Week of January 30th-February 3rd

First Grade Newsletter

January 30th-February 3rd

Literacy

KNOWLEDGE

Reading Street: Unit 4 Week 2

Main selection:  Cinderella

Weekly Question:  How can a story be a treasure?

PHONICS

Fundations: Unit 8 (Week 2 of 2)

• Skill(s): Consonant blends (fl, bl, tr) and digraph blends (nch, shr); Blending and reading words with up to 4 sounds; Segmenting and spelling words with us to 4 sounds; Suffix -s added to words with 4 sounds; R-controlled vowel sounds (-ar, -or, -ir, -er, -ur); Reading with accuracy and prosody
• Trick Words: her, over number
• Review Trick Words: the, a, and, is, his, of, as, has, to, into, we, he, she, be, me, you, your, was, one, from, have, why, by, my, try, put, two, very, too, also, some, come, would, could, should
• Alphabetical order*Please note that Unit 1 of Fundations and Lively Letters are very fast paced reviews of the alphabet letter sounds and formations taught extensively in Kindergarten.

Math in Focus

Chapter 5

Addition and Subtraction Facts to 20

Prerequisite skills: Add/Subtract 0, use fact families to solve problems, addition facts (expanded form 10 + __, compare numbers to 19)
**Chapter 5 Test on Wednesday, February 1st**

Thinking Skills
- Analyzing parts and whole

Problem Solving Strategies  
- Guess and Check
- Solve part of the problem

           Objectives

                                                      - Use different strategies to add 1- and 2- digit numbers.
                 - Subtract a 1-digit number from a 2-digit number with and without regrouping. 
                 - Solve real world problems

Science

Light & Sound

    Last week students predicted if 6 different materials were transparent, translucent or opaque when a flashlight was facing towards it. Students had to give reasons why they chose each one.

This week students will conduct the experiment. Using their knowledge, they will identify if a material is transparent, translucent or opaque when shining a light on it.

  

Social Studies

Community Economics

  Last week students learned about supply and demand, and making money choices. Our class is very responsible with their money! They all had an opportunity to discuss what they would do if they had a chance to save or spend their money on their wants or needs.

This week students will learn community economics. This includes the flow of money through our economy. They will listen to a read aloud, participate in an activity where they are a member of the community, and help put together an anchor chart that shows the flow of money through our economy.

 Specialists

 

MONDAY: Music

TUESDAY: P.E.

WEDNESDAY: Art

THURSDAY: Music

FRIDAY: P.E.

  

Writing Workshop

Opinion Writing

     This week students will continue to practice quality supporting details about opinion topics. We will discuss sentence starters to help begin the different parts of an opinion piece (introduction, details, and conclusion), and write another opinion piece about a different topic.

                 

                   Parent Reminders

1.  Library- Our class will go to the library at 2PM on Thursday. Please make sure your child returns his/her book before or on Thursday morning to check out a new book for the week.

2.    Please be sure your child returns their school folder to school everyday.  Also, please check it each day for important handouts and homework assignments. I will write about specific handouts that you should be looking for throughout the week in this section of the newsletter.

3.    Children should bring in a small healthy snack (separate from their lunch) to have in class at 10:00 a.m. Please make sure that it is nut-sensitive and has no glass products.

4.    Homework Update: This week your child will begin homework. In your child's red homework folder, you will see 4 sheet protectors and a recording page. Please keep the pages in the sheet protectors unless you are filling out the reading log. Once you have filled out the Reading Log, please make sure the paper gets back into the sheet protector. I will collect the red folders on Friday and take out all of the completed work.

a. Let's Go Shopping Game: This game reinforces identifying coins based on their value. You can play with 2 or more players. You will need a game piece for each player, one died, and some change (pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters) to play this game. Take turns rolling the die and moving along the game board. When a player lands on a food item, they must find the correct coin that makes the amount listed for the other players to check. (For example, if they land on a space with 5 cents, they should pick up a nickel.) If they get it right, they can stay on that space. If wrong, they go back to the space they were on. The first player to reach the end wins! For the math discussion this week, ask them what went well ("I knew the penny right away") and something that they are still working on with identifying coins.

