We have been learning extensively and experiencing so much growth in first grade! This past week we wrapped up our Math module on Measurement, and finished up our Science unit on Sound with an exciting project. Your first graders engineered a unique musical instrument based on their knowledge of vibration, and worked in groups to form a band each of which collaborated to compose a one of a kind song! I was so impressed with their creativity through the design process, and dazzled by their performances on Friday. Well done first graders!

The 100th Day of School is fast approaching! Our school has set a goal to collect 100 canned food items per grade to donate this year. I will have a bucket set aside in our classroom to begin collecting cans. Let’s work together to reach our goal of 100 cans by the 100th Day of School (2/7) !

This week we will cover . . .

Religion: We Celebrate the Sacraments

Math: Place value, comparison, and addition and subtraction to 40.

Reading/Language Arts:

• Target Skill: Sequence of Events
• Phonics: Vowel pairs /oa/, /ow/ | Contractions ‘ve, ‘re | Phonograms -ow, -oat
• Spelling words with /oa/, /ow/: boat, coat, road, toad, show, row, grow, low, blow, snow
• Grammar: Future Tense
• Writing: Personal Narrative Writing

Social Studies: Family Life, Past and Present

Science: Behavior of Light

–  Students will . . .

• make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects can be seen only when illuminated.
• plan and conduct investigations to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.

Dates and Reminders: 

• Sunday 1/27 – Saturday 2/2: Catholic Schools Week
• Thursday, 1/31: Team Day | Students may wear blue jeans and a St. Mary spirit shirt.
• Friday, 2/1: Half Day | 12PM Dismissal
• Thursday 2/7: 100th Day of School!
• Wednesday, 2/13: Half Day | 12PM Dismissal
• Thursday, 2/14: Valentine’s Day

I would like to announce and officially welcome Teddy to our class! Teddy has just joined our class and we are so happy to have him. We look forward to a great year together.

We have been doing and learning so much in first grade! This past week we learned about the Advent Season in preparation for Christmas and learning about the Christmas traditions of people around the world. In science we have dived in to our first Physical Science unit about Sound, and learned a great deal about the vibrations that cause sound through various fun visual representations.

This week we will cover . . .

Religion: Advent

Math: Introduction to Place Value through Addition and Subtraction within 20.

Reading and Language Arts:

• Target Skill: Conclusions; Cause and Effect
• Target Strategy: Infer/Predict
• Spelling Words with Long /a/, phonogram -ake: came, make, brave, late, gave, shape
• Grammar: Verbs and Time

Social Studies: Christmas Around the World

Science: Sound

• Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make sound and that sound can make materials vibrate.

• Saturday, 12/8: Escondido Christmas Parade-9 AM
• Wednesday, 12/12: Our Lady Of Guadalupe Apparitions Reenactment by the middle school at  9 AM
• Wednesday, 12/12: Half Day, Dismissal at 12 PM
• Friday, 12/21: Christmas Pageant 10:00 AM
• Friday, 12/21: Half Day, Dismissal at 12 PM
• Monday, 12/24-Monday, 1/7: Christmas Break-No School
• Tuesday, 1/8: School Resumes
• Wednesday, 1/9: Half Day, Dismissal at 12 PM

Another fun-filled and educational week in first grade has concluded! Your students learned so much about the areas of the world our families moved from long ago, and the modes of travel people employed long ago. To continue our exploration of the various parts of animals and their habitats, everyone excitedly participated in a “Zoo Trip”, featuring an imaginative tour of our very own school. We continued to practice the use of adjectives to describe nouns through both oral discussion and daily journaling.

Next week we will cover . . .

Religion: Jesus Teaches Us About God’s Love

Math:

• Development of addition fluency within 10.
• Subtraction as an Unknown Addend Problem.

