1st & 2nd

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN FIRST GRADE - FIRST QUARTER

To kick off the school year the first graders spent the first couple of weeks of school getting to know each other, establishing routines and rules, and reviewing Kindergarten skills.

In Reading/Language Arts we will work on Themes 1, 2, and begin Theme 3. Each theme will consist of several stories and lasts for 3 weeks.

Theme 1 “All Together Now”: In this theme we will focus on the following:

Strategy	Skill	Phonemic Awarness/Phonics
Predict/Infer	Sequence of Events	Consonants m,s,c,t,f,n,p,b,r,h,g
Summarize	Compare and Contrast	Vowels Short a, i
Evaluate	Cause and Effect

Theme 2 “Surprise!”: In this theme we will focus on the following:

Strategy	Skill	Phonemic Awarness/Phonics
Question	Noting Details	Consonants d,w,l,x,y,k,v,q,j,z
Monitor/Clarify	Fantasy and Realism	Vowels Short o,e,u
Summarize	Story Structure

Theme 3 “Let’s Look Around”: In this theme we will focus on the following:

Strategy	Skill	Phonemic Awarness/Phonics
Evaluate	Topic, Main Idea, Details/Summarizing	Double Final Consonants
Predict/Infer	Making Predictions	Verb Ending –s, -ed, -ing
Question	Categorize/Classify	Clusters with r

In Math, we have been working on making the numbers 6, 7, 8, and 9 using counters and workmats. We also made 10 using counters and ten frames. Throughout this quarter we will focus on the following:

Patterns/Pattern Units
Adding numbers up to 20
Counting on/counting back
Adding doubles/doubles plus 1
Compare and order up to 99

In Social Studies, we will be working on Unit One: “Time for School”. In this unit we will focus on the following:

The Five Themes of Geography
Things We Do at School
Families Long Ago
Home and School
Citizenship Skills
Rules We Follow
Learning About My School
Things We Use
School Today

In Science, we will be working on Chapter 1: Living and Nonliving Things and Chapter 2: Habitats.

Throughout the year, we welcome parents to come in and volunteer. We would greatly appreciate any help you can give i.e., make copies, read a book to the class, and attend field trips. We are also accepting donations of gently used balls, jump ropes, frisbees, or any other outdoor activities for our recess bin.

Our first field trip will be to Green Meadows Petting Farm on Tuesday, October 19, 2010. Parents are welcome to join us!

Thank you for all of your support!

Be sure to check your child's book bag each night to see if any correspondance or homework has been sent home.

This quarterly newsletter will give you an idea of the topics that we will be working on in all subject areas. We will also be providing advance notice of projects, activities, and field trips, when possible. Hope this helps you understand what is happening in second grade!

Homework: Every day your student will be assigned homework based on the work done in the classroom. It is extremely important that students complete these daily activities. This gives them the proper practice to help them achieve mastery of the lesson skills.

Students will have a drop in their work habits grade for each missing assignment. Student will also be given time away from recess to reflect and brainstorm ideas to help them turn in more assignments. This time will NOT exceed 15 minutes each day regardless of home many assignments are missing. (Recess is 30 minutes.)

Even though we are all using the same curriculum, we will be assigning homework based on the needs of the students in each classroom. It is possible that students in different classrooms will have different homework assignments. It is also possible that within one class students will have a variety of assignments. This is done in ensure that the needs of all students are being met.

Math: During the first Quarter in Math we will be working on Chapters 1-3. The topics we will be introducing and practicing will include:

Health: During the first Quarter in Health we will be working on Chapters 1 & 2. The topics we will be introducing and learning about are:

Science: In Science this quarter we will be working on Chapters 1, 2, & 3. The subjects we will be introducing and discussing will be:

Social Studies: Unit 1 will be addressed in Social Studies this quarter. In that unit these items will be introduced:

**This schedule is subject to change at the request of each classroom teacher. Any changes will be done in the best interest of the students and their natural pacing with the material. School cancellations & delays may also impact this schedule.**

Reading: Throughout the year we will be focusing on the following reading skills & strategies. Students will be using them while reading in school. They should also practice them while completing reading assignments at home. My using these strategies students will become more fluent readers and better comprehend when they are reading.

· I predict when I tell what I think will happen or what I will learn. To predict, I use what I’ve read so far and my own knowledge to help me.

· I infer when I figure out things the author does not say directly. To infer, I use what I’ve read so far and my own knowledge to help me.

· When I come to a word I don’t know how to read, I look carefully at the word, look for parts I know, blend two sounds and think if I can make a real word that makes sense.

· I monitor when I ask myself if what I’m reading makes sense, and when I stop to think if I’m confused or don’t understand what I’ve read.

· I clarify when I work to figure out what’s confusing me. I can clarify by rereading, using illustrations or other text features, or reading ahead and thinking about clues from the text and what I know.

· I question when I wonder about important ideas in the text, and ask questions to think more about them.

· I evaluate when I think about how I’m reacting, feeling, or thinking to what I am reading, and why I feel that way.

· I summarize when I think about the main ideas or the most important parts of what I read, then I briefly tell in my own words what it was all about. Summarizing means restating briefly the most important parts of the text in my own words.

Many parents are turning in forms that are incomplete. If a form is incomplete, it will be returned to you with the missing portion(s) highlighted. Please make sure you check all sections and return it to school completed as soon as possible.

Uniforms: Students are required to wear their uniform each day. Socks should be blue or white and shoes should be all black. Students may wear sweaters through out the day but they must be blue. Please label the sweaters with your child’s name. No hoodies or sweatshirts please! Please make sure that your child has the proper footwear for Physical education classes.

Friday Folders: The Friday Folder is another way that the second grade team communicates with the parents. All important forms and reminders will be in the folder. Students will receive a weekly evaluation form each week, which will also be in the folder. The evaluation will include their Social Skills & Work Habits grades for the week. Please sign this and return it to school each Monday. Be sure to check the lunch account balance each week to make sure your child has enough money for lunch and breakfast.

Reading Calendars: Every month students will be given a Reading calendar to record their 20 minutes of daily reading. Please initial this after your child records the time spent reading and the title of the book(s) read. The Reading calendar is due at the beginning of the following month. If a Reading calendar is not turned in (with a signature) it will be counted as a missing homework assignment.

Visiting the School: We welcome parents to observe and volunteer at the school when their schedule permits. Please call your child’s classroom teacher to arrange the most appropriate time for your visit.

Be sure to check your child's book bag each night to see if any correspondance or homework has been sent home.