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Paradise Valley Unified School District #69
Mercury Mine Elementary School
9640 North 28th Street Phoenix, Arizona 85028 602-449-3700 Donna Alley, Principal
First Grade
 First Grade Happenings
It is amazing how well our First Graders are reading. Thank you for your support at home.
There is only ONE way to become a better reader.
It is to  READ, READ, READ.
We read a lot at school and are excited to see your child's growth. We have been focusing on making appropriate choices for reading. This means choosing books that are not too hard, not too easy, but just right. During the month of February, we have discussed many reasons we choose books. The children are learning that they can’t just look at the front cover, but need to look also inside at features such as text size, amount of print, picture support, subject familiarity and predictability or pattern. All of these items help to make a book a good match. What is a good match for one child may not be a good match for another child.
We work hard during our guided reading groups. Depending on the group, we focus on a variety of skills: some worked with silent e and long vowel combinations, some with contractions, some with fluency. We are trying to impress upon the children that listening to themselves when they read is critical. If what they read does not make sense, and they do not realize this, or they fail to self-correct, then they are not comprehending the text. Comprehension is what it is all about!
We have also been working on the concept of “visualizing” in our reading mini-lessons. As we read, we make mental pictures that help us to understand the text. Our mental images are different because the background knowledge we bring to our reading can be different. Visualizing becomes increasingly important as children begin to read more difficult text and the picture support diminishes.
 Along with reading, we continue to work on writing. The children are not at all hesitant about writing and eagerly share their thoughts. Capital letters and ending marks are another story. We continue to work on these concepts. When the children are writing at home, please praise them when they use these conventions correctly!
In math we will be working on counting coins and telling time  .
Any help or real-life experiences at home would be great. Again, keep practicing those math  flashcards at home.
Thank you, Mrs. Dannenfeldt & Mrs. Hewitt
RETELLING GLOVES
 The glove is used to scaffold a child during the retelling of a story. The “reteller” wears the glove. As the child gives an idea for the retelling, they put down the finger on the glove that goes along with their retelling. When all fingers are down, then we have told the “heart” of the story – not everything – just the heart!
Stick person |
Who were the characters in the story? |
Clock, house, tree |
When and where did the story take place? |
Sad face, question mark |
What is the problem? How can we solve it? |
1, 2, 3 |
What events happened in the story? |
Happy face, exclamation point |
How was the problem solved? |
Heart (palm of hand) |
Theme: What is the message the author wanted to send? |
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 Dates & Times to Remember
Contact Information
 Mrs. Hewitt |
Mrs. Dannenfeldt |
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 Absence Line: 602 493 6171 press 1 |
Our WEBSITE will be updated each month.
 Monthly Newsletters Reading Activities & Strategies Special Area Calendars & Upcoming Dates Past & Present Spelling, Sight, & Phonics Words Spelling & Sight Word Practice Ideas Monthly Tic-Tac-Toe Skill Review Activities Monthly Homefun
Calendar Review Activities Monthly Sudoku Puzzles Links to Online Learning Sites First Grade Teacher E-mail
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Web Master: Mrs. Lori-Ann Hewitt
Last Updated: 03/01/10
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