Reading and Language Arts: “Jack and the Wolf”

• Target Skill: Understanding Characters
• Target Strategy: Summarize
• Spelling Words with Short /a/: an, bad, can, had, cat, ran
• Grammar: Complete Sentences

Social Studies: Our Earth

• Geography Connection: The Pacific Ocean

Science: Parts of Animals

• Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.

Dates and Reminders:

• Friday, 9/28: — Half Day — Dismissal at 12:00 PM – Teacher Professional Development
• Thursday, 10/4: Blessing of the Pets 3:00 PM
• Friday, 10/5: — Half Day — Dismissal at 12:00 PM
• Saturday, 10/6 – 10/7: Parish Fall Fiesta
• Sunday, 10/7: Eighth grade led Mass at 10:30 AM
• Sunday, 10/7: School Performance at Fall Fiesta 12:00 PM
• Monday, 10/8: — No School — Columbus Day

We had a very eventful week in first grade! This week we began using adjectives in our journal writing, learned the functions of parts of animals through hands-on exploration, and even met a firefighter. Everyone was enthralled by him and his equipment!

Lets take a look at what is coming up.

This week we will cover . . .

Religion: Jesus Works Among the People.

Math:

• The commutative property of addition and the equal sign.
• Development of addition fluency within 10.

Reading and Language Arts: “Gus Takes the Train”

• Target Skill: Story Structure
• Target Strategy: Analyze / Evaluate
• Spelling Words with Short /u/: up, bug, mud, nut, hug, tub

Social Studies: Moving to New Homes

• History Connection: Moving then and now.

Science: Parts of Animals

• Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.

Dates and Reminders:

• Friday, 9/28: Half Day: Dismissal at 12:00 PM- Teacher Professional Development
• Saturday, 10/6-10/7: Parish Fall Fiesta
• Sunday, 10/7: Eighth grade led Mass at 10:30 AM
• Sunday, 10/7: School Performance at Fall Fiesta 12:00 PM

We are continuing to learn so much in first grade! The highlights of our week include creating math stories, practicing the use of verbs through painting and writing, making a map of our classroom, and engineering a mailbox based on what we have learned from plants.

Reminders:

Homework folders will go home weekly, and will always include a language arts worksheet and the spelling words to practice with your child at home. Parents are encouraged to return homework folders each Friday.

This week we will cover . . .

Religion: Jesus Grew Up in a Family

Math:

• Addition word problems.
• Strategies for counting on.
• The commutative property of addition and the equal sign.

Reading and Language Arts: “Lucia’s Neighborhood”

• Target Skill: Text and Graphic Features
• Target Strategy: Question

Social Studies: Leaders and Rules/ Community

Science: Parts of Plants

• Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.

Dates and Reminders:

• Tuesday, 9/18: School Picture Day
• Friday, 9/28: Half Day: Dismissal at 12:00 PM- Teacher Professional Development
• Saturday, 10/6-10/7: Parish Fall Fiesta
• Sunday, 10/7: Eighth grade led Mass at 10:30 AM
• Sunday, 10/7: School Performance at Fall Fiesta 12:00 PM

• June 6 and 7 are noon dismissal days
• June 8 is our last day of school, early release, please join us for Mass. There is no after school extension Friday.

I am so proud of our class for the wonderful job they did at Mass on Sunday. Thank you parents for helping them prepare. We had an awesome trip to SeaWorld! Thank you so much to the chaperones who joined us. 

Our Mystery Reader, Mrs. Perkins, helped our kiddos plant a seed to take home.

• Recycled Ocean Animal projects and reports are due Tuesday, May 29. Please use the link sent via email to sign up for a presentation slot.
• June 1, 6 and 7 are noon dismissal days

Thank you all for your kind words and well wishes regarding my upcoming move. Just another reason why Saint Mary is so special.

Thanks Dr. Bliesath for being our Mystery Reader this week! The Little Engine that Could is such a great lesson for our little learners! They loved your silly voices for the characters, too! And thank you to our BONUS reader, Mr. Alcocer, too!