Celebrating Johnny Appleseed!

Greetings! Today was such a great day in first grade. We waited all week to make and eat applesauce. The students came in excited and stayed that way the whole day. 

We did begin our day by making the applesauce. All of the students got to help. They added the apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon to the crock pot. Once everything was added, we turned it on and waited for it to cook. 

In Religion class today we reviewed the Blessed Trinity. We made a triangle ornament to help us remember the Three Persons in the Blessed Trinity. This is one of my favorite projects to do with the students. Here is how they turned out: 

We wrapped up another week of learning in Language Arts. We used our oral vocabulary words in sentences, read l-blend words and plural words, and wrote sentences using our sight words. After that we took our weekly assessment and identified statements. We ended our morning by celebrating Johnny Appleseed. Yesterday we wrote facts about his life. Today we added those facts to a craft. We also wrote the steps we did to make applesauce. 

After lunch and recess, we headed to the Library to get our first library book of the year. Each Friday we will visit the library, hear a story, and pick a new book. Please make sure to return your child's library book each week! 

In Math class today, we continued to practice counting on. The key is to always start with the bigger number. 

In Science we learned all about insects. We know that they have 3 body parts: head, thorax, and abdomen. We also know that they have 6 legs. We drew a diagram to help us remember this. 

After waiting all day, it was finally time to eat our applesauce. By this time, our room smelt very good. And the applesauce did not disappoint. All who tried it were very happy. Here is our applesauce: 

We ended our week with Art class. Today we made fall trees using tissue paper. The students were very creative today. Have a look: 

Enjoy your weekend! 

What a Day!

Greetings! Happy Thursday! Today was such a great day of learning in first grade. I enjoyed every minute with the students today watching them grow. 

In Religion class today we learned that the Sign of the Cross is a prayer to the Blessed Trinity. We practiced praying this prayer using the motions. 

In Language Arts class, we reviewed our oral vocabulary words. We also read l-blend words and plurals. We practiced using the plural words in sentences. Next, we read our word wall to review all of our sight words. Following that we partner read a story in our decodable reader booklet and our story Flip. We then read a nonfiction piece about what pets need and completed pages in our close reading companion to help build our comprehension skills. Finally, we practiced identifying and writing statements. 

For Gym class today, we headed outside to exercise on the parking lot. The students had lots of fun playing with their friends. 

In Math class today we continued to practice how to count on to find the sum. We know that we start with the bigger number and count up. 

We ended our day with Social Studies. Today we looked at the life cycle of an apple. We then read a story about Johnny Appleseed and wrote facts about his life. This all leads to our big apple celebration tomorrow. 

Tomorrow will be one memorable day in first grade! 

Fast and Busy Day!

Greetings! Happy Wednesday! Today was such a fast and busy day in first grade. Before we knew it, it was time to go home. 

In Religion class today we learned about the Blessed Trinity. We learned that there are Three Persons in the Blessed Trinity and that they are all joined together by love. 

In Language Arts class, we reviewed our oral vocabulary words. Then we practiced reading and spelling l-blend words using our letter tiles. Next we practiced reading -s plural words and using them in sentences. After that we used our sight words in sentences. Our focus then switched to building our fluency and comprehension. We partner read a story in our decodable reader booklets. We also read a story in our anthology book titled Flip, a fantasy story about a dinosaur going to school. This afternoon we completed pages in our close reading book to build our comprehension skills. 

In Math class today we began our study of addition. We learned how to count on to find the total. As we add we say 2 and 5 make 7. 

Just a reminder that tomorrow is Gym day! 

40 Hours Devotion!

Greetings! Today we continue our 40 Hours Devotion to Jesus present in the Eucharist. We began our day with Mass. Msgr. reminded us that Jesus is always present with us in Mass and that we need to remember this. He also reminded us that Jesus is with us each day. This afternoon we went back over to church for Adoration. It was a nice way to take a break from our busy day and spend some quiet time with Jesus. May we always remember that Jesus is with us each and every day. 

We began Language Arts today by reviewing our oral vocabulary words from yesterday and learning 3 new words (companion, groom, and popular). Next we listened to a story about taking care of pets which helped us visualize all of the things we need to do. Following that we reviewed l-blend words and learned how to read plural -s words. 

This afternoon in Language Arts we practiced using our sight words in sentences. We also reread A Pig for Cliff and sequenced the events in the story. We finished the day by reading our decodable reader and answering questions about it. 

In Math class today we took our test on number bonds. Tomorrow we will be learning about addition. 

Have a good night! 

It's Apple Week!

Greetings! Welcome to Apple Week in first grade. All week long we will be studying apples which will lead to a special celebration on Friday. Today we created a diagram showing the different parts of an apple. 

We began our day by going to Adoration. We are celebrating our 40 Hours Devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist. We spent time this morning praying to Jesus and asking him to help us have a good day. 

We began a new week of learning in Language Arts today. We started by learning two new oral vocabulary words (care and train). Then we worked on visualizing as we read Cool Dog, School Dog. Next, we practiced blending and reading l-blend words. Following that we learned our new sight words (be, come, good, and pull). With all of this new knowledge, we put it to work as we read A Pig for Cliff. This afternoon in Language Arts we learned about statements. We know that they begin with a capital letter, end with a period, and tell us something. 

In Math class today we reviewed number bonds. The students are doing a really good job with them. Tomorrow we will take our test. 

