
Reading Street Parent Connection:
  • Unit 1 Family Talk letter for concept conversation starters and 6 week overview of the unit. (Sent home Oct. 4th) 
  • Family Times gives various activities that can be done at home that connect to the concept we're learning this week.
  • Practice reading phonics and sight words for Unit 1, Week 1 (first column only). 


PHONICS
Spelling 
  • Skill(s): Tapping out sounds in words with CVC patterns (Consonant, Vowel, Consonant; such as 'cat') 
  • Trick Words: theofand
**Trick words are irregularly spelled words that each child is expected to be able to spell in their writing.**
Lively Letters (Sounds)
  • Review stories and sounds for each letter pair: No new pairs
  • 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, ng, wh

  • Handwriting Without Tears
    • Review all letter formations
    • Alphabetical order 

Math in Focus
Chapter 2
Addition and Subtraction within 10
Pre-requisite skills and number sense

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



Science
Space Unit
Patterns in the Sky
     Last week students began analyzing the data that they collected while observing the Sun and used it as evidence to support an important pattern the Sun repeats. This week students will continue learning about the sun by watching "The Sun" featuring Bill Nye the Science Guy. Each student will collect facts that they hear about the sun, and then will share with the whole class. We will organize our knowledge on a KWL chart for students to see what we knew before the video, what we wanted to know about the sun, and then what we learned while watching.

Social Studies
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 do pets need?".
In Second Steps, students will learn about the 4 steps to be a good listener (eyes watching, ears listening, bodies still, voices silent).

Specialists
MONDAY: Art
TUESDAY: Music
WEDNESDAY: P.E.
THURSDAY: Art
FRIDAY: Music

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
     Last week students began learning about narrative writing. We discussed the different pieces and parts of a story and how they fit together. We also wrote our first whole class story together. This week students will begin to write their own narrative story.

Grammar-Sentence Structure (Verbs)
     Last week students reviewed the meaning of a noun and examples.. They participated in activities to help them identify different nouns and brainstorming nouns that they already knew. This week students will review the meaning of a verb and examples. They will participate in activities to help them identify nouns and verbs.
                  
Parent Reminders
1.  Early release on Tuesday, October 5th at 12 noontime.
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 Catalogs: The October catalogs will be sent home this week. October orders are due on Friday, October 15th at 12 noontime.
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!
6. Charleston Wrap Fundraiser- The Charleston Fundraiser materials went home last week on Monday, September 27th. All materials are due on Friday, October 15th.
     
Have a fabulous first week of October!

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 number name and symbol math game. Fill out the recording sheet after playing last week's math game. Your child also will bring home their Dialogue Journal (penpal journal). Please read my letter and have your child respond to it in 1 penpal letter. Once your child has finished his/her letter, return it to school. Behind the reading log, there is our word lists for the next 6 weeks. Please practice the first column only on the sheet every day this week. I will check in with each child at the end of the week. 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.)