First Grade News

Curriculum Highlights

April 1, 2013

Math Geometry Reading Review comprehension strategies Writing Information Reports Share Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Word study long u, single silent e, ew Monday April 1 School resumes April 3 Early Release 11:30am Do the Eco Footprint homework sometime over the holiday in preparation for our next unit.

Reminders

Word Study

use glue

cute new

cube knew

rule screw

blue blew

News From Ms. Tindalls Class

We continue to work on problem solving in math. Comprehension of word problems and the ability to visualize what is happening in the problem is essential to understanding greater math concepts. Please help your child to look for key information, sort through what is and what is not important and help him/her to visually represent the problem. Ask your child to tell you in his/her own words what is happening in the problem and what needs to be found out? Often students will read/ pay attention to only part of a problem. Encourage your child to read/ think through to the very end of a problem and then go back and look at it piece by piece, visualizing each step as he/she goes. Pictures and concrete materials such as Lego or pencils are an excellent way to show understanding of a problem. Over the holidays involve your child in real life math problems such as using money, telling time, checking schedules, calculating prices etc. Your child has come so far this year. Please keep up with some thinking practice over vacation by taking advantage of the many opportunities vacations present for learning: using money to purchase things and receive change; looking at the clock to see how long until the flight will arrive; dividing shells into equal parts and then making fractions; solving real life problems; conflict resolution (EG Excuse me, you may not realize, but I think youre are sitting in my seat, instead of yelling Move outta my seat! :-); reading brochures for holiday destinations; reading the menu and calculating prices; paying tolls and getting change; purchasing movie tickets; reading movie/book reviews; noticing people who persist through a task and dont give up; tracking your journey on a map; making a schedule for the day I know this could turn a 5 minute task into a 30 minute activity but this type of homework is much better for your child than drill and practice worksheets. Take the time to teach your child slowly now and in a short time they will be independent and able to save you time by doing these things all by themselves. In partnership, Ms. Tindall

Monday

Do the Eco footprint homework. Monitor your actions over the holidays and be ready to report back to your classmates about what choices you made over vacation to reduce your impact on our earth.
Reading Word Study: Highlight any patterns you see? What is the difference between the long u you hear in use and glue? Math: Think closely about where you can find math in your life. Make up your own math problems. EG Were having potatoes for dinner tonight. Dad will eat 3, mum 2, my brother and I will both eat 1. How many do we need to cook? Upon return: Homelink 7.1 Tuesday Reading Word Study: Listen for the long u sound while reading. What letters can represent that sound? How will you use this information in your writing? Math: Make up your own math problems. Upon return: Homelink 7.2

Wednesday Reading Word Study: Write each long u word in something fun. (EG shaving cream, roll with playdough) Look for the words in books. Math: Make up your own math problems.

Thursday Reading Word Study: Tell an adult how your reading can help you become a better speller. Find some examples in your book and explain to an adult how that knowledge can help you spell other words. Math: Make up your own math problems over the holidays. Play some math games. EG Domino Addition, Addition Top-It, The Difference Game, Coin Exchanges. Tell your parents to have you work out math problems such as: How much will movie tickets cost for the whole family? What time does the plane leave? What time will we have to order the taxi? If something costs so much money and you pay with a $50 bill how much change should you get? Upon return: Homelink 7.3 Friday

Eco Footprint
With an adult visit this website: http://islandwood.org/kids/impact/footprint/footprint.php Take the quiz. Discuss what you can do as a family to reduce your impact on our earth. Make a plan listing two things you will do as a family to reduce your footprint on the earth. Email the plan to school by Monday April 1 and be ready to discuss with your classmates the things you and your family have committed to, to reduce your footprint on our earth. Ask your parents to visit: http://www.myfootprint.org/ Our Family Plan (EG We will say, No, to plastic bags in the market. We will bring our own reusable bags instead. We will try to eat more fresh local foods and less imported and processed items.) 1. ___________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

2. __________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________