Weekly Letter January 13th

Our class will kick off the new year with a great start as we discuss some important facts about our new unit; SPACE! The students are eager to learn all there is to know about the sun, moon, and stars. It will be a great way to ease back into school after the long break. Below are the topics and skills being covered this week.

Reading & Writing

In reading workshop, students will begin reading informational texts on the SUN! This week we will focus on the topics of sunset and sunrise. Where does the sunset? And where does the sunrise? Think about your house to make a personal connection! Students will also look further into earth’s rotation. We will be covering a lot this week 

Now that the students have experience responding to literature during guided reading, the students will begin a Reader’s Response Journal both in class and at home. This week in Writing Workshop, the students will practice responding to literature and this will be the focus over the next two weeks. Once the students are comfortable with this, they will respond to literature based on the book they read at home for homework once a week in their Reader’s Response Journal. More information about this will be sent home in a separate correspondence.

Phonics & Spelling

This week students will be focusing on adding endings to words to make them plural. Students will learn they have to add –s or –es depending on what the word ends with. For example, if a word ends in sh, ch, ss, x, or z students must add an –es to make the word plural. During our word work center this week students will be practicing this skill using word cards. It will become easier with more practice.

Math:

This week students will learn how to add three numbers. Our skill this week has students find the sum of 2 numbers first and then use that number to add the last addend. For example, 2+8+3. I can circle 8 and 2 to get a sum of 10 and then add 10 + 3= 13. Or I can add 3+2 first to get a sum of 5, and then know that 5+8=13. This week I will start giving timed fact quizzes. You will receive results by the end of the week. 

Religion:

We will be starting Chapter 15 We Belong to a Parish. In this chapter the students will learn that a parish is like a family and we can work together with our parish family to help others.

Announcements & Reminders:

• Please continue to initial your child’s behavior calendar each night

• Talent Show Permission Slip Due Wednesday. Practice is on Thursday from 3-4
• Hot Chocolate Sale during lunch on Thursday ($1.00)
• There is no school on Friday, January 17^th or Monday, January 20th for a professional development day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
• Scholastic book orders are due by January 15th. You can either purchase online or send in a form to school. Our class activation code can be found on our class webpage.

Weekly Letter January 6th

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a great start to the New Year! Many thanks again for all the wonderful Christmas gifts and kind Christmas wishes; it is all greatly appreciated and I am so lucky to be blessed with a class filled with wonderful families!

Reading & Writing

During Readers Workshop, students will have a chance to review some of the skills we’ve learned from September to December. During writer’s workshop, students will be engaged in various activities focused on the themes of winter and New Year’s resolutions! 

Spelling

The phonics skill this week will focus on the nk and ng ending blends. Blends are two or three letters that together make one sound! The students are doing a great job identifying words that follow the different blend patterns throughout everyday reading and writing activities. Often times when we are creating a chart together, the students will scream out, “that’s a blend” with true enthusiasm. 

Math:

This week students will begin with Chapter 5. This chapter will have students practice their knowledge of addition and subtraction facts. Students will need to find the missing numbers in equations, determine if an equation is true or false, and practice making questions true. Beginning this month, students will be quizzed on basic addition facts. Please practice facts at home.  

Announcements & Reminders:

• Please send in a new box of crayons for your child by Monday, January 13^th. No more than a 24 count! J Thanks
• Scholastic book orders due by January 15^th
• No School- Friday, January 17^th & Monday, January 20th

Weekly Letter December 2nd

Dear Parents & Guardians,

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and long weekend. Things are busy in class 1-2 and we are so excited that it is finally December! Where did the time go?! Below are the topics being covered this week.

Reading & Writing: This week students will be engaging in various writing activities. We will be using our imagination and writing about reindeer. Students will be writing opinion pieces about whether they think a reindeer would be a good pet. Students will be able to state their opinion and provide reasons to support their opinion. We will also be focusing on how we can light up the world with kindness. You will see some of our writing at conferences!

Phonics & Vocabulary: This week our spelling and sight words will focus on the long vowel E sound! Please continue to practice your words each night! We will have a spelling test on Friday.

Math: This week, the students will continue with chapter 4. We are learning how to use our knowledge of addition and subtraction facts to complete a fact family. Today students used a “part + part = whole” model to help them solve various facts. Later in the week students will use strategies learned thus far to help them solve word problems.

Religion: The class discussions this week will focus on Advent. We will be coloring our own Advent wreath and learning about we can prepare ourselves for this special season. We continue to prepare for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas! The students will engage in many activities to ensure understanding of this special time of year.

Announcements & Reminders:

• Parent/Teacher Conferences: Thursday, December 5th. There is a noon dismissal on this day! Please make every effort to be on time for conferences 
• Half Day on Friday!

• Christmas Show – The Christmas Show is Thursday, December 19th at 7 PM at St. Francis Prep High School. Tickets are on sale now. Please keep in mind tickets will NOT be sold at the door. You should be receiving a notice in the green folder about how to purchase tickets.

Weekly Letter November 18th

I hope you all had a nice weekend. I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is next week! Time is flying by and we are busy as usual in class 1-2. Please continue reading to find out what we are working on this week…

Reading & Writing: During reading workshop this week, students will be working on activities that focus on the long vowel sounds. We are continuing with the CVCe (consonant, vowel, consonant, silent e) words. A fun activity we’ve been doing is any time we see a magic e word when reading we point it out. You can try this when reading at home with your child. Last week students started quizzing on Accelerated Reader. We quizzed on read aloud books that I have read to them, as well as books that were listed on their reading logs. You will see a report every few weeks.

Today for our light and sound unit, students went on a listening walk around our building. We noticed that there are many sounds around us, especially when we are silent and carefully listening. Some things that we heard were, pencil sharpeners, talking, laughing, coughing, etc. Students can do a listening walk at home and compare the sounds that they’ve heard in two different places, school and home.

Phonics/Spelling/Grammar: This week the phonics skill will focus on the long u vowel. Students will need to identify what makes a word have a short or long u sound. Please continue to review spelling and sight words each week. During this week I will be assessing students’ reading levels again. You will be able to see which level your child is, by seeing the books in their baggie.

Math: We are taking a chapter 3 math test tomorrow. Study guides went home in green folders on Friday. On Wednesday, students will begin chapter 4: subtraction strategies. We will practice using a number line and a ten frame to help us subtract.

Announcements & Reminders:

• Religion Chapter 4 Assessment on Wednesday. Books are coming home today. Questions to focus on: Who is John the Baptist? Zacchaeus? What does it mean to trust?
• Turkey Trot on Friday
• Permission Slip & Money due by Wednesday, November 27^th
• Scholastic Order Due December 2^nd