Goodbye First Grade!

Greetings! Today was our last full day together in first grade. Just where has the time gone? It seems like only yesterday we met in the parking lot under the hot August sun. Now, here we are ready to say goodbye to first grade and hello to summer. 

We began our day by attending our Awards Ceremony. The students worked so hard this year and deserved to be honored and recognized for all of their achievements. They were so excited to receive their awards; they held onto them like gold. It was so precious to see. 

From there, we returned to the classroom to do some last minute learning. We talked about how Mary was the mother of Jesus and how she taught him many things. We also said that we need to honor Mary since she is Jesus' mother. 

From there we jumped into Science class. We reviewed what we learned about plants this week. 

And that was that. We spent the rest of the morning cleaning. We started with our desks and then moved to things around the classroom. The students are quite good cleaners. They did a great job helping me out. 

This afternoon we watched the Trolls Movie. They really enjoyed it. 

Just a reminder that dismissal on Tuesday is at 10:00 AM. The students can wear shorts and sandals. They must bring their bookbags and red folders to school. 

I wish to take this time to thank everyone for a fantastic school year. I truly looked forward each day to going to school and helping the children grow in their knowledge. It was a joy and pleasure to work with your child this year. Thank you for all of your support, encouragement, and love this year. Without you, this school year would not have been so successful. May you and your family have a wonderful summer. Relax, soak in the sun, and enjoy the time together. I'll see you in August! 

God Bless!
~Miss Chalich 

S'more Fun!

Greetings! I don't know about you but this week is just flying by. It is so hard to believe that tomorrow is already Friday. 

We began our day by attending Mass for Ascension Thursday. This was also our last school Mass of the year. Msgr. Lockard reminded us that Jesus is always with us even in the summer. He also reminded us that we need to visit him each week at Mass. 

Back in the classroom, the fun never stopped. We did two really neat writing projects. First, we wrote the steps in making s'mores; we added our writing to a little art project. Then, we made an ice cream cone. On each scoop, we wrote things we learned this year. 

For gym class today, we headed down to the gym with our friends from the other first grade. There, the students had free time to exercise with their friends. They played basketball, jumped rope, and hula hooped. 

After that came a wonderful surprise. We headed to the cafeteria and made s'mores. The students loved this. It was so nice to see the joy and excitement on their faces. 

Finally, we did one last art project for the year. Today we made a floral scene. For the petals of the flowers, we used cupcake liners. They looked so beautiful. 

Tomorrow is our last full day of first grade. 😢

Game Day!

Greetings! The excitement level in first grade is building. The students could not wait for their Game Day today. But, before we could relax and play games, we had learning to do. 

In Religion class today we wrapped up our chapter about loving and serving God and others. We generated lists of ways to serve God and others and wrote the ones we can do this week. 

In Language Arts today, we focused on writing. Today we wrote about the things we want to do this summer including where we would like to go, what we would like to eat, and what we would like to play. We then drew pictures of us doing our summer dreams in sunglasses. We added those sunglasses to make a face. The finished project was just amazing. 

Also in Language Arts we read Marvin K. Mooney Would You Please Go Now, the Dr. Seuss book we voted last week for. The students loved this story. After reading it, the students had to design a new way for Marvin to go. They were very creative in their designs and names. Dr. Seuss would be proud. 

In Science class today we talked about different way we use plants. We said that we use plants to make tables, paper, and clothes. 

In Math class today, we learned four new subtraction facts. To help us with these facts, we wrote fact families. We promised to continue to practice our Math facts over the summer. 

Finally, it was time for our Game Day activity. The students were divided into groups and played four different board games. I loved watching them have fun playing classic board games and learning some new games. It makes me want to have a board game night at my house. Thank you for helping with this activity! 

There is a big surprise waiting the students tomorrow. Also, don't forget that tomorrow is gym day! 

Snuggle and Cuddle Day!

Greetings! Happy Tuesday! Today was quite an exciting day in first grade! The students were so excited for our Snuggle and Cuddle Reading Day. It was so neat to hear the students read today. They have all grown so much in reading this year. They are well on their way to becoming fluent readers. Thank you for taking the time to help them practice their book and pick out the stuffed animal to bring. 

In addition to our Snuggle and Cuddle event we did do some work today. We began our day by going to Adoration. We spent quiet time with Jesus praying for others and asking him to help keep us safe and happy this summer. 

