First Grade News

January 12, 2015

Curriculum Highlights
Math Review place value, adding/ subtracting with 10s
The suffix <ed> many verbs can be changed from present to past tense by adding
the <ed> suffix. <ed> can represent different sounds /t/, /d/, /id/
Social Studies Review Melawati Way, Positive Communities
Writing Preparing for Authors Day!
Reading Strong readers choose books that interest them, sharing our favourite
authors/ series
Reminders
Quote from the research: lots of easy reading is absolutely critical to reading
development and to the development of positive stances toward reading. R L
Arlington (from What Really Matters for Struggling Readers: Designing ResearchBased Programs)

Word Study (the <ed> suffix) <ed> is a vowel suffix (begins with a vowel.) A vowel suffix is
special because it has the power to change a base word. EG. When you add the vowel suffixes
<ed> or <ing> or <er> to the base word <care> you must drop the final e before you ad the suffix
care + ed = cared, care + ing = caring, care + er = carer. However, if you add a consonant suffix
such as <ful> it has no power to change the base care + ful = careful. Examples of words with
the <ed> suffix:

called
asked

worked
wanted

lasted
helped

ended
watered

looked
showed

News From Ms. Tindalls Class
Welcome back to school for the second semester! I hope you all had a wonderful
holiday. Please help us all get back into the routine by making your child responsible for
packing his/her bag, checking the calendar for special events and also making sure he/she
knows if she has lunch/snack from home or lunch/snack from school each morning.
The word study this second semester exposes children to the idea that there are rules
and patterns that can be followed to help us to read and spell new words. The words in
this newsletter each week are not for memorizing. They are to give you and your child
examples of words that follow the focus rule for the week. (This weeks focus is forming
the past tense of some verbs using ed, which is a vowel suffix.) I do not expect your
child to memorize how to spell the words but to be familiar with the pattern, notice it in
books, and begin to apply it when writing new words. In class children work in small groups
listening to the words, sorting them into patterns and practicing writing letters that go
together such as the <ed> suffix. All children experience success in these activities. At
home, ask your child to listen to the words and try to sort them e.g. for this week what
words say /t/, /d/ or /id/ at the end. Help your child to find other words in books with
the <ed> suffix.
In partnership, Ms. Tindall

Monday
Reading: How did you choose your book? Is it too easy, just right or too hard? Why did
you choose that book?
Word Study: Look for patterns. Find the suffix <ed> in your books.
Math: Skip counting. Practice skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s. How high can you go?
Practice starting from different numbers.

Tuesday
Reading: How did you choose your book? Is it too easy, just right or too hard? Why did
you choose that book?
Word Study: Say each word in a sentence. What is the base word (word that makes sense
all by itself), and what is the suffix? What sound does the suffix make? (This work can
be done orally, on a white board/ chalk board, scrap paper whatever works for your
child as a leaner at home)
Math: Review counting mixed piles of coins. Ask mum and dad to empty their wallets. Grab
piles of coins and count them.
Wednesday
Reading: This semester well be studying non-fiction texts. What are some topics that
interest you?
Math: Practice addition by playing domino top it. (Players each turn over a domino, each
person adds the numbers on the domino, players check their opponents calculations, the
player with the highest number says top it and take all dominoes)

Thursday
Reading: This semester well be studying non-fiction texts and writing a report on an
animal. What are some animals that interest you?
Word Study: Sort the words into three groups - <ed> says /id/, /t/ or /d/. (can be done
orally)
Math: Play shop. Write price tags for things around your home and pretend to buy them.
You must give either the right amount of coins or ask for change.

Friday
Reading
Poem collection: Recite/sing your poem/song collection. Please return it to school on
Monday.
Science: Optional: Go on a Living Things hunt what makes something living/ non-living/
once lived?