First grade had math homework on Wednesday.  Please make sure your child does their homework and returns it.  We had quite a few students who didn't turn it in yet.

Thank you.  :)

A few updates -

First Grade Math - We started a new unit on Monday.  We've been working with data.  We are looking at picture graphs to find out how many more and how many fewer.  We are using stair steps to compare.  We are sorting things by characteristics.

First grade phonics - Tomorrow we will have a test on unit 7.  This unit we focused on more glued sounds.  In unit 8 we are going to be learning about blends and digraph blends.

Science - Our caterpillars have arrived!  I will be putting them into the individual cups today and then we can start our caterpillar observations.

Reading - This week in daily five our focus is compound words.  This week I started another round of running records.

STREAM - We started our Lego robotics unit.  Miss Angela came on Monday.  We built a helicopter. We learned how to program it and make it move.  It was really awesome!  The kids loved it!

Writing - We wrote stories.  Now we are taking our stories and putting them into ZooBurst.  :)  ZooBurst is a website.  The students can type their stories and make pop-up illustrations.  It is amazing!  ZooBurst is a lot of work!  They have to type their stories, find images, change backgrounds, colors, etc.

Religion - This week our Promise Paper is about Jesus and his friends.
***First Communion - Second grade families - You need to sign up for First Communion.  Please go to the parish website (www.gbres.org) and sign up.  Classes begin on February 25th.

Art -
Grades 1 and 2 are currently working on a winter sky, multimedia painting. Several concepts are included in this art project. Students are developing an awareness that color can help set the mood of a painting. They are learning the difference between warm and cool colors.  Cool colors ( blues, greens, purples) will help give the feel of a cold winter sky. Another concept is radial design. This is a type of balance radiating the same image from the center outward in all directions. We are practicing this by making a variety of snowflakes with many different radial designs. Variety of size, color and design is encouraged, as we know no two snowflakes are the same. Adding variety of details to their snowflakes helps develop their creativity. How they place these snowflakes on the page is also important. Artists need to think about balance in their designs. We are talking about asymmetrical balance. I have students think about a sea saw. For example, If I place 2 snowflakes on one side of my page, I will have to think about adding snowflakes on the opposite side to balance my piece. This could be one great big snowflake on one side and then a few smaller snowflakes on the other. It is not symmetrical balance. And lastly, we will use lines to create the feel of movement.....the wind blowing. Burrrrr.... 

Gym-

K-2:  We are working on Basketball skills.  Specifically, the focus is on dribbling using fingertips with their heads up and eyes forward so they can see defense and their own team mates.  when the student is comfortable, they will be allowed to work on the dribbling skills with movement and defense.  They can move at their own pace.

Second grade math - Since Christmas break, second grade has been busy counting money up to one dollar with coins.  They are using half-dollars, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies to explore the many possibilities to make a dollar.  They are getting GOOD!!

Also, your child has been given a math fact sheet to practice.  This sheet is based on a timed pretests.  They can come to me and have me check them for speed and accuracy on Thursdays and Fridays.  If they pass, they will get a more difficult sheet.  I am asking that you quiz them on these facts when you can.  

Coming up is subtraction with regrouping.  Thanks for all you do!!  

*Our next mass is Thursday, January 22nd.  Yesterday we picked mass parts.  They are in mailboxes today.

The parts are -
Greeters- Zak, Rowen, Landon, Max, Cassie, Megan, Kate, Madison
Intro - Ruby
Cross - Katey
Book - Hannah
First Reading - Ella, Mary
Responsorial Psalm - Reese, Dylan, Heath
Petitions - Keegan, Cullan, Mia, Misha, Brett, Kyan, Teddy
Bread - Enzo

*The first graders will have math homework tonight.

*Friday is going to be a Packer dress down day.  :)

*Mrs. Trester is subbing again today.  Things haven't been so good at our house lately.  All four of us in our house had the flu.  That lasted about three weeks to get through all of us.
At 4:00 this morning Zak was 104 and had hives all over him.  I brought him to the ER.  They think it's just a reaction to the flu shot he had on Monday.  He's on lots of medicine and hopefully that's all it is.
The scariest thing was last Monday/Tuesday.  Jason's dad was having a hard time breathing.  His mom called for an ambulance.  They found out that he had blood clots in his lungs.  Luckily they were in the ER, because they did lose him.  Thank God for the doctors that did CPR - they got him back.  Things were pretty scary, but they are looking better now.  Amazingly, he came home yesterday.  He has a rough road ahead of him, but he is alive.
I've heard bad things come in threes.  I'm praying we're done now.  :)

Weekly Spelling Lists -

First Grade - Phonetic List - Words with suffix s

bugs
cats
pigs
sits
runs
gets
cards
chips
twins
pumps

First Grade - High Frequency List - Words 91-100

lone
little
very
after
words
called
just
where
most
know

Second Grade - Phonetic List - Long a

safe
day
rain
play
ate
stay
save
wait
game
space

Second Grade - High Frequency List - Words 261-270

example
heard
several
change
answer
room
sea
against
top
turned

Here's a little note from Liz Sternig -

Hi Parents!

This is just a kind reminder that if you planned to donate towards teacher's birthday and end of the school year gifts as well as the 1st and 2nd grade class auction item, we are still collecting funds for all of this.  (its ongoing)  We ask for $20.00 per child in the classroom, but please feel free to donate whatever you feel works for your family if that amount does not.  Currently we are working on putting together a very awesome auction bundle with personalized work by our children as well!   Stay warm!

Sincerely,

Liz Sternig, Kay Handrick, Jessica Abnet and Kristin Warden. 

Second grade has math homework tonight.

Tomorrow is a Packer dress down day.

Next Monday, January 12th, first and second grade is starting a STREAM project.  We are going to be doing Lego robotics.  Our theme is air, land, and sea.  We will be working on the project for six weeks.  It sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun!

Weekly Spelling Lists -

First Grade - Phonetic List - Cluster st
best
rest
fast
must
step
still
post
stir
rust
stiff

First Grade - High Frequency List - Words 81-90
made
over
did
down
only
way
find
use
may
water

Second Grade - Phonetic List - Vowel - Consonant e
cute
wave
robe
late
mule
tape
joke
fire
base
broke

Second Grade - High Frequency List - Words 251-260
sure
knew
it's
try
told
young
sun
thing
whole
hear