Update: Curriculum, Upcoming Events, Classroom Needs

Hello First Grade Falcon Families,

Thank you for reading the updates, upcoming events, and classroom needs below.  I also want to give a big THANK YOU to all of you who have been supporting your student at home, and to those of you who have been helping me out in the classroom!!  I am so very appreciative of any amount of help you can give to your student, and everything you do to for me... from cleaning the classroom to giving me a quad-shot decaf soy latte.  THANK YOU!

Language Arts:

• Riggs - Words that have any of the five jobs of “silent final e” have been the greatest focus in Riggs for the past few weeks.  As students practice writing words containing each of these jobs, it is essential that they are able to recite the sayings that go along with each job.  They should think about what job each “silent final e” is doing, and why they mark it the way they do.  I sent these sayings home on the pink “5 Jobs of Silent Final e” handout.  That document is also available on the right sidebar of this blog.
• I.E.W. - We are starting a new unit on writing simple instructions (i.e. how to make pizza).  Here are some concepts we will be working on:
• Summarizing instructional texts using a K.W.O.
• Retelling instructions from a K.W.O.
• Writing instructions in paragraph form from a K.W.O.
• Writing their own simple instructions.
• Reading - Each day, during “Reading Workshop” the students have been spending five minutes on reading text at their level for fluency.  First, a mini-lesson is given on how to decode text, and then the students are sent to reading quietly out loud.  The students are continuing to participate in reading groups each day where they read and examine texts on their level with a teacher.  During read aloud, we have been focusing on:
• Author’s Purpose: Is the purpose of the text to entertain or to inform?
• Who’s talking in the text at different points: Is a character talking?  If so, which one?  Is a narrator talking?
• We’re also reviewing:
• Sequencing text
• Genre
• Problem/Resolution
• Poetry - The students have been learning and practicing the poem “Table Manners (The Goops) by Gelett Burgess.  Some students have already begun to recite this poem in front of the class! Ask your student to recite this poem to you for practice and fun.

Support Idea(s):

• Stay close by your student during their Riggs practice.  Make sure they’re saying each sound, marking, and “Silent Final e” job OUT LOUD as they write.  This will help your student to analyze the words their writing now, as well as more difficult words in the future.
• If you forget a rule, marking, etc. use the Riggs documents and video I have provided on the right side bar of this blog.
• While reading with your student, ask them to stop at certain points in the story.  Ask:
• Who is telling the story now?
• What is the author’s purpose in making this story?
• What is the genre of this text?  (Non-fiction, fiction)
• What happened first in the story?  Next? Next? Last?
• What was the main problem in this story? Was there a resolution (solution)?  Were their any other problems?
• Creating simple instructions idea: As you prepare a snack or meal, ask your student to verbally give you instructions on how to prepare the food.  As the student gives you instructions, prepare the food.  Help your student be more specific as they find that their instructions may have caused you to leave something out!

• Don’t forget about www.Raz-kids.com!  Reminder: my teacher username is “varis”, your student’s password is the initials of their first and last name and student number (i.e. jf11).

Math
The current math concepts we have been and will be focusing on include:

• *There are steps to follow when subtracting two-digit numbers
• The pictures on a pictograph (a graph using pictures/drawings) tell how many
• Each picture on a pictograph can stand for one or for more than one
• There are five-minute intervals between each number on the clock

Support Idea(s):
Have your student answer these questions when working through their homework:

• *What do I do first when subtracting two-digit numbers?
• PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE subtracting two-digit numbers (i.e. 35-29 = _)
• This concept is new and rather abstract to first grade students.  The best thing you can do for your student at this point is practice with them!
• How do I read a pictograph when each picture stands for 2?
• When a pictograph has a scale of two, how can I show one of something?
• How can counting by 5’s help me tell the time?
• Throughout the day, pause and take a telling time break.  Ask your student to tell you the time using an analog (not digital) clock.

