Dear Parents, August 16, 2015
Happy first full week of school! Our “normal” school day begins Monday!
This week in first grade, we are learning…
Language Arts: We are reviewing our letters and the sounds associated with each letter. We will practice printing them and working with words that begin with each letter.
Throughout first grade we learn many strategies to help us in our reading comprehension. This year we will focus heavily on the following strategies:
1) Predict/Infer. After listening to sections of our stories, we will make predictions on what might happen next.
2) Monitor/clarify. This strategy involves rereading sections that are difficult to understand. By making predictions and rereading difficult sections, we will be able to better understand what we read.
3) Question. Good readers form questions as they read, wondering what will happen and questioning how various events affect the story. Learning to question is an important reading strategy for first grade.
4) Summarize. We will learn how to retell the story in just a few sentences.
5) Evaluate. We need to be able to express whether we liked or disliked the story, but, more importantly, we need to provide reasons for our opinions.
Our phonics focus this week is the decoding of sounds associated with various letters.
Math: In math, we will begin work with our number line–adding one more, subtracting one less, and establishing routines.
Social studies: We will be introducing our textbook and beginning our social studies journals.
Science: We will be introducing our textbook and beginning our science journals.
Religion: We will focus on the first chapter in our religion textbook – Jesus is Our Friend.
Music: Our first music class will be on Monday. We will have music twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays.
P.E.: Our first PE class will be on Tuesday. We will have PE twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The children are to arrive at school dressed in their P.E. uniform on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Announcements:
- Back to School Night is on Wednesday August 19th. We will begin by meeting in the patio area or quad at 6:30pm. I encourage all to attend as important information will be addressed during this meeting!
- Friday is a full day. We will have our Back to School Potluck beginning at 5:30pm. The potluck will be held at our lunch tables and field. Parents and children are welcome to attend!
- All lunches and snacks must be in a sealable container (no paper bags). If your child chooses to bring a snack to school, then it must be in the lunch box (even on hot lunch days). First graders take their snacks outside and enjoy them during recess. Please only pack one, small, nutritious snack, as our recess is only 15 minutes, and the children are quite anxious to play on the equipment and/or the wonderful field =)
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am really looking forward to a wonderful year with you and your children!
Ms. Manning