b. Reading (Activity) Log: The first page in the sheet protector will be your child's reading or activity log. This log will be collected every week on Friday when your child brings their red homework folder back. Please check off the boxes of what activities you have complete on specific days. For the Discussion Question box, please fill in the questions that you discussed with your child while reading 1 out of the 4 days.

c. UPDATED Word List, Phrase List OR Passage: This week students will either be come home with a word list, phrase list, OR passage. As we move into the new year, our focus is on fluency. Fluency is the speed in which students can identify and read words, phrases, and passages. Once students show they are fluent in words or phrases, they will move to phrases or passages.  Your child should read their word or phrase list every day. For the passage directions, there is a page attached to your child's passage for the week that will explain in more detail the directions for passage reading.

d. Pen pal Journal: Students will bring home their journals home to write 1 pen pal letter for the week. If I have written a letter to your child, please have your child read the letter and respond to it. If I did not respond to your child's letter from last week, your child can write a letter about something that they want to tell me about.

5. Login Sheet- The online websites that are listed on the login sheet are extra from the the homework given to your child unless stated otherwise. Lexia is a great program for students to practice their current phonics skills at home. I Know It Math is great math skill practice when I assign review or current skill practice activities.

6. Before school help is on Thursday morning at 8AM.

7. Valentine's Day Celebration: On Thursday, February 16th the first grade will have a combined celebration. Children will be working on Valentine's Day projects as well as doing some shopping for Valentine's Day treats, stationary, and toys. The children will use play money to make their purchases to practice identifying and counting coins. The three first grade teachers will be purchasing the Valentine treats and trinkets, so that all of the children have the same choices. If each child donates $2.00, we will be able to take care of all of the supplies. We already have our volunteers for the celebration. Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time to support our class! In order to begin shopping, it would be great to have the $2.00 donation by Friday, February 3rd.

8. Valentine's Day (2/14): Children will have an opportunity to exchange valentines with their classmates on the morning of Valentine's Day (Tuesday, February 14th). The children should sign their valentines and any outside envelopes should be addressed to their classmates. Our suggestion would be to have your child do a few valentines per evening with a focus on proper spelling and handwriting. (Your child's class list is attached to the notice sent home.)

Good-bye January! Hello February!

Mrs. Ash

Homework

Your child brought home a red homework folder today. 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, read phonics word list everyday, write 1 penpal journal entry, and Let's Go Shopping math game. 

Your child also will bring home their penpal journal this week. Please read my letter and have your child respond to it in 1 penpal letter. In future weeks, if I did not write to your child, 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. 

The homework folder and journal should always be brought to school in your child's backpack, but only returned on Fridays.

Week of January 23rd-27th

First Grade Newsletter

January 23rd-January 27th

Literacy

KNOWLEDGE

Reading Street: Unit 4 Week 1

Main selection:  Mama's Birthday Present

Weekly Question:  How can a surprise be a treasure?

PHONICS

Fundations: Unit 8 (Week 1 of 2)

• Skill(s): Consonant blends (fl, bl, tr) and digraph blends (nch, shr); Blending and reading words with up to 4 sounds; Segmenting and spelling words with us to 4 sounds; Suffix -s added to words with 4 sounds; R-controlled vowel sounds (-ar, -or, -ir, -er, -ur); Reading with accuracy and prosody
• Trick Words: would, could, should
• Review Trick Words: the, a, and, is, his, of, as, has, to, into, we, he, she, be, me, you, your, was, one, from, have, why, by, my, try, put, two, very, too, also, some, come
• Alphabetical order*Please note that Unit 1 of Fundations and Lively Letters are very fast paced reviews of the alphabet letter sounds and formations taught extensively in Kindergarten.

