Mrs. Chavez’s Newsletter
May 2016
First Grade Field Trip
Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum
Upcoming in May
Month of May: DRA and PALS
Testing
May 2-6- Teacher
Appreciation Week
May 3: PTA meeting 7 p.m.
May 12: Field trip leaving at
8:15 a.m.
May 13- Talent Show
May 20: Reuse projects due
May 30: Memorial Day, No
School
Reuse Projects
Due May 20
First Grade Reuse projects are
due by May 20 (more information
will be sent home in red folders).
Students should make their
projects entirely of items they
already own or would otherwise
recycle – no new objects should
be purchased! Students will
present their projects to the
class and describe the steps
taken to create their projects.
All projects will go on display in
the Library when presentations
are completed!
We are excited to go on a field trip on Thursday, May 12 to
Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum. Children will be fully engaged as
they explore interactive, hands-on exhibits which are focused on the
sciences, mathematics, humanities and arts. This educational
experience is sure to ignite creativity, spark curiosity and inspire
learning! Our field trip will also include a special lesson entitled The
Fabulous Five Senses which will focus on matter. Students should pack
a lunch, and wear comfortable clothing and closed toed shoes.
Curriculum
Social Studies: The students will end the year by being introduced to
cultures that are very different than Virginia due to location and
climate. This Loudoun County standard will include Australia, Alaska and
Hawaii.
Science: The students are enjoying the study of environmental
concerns. They will understand natural resources and how they can
reduce, reuse and recycle to save our earth’s resources. A reuse
project should be ready to present by May 20.
Reading: We will continue listing books in May that are read nightly
from either their “book cart” selections or library selections. Results
from the PALS and DRA will be shared in the final report card. In May
and June we will be doing some Reader’s Theater activities to practice
fluent and expressive reading.
Math: First graders have been doing quizzes with 30 facts to test
quick and accurate recall of facts. We have been using many games and
activities to review and remember facts. Reflex Math really helps!
In May, we will learn about money. Students will need to be able to
identify coins, know their value and count like and mixed sets of coins
to $1.00. Extra practice at home with real coins is always helpful.
Writing: First graders have been busy this year in Writing Workshop.
They have progressed through lessons using authors as mentors to
create writing out of small moments in their own lives. A variety of
author’s styles and genres have been examined. They have been guided
into the process of editing their own work and even the work of others.
Now, first graders should be able to create easy to read writing that
includes proper spacing, good handwriting, correct capitalization and
punctuation. They are also able to spell sight words correctly and use
their phonetic spelling and word study patterns to do the best they can
in spelling. First graders have also been developing the skill of using
resources such as primary dictionaries and word walls.