In Language Arts today we wrote a persuasive paragraph on why we love first grade. The top reason was Art; the second reason was Gym. 

In Social Studies class today we talked about American symbols. We spent time travelling around the USA looking at various American symbols like the Statue of Liberty, Liberty Bell, Gateway Arch, and the Golden Gate Bridge. To help us remember some of these symbols, we made a flip book. 

In Science class today we sorted foods based on what part of a plant they come from. 

And in Math class today we focused on place value. We used pictures of pennies to show three digit numbers; this helped us to identify the hundreds, tens, and ones. 

And, as an added bonus today, we had Art class. Today we created a beach scene. First we painted the sand and water. Then we colored, cut, and glued pictures to our scene. Finally, we sprinkled real sand onto our painted sand. The final results will come home tomorrow. 

Just a reminder that tomorrow is our game day. Please remember your board game! 

Our Final Monday!

Greetings! It is hard to believe that this is our last week of first grade. Where has the year gone? It is going to be a busy and sad week. 

In Religion class today we talked about ways we can love and serve others. We looked at pictures of people helping others and came up with ways we can help others this week. 

In Language Arts class today we worked in our literacy centers one last time. We practiced our fluency and comprehension skills as well as our writing skills. We then wrote a persuasive paragraph on why we love recess. 

Our focus then switched to Social Studies. Today we looked at different American heroes including Martin Luther King, Jr., Susan B. Anthony, Cesar Chavez, and Sacajawea. After talking about what made them heroes, the students drew a picture of someone who they think is a hero and wrote about why they are a hero. 

From Social Studies we went to Science. Today we read The Tiny Seed and talked about the different plant parts and the needs of plants. We labeled a diagram of a flower and sorted parts from needs. 

In Math class today we learned about fact families. We practiced writing several addition and subtraction fact families. As we did so, we learned four new subtraction facts!

We ended the day with a fun end of the year project. We created a keepsake poster with a class picture and everyone's signature. 

Just a reminder that tomorrow is our Snuggle and Cuddle Reading day! 

Friday Funday!

Greetings! Today was a great day to finish the week! We began by going to a retirement celebration for Mrs. Beldin and Mrs. Stewart. We honored both of them for their years of service to Holy Name School by singing special songs and giving them cards. At the end of the celebration we enjoyed a special ice cream treat! 

We wrapped up our final week of learning in Language Arts today. We used our oral vocabulary words and vocabulary words in sentences and used our whiteboards to spell words with air, are, and ear. We also used them to practice dividing r-controlled syllable words. After that we wrote sentences using our sight words. Next it was time to continue working on our fluency and comprehension. We partner read a story from our decodable reader booklets and read a nonfiction piece about the 13 colonies. We completed pages in our close reading companion after reading the nonfiction piece. Finally, we practiced finding adverbs in sentences. 

In Math class today we learned how to solve a problem by drawing a picture and completing a table. 

Then it was time for a break. Last Friday we began watching Meet the Robinsons during our Hawk Walk. This Friday we finished the movie. It was such a sweet movie; the students really enjoyed it. 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

A Full Day of Learning!

Greetings! Happy Thursday! I hope everyone enjoyed the sunshine today! We certainly did in first grade! 

In Religion class today we talked about ways we can serve our families. We said that when we help, obey, and forgive we show love to our families and to God. 

Language Arts was quite informative and busy today. We practiced using our oral vocabulary words, sight words, and vocabulary words in sentences. We then blend and read words with air, are, and ear and words with r-controlled syllables. After that we partner read a story in our decodable reader booklets. From there we read our story Happy Birthday USA; the students loved this story about the Declaration of Independence and asked lots of questions as we read. After completing pages in our close reading companion, we practiced using adverbs that tell how in sentences. Finally, we wrote our persuasive paragraph on why we love the beach. 

We went outside for Gym class today. It was the perfect day to enjoy the sunshine and exercise with our friends. 

Math class was quite full of learning. We talked about the words impossible, likely, and certain. We did an experiment to help us understand these terms. We also talked about place values. We identified the hundreds, tens, and ones digit in a number. 

We ended our day with Social Studies. Today we focused on our right and responsibilities of citizens particularly voting. We even held our own mock election. We voted on which Dr. Seuss book we will read next week. The winner was Marvin V. Mooney Will You Please Go Now. 

