<h1><strong>Ms. Rosa’s First Grade Newsletter Feb. 19, 2010</strong></h1>
<h2> </h2>
Dear Families,

Another short, but wonderful, week has passed.  The highlight of this week was our trip to the Harris Theater downtown to see a musical performance by <strong>Mojo and the Bayou Gypsies</strong>., a fantastic band from New Orleans that plays traditional Cajun/Zydeco music from Louisiana.  Our entertainment included music and dancing as well as some short Louisiana history and French lessons!  Your children learned phrases such as “Bon Montin (good morning)” and “le zydeco sont pas sale (the snap-peas are without salt)” – trust me, there’s a neat story behind it.  All in all, the kids (and adults) really enjoyed the performance!

<a href="http://emrosa.cuipblogs.net/files/2010/02/Mojo-and-the-Bayou-Gypsies.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-105 alignnone" title="Mojo and the Bayou Gypsies" src="http://emrosa.cuipblogs.net/files/2010/02/Mojo-and-the-Bayou-Gypsies-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a>
<h2>This Week, We Learned</h2>
This week, we continued with Unit 6 of our Math curriculum by diving into Fact Families and Fact Triangles.  Fact families are important because students need to be able to make connections between certain numbers for math to begin coming more naturally.  For example, when a student understands that 2,3,5 is a fact family they will know the answers to addition and subtraction facts within that fact family without the need to count.

<strong>Fact Family </strong><strong>à</strong><strong>    2,3,5</strong>

<strong>    2+3=5</strong>

<strong>   3+2=5</strong>

<strong>  5-2=3</strong>

<strong>  5-3=2</strong>

Notice how the three numbers from the fact family can be interchanged to solve four different math facts.  Student home-links have included fact triangles to cut our and practice with.  Try holding a triangle and covering one number to see if the child can remember what number is missing from that family.
<h2>Next Week, We Will</h2>
Next week, we will begin a new science unit, learn about dental health, and create an interesting display for Black history Month based on the book <strong><em>Henry’s Freedom Box</em></strong>
<h2>Reminders</h2>
Please send 2 quarters to school with your child if you have not already.  We need them for our math lessons.

<a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.waterloo.lib.ia.us/use-the-library/teens2/BHmonthcontest/image&amp;imgrefurl=http://www.waterloo.lib.ia.us/use-the-library/teens2/BHmonthcontest/image/image_view_fullscreen&amp;usg=__Y7amJylwQ-y-oaCjK-asT_sUk_k=&amp;h=444&amp;w=400&amp;sz=28&amp;hl=en&amp;start=1&amp;um=1&amp;itbs=1&amp;tbnid=UNZIyMXZB-LbJM:&amp;tbnh=127&amp;tbnw=114&amp;prev=/images%3Fq%3Dblack%2Bhistory%2Bmonth%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1"></a><strong> </strong>
<h2>Announcements</h2>
<strong>We have a field trip next week Friday</strong>. Please send in written permission and fees if you have not already done so.  Also, students must bring a bagged lunch (clearly labeled) for the trip.
<h2>Thank Yous</h2>
Thank you to all of the parents who continue to send snacks!
<h2>Birthdays</h2>
Devin – 3<sup>rd</sup>

Jayden – 19<sup>th</sup>

Demontae – 23<sup>rd</sup>

Lourdes – 26<sup>th</sup>

Yasmin – 26<sup>th</sup>

Montana – 28th
<h3>emrosa@cps.edu</h3>