Weekly Letter May 28th

I hope you all had a fabulous long weekend! We are in the final month of school and students are so excited for summer vacation. It sure feels like summer in the classroom. Please keep in mind that gym uniforms can be worn on days when the temperature will rise above 80 degrees. You may also want to pack an extra drink or a refillable water bottle for your child. We still have some things to learn in first grade, so please continue reading…

Reading & Writing:

This week I will be starting our final reading assessments for the year. It is amazing to see the growth since September. I will let you know your child’s new level a.s.a.p.! In reading workshop students will be reviewing basic skills learned in first grade so far. There are not new spelling words this week. Our plant and animal adaptations unit is coming to a close and we will be finishing up our animal encyclopedia books. We talked about some interesting reptiles this morning such as the thorny lizard and the Arizona coral snake. Tomorrow, we will take a closer look at some birds.

Math:

We will begin Chapter 11: Geometry. During this chapter the students will learn how to identify and describe three-dimensional shapes. The students will practice combining different shapes to make new shapes. This chapter provides for a perfect opportunity to explore the different shapes around them during everyday activities. 

Religion:

We are almost finished with Chapter 22: Jesus Gives Us the Eucharist. Students learned that the last meal that Jesus shared with his followers was called the Last Supper. Students also learned that the Eucharist is the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ. We will have an assessment on Friday, May 31^st. Please focus on these words/topics: Mass, Eucharist, and Last Supper. Books will come home tomorrow (5/29)  

Announcements & Reminders:

• Religion Test Friday
• Scholastic Book Orders Due 6/1

Weekly letter May 13th

I hope you all had a great weekend! I would like to wish a HAPPY MOTHER’S DAYto all the moms! I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day filled with love and laughter! You deserve it!!! Please read on to find out what class 1-2 will be doing this week…

Reading & Writing

This week we are continuing with our unit about Plant and Animal Adaptations. Students will begin the week by learning about the word: Adaptation! Animals can have many physical or behavioral adaptations. On Wednesday, students will have a chance to tour the Queens Zoo! While at the zoo, students will participate in interactive activities. Towards the end of the week, students will classify animals into groups such as mammals, reptiles, birds, etc.

Math:

This week in math we are continuing with chapter 10! Students will be exploring bar graphs, tally charts, and problem solving skills. Students will have a chance to participate in various graph making activities.

Religion:

Chapter 19- We Celebrate God’s Forgiveness. Students will be learning about the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. We will be talking about what it means to forgive others and how God is always ready to forgive us! We will be taking an assessment on Thursday!

Reminders & Announcements:

-Religion Chapter 19 Teston Thursday Books will come home 5/14

-Dress Down Day on Friday

^–Scholastic Book Orders- Due May 15^th

-Field Day Money Due ASAP

Weekly Letter May 6th

On Tuesday, we will be going to the Queens Botanical Garden. Please make sure your child is wearing their gym uniforms.Please continue reading to learn what class 1-2 will be doing this week…

Reading & Writing:

This week we will continue with our plant and animal adaptations unit. This morning, students looked at various plants that make adaptations to survive in their environment. For example, a cactus has a thick stem so that it can hold water longer in the dry desert. A Venus fly trap can snatch insects and digest them to get nutrients. Towards the end of the week, we will begin looking at various animal adaptations.  

Phonics:

Our spelling focus this week is “oo” spelling pattern. This pattern makes two different sounds. One sound is what we hear when we say “book” and another sound is what we hear when we say “moon”. We are learning how to know the difference when spelling words with these similar sounds. Our formal assessment will be Thursdayso please review each night!

Math:

This week we will begin Chapter 10: Represent Data. During this chapter, the students will learn how graphs and charts help them organize, represent, and interpret data. The students will learn about a picture graph and a bar graph, as well as how to use tally marks to make a tally chart. When working with graphs and chart, students have a high level of curiosity and many questions to ask. This will be a fun and interactive chapter that the students will enjoy!

Announcements & Reminders:

• Garden Trip Tuesday, May 6^th
• Zoo Trip Money and Permission Slip due ASAP. The zoo trip is on May 15^th.
• NO School-Friday May 10^th

Weekly Letter April 29th

I hope you all had a great weekend! Reminder: Pizza Uno Trip Tomorrow! Please have your child wear their gym uniforms. Students will be creating their own pizza and eating it! Those who get special lunch will be given the chance to do so when we return. Please read on to find out what class 1-2 will be doing this week…

Reading & Writing

This week we are starting with our new unit about Plant and Animal Adaptations. Plants will be introduced by reading many nonfiction texts to determine the lifecycle of a plant. During this unit students will be learning about the many adaptations that plants and animals use to survive in their environments.

In our writing unit students will begin brainstorming ideas for their very own “how to” book. Today we started reading books that focused on the process of how to do something. For example, “how to brush your teeth” or “how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich”. Students were eager to shout out that they saw the sequencing words: first, next, then, last.

Spelling:

Students this week are learning about “ou” words that make the “ow” sound just like the words we learned last week. During our word work centers, we will be sorting words based on the letters that the word has. For example, the words flower and our, make the same sound, but have different vowels in the middle. This skill will take some time to understand.

Math:

Today we completed our study guide in chapter 9! Our test will be on Wednesday, May 1st! Please focus on telling time to the hour and half hour.

Reminders & Announcements:

• Zoo permission slip (which will go home on Tuesday) and money due ASAP!
• Friday 5/3 Noon Dismissal & Gala Community Day