Tomorrow will be a special day as we honor two faculty members who are retiring at the end of the year. Have a good night! 

Field Trip!

Greetings! Today was the day we have been waiting for in first grade: our field trip day! You could feel and hear the excitement as soon as you reached the primary floor. Needless to say, we had an awesome trip. 

Our first stop was the Quaint Corner Children's Museum. Here students enjoyed three floors of fun. There was a vet room, grocery story, dress up room, laser room, science rooms, art room, a giant sandbox, and a pirate ship to explore. The favorites were the vet room, dress up room, and the sandbox. 

After lunch, we boarded the bus and headed to Playtime Pottery. Here the students got to decorate a magnet. They were able to pick from a wide variety of pottery. Most chose ice cream cones, butterflies, and crosses. After picking their magnet, they got to pick the colors of paint that they wanted to use. From there it was time to paint. It was neat seeing their creativity come out as they painted. We will distribute the magnets in class next week after the magnets are hardened in an oven. 

By the time we got back to school, the students were tired. I bet they sleep good tonight! Good night! 

An Extra Surprise!

Greetings! Happy Tuesday! There was a lot of excitement and surprises in first grade today. We are anxiously awaiting our field trip tomorrow. But before our day of fun and learning outside the classroom, we had learning to do in the classroom. 

In Religion class today we talked about how we grow closer to God when we pray. We took time to write a prayer to God that we can pray this week and all during the year. 

In Language Arts class, we answered questions using our sight words. We also used our letter tiles to spell and read words the air, are, and ear. Then we learned how to blend and decode r-syllable words. After that we practiced using our sight words and vocabulary words in sentences. Next, we worked on our fluency and comprehension. We reread Share the Harvest and Give Thanks and then talked about the author's purpose for writing the story. We then read our decodable reader. 

This afternoon was full of excitement and surprises. We went to the annual 8th Grade Jeopardy tournament. It was very hard for us not to shout out the answers for the Dr. Seuss questions. After that, we had a special Music class. 

In case the students haven't told you, our field trip is tomorrow. They can wear shorts but no sleeveless shirts. They do need to wear sneakers. Also, please remember to pack a lunch. It will be a great day tomorrow! 

Time for a Fiesta!

Greetings! Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend! It was nice to see the sun shining on Sunday. 

In Religion class today we talked about how Jesus told us to love and serve others. We came up with several examples of ways we can serve and love others.

Language Arts class was full of learning today. We learned new oral vocabulary words, sight words, and vocabulary words. We also learned how to blend and read words with air, are, and ear. We then read a nonfiction story called Share the Harvest and Give Thanks. It was neat to see how much the students remembered about the first Thanksgiving. We ended the morning by working in our literacy centers. This afternoon we learned about adverbs that tell how and wrote the topic sentence for our persuasive paragraph on why we love the beach. 

In Math class today we learned more math facts. Today's focus was on the subtracting facts half of a double. We used our pennies to help us solve these problems. As long as we know our double facts then we can solve these subtraction facts. 

We did take time to finish our Art project from last week. We added the pink construction paper to make our watermelon slice. 

We ended the day with our fiesta. This was a time to celebrate the traditions of a Spanish birthday. We had a pinata, which the students loved hitting. Then it was time to crack open those confetti eggs; the students loved this. Thank you to everyone who participated in this. 

Here's our pinata: 

Have a wonderful night! 

Hawk Walk Day!

Greetings! Today was our annual Hawk Walk day, a day of fun and celebration. The students were quite excited about today. You could feel the excitement as soon as they came into the room. 

But, before the fun began, we had some work to do. We began our day by attending a prayer service on the Primary floor. There we were reminded to always trust in God. After that, we took our Spelling and reading test. We then used our oral vocabulary words in sentences and read three letter blend words. Finally, we wrote sentences using our sight words. 

Then it was time for the Hawk Walk. After posing for the group picture, we began our walk around Ebensburg. It was a bit chilly but we did not let that stop of from having fun. The walk was a good exercise for us. 

Back at the school, our picnic lunch was forced inside. But that was ok. We enjoyed our hamburgers and hot dogs. 

Between the walk and the games, we began watching the movie Meet the Robinsons. We did not get to finish it but we will sometime next week. 

