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.