First Grade News

April 20, 2015

Curriculum Highlights

3D shapes
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Word Webs
Earth Week
Grade 2 show

Word Study - word webs

handy
handicraft
handicap

handtowel
handkerchief
handbag

hand

handful
handed
handing
handle
handling

News From Ms. Tindalls Class

Fractions will be introduced in math shortly. Kids need lots of hands on experience
to get the idea of fractions as being parts of a whole. In first grade our goal is
exposure. Children are not expected to master this concept until they are a little
older but it is important to start using the language and experience parts and
wholes now. Well be looking at 1. Dividing one object into equal parts such as a
pizza into halves or quarters and 2. Dividing groups of objects into equal parts such
as sharing 12 candies equally among 3 friends. Using measuring cups and spoons,
dividing things equally among family members, cutting sandwiches (pizzas etc)
into halves and quarters are all very appropriate activities that will help your child
begin to understand this challenging concept.
Time too is concept coming up in math so here are some notes I hope you find
helpful: The concept of time does not only include the ability to tell time on a clock
but also relates to being able to order events in sequence (such as first I was born,
then I learned to crawl, then walk etc.) Using comparison of events to understand
the passage of time is another concept children find tricky (eg. walking home takes
as long as watching one television show). Vocabulary surrounding time is equally
important such as yesterday, today, tomorrow, past, present, future, hour, minute,
day, month, year. Our next social studies unit, I Was, I Am, I Will Be lends itself to
many opportunities to expand childrens concept of time.
In partnership,
Ms. Tindall

Monday

Reading
Math: Making change. You have $1.00 (100 cents). How much
change would you get if you bought:
a candy 29 cents
an eraser 56 cents
a pencil - 76 cents
a sticker 92 cents
a gum ball 7 cents
(Do each problem separately ie 5 different answers)
Word Study: Read the words. What do they all have in
common? Talk about how each word is related to the base
word.
Science: Choose one product in your kitchen cupboard or
refrigerator that comes in a packet. Talk with someone about
why a product is packaged that way? Is it is a liquid? Of many
pieces? Does the packaging protect something delicate? Is
there any excess packaging? Talk about the material/s used for
the packaging. What is needed and what is excess? What can be
recycled? How much will end up in the trash?
Tuesday

Reading
Math: Give change from a dollar. Play shop. Label things in
your home with cent values. Practicing paying with a dollar and
counting up to give change.
Word Study: Circle compound words in one colour (two bases
joined to make a new word that is related in meaning)
Circle words that are bases + suffixes in a different colour.
Science: Repeat yesterdays task with a different package.

Earth Week Follow-Up: Ask your parents if

you recycle anything at home. Do you save old
newspapers in a stack to be recycled? Do you
wash and keep cans or glass bottles and jars
until you have a bag full to recycle? Your
garbage collector will be happy to recycle for
you if you can keep these things separate from
the garbage.

Recycle all we can

Earth Week Follow-Up: Ask your parents if

you can try to re-use some things at home. eg
Do you keep old Christmas or birthday cards ?
You can cut out the picture and re-use it by
making a gift label
or card for next
Christmas or a birthday. Do you swap toys? Do
you give old clothes to charity? To you repair
things instead of buying new ones?

Re-use all we can

Wednesday

Reading
Math: Find 3D shapes in your home. Look out for cylinders,
spheres, cubes, rectangular prisms and pyramids.
Word Study: Write word sums for the bases + suffixes.
EG hand + le + ing (ing is a vowel suffix so when

added to the base, the <e> is dropped from handle)

Science: Look at the label on a package. What has the seller
done to try to make you buy their product? Colours? Words?
Pictures? Popular characters? Health claims?
Thursday

Reading
Math: Practice math facts. Choose a game such as addition topit to practice your math facts.
Science: Repeat yesterdays task with a different package.
Friday

Reading
Poem Collection

Earth Week Follow-Up:

Do you use both

sides of the paper before putting it in the
recycle tray? Do you ask for no bag when
buying things from the store? Do you bring your
own bags to the supermarket instead of getting
new ones every time? Ask your parents if they
use any products that are refillable? Do you
THINK before buying is this something I
want or something I need?

Reduce all we can