The afternoon was spent in the cafeteria playing games and dancing. We enjoyed the jug toss, bean bag toss, over/under, penguin walk, and the face painting. Then it was time to dance; these kids really know how to have fun. It was such a great time; the students really enjoyed everything. They left happy and tired. 

Thank you to everyone who helped make this day such a success. Without your dedication, Holy Name would not be what it is. 

To all of the moms, Happy Mother's Day! I hope you have a special weekend!

May Crowning!

Greetings on this dreary Thursday. We are hoping that today is the only day of rain we have this week. We are hoping for nice weather for tomorrow. 

We wrapped up our study of the Mass today in Religion class. We reviewed the different parts of the Mass as well as our responses we say at Mass. We then illustrated two things that we do at Mass. 

Language Arts was lots of fun today. We used our oral vocabulary words in sentences. We used our whiteboards to spell and read words with three letters blends and words with inflectional endings. We read our word wall to review our sight words. We then switched our focus to fluency and comprehension. We partner read a story in our decodable readers and read a nonfiction piece about origami. After reading that story, we made our own origami dog; the students were fascinated with this. We finished Language Arts by reviewing using I and me in sentences. 

We did not have Math class today; instead we had Science class. Today we reviewed what we talked about relating to motion. And in Social Studies we talked about the leaders of government. We learned about the mayor, governor, and president. 

We took a break from learning to attend our annual May Crowning which was led by our second graders who looked so grown-up in their First Communion outfits. At the service, Msgr. Lockard reminded us that we need to honor Mary as she is always looking down on us. 

Tomorrow is our Hawk Walk. The students will need to wear their red shirts, jeans, and sneakers. 

Telling the Temperature!

Greetings! Happy Wednesday! I hope everyone is having a great week. It is so hard to believe that the week is half over. There is just one week left until our field trip! 

We looked at the closing of the Mass today in Religion. We learned that people say "Amen" when they receive the Body and Blood of Christ. We also talked about how we are called to serve others at the end of Mass. 

In Language Arts today, we practiced using our oral vocabulary words in sentences. Then we practiced blending and reading three blend words and words with inflected endings. We also reviewed our sight words and vocabulary words by using them in sentences. After that we switched our focus to reading. We partner read a story in our decodable readers. We also read and discussed Lissy's Friends, a story about a girl making new friends. After reading that story we completed pages in our close reading companion. Finally, we reviewed rules for commas. 

During Math class today, we talked about temperature. We learned how to read a thermometer. We also learned how to color a thermometer to show a certain temperature. 

Just a reminder that due to May Crowning tomorrow, we will not have Gym class. 

A Normal Day!

Greetings! I hope everyone enjoyed their day. We certainly did in first grade today. 

We continued our study on the Mass in Religion class today. Our focus today was the Liturgy of the Eucharist. We talked about how we remember what Jesus said and did at the Last Supper. We also talked about how the bread and wine become Jesus' Body and Blood. 

We then jumped into Language Arts after Religion. Today we answered questions using our sight words, spelled and read three letter blend words using our letter tiles, reviewed adding inflectional endings onto words, and reviewed our sight words and vocabulary words by using them in sentences. Our focus then switched to building our comprehension. We reread A Spring Birthday and then discussed the theme in the story. We did the same thing as we read our decodable reader. Finally, we practiced using I and me in sentences. 

In Math class today we learned how to subtract two two-digit numbers without regrouping. We have been doing this during our Math Meeting during the last week or so , so it was not something new for the students. First we practiced subtracting using dimes and pennies. Then we did problems without using the coins. They found this pretty easy. 

Enjoy your night! 

The Start of a Busy Week!

Greetings! Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a fantastic start to their week. It is going to be one busy week in first grade. 

Today in Religion we continued our study of the Mass. Our focus today was the Liturgy of the Word. We learned about each reading and our responses to each one. 

Language Arts was again full of learning as we began a new week of learning today. That meant we learned new oral vocabulary words, sight words, and vocabulary words. We then practiced blending and reading words with three letter blends. Then, we worked on our fluency and comprehension as we read A Spring Birthday and worked in our literacy centers. Finally, we learned about how to use I and me in sentences. 

Money was the topic in Math class today. First we learned how to count quarters. We then practiced showing various money amounts using quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies. 

Just a reminder that tomorrow we will visit the Book Fair. And here is a picture from Friday's art class. Enjoy! 

Busy Bees!

