Greetings Parents,

     Looking at the calendar, the last few weeks of school are rapidly approaching. It will be a busy month as we gear up for the last quarter of school and get ready for our transition to second grade. Wow - where did the year go!

Here are the highlights for the month of May.

Important Dates and Reminders

Wed., May 2 - Early release day @ 12:30 for professional development

Tues., May 8-Field Trip (rain or shine!)

Wed., May 9 –Queen Bee visits

Mon., May 28 - No school in observance of Memorial Day

Wed., May 30 - Curriculum Showcase Night 6-7:30 p.m.

Curriculum News

Reader’s Workshop

    This month’s focus is a study of three different authors such as Arnold Lobel, Leo Lionni, and Eric Carle.  During the study we will be making text to text connections, building schema for our authors, and reviewing different grade 1 comprehension strategies as needed.

Writer’s Workshop

    For May, the children will be creating a class ABC book about Naquag school days. This is a special keepsake about their year in the first grade.

Math

    The objectives for our new unit in math are to review, reinforce and assess skills associated with counting and exchanging coins, to introduce dollars and to facilitate the use of money to explore place value. We will also extend place value to hundreds, develop an understanding of the use of counting up as a strategy for making change, introduce the fractional parts of a whole and fractional notation, and to review addition and subtraction number stories.

Science

    Our topic for May will beSimple Machines. Levers and pulleys will be demonstrated in class to show how they make daily tasks easier.

Social Studies

    Important facts about Memorial Day and our famousUSsymbols, landmarks, and buildings such as the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Statue of Liberty, and the Liberty Bell will be shared with the children through literature and booklet making. Our “Person of Distinction” for this month will be President Barrack Obama.

Happy Mother’s Day to all our first grade mothers and grandmothers!