Spelling - Vowel-Consonant-e Syllable

safe

Pete

pine

home

mule

tape

dime

hope

cube

name

Phonics - We worked on the last row of vowel teams - au and aw.  We learned about two more suffixes - ed and ing.  We are now working on a new syllable type - the vowel-consonant-e syllable.  (v-e)  We learned the long sound of each of the vowels.

Science - A science lesson we worked on in animal adaptations was called "which beak is best?"  We learned about how birds have different types of beaks to go with their food adaptation. We used tweezers, clothes pins, and spoons to represent different types of bird beaks.  Then we used marbles, tootpicks, and straws to represent different types of foods that  birds eat.  The students had to experiment to find out which beak worked best for each type of food.  The students then learned about different birds and different types of beaks.  They worked in their launch log to record their research. 

The next science lesson we are working on, and will be working on for a few science sessions, is called The Map.  In this lesson the students will learn about different environments, their plants and animals, and some adaptations.  We have started learning about The Pacific Ocean.  We will also learn about The Arctic, The African Savanna, The Sahara Desert, and the Amazon Rainforest.

Religion - Every Monday we learn about the weekend Gospel by going through our Promise Paper.  We had been learning about Holy Week and now the Resurrection!  We read the Easter story in our Children's Bible.  We worked with our 4th grade buddies on our "Jesus Has Risen" craft.  We continue to work in Friendzy.  We are almost finished with "I Get To Be Me, You Get To Be You".  The last few weeks we have been practicing, practicing, practicing for our Mass during our Religion time.  The first graders did an absolutely fantastic job at Mass on Friday!  I am so proud of them!

Reading - Our word work focus has been homophones and homographs.  Homophones are words that sound alike, but they are spelled different and they have a different meaning.  (rose, rows)  A homograph is a word that is spelled the same, it may or may not sound the same, and it has a different meaning.  (wind, read)  The students have been working hard in these centers!

Every day we work in the daily 5 centers.  Each student is either doing read to self, read to someone, listening, work on writing, or word work.  We continue to read stories in our guided reading groups during this block.  We have also done a few running records and sight word checks in the last few weeks.

Knowing basic sight words is a big part of reading.  By the end of first grade, the goal is for the students to know the first 175 sight words.  Some of the students already know all 175.  Some of the students know only a few words.  Some of the students are somewhere in between those.  :)  The sight words that we use are in our Bee Binder.   Please take some time to practice sight words with your student.  

Reading with your child for 20 minutes a day is another way for your child to strengthen their reading skills!  

Remember, you can access Raz Kids and Vocabulary A-Z at home to practice both reading and spelling.  

To access Raz Kids, you can either go to the website or download the app.  

The website is https://www.raz-plus.com/

The app is Kids A-Z.

Once there, go to kids login.
The teacher name to enter is jsullivan100.
Once in, the student will click on their name.
The password is the apple.
Press go.

The student can click on the purple planet for reading or the yellow plant for spelling.  (It says vocabulary)
     
     *If the student would like to choose books on their own, they will click reading room.

       In reading room, they have lots of options on how to choose the books they want to read.  If they want to read books at their level only, they may press leveled books.  Every student has their level entered in the website.  This allows them to read books at their level, as well as 2 levels above and below.

    *If the student would like to practice their spelling words, they will click on vocabulary.  Their assigned spelling list will pop up.  Click on the list.  From there you can choose phonics, spelling, or vocabulary.  Whichever one is chosen, it will bring you to games that use the spelling list.

Writing - We are contiuing to work on our non-realistic fiction stories.  We have worked hard on so much planning! (character, setting, details, beginning, middle, and end)  This week we are working on 

writing out our stories!

Math - We have worked on comparing and ordering numbers in 100s, counting coins using dimes, nickels, and pennies, trading out 10 pennies for 1 dime, fractions, skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s to 100, partners of 10, and finding the missing addend. 

We celebrated a few birthdays!  We made birthday boards for Mrs. Anderson and Ophelia!

Maevh's dad came for a visit.  He brought their 12 quail chicks!

Some Fun Pictures - 

Have a great week!

Holy Cross Mission Statement

Holy Cross Catholic School guides each student in developing academic, emotional and physical excellence while spreading the Gospel message as Jesus did, since 1868.