Greetings! Happy Friday! I hope everyone was able to avoid the rain this morning. It sure was coming down hard when we started our day. 

We began our day by going to Mass. Today at Mass Msgr. Lockard reminded us that we need to be like St. Paul and be kind to others and tell others about Jesus. We also need to draw strength from the Eucharist. 

We wrapped up yet another week of learning in Language Arts. Today we used our oral vocabulary words in sentences, spelled and read words with silent letters by using our whiteboards, read compound words and used them in sentences, and wrote sentences using our sight words. We then talked about similes; we found similes in sentences and talked about what they mean. After that, we switched our focus to reading. We partner read a story from our decodable reader booklets and read a short nonfiction piece about storms. After reading the story about storms, we completed pages in our close reading companion book. Finally, we practiced finding indefinite pronouns in sentences. 

In Math class today, we learned about rectangular prisms. We discovered that all sides of a rectangular prism are rectangles and that they have 6 faces. We then sorted all of the geometric solids we have studied into various groups. 

Then it was time for Science class. We first talked about various simple machines and how they help us. As we did this, we completed a flip book. Next, we planted garden sprout seeds. We will continue to water them and watch them go over the next few weeks. 

Finally, it was time for Art class. Today we made bees out of paper plates. I'll post pictures of them on Monday once everything has dried. 

Enjoy your weekend! 

Spring Concert!

Greetings! Happy Wednesday! I hope everyone had a wonderful Wednesday. We had a busy morning and a relaxing afternoon. 

In Religion class this morning, we wrapped up our chapter about the Mass. We reviewed that we remember what Jesus said and did at the Last Supper when we celebrate the Eucharist. 

Language Arts was busy as usual. Today we answered questions using our oral vocabulary words. Next we used our letter tiles to spell and read words with silent letters. Then we reviewed reading compound words and practiced using our sight words and vocabulary words in sentences. Then our focus switched to fluency and comprehension. We reread Wrapped in Ice and identified cause and effect examples in the story. Then we read our decodable reader. After that we reviewed indefinite pronouns by using them in sentences. Finally, we wrote the concluding sentence in our persuasive paragraph. 

After all of that hard word, it was time for a break. This afternoon we were treated to a spring concert performed by our beginner and advanced band with special performances by our eighth grade students. It was such a great show. The music was wonderful, and the eighth grade did such an amazing job. There is so much talent at Holy Name! Congratulations to all who performed today! 

Don't forget that tomorrow is gym day! 

On the Second of May!

Greetings! Happy Tuesday! It was yet another busy day in first grade. I know that the students left tired and so did the teacher! I am so happy with all that we learned today though! 

We started our day by going to Adoration. We spent quiet time with Jesus asking him to help those who need help, thanking him for all that we have, and asking him to help us have a good day. 

Language Arts was yet another busy class. We began a new week of learning today. We learned our new oral vocabulary words, sight words, and vocabulary words. We also learned how to blend and read words with silent letters gn, kn, and wr. After that, we put our new skills to the test as we read Wrapped in Ice. Our focus then switched to grammar; today we learned about indefinite pronouns and practiced finding them in sentences. Next, we wrote the supporting sentences in our paragraph on why we love camping. Finally, we worked in our literacy centers. 

Math class was full of learning too. Today we learned that polygons are any shape that have straight sides and no openings. We then learned how to draw polygons. We had fun doing this. 

Tomorrow we will be treated to afternoon entertainment; it is the annual Spring Concert. Enjoy your evening! 

Welcome to May!

Greetings! Welcome to May in first grade. It is going to be one busy month full of learning and fun before school lets out. Today was no exception. 

In Religion class today we talked about ways we participate in Mass. We said that when we pray, sing, and listen we are participating at Mass. 

Language Arts was an action-packed class today. We wrapped up another week of learning. We used our oral vocabulary words in sentences, wrote and read words with vowels au and aw, read vowel team syllable words, and wrote sentences using our sight words. Then it was time to read. We partner read a story from our decodable readers, partner read Meet Rosina, and read a poem. Finally, we practiced using possessive pronouns in sentences. This afternoon we learned what a persuasive paragraph is and wrote the topic sentence for our paragraph on why we love camping. 

Subtraction was the focus in Math class today. Today we learned how to subtract 10 from a number. The students had no troubles with this concept. 

Tomorrow will be just as busy.