Mrs. Pearson's 1st Grade News
December 2014/ January 2015
Monthly Reminders
Dates to Remember:
12/5 - Holiday Shop at school
12/15-12/19 - Theme 3 Testing week (no new spelling, HFW, or robust words)
12/23 - Class Holiday Party (PM)
12/24-1/2 - Winter Holiday/ Schools Closed
1/19 - No School - MLK Jr. Holiday
ELA Update
The week before break (12/15) we will be testing Theme 3 - Turning Corners. There will be no new HFW's, spelling or robust vocab words. Students should review Theme 3 HFW's and robust vocab. Some of the skills we have covered in this theme include: short vowels e, a, i and u, initial blends with s, l and r, and contractions with 'll. In reading we have been working on several focus skills, such as comparing and contrasting, picking out details in stories and focusing on the plot. Keep practicing those high frequency words (HFW's)...instantly recognizing these words is the key to a successful start when becoming a reader!
Reading Log has begun. These will be collected every Friday and count as a homework assignment. Please read the inside cover sheet explaining how it should be filled out. This log should be completed with parent assistance in the beginning, moving towards student independance after a few weeks. Any book coming home from school should be logged in your child's weekly entries. If you have any questions please let me know. Raz-Kids information was distributed at conference time. This is a great new resource available to students. Books read on this online site may also be logged in Reading Logs. Reading rocks!
**Starting next week with the lesson 12 spelling test, letters that are made uppercase and should not be will be marked wrong on all spelling tests going forward until the end of the year. All letters have been reviewed and practiced. Neatness and correct formation of letters is important in writing and spelling! Good habits start at an early age.
Math Update
Next week we will begin Unit 4: Measurement and Basic Facts.
Students will be comparing lengths using standard and nonstandard units, as well as review telling time by the hour, half-hour and quarter-hour. Basic addition facts will also be introduced and practiced during this unit. Math games are a great way to reinforce and have children practice math skills we are learning in class.
Next up - Unit 5: Place Value, Number Stories and Basic Facts
Science and S.S. Update
This December we will be learning about family celebrations/ holiday traditions. The students did a FABULOUS job on their writing projects! In January we will be focusing on New Year's Resolutions, Martin Luther King Jr.and Chinese New Year. We will become scientists as we explore magnets.
Misc. Items
The weather is getting colder, so please make sure that your child comes to school with a warm jacket, gloves, and a hat for outdoor recess. Bundle up!
*Any lunch money coming to school should be in a envelope with your child's name and 1P printed on the front.