Math in Focus

Chapter 5

Addition and Subtraction Facts to 20

Prerequisite skills: Add/Subtract 0, use fact families to solve problems, addition facts (expanded form 10 + __, compare numbers to 19)

Thinking Skills
- Analyzing parts and whole

Problem Solving Strategies  
- Guess and Check
- Solve part of the problem

           Objectives

                                                      - Use different strategies to add 1- and 2- digit numbers.
                 - Subtract a 1-digit number from a 2-digit number with and without regrouping. 
                 - Solve real world problems

Science

Light & Sound

    Last week students learned the meaning of the words transparent, translucent, and opaque. They explored the room to find objects that were examples of each of these words.

This week students will conduct an experiment. Using their knowledge, they will identify if a material is transparent, translucent or opaque when shining a light on it. Each group will have to explain why they chose one of the three words to describe the material.

  

Social Studies

Community Economics

  Last week students learned about natural resources, producers, and consumers. Students learned that many materials they have heard about originate from a natural resource, such as paper, food, and gasoline. Students also learned that they are consumers when they buy items at the store and can be producers if they make goods.

This week students will learn about supply and demand in our community, and learn about making money choices. Students will have a chance to discuss situations where they could either spend their money or save it.

 Specialists

 

MONDAY: P.E.

TUESDAY: Art

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art

  

Writing Workshop

Opinion Writing

     This week students will continue to practice quality supporting details about opinion topics. We will discuss sentence starters to help begin the different parts of an opinion piece (introduction, details, and conclusion), and write another opinion piece about a different topic.

                 

                   Parent Reminders

1.  Library- Our class will go to the library at 2PM on Thursday. Please make sure your child returns his/her book before or on Thursday morning to check out a new book for the week.

2.    Please be sure your child returns their school folder to school everyday.  Also, please check it each day for important handouts and homework assignments. I will write about specific handouts that you should be looking for throughout the week in this section of the newsletter.

3.    Children should bring in a small healthy snack (separate from their lunch) to have in class at 10:00 a.m. Please make sure that it is nut-sensitive and has no glass products.

4.    Homework Update: This week your child will begin homework. In your child's red homework folder, you will see 4 sheet protectors and a recording page. Please keep the pages in the sheet protectors unless you are filling out the reading log. Once you have filled out the Reading Log, please make sure the paper gets back into the sheet protector. I will collect the red folders on Friday and take out all of the completed work.

a. Doubles Math Game: You will need 16 bingo chips (pennies work too) per plater and one deck of cards with the kings and jacks removed (ace=1, queen=0). On the bingo boards, the doubles sums have been written (0, 2, 4, etc.). To begin, draw a card from the deck. Each player must use that card to make an addition doubles fact. For example, if a 4 is drawn, players find the answer to 4+4 and cover the doubles sum (8) on their cards. Only one space can be covered on each turn, and players cannot move a bingo chip after it has been placed. Four chips in a row (horizontally, diagonally, or vertically) results in a bingo.

b. Reading (Activity) Log: The first page in the sheet protector will be your child's reading or activity log. This log will be collected every week on Friday when your child brings their red homework folder back. Please check off the boxes of what activities you have complete on specific days. For the Discussion Question box, please fill in the questions that you discussed with your child while reading 1 out of the 4 days.

c. UPDATED Word List, Phrase List OR Passage: This week students will either be come home with a word list, phrase list, OR passage. As we move into the new year, our focus is on fluency. Fluency is the speed in which students can identify and read words, phrases, and passages. Once students show they are fluent in words or phrases, they will move to phrases or passages.  Your child should read their word or phrase list every day. For the passage directions, there is a page attached to your child's passage for the week that will explain in more detail the directions for passage reading.

d. Pen pal Journal: Students will bring home their journals home to write 1 pen pal letter for the week. If I have written a letter to your child, please have your child read the letter and respond to it. If I did not respond to your child's letter from last week, your child can write a letter about something that they want to tell me about.

