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: the, of, and

**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.)