First Grade Newsletter
April 2016
Dear Parents,
April marks the beginning of the final marking period! We need to keep going strong as we prepare for
second grade. The expectations for being on grade level in reading are increasing. In order to help your
child succeed, please read at home each night.
READING/LANGUAGE ARTS
During April we will continue our study of literary text and poetry. As students listen to and read poems
and stories, they will be asked to identify words or phrases that suggest feelings, ask and answer
questions to determine the key details, identify the central message and describe the characters,
settings, and events. Students will identify experiences of the characters that are common and those
that are unique to each character. As we near the end of April, students will begin to look at the
differences between fiction and informational books. They will use multiple strategies in order to
determine important information in a text. They will be asking and answering questions about the key
details and using various text features to locate key facts or information. Our work with verbs and
adjectives will continue throughout the month. Students will identify verbs and explain how the endings
–s, -ed, and -ing affect the meaning of the word. They will also be asked to generate lists of verbs with
similar meanings. Students will continue to explore how to use the context of a sentence to determine
the meaning of an unknown word or phrase.
MATH
Our final marking period has arrived and now that everyone is back from break, we’ll begin the month
with addition of a two-digit number and a number ending in zero as well as with subtraction of two-digit
numbers ending in zero. Students will utilize their knowledge of place value and reasoning skills to relate
a written method to concrete (hands-on) and picture representations of these types of problems. Next,
they will work on “composing a ten” as an effective strategy to add a two-digit number to a one digit
number. Classes will spend time working with manipulatives and picture models to explore the
relationship between tens and ones and determine how making a group of ten can help them find a
solution. From there, first graders will develop their own written method, based on place value
strategies, to represent addition of a two-digit and one-digit number. They will strengthen their
problem solving skills by applying the strategies they have learned to a variety of addition and
subtraction puzzle situations.
WRITING
First graders will write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events,
include details, and provide a sense of closure. They will create writing pieces and poems using
descriptive words (adjectives), alliteration (repetition of initial consonants) and similes. At the end of
the month, we will return to informative writing. In all types of writing, first graders will be expected
to use correct punctuation and accurate spelling for the sight words that we have learned.
SOCIAL STUDIES
This month, our first graders will learn about the production process, including natural and human
resources as well as skills people need for work in their homes, schools, and communities. Students will
have the opportunity to create a good such as butter, applesauce, or ice cream and will examine the
process of making pancakes and building a home. We will identify the tools used to produce goods and
provide services as well as explore how technology has changed the way we live, work, and play.
SCIENCE
In science, students will be learning about the importance of caring for the environment. We will be
looking at how we use water and electricity and discussing ways that we can reduce our usage. We will
be reviewing the meaning of natural and human-made resources as we look at what happens to water
when it is poured on different surfaces. Then students will learn about how we rely on natural resources
(land, water, and energy). We will be learning about where our food, water and electricity come from
and what this does to these natural resources. We’ll also be identifying items that use electricity and
how the loss of electricity affects our life.
IMPORTANT DATES
April 11th Marking Period Begins
April 14 Report Cards distributed-Don’t forget to sign and return the report card envelope!
April 26- Holiday- Primary Election
The First Grade Team