5. Login Sheet- The online websites that are listed on the login sheet are extra from the the homework given to your child unless stated otherwise. Lexia is a great program for students to practice their current phonics skills at home. I Know It Math is great math skill practice when I assign review or current skill practice activities.

6. Before school help is on Thursday morning at 8AM.

Have a fantastic week!

Mrs. Ash

Homework

Your child brought home a red homework folder today. 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, read phonics word list everyday, write 1 penpal journal entry, and doubles math game. 

Your child also will bring home their penpal journal this week. Please read my letter and have your child respond to it in 1 penpal letter. In future weeks, if I did not write to your child, 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. 

The homework folder and journal should always be brought to school in your child's backpack, but only returned on Fridays.

Week of January 16th-January 20th

First Grade Newsletter

January 16th-January 20th

Literacy

KNOWLEDGE

Reading Street: Unit 3 Week 6

Main selection:  Where Are My Animal Friends?

Weekly Question:  What do animals do when the seasons change?

PHONICS

Fundations: Unit 7 (Week 3 of 3)

• Skill(s): Words that end with -ng (ang, ing, ong, ung) and -nk (ank, ink, onk, unk); Narrative story form: character, setting, main events; Reading with accuracy and prosody
• Trick Words: very, too, also, some, come
• Review Trick Words: the, a, and, is, his, of, as, has, to, into, we, he, she, be, me, you, your, was, one, from, have, why, by, my, try, put, two
• Alphabetical order*Please note that Unit 1 of Fundations and Lively Letters are very fast paced reviews of the alphabet letter sounds and formations taught extensively in Kindergarten.

Math in Focus

Chapter 5

Addition and Subtraction Facts to 20

Prerequisite skills: Add/Subtract 0, use fact families to solve problems, addition facts (expanded form 10 + __, compare numbers to 19)

Thinking Skills
- Analyzing parts and whole

Problem Solving Strategies  
- Guess and Check
- Solve part of the problem

           Objectives

                                                      - Use different strategies to add 1- and 2- digit numbers.
                 - Subtract a 1-digit number from a 2-digit number with and without regrouping. 
                 - Solve real world problems

Science

Light & Sound

    Last week students completed their first light experiment. They used a cardboard box and a flashlight. Students observed and discussed the inside of the enclosed cardboard box from a cut out without the flashlight, and then observed the inside of the box with the flashlight. Students recorded their observations in their science journals. 

This week students will learn the meaning of the words transparent, translucent, and opaque. Students will explore the room to find objects that are examples of each of these words.

  

Social Studies

Community Economics

  Last week students learned about the meaning and difference between wants and needs. They completed an activity where they identified the want and need when shown 2 pictures of objects.

This week students will learn about natural resources, producers, and consumers. Students will explore their meanings and examples through a read aloud, group activity, and a review worksheet.

 Specialists

 

MONDAY: NO SCHOOL!

TUESDAY: Music

WEDNESDAY: P.E.

THURSDAY: Art

FRIDAY: Music

  

Writing Workshop

Opinion Writing

     This week students will continue writing a piece about their opinion on whether they prefer lunch or recess.

                 

                   Parent Reminders

1.  Library- Our class will go to the library at 2PM on Thursday. Please make sure your child returns his/her book before or on Thursday morning to check out a new book for the week.

2.    Please be sure your child returns their school folder to school everyday.  Also, please check it each day for important handouts and homework assignments. I will write about specific handouts that you should be looking for throughout the week in this section of the newsletter.

3.    Children should bring in a small healthy snack (separate from their lunch) to have in class at 10:00 a.m. Please make sure that it is nut-sensitive and has no glass products.