Have a good night! 

A Faith-Filled Trip!

Greetings! Happy Thursday! We had one exciting and busy day to end our week. 

Today was the much anticipated Faith Family trip to Loretto. We boarded the buses at 8:50 to make our way to their community center. Once everyone arrived, two brothers led us in prayer as they reflected on the letters in RICH (respect, integrity, courage, and humility). They gave examples of how saints were RICH in Christ, sang a song, and prayed. Afterwards, Fr. Malachi from St. Francis University talked to the students about how it is important to be RICH everyday. Following his speech, we boarded the bus to come back to school. 

We spent the afternoon in Language Arts as the trip lasted a little longer than planned. Today we practiced using our oral vocabulary words in sentences, read short i words and words with final double consonants. We wrote sentences using our sight words. After that we partner read a story in our decodable reader booklet. Following that we completed pages in our close reading companion that had us compare and contrast city and country. Finally we took our weekly assessment and practiced writing sentences using correct word order. 

Just a reminder that the students do not have school tomorrow. Enjoy your long weekend! 

A Normal Day!

Greetings! Happy Wednesday! Today was a quiet and normal day in first grade. 

In Religion class today we talked about how Jesus is God's special gift to us. 

In Language Arts class we reviewed our oral vocabulary words. We also practiced reading short i words and double final consonant words as well as our sight words. After all of that review it was time to put our skills to work. We partner read a story in our decodable reader booklets. We then read and discussed Go, Pip, a fantasy story about a squirrel's day in the city. This afternoon we completed pages in our close reading companion to help build our comprehension skills. We ended the day by unscrambling words to make a complete sentence. 

In Math class today we reviewed number bonds. Today we built number bonds. The students were given a group of numbers and had to pick the numbers that would complete a bond. 

Just a reminder that tomorrow is our Faith Family trip. The students will need to wear jeans, sneakers, and their red shirt to school. If you have any questions, please let me know. 

Smile! It's Picture Day!

Greetings! Today was a great day in first grade. We all came to school ready to smile for our pictures. And, yes, the students all put on their best faces for the camera. I cannot wait to see them! 

In Religion class today we talked about how God sent Jesus to us. 

In Language Arts class we learned three new oral vocabulary words (bored, feast, scurried) and reviewed the words we learned yesterday. Next, we worked on visualizing as we read a classic fable, City Mouse, Country Mouse. We then practiced blending and reading short i words by using our letter tiles. After that we learned how to blend and read words with final double consonants; we said that we only say the letter sound once. Following that, we practiced using our sight words in sentences. We finished the morning by rereading Six Kids and writing details from the story. 

This afternoon in Language Arts we read our decodable reader and answered questions about the story. We also worked in our literacy centers. 

In Math class today we continued our practice with number bonds. Today we cut and glued numbers to make number bonds. The students continue to do well with this. 

Enjoy your night! 

Rockin' in First Grade!

Greetings! Happy Monday! Today was a great day in first grade. The students really worked hard today. I am so proud of all of their efforts today. 

In Religion class today we wrapped up our chapter on creation. We reviewed how God created the world and drew three things God created. 

We began a new week of learning in Language Arts today. First we learned two new oral vocabulary words (city and country). Next we worked on visualizing as we read Alicia's Happy Day. After that we learned how to blend and read short i words. Following that we learned our new sight words. We wrapped up our morning by reading Six Kids, a fantasy story about chicks on a farm. Also, this morning in Language Arts we worked in our literacy centers. We will be working in them each week to help us build our fluency and comprehension skills. 

This afternoon in Language Arts we talked about correct word order when writing sentences. We worked together to identify whether a group of words was a good sentence. If it was not, we then tried to unscramble to the words to make it correct. 

In Math class today we learned how to solve number bonds when only given the whole. The students did very well with this. They have really good number sense. 

Enjoy your night! 

Scarecrow Fun!

Greetings! Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a good end to their work week. We had a busy yet fun day to end our week. 

In Religion class we talked about how God will always love us, how his love has no end. To help us remember this we read Guess How Much I Love You, a classic story about never ending love. 

This morning we had our annual Peacekeeper program. Today, the primary department got together and talked about how to be a friend and not a bully. We listened to the story Do Unto Otters to help us learn about being a good friend. 

We wrapped up our first week of Language Arts learning today. We used our oral vocabulary words in sentences. We read short a words and words with inflectional endings. We wrote sentences using our sight words. And we took our first weekly assessment. The key to that was being a good listener and following along. Finally, we practiced writing sentences remembering to use a capital letter and period. In between all of that work, we created an apple tree. On each apple we wrote a short a word. The students did very well at generating short a words. Have a look: 

After lunch we had our first visit to the library. Here we were reminded about how to take care of our books. We also learned how to look for books on the bookshelves. We will return to the library in two weeks to pick out our first book! 

In Math class today, we practiced solving problems involving number bonds. The students are doing very well with these. Next week, we will learn how to solve number bonds when only the whole is given. 

In Science class today we talked about all of the different coverings animals can have. We said that they can have feathers, fur, scales, and shells. Students then worked in groups sorting animals based on their coverings. 

Finally, it was time for Art. Today we made scarecrows. They turned out amazing. I think this is the best project so far all year. 

Here are two pictures. One is of the scarecrows and one is of the owls we made last week. Enjoy! