Week of November 29th

Week Review:  In reading groups this week, we will focus on our writing skills.  Level D will be writing sentences looking for words that have the beginning blends such as "sw" or "sl" or creating lists of words that have that beginning blend.  Level E, when writing words in our sentences, they will be accountable for the beginning sound and ending sounds.  They need to focus their attention on listening to the medial sounds by STRETCHING out the words slowly.  Levels F & G will be writing sentences that include new words that we broke into chunks at the beginning of the story.  We will talk about how breaking a word into chunks helps us READ it and WRITE it.  Levels H will be answering questions about their books, but they will also find facts/details in the story that support their answer.  Level I and above will be working on writing out our predictions to a story.  We have worked on predicting before we read, but we will also stop and predict through out the story. 


Book/Author Suggestion: First grade is learning about and celebrating Hanukkah this week, which begins on Wednesday.  Here is a story that will fill your child's heads with a better understanding of Hanukkah and their hearts with the spirit of the season.  

• The Trees of the Dancing Goats* by Patricia Polacco.  I am a Patricia Polacco fan :)  Her stories are heart-warming stories from her past that leave you with a desire for a stronger family and to answer the call for someone in need.  This story is no exception.  During the winter season, her town is hit with a scarlet-fever epidemic.  While her family celebrates Hanukkah, they take time to bring a little spirit and miracle into the lives of their neighbors.  No matter which holiday your family celebrates, love and cheer can be shared by all. 

* indicates if it can be found in the Sappington Library. 


Parent Tip: Happy Hanukkah!  I do not celebrate Hanukkah, but I am fascinated with the holiday and the celebrations of others.  Take some time with your child to explore this holiday.  Try visiting websites, reading books, watching videos, playing traditional games, or cooking traditional food.  Any of these activities, expands your child's knowledge of the world and of the differences in the world around them.  I found a website with some Hanukkah activites for kids.  It includes the story of why they celebrate Hanukkah, games, songs, activites, recipies and more.

Week of November 22nd

Happy Thanksgiving!  

I can't believe we have made it to this point in the year already!  It sure is going fast.  This is such a short week, we will continue with our instructional focus from last week.  We may also be interrupted with some Thanksgiving celebration.  Don't forget to take time to read to your first grader, or have them read to you during this time off of school.  Enjoy!

Book/Author Suggestion:  In the spirit of thanks:
                 One is a Feast for a Mouse* by Jeffrey Ebbeler is a new FAVORITE of mine!  It is such a precious Thanksgiving story of a mouse that spots a pea left over from the Thanksgiving feast.  While everyone naps, he sneaks down to the table to get it and more...until Cat sees him!  A great story of being thankful for what we have, no more. 
                 Let's Celebrate Thanksgiving* by Peter and Connie Roop is not a book you will probably read from cover to cover in one sitting, but it is filled with lots of things that your first grader will find enjoyable.  This story is filled with history (In a question/answer format) of Thanksgiving and those that were apart of the first one.  It also connects some of the event of the past with current situations that your first grader can relate to.  There are jokes through out the entire book and even a Turkey craft for you Thanksgiving Day table.  It is a level

* indicates if it can be found in the Sappington Library. 

Parent Tip: This year, your 1st grader should be able to write what they are thankful for.  Together as a family, you could create a paper chain made of construction paper links.  On each of the links, have the family write down what they are thankful for.  

Another activity would be to write each member of the family's name at the top of a piece of paper.  Each person having their own paper.  Then each member of the family writes down why they are thankful for the "named" person.  Eventually, you have a paper filled with reasons why people are thankful for you.  A great writing exercise and a fabulous confidence booster for any 1st grader!!!

Week of November 15th

Week Review:  In reading groups this week, we will focus on building words.  Level C will be focusing on changing the beginning letter or sound to create a new word. Our endings will have the short and long "o" sound (hop, mop, top, stop, OR bone, zone, tone, stone, phone). Levels D and E will continue to practice building words with the "cr" and "sn" blends.  Level F will be practicing breaking/chunking up words into parts and looking for little words that we already know (sh/out).  Level G will be building words in a pattern or sequence as found in Patricia Cunningham's book Making Words, 1st Grade.  Levels H and higher will continue to practice the strategies to use when learning new vocabulary in our books, but we will also be working on predicting the next set of events in our stories.  Predictions are guesses about the way things will happen in the future, using the reader's experience and the information they have acquired from the book.