4.    Homework Update: This week your child will begin homework. In your child's red homework folder, you will see 4 sheet protectors and a recording page. Please keep the pages in the sheet protectors unless you are filling out the reading log. Once you have filled out the Reading Log, please make sure the paper gets back into the sheet protector. I will collect the red folders on Friday and take out all of the completed work.

a. 10s go Fish! Math Game: For this activity, you will need a deck of playing cards. Remove all kings, jokers, and 10s. (Note: The aces will act as 1s and queens will act as 0s.) Deal out 5 carsd to each player. Ask your partner for a card that adds up to 10 with one of your cards. For instance, if I have a 2 in my hand I would ask for an 8 because that would make a 10. If your partner doesn't have an 8, then you "Go Fish". If you make a ten, put it down in your pile. Keep playing until all the cards are gone. If you want to, you can use this ten frame to help you while you play.

b. Reading (Activity) Log: The first page in the sheet protector will be your child's reading or activity log. This log will be collected every week on Friday when your child brings their red homework folder back. Please check off the boxes of what activities you have complete on specific days. For the Discussion Question box, please fill in the questions that you discussed with your child while reading 1 out of the 4 days.

c. UPDATED Word List, Phrase List OR Passage: This week students will either be come home with a word list, phrase list, OR passage. As we move into the new year, our focus is on fluency. Fluency is the speed in which students can identify and read words, phrases, and passages. Once students show they are fluent in words or phrases, they will move to phrases or passages.  Your child should read their word or phrase list every day. For the passage directions, there is a page attached to your child's passage for the week that will explain in more detail the directions for passage reading.

d. Pen pal Journal: Students will bring home their journals home to write 1 pen pal letter for the week. If I have written a letter to your child, please have your child read the letter and respond to it. If I did not respond to your child's letter from last week, your child can write a letter about something that they want to tell me about.

5. Login Sheet- The online websites that are listed on the login sheet are extra from the the homework given to your child unless stated otherwise. Lexia is a great program for students to practice their current phonics skills at home. I Know It Math is great math skill practice when I assign review or current skill practice activities.

6. Before school help is on Thursday morning at 8AM.

7. No School on Monday, January 16th.

Have a fantastic week!

Mrs. Ash

Homework

Your child brought home a red homework folder today. 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, read phonics word list everyday, write 1 penpal journal entry, and 10s Go Fish! math activity. 

Your child also will bring home their penpal journal this week. Please read my letter and have your child respond to it in 1 penpal letter. In future weeks, if I did not write to your child, 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. 

The homework folder and journal should always be brought to school in your child's backpack, but only returned on Fridays.

Week of January 9th-January 13th

 

First Grade Newsletter

January 9th-January 13th

Literacy

KNOWLEDGE

Reading Street: Unit 3 Week 5

Main selection:  I'm a Caterpillar

Weekly Question:  What changes can be seen in nature?

PHONICS

Fundations: Unit 7 (Week 2 of 3)

• Skill(s): Words that end with -ng (ang, ing, ong, ung) and -nk (ank, ink, onk, unk); Narrative story form: character, setting, main events; Reading with accuracy and prosody
• Trick Words: put, two
• Review Trick Words: the, a, and, is, his, of, as, has, to, into, we, he, she, be, me, you, your, was, one, from, have, why, by, my, try
• Alphabetical order*Please note that Unit 1 of Fundations and Lively Letters are very fast paced reviews of the alphabet letter sounds and formations taught extensively in Kindergarten.

Math in Focus

Chapter 5

Addition and Subtraction Facts to 20

Prerequisite skills: Add/Subtract 0, use fact families to solve problems, addition facts (expanded form 10 + __, compare numbers to 19)

Thinking Skills
- Analyzing parts and whole

Problem Solving Strategies  
- Guess and Check
- Solve part of the problem

           Objectives

                                                      - Use different strategies to add 1- and 2- digit numbers.
                 - Subtract a 1-digit number from a 2-digit number with and without regrouping. 
                 - Solve real world problems

Science

Light & Sound

    This week students will complete their first light experiment. They will use a cardboard box and a flashlight. Students will observe and discuss the inside of the enclosed cardboard box from a cut out without the flashlight, and then observe the inside of the box with the flashlight. Students will record their observations in their science journals. 

