This Week in First! (Week of February 13)

Agenda and reminders for the week of February 13, 2012

**Tuesday is Valentine's Day!! Don't forget to send in Valentine's with your child to share with others!

**Friday is the 80's Dance.  You won't want to miss it!!!

In ELA/Reading we are reading Mama's Birthday Present .  This story is about a little boy named Francisco who wants to throw is mother a party for her birthday and gets help from many friends and family members.  This story's phonics lesson focuses on long a words (ai, ay).  The secondary phonics concept is possessive nouns. Grammar for this unit deals with adjectives. 

*Review these concepts with your child by:

-having your child identify nouns, then add a word to describe the noun.

-having your child make a long a (two vowels go walking) flip book with various words.

*repeat the phrase "when to vowel go walking the first one does the talking and the second on is silent so reinforce the sound*

http://pbskids.org/lions/videos/?pid=shz35WCSFToMSF1_frTWKVk8JDLVo7zh

-having your child identify the things he/she, you, etc. own as to practice using possessive words

-making flashcards to read and repeat(spelling words, sight words, amazing words).
-use the spelling/phonics games from: 

http://www.quia.com/jg/1099215.html

http://www.spellingcity.com/view-spelling-list.html?listId=461905&x=72da0

http://www.starfall.com/n/skills/two-vowel/load.htm?f

http://www.starfall.com/n/holiday/valentine/load.htm?f&n=main

-use  http://clo.douglas.k12.ga.us/childu/index.html (Odyssey)

-use starfall.com (Starfall)

**Repetition is key!!

  

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In Math, we will begin our unit on Bigger Numbers.  This unit is basically a review of previous concepts but using bigger numbers (to 100).  Our first stop in this unit will be rounding.

*You can review this concept with your child by:
-having your child tell you the closest ten to a given number

http://clo.douglas.k12.ga.us/childu/index.html which has teacher created assignments/games

-utilizing xtramath.org  (for continued addition and subtraction help)

-utilizing http://more.starfall.com/ (which now has a math component) 
-utilizing   http://www.ixl.com/math/grade-1

**The concept of rounding is usually an "you get it or you don't concept, please repeat, repeat, repeat at home!"

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In Science, we are focusing on weather and water(weather patterns, water cycle). 

*Science Vocabulary: 
seasons, weather, water cycle, condensation, precipitation, evaporation

In Social Studies, we will continue to talk about famous Americans.

*Social Studies Vocabulary:

-Harriet Tubman, Benjamain Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington Carver, and Lewis and Clark and Sacagewea, Declaration of Independence, Underground Railroad, inventor, scientist, national parks
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Important Dates 

2/14 Valentine's Day

2/17 - 80's Dance!

2/20-2/24 - Winter Break