Starfish Gazette- March 14, 2016

  

UPCOMING DATES- MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

• Field trip to the Portsmouth Music Hall is on Tuesday, March 15th Please have your child eat a hearty breakfast tomorrow-- we will not have snack tomorrow.
• Early release on Thursday, March 17th at 12:50.

• No school on Friday, March 18th for teacher in-service.

• Early release on Wednesday, April 6th at 12:50.
• Early release on Wednesday, April 13th at 12:50. 
• Both these dates are for parent conferences.  

• FIRST GRADE MUSICAL - FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD HELPERS will be performed on Tuesday, May 10th at 6:30 pm.  More details about this show will be sent home soon. The students don't know about this yet.

LOST & FOUND

We have several items in our lost and found area.  The School has asked that we check out this area with our class this week to see if the kids can find any items that belong to them.  If you are in the building picking up your child from an after school program, I would encourage you to take a walk over to the Lost and Found to see if you can find anything as well.  These items will be kept until this Friday, March 18th.  After that they will be washed and bagged for donation.  We will watch for any items which have a student's name labeled on them.  It this case the item(s) will be sent home. Please do not hesitate to contact the office with any questions or concerns.

What's happening in Math?

We are just about finished with unit 6. During this unit, the Starfish have been exposed to analogue and digital clocks to the hour.  The children continue to work with addition facts and develop strategies for solving more difficult facts.  

One of the most important strategies that we continue to work on is mentally adding numbers.  Making 10 strategy involves breaking apart one addend, making a 10, and then adding what remains to 10.  For example, children learn to add 8+6 by breaking apart the 6; 8+6=8+2+4=14.  This strategy takes advantage of properties of addition that can help children to add more efficiently. 

What to expect in unit 7...

Fact Families: This is a math concept that helps 1st graders to show the relation between addition and subtraction.  The Starfish will practice facts using fact triangles and through games.  

Attributes of Shapes: We will explore attributes of shapes and determine which attributes define shapes.  

We will continue to make connections between times shown on digital clocks with those on analogue clocks.  They will become more confident with how the minute hand moves as an hour passes.  Our primary focus will continue to be time to the hour.  Later on, we will work on time to the half hour.  

Do anytime activities: 

1. Look for shapes around the house and in everyday life.  Name these shapes using their geometric names, and have children share defining attributes of the shapes.  

2. Draw a name-collection box with a number on the tag.  Ask your child to write at least 10 addition and subtraction names for the given number. 

What's going on in Reader's Workshop: 

Readers go on adventures with their book characters

The starfish are diving in to many new fiction series to learn about their book characters.  We will have fun going on reading adventures with these characters by making predictions, exploring the places they go, understanding the characters' feelings, discovering the lessons they teach us, making comparisons, etc.  

Retelling will continue to be a big part of our focus during this unit, especially as their books get longer.  I am working with the kids on multiple strategies to support their ability to retell key details.  They have been taught to mark important parts with post-it notes to support their retelling of stories in sequential scenes.  As we continue with our lessons, I will support our student's on-going fluency goals, teaching them strategies to read with intonation to sound like the character, reading in a way that reflects how the character is feeling.   

In your future travels to the Wiggin Memorial Library or local bookstores in the next few months and over the summer-- here are some book series recommendations for your child to enjoy

-Henry and Mudge

-Mr. Putter and Tabby

-Pinky and Rex

-Frog and Toad

-Little Bear

-Zelda and Ivy

-Fly Guy

-Iris and Walter

-George and Martha

-Poppleton

-Clementine

-Flat Stanley

These books may be ‘just right’ for your child to read by themselves, partner read with you, or have you read them to him/her.  Have fun exploring a new series together!

FLAT STANLEY

My goal over the next few weeks, is to read as many chapter book series to our class to introduce them to new characters and get them excited to try a new series on their own. Our class has just finished our chapter read-aloud, Clementine.  The kids really enjoyed her funny character and the continued problems she encountered.  Today we were excited to start reading the book Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown.  In the book, Stanley gets crushed with a bulletin board.  He's fine, but now he's flat!  Luckily for us, that means he can be folded into an envelope and sent anywhere in the world.    

This leads us to our next class project with him!  In the next week, your child will come home with a Flat Stanley.  You are invited to send or bring Flat Stanley to anyone or anyplace you know for a little adventure.  The kids are very excited and have an idea of who they are wanting to send their Flat Stanley to.  We are excited to tie this project in with our post-card exchange!

For more information about Flat Stanley, try this website: http://www.flatstanleybooks.com/ You'll find games and activities for children, about more Flat Stanley books, and plenty of ideas for your adventures with Flat Stanley.  Look in your child's folder in the next few days for more information! 

Have a great week!  

Megan Murphy

Questions to Promote Home-School Connection?

1. What is your favorite book character that you read so far? Is it Iris and Walter? Mr. Putter?  Clementine? Clifford?

2. What are you going to do for your book celebration for Clementine?

3. What does your morning work look like for the month of March?

4. What is your favorite math game that you have played recently?  Can you tell me how you play Solo Pyramid?

5. What has been your favorite Super Star Read Aloud so far?