First Grade Families-
March is finally here! We ended our day with a celebration of Dr. Seuss’ Birthday. We sang Happy Birthday and enjoyed a cupcake at our school assembly. Please make sure to check our school website for fun activities and dress attire for the coming weeks in March to celebrate Reading Across America. Next week, please send your child with a small stuffed animal or action figure to use during reading time for the week. A reminder that this week will be short due to our day off on March 6th. We will have Mass on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. if you would like to join us.
HOMEWORK
Fluency
Math IXL: A.17, D.12, and J.3
Reading Log: Reading Log is 20 minutes a day. We will be doing our last nonfiction book report this week. 🙂 Please let me know if you need your child to take home a non-fiction book home.
Reminder: You may count the minutes used to write their book report in their reading log.Â
Sight Words: All students were tested last week. New books were all sent home last week. If your child tested out of book 5, I will have book 6 ready for your child by Wednesday.
Spelling Test: Spelling Test will be on Monday. Some students will have assessments to check for mastery of word patterns. By the end of next week, some students may move to a sort they had previously done due to review or needs to skip a few sorts due to mastery of word patterns. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.Â
A SNEAK PEEK AT OUR ACADEMICS
Language Arts
Grammar/Writing: We are learning to title our information writing so we can officially begin our table of contents. Students are coming along with their titles for their chapters. Some students have started their Table of Contents. The kids have shown so much progress in their writing since January. I will have your child take their best writing home tomorrow. Please have them read it to you but return it the following day. If you need clarity on their topic, please ask them. They are learning to add to their writing so the reader understands EVERYTHING. They can add the information in their writing during our Writer’s Workshop the following day.
Reading/Phonics: In phonics, we continue practicing to listen to a word and ALLLLLL the word parts. If you write nver (for never), you must say the word and listen to the syllables. The word never would have two syllables so you must be able to notice that nver is missing a vowel. This is such a game-changer for so many of my students.Â
In reading, we continue reviewing how nonfiction books have a table of contents, diagrams, labels, vocabulary/glossary and much more. We are learning to stop and study each page and guessing what might come next. Tomorrow, we will set a reading goal before your child starts reading. You can add that to your nightly reading time.
Examples of Reading Goals: Guess what might come next, read smoothly and lively, find and think about keywords, read sight words on the page before reading the page, remember one thing I read, etc….Â
Science: How are sounds made for cartoons or movies? Keyword: Vibrations
Math:Â I hope you got a chance to look at your child’s mid-year assessment. Please work on any skills that they have missed at home. This week we review fact families, number models, and we will have a quick math fluency check with Mixed 5’s addition. Keep practicing math facts at home.
Social Studies: As I mentioned last week, you are welcome to stop by to check out your child’s AWESOME American flag and their self-portrait.
Religion: This week we begin LENT. We will have discussions about LENT this week and next week. We will do the hierarchy of the Catholic Church next week since our Lent activity needed a few extra days. This week we speak about the Liturgical Season, Lent. What are we preparing for? Three areas of focus for LENT are pray, fast, and almsgiving. We will speak about the Stations of the Cross as well. We have lots to learn about Jesus and his sacrifices during this season.
REMINDERS
- Library books are due every Tuesday. Students are allowed to check out two books only if books are returned.Â
- Mass: Thursday 8:30 a.m.
- I’m still available for any conferences.Â
- Friday: No School Â
- Our school Stations of the Cross begin next week. Please take a look at our school calendar for dates and times.
If you have any questions, please send me an email.
Blessings,
Mrs. Veronica Perez-Vazquez
