Week of November 14-18

Hello Families!

First grade is getting ready to start a lot of new things in the coming weeks!

In reading, we have moved on to a new unit called Digging Deeper: Reading for Meaning. We have been working on being problem solvers when we read. Students have been practicing strategies in their reading groups and during Daily 5.  One strategy we have focused on this week is taking words apart and using a part we know to solve a new word. This is a strategy that will last a long time. Students working on longer words should be taking words apart at the biggest part they know. We read the book Elmer and the Kangaroo this week. We used the book to practice view points. We did a Step Inside and looked at the story from the Kangaroo's perspective and Elmer's perspective.  We learned two new character traits: optimistic and pessimistic.

In writing, we have cleaned out our writing folders. Our new writing unit is called Writing for Readers. We have been working on making our writing readable. We have looked closely at our own writing and came up with a list of things that are needed to make it readable.

• spaces between words
• neat handwriting, using lowercase letters when they are appropriate
• capitals to start a sentence and for names only
• periods, exclamation points and question marks
• popcorn words spelled correctly

We will keep with this unit for about 4 weeks!

In math, we have begun Unit 3. We are practicing hopping on the number line and skip counting. Please practice skip counting by 2, 5, and 10 to help your child at home.

Today and tomorrow we will be using the number line to add and subtract. Tonight we will have a home link to review these concepts.

In Social Studies, we made our time lines and read the book Birthday Presents. We will read more about family trees this week. The family tree project is due on Monday, November 28th. Please let me know if you child needs more time.

Science will start this week! Our first unit is called Solids and Liquids. This is a fun hands on unit. Our first task is sorting objects by their properties and using solids to make a tower.

Monday is our field trip! Chaperones are asked to be at school by 9:15 a.m. Students need to eat a good breakfast, wear walking shoes, and be ready to have fun at the Ann Arbor Hands-On museum!

Thank you and have a great week!
Mrs. Scheck