Social Studies

Community Economics

  This week students will learn about the meaning and difference between wants and needs. They will complete an activity where they are shown two objects and have to identify the want and need.

 Specialists

 

MONDAY: P.E.

TUESDAY: Art

WEDNESDAY: Music

THURSDAY: P.E.

FRIDAY: Art

  

Writing Workshop

Opinion Writing

     This week students will be continue to build their knowledge on opinion writing. They will participate in interactive activities that help students practice verbalizing their opinions and reasons why. Students will begin their first opinion writing piece.

                 

                   Parent Reminders

1.  Library- Our class will go to the library at 2PM on Thursday. Please make sure your child returns his/her book before or on Thursday morning to check out a new book for the week.

2.    Please be sure your child returns their school folder to school everyday.  Also, please check it each day for important handouts and homework assignments. I will write about specific handouts that you should be looking for throughout the week in this section of the newsletter.

3.    Children should bring in a small healthy snack (separate from their lunch) to have in class at 10:00 a.m. Please make sure that it is nut-sensitive and has no glass products.

4.    Homework Update: This week your child will begin homework. In your child's red homework folder, you will see 4 sheet protectors and a recording page. Please keep the pages in the sheet protectors unless you are filling out the reading log. Once you have filled out the Reading Log, please make sure the paper gets back into the sheet protector. I will collect the red folders on Friday and take out all of the completed work.

a. One More/One Less Math Game: This game includes a dry erase marker and the "new" number cards sent home last week. To begin, mix up the cards and turn them face down. Flip the top card and place it in the center box on top of the page protector. Then have your child write the number that is 1 less in the left hand box and the number that is 1 more in the right hand box with their dry erase marker. Continue playing until you fill the entire chart. (Note: Please don't write on this page in pencil so you can play again and again.) Please check off the days you play the game on the Homework Log and then pick one night to discuss what your child noticed while playing and record their answers on the back of the log.

b. Reading (Activity) Log: The first page in the sheet protector will be your child's reading or activity log. This log will be collected every week on Friday when your child brings their red homework folder back. Please check off the boxes of what activities you have complete on specific days. For the Discussion Question box, please fill in the questions that you discussed with your child while reading 1 out of the 4 days.

c. UPDATED Word List, Phrase List OR Passage: This week students will either be come home with a word list, phrase list, OR passage. As we move into the new year, our focus is on fluency. Fluency is the speed in which students can identify and read words, phrases, and passages. Once students show they are fluent in words or phrases, they will move to phrases or passages.  Your child should read their word or phrase list every day. For the passage directions, there is a page attached to your child's passage for the week that will explain in more detail the directions for passage reading.

d. Pen pal Journal: Students will bring home their journals home to write 1 pen pal letter for the week. If I have written a letter to your child, please have your child read the letter and respond to it. If I did not respond to your child's letter from last week, your child can write a letter about something that they want to tell me about.

5. Login Sheet- The online websites that are listed on the login sheet are extra from the the homework given to your child unless stated otherwise. Lexia is a great program for students to practice their current phonics skills at home. I Know It Math is great math skill practice when I assign review or current skill practice activities.

6. Before school help is on Thursday morning at 8AM.

Have a great week!

Mrs. Ash

Homework

Your child brought home a red homework folder today. 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, read phonics word list everyday, write 1 penpal journal entry, and 1 more/ 1 less math activity. 

Your child also will bring home their penpal journal this week. Please read my letter and have your child respond to it in 1 penpal letter. In future weeks, if I did not write to your child, 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. 

The homework folder and journal should always be brought to school in your child's backpack, but only returned on Fridays.