*taken directly from Saxon Math 2

Science
We have concluded our units of study on the solar system and the inside of our Earth.  Now we are moving on to two micro-units before Spring Break: An introduction to matter and electricity.  Here are some major concepts we have been, and will be covering:
*Matter

• Basic concept of atoms
• Names and common examples of three states of matter:
• solid (for example, wood, rocks)
• liquid (for example, water)
• gas (for example, air, steam)
• Water as an example of changing states of matter of a single substance

*Electricity

• Static electricity
• Basic parts of simple electric circuits (for example, batteries, wire, bulb or buzzer,
  switch)

• Conductive and nonconductive materials
• Safety rules for electricity (for example, never put your finger, or anything metallic,
  in an electrical outlet; never touch a switch or electrical appliance when your hands
  are wet or when you’re in the bathtub; never put your finger in a lamp socket; etc.)

*taken directly from the Core Knowledge Sequence

Support Idea(s):

• Talk with your student about what they have learned during our science and history lessons at school. Ask questions and see if they are able to answer them. If they are unable to answer your questions, provide extra support for them by reading books (from the library), or finding appropriate websites on the topics we're studying. Ask questions during and after the reading to encourage involvement and comprehension.

Field Trip to Champoeg Park
On Friday, February 12th our class will be a taking a field trip to Champoeg park.  There, we will experience what life might have been like for an early settler as we visit the Newell House, Butteville School and Pioneer Mothers Cabin.  As you have already heard, there are no busses available for this field trip.  If we are going to attend the field trip, we need our chaperons to also be our transportation.  Thank you if you have already signed up to drive and chaperon! It looks like we need about four more seats in order to transport all of the students. If you are willing to be a chaperon and driver for this field trip, please sign up here: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/5080B4FAEAA2FA02-first/5921117

REMINDER: “Field Trip Fridays” are regular school days.  Students need to arrive at the normal time, and will be dismissed at the normal time (7:45 - 3:30).

Who: CHPCS 1st grade
What: Field trip to Champoeg Park
When: Friday, April 12th,  2013
Where: Newell House, Butteville Cabin, and Pioneer Mother’s Cabin at Champoeg Park in St. Paul, OR
Why: As a part of the Core Knowledge Sequence, students will learn about early exploration and settlement of the United States of America, including the America West.  On this field trip they will get to experience what life may have been like for an early settler.
How: Parent Drivers/Chaperons

What your student (and you if you’re a chaperon) need to bring/wear:

• Regular uniform
• A warm jacket for playing/eating outside
• A non-leaking water bottle filled with water
• Packed lunch and snacks for morning and afternoon

Need: New Parent Volunteer Job - Correcting Riggs tests each day!
As a part of Riggs, students take a spelling test each day. This means that I get to correct Riggs tests each day so that the students (and parents) know which words they are struggling with and can practice them again that night.  Riggs tests take me about 30 minutes to correct.  I am looking for a few parent volunteers who are willing and able to correct these tests for me during the school day so that I can spend my prep time prepping for future lessons and other forms of home-school communication.  The students take the tests each day at 8:00AM, and they need their spelling notebooks back at 1:15PM.  If you would like to volunteer for this job, you would come to school to correct the tests anytime between 8:15-12:30 Monday through Thursday. (My busiest days are Mondays and Tuesdays, so correcting on these days would be the most beneficial if your time is limited.)

If you would like to be a Riggs test corrector, please contact me via email with the times and days you will be available.  Then we can set up a date so that I can train you!   

Hands-On Lesson Needs
If you have any of these items, please send them in for a lesson on static electricity we will be doing next week!

• 30 latex balloons
• 100% Wool cloth or yarn (enough for a small bit for each student)

Calendar At a Glance

Thursday, March 21st	All School Assembly, 2nd grade hosting - 8:15AM
Friday, March 22nd - Sunday, March 31st	Spring Vacation
Friday, April 12th	Field Trip Friday - Champoeg Park
Thursday, April 18th	Spring Music Concert - 6:30-8:30PM
Thursday, April 25th	All School Assembly, 1st grade hosting - 2:30PM

Thank you for reading!

-Mrs. Varis