Fabulous Firsties of MGES
What's Happening in First Grade - March 2019
Springing Forward!
As we enter our final marking period, we have several exciting plans ahead!
Our first grade gardens are planted and we are excited to see the germination take place. In May, students will harvest the vegetables we grew and will be able to taste a "garden fresh" salad of carrots, radishes, and lettuce!
The first grade students are eagerly studying plants and their environments. Our students are researching their wonders about plants - "is moss poisonous", "can 1 seed produce 2 plants", "what plants eat bugs", etc.. This research will be used to create an expert project for them to present during our MGES Spring Showcase. More information will be provided about this special event to take place after spring break. We appreciate all your support at home in the education of your child! We are "better together"!
Sincerely, The First Grade Team (Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Nichols, Mrs. Powell & Mrs. Winters)
Curriculum News - 4th marking period
ELA
Our students are learning the research process by learning how to read and analyze non-fiction, note-taking skills, synthesizing the information, and presenting their findings.
We will continue to read fiction and non-fiction texts as we become independent and strategic readers. Please continue reading with your child nightly at home.
According to the Rock Hill School Literacy Expectation Guide, first grade readers are expected to be reading on a level J/K by the end of first grade (Transitional Stage).
Characteristics of a Transitional Reader
•Read silently most of the time
•Have a large core of known words that are
recognized automatically
•Use multiple sources of information while
reading for meaning (knows what looks right, sounds right, and makes sense)
•Integrate sources of information such as letter-
sound relationships, meaning and language
structure (knows what looks right, sounds right, and makes sense)
•Consistently checks to be sure all sources of
information fit
•Notice illustrations to gain additional meaning,
but do not rely on them
•Understand, interpret, and use illustrations and
graphics in informational text
•Know how to read differently in different genres
•Have flexible ways of problem-solving words,
including analysis of letter-sound relationships
and visual patterns
•Read with phrasing and fluency at independent
levels
Writing:
Writing Realistic Fiction Pieces
Math
Identify a penny, nickel, dime and quarter and write the coin values using a ȼ symbol.
Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks.
Continue to develop:
Number sense to 120
Counting by 1s, 5s, and 10s
Base Ten (tens and ones)
Adding within 100
Comparing 2 digit numbers using greater than and less than
Mathematical story problems
Social Studies
World Cultures and Contributions to Democracy: Historical Figures
Science
Plants and Their Environments
Independent Reading
Keep Practicing Those Sight Words!
Things to Remember - MGES Calendar At A Glance
March
18 - Teacher Workday - no school for students
20 - Terrific Kid ceremony, 8:30am
26 - 3rd Quarter Report Cards Sent Home
27 - Kona Ice Day
28 - Spring Picture Day
28 - Cotton Club - Fifth Grade, 6:30 - 7:30pm
April
10 - Drama Showcase during Challenger
15 - 19 - Spring Break - District Closed
22 - Regular School Day
24 - 4th Quarter Progress Reports Sent Home
29 - Spring Showcase - Research Project Presentations/Art Show
May
3- Grad Walk
15 - Terrific Kid ceremony, 8:30a
16 - PTA Meeting, 6pm
27 - Memorial Day - District closed
28 - Field Day
30 - Field Day rain date
June
3 - Students dismiss at 11a - K5 Promotion @ 8:30a
4 - Students dismiss at 11a - Last day for students
5 - MG Teacher Day - Last day for teachers
Junie B. Jones - The Musical
Plant Smiles - Grow Laughter - Harvest Love
Garden Prep Work
Preparing the Beds for Planting
A huge thank you to Mrs. Turbeville for helping our first grade classes get our gardens ready for planting!
Worms will help our gardens grow!
Mrs. Nettles from The York Soil & Water Conservation District Instructs Students on Planting Seeds
Read Across America Week Fun! {Thing 1, Fox in Socks, Mrs. from Junie B. Jones}, Not Pictured - Our Favorite "Character" , Mrs. Baker
First Grade Curriculum Activities to Try at Home
ELA
* Let your child read her favorite books over and • over again to you and family members. This practice helps in gaining confidence, word recognition, and improves reading aloud.
* Play word games with your child. Substitute letters in words (ex. sat, cat, hat, bat, ball, call). As the year progresses, increase the difficulty of the words and the number of letters substituted.
* When your child makes a mistake in reading, ask him questions to guide him and help him gain skill • with self-correction.
Does the word make sense in the sentence?
What clues might the picture give to help figure out the word?
However, if the word he puts in place of the correct one does not change the meaning, let the error go; it shows he is reading for meaning. Correct it next time.
* Have your child describe the main character in a book. Ask your child to retell the story in her own words. Have her summarize the story.
What character did she like the best?
Why?
* Visit the library frequently and let your child pick out books to read. If some of the books are too difficult, but the subject is of interest to your child, read it together and let him pick out the words he knows.
* Have your child circle certain “sight words” found on a page in the newspaper or magazine (such asthem or are). The next day have her circle words beginning with the same sound (ex. -th or -sh).
Math
* Take every opportunity to count. Count the steps into your house, the blocks to the store, the number of people in line, or the red cars on the road. Then count from the number backwards. Count up to the number by tens and fives.
* Have your child add doubles, such as 4+4 and 5+5, from one to 10. Help him re- member the sum by drawing a picture of the answer (1+1=2, he might draw two eyes). This activity helps your child more quickly add doubles and will carry over into adding adjacent numbers (2+3) and larger numbers (33+33).
* Visit the Jack Hartmann channel for fun math songs.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVcQH8A634mauPrGbWs7QlQ
Earth Science/Social Studies
* Look at maps and globes and find the locations of water.
* Make a rock and mineral collection.
* Observe what kinds and where different earth materials are used in your area.