Book/Author Suggestion:  Early Release/Buddy Day/ Character Day is this Wednesday. 
                 The Crayon Box That Talked by Shane DeRolf is a poem that can be found at www.scoutingweb.com/scoutingweb/SubPages/ColorsDivers.htm  It is wonderful story of how individual crayons do not like one another, but when used to create a picture, they realize that by working together the result is beautiful.  A wonderful starting point to discuss PEACE (our character word of the month) and friendship with their 5th grade buddies. 
                 Only One Neighborhood  by Marc Harshman has a wonderful message that will ring true for First Graders.  This story explores a neighborhood that only has one of several different types of buildings, but within each there are several different things.  Despite all of the differences, there is one common wish among us all: PEACE.  

* indicates if it can be found in the Sappington Library. 

Parent Tip:  When learning to read, children need to develop strategies for reading.  The more they correctly learn and the more they practice, the faster reading will come for them.  In our daily lessons, we are introducing, practicing, or mastering these Guided Reading Strategies.  The Guided Reading Strategies Star, designed by A. Ross, presents a visual reminder to the students of the strategies they have learned. 

1. Get your mouth ready.  (Students shape their mouth and begin making the first sound that they see.  If the word is "star", they will get their mouth ready by creating the "s" or "st" sound.) 
2. Look for chunks.  (Students try to find sight words, or familiar words within the new word.  The word "stand" might be new for them, but they can find "and".  
3. Check the picture.  (Students use the pictures A LOT at the beginning levels, but as they get higher, they forget that the pictures are there to help aid them in what is happening in the story.)
4. Does the word look like another word you know?  (Again, students should be familiar with the sight words and this knowledge will help them discover new words.  They know and read the word "look", so when they see the word "cook" they should be able to make the connection with a word they already know.)
5. Try again!  (Sometimes, simply slowing down and taking another look at the word will help the student draw from their knowledge of the previous strategies.) 

Week of November 8th

THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTES!!!!!!!  It is a relief and a thrill to know that we will be able to keep some of the same wonderful programs that help guide your child in receiving a fabulous Lindbergh education!

Week Review:  In reading groups this week, we will focus on our writing skills.  Level B will be using sight words to create a story using repetitive language.  We will be using our guided reading books as examples.  Level C will be writing sentences that include a new/unknown word that we found in our story for the day.  Level D will be writing sentences looking for words that have the beginning blend "sn" and "cr".  Level E, when writing words in our sentences, they will be accountable for the beginning sound and ending sounds.  They need to focus their attention on listening to the medial sounds by STRETCHING out the words slowly.  Levels F will be writing sentences that include words that follow the spelling pattern: a silent e at the end of the word makes the vowel say its name.  ex: came  Level G will be writing sentences using the new vocabulary that they were introduced to in their book.  While writing out the new words, we will listen to chunks of the word at a time.  Levels H and above will be answering questions about their books, but they will also find facts/details in the story that support their answer. 


Book/Author Suggestion:  This week we take time to celebrate our Veterans.  We thank them and their families for their sacrifice and service. 

• The Veterans Day Visitor by Peter Catalanotto in this story,  Emily's Pop-Pop is shocked when he hears that Emily and Vincetta Louise don't know what a veteran is. With Veterans Day coming up, he volunteers to talk to their class about the holiday and the people it honors. But Emily is worried. Pop-Pop sometimes falls asleep at the strangest times. What if he falls asleep in front of the whole class? Everyone would laugh! Vinni and Emily come up with a plan. With so much to learn, they have to make sure that no one sleeps through this Veterans Day!
  Terms of use Enriched Content Provided by Syndetics

 
* indicates if it can be found in the Sappington Library. 


Parent Tip: Despite what your child has planned in their classroom for Veterans Day, I hope that you will take time to have your own celebration for the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces.  Please visit http://www.military.com/veterans-day/celebrate-veterans-day.htm for 10 ideas on how to celebrate Veterans Day.  One of the ideas that I liked, was creating a time line.  It is important to take the time to mark out important events in America's history, or wars that America has fought in.  Many of our adults struggle with knowing our nation's history.  This holiday is a great opportunity to look at our history and recognize the many sacrifices that our U.S. Veterans have made in order to keep our country free.  Knowing the history, can help our children truly understand and appreciate our Veterans.