FIRST GRADE FOOTNOTES



Dear First Grade Families: 4/30/10

Here’s and overview of what’s been going on in First Grade:

MATH: We completed our chapter on Geometry this week with the study of 3-D shapes such as pyramids, cones, and cubes. The students had fun creating and cutting out objects that are symmetrical and finding examples of symmetry in magazines. Our week ended with the Chapter 7 Assessment and a review of name collection boxes, money, and time. Many students are STILL struggling with telling time. Please help them practice at home by asking them the current time, what time it will be in 5 minutes, and telling time using quarter before, quarter after, and half past the hour. Thanks for your continued reinforcement of these important skills necessary for 2nd grade.

Next week we will start Unit 8 and will focus on mental arithmetic, money, and fractions.

READING: This week’s fiction story “Tell Me a Story” was written using dialogue between a little girl (Camilla) and her Abuelita (grandmother). The students enjoyed reading about what it was like in “the old days”. Next week’s Science Fiction story, “My Robot” has been a favorite of First Graders for the past five years! I look forward to having the students illustrate and describe their own robot!

I was quite pleased with the results of the Mid-Year Reading Tests. We also took the Pretest on our 4th of 5 reading book themes “Time Together”. Look for the results in the blue take-home folder.

BOOK BAGS: Please read them at least 2 times over the weekend and return them on Monday. Send a note when you return the books to let me know how they “fit”. Remember the goal is to read independently at Level “I” by the end of First Grade. Many of our students are already at that level or past that level! Keep up the good work!

SPELLING: This week we practiced the skill of alphabetizing our spelling words and began sentence dictation. These skills are needed in 2nd grade. The students are showing real progress in their sentence writing.

Next week’s spelling words will be consonant /s/ c words:
ice, nice, rice, race, face, space, like, nine, why, most
Bonus (high-frequency) words: almost, always, does, even, once, pretty,
say, sound

ART: This week we worked on a “confidential” project for an upcoming holiday to celebrate an important group of females in our lives! Stay tuned for the end results.

Next week we will work on another “confidential” project with Chi Chi Carman and assist “MK”, our resident school artist, in a special school project as we put the finishing touches on our bug kites.

UPCOMING DATES:
4/30 – Mid-Marking Period 3
5/18 – Kite Launching event
**5/17 – Talent Show ** - New Date
5/21 – First Grade Class Trip to the Philadelphia Zoo
6/17 – Last full day of school
6/18 – 1:00 dismissal/Field Day
6/21 – 1:00 dismissal
6/22 – 1:00 dismissal/last day of school/whole school picnics

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions/concerns. Feel free to send a note in the homework folder or email me at dmahoney@elmerschool.com.

Enjoy your weekend!

Mrs. Mahoney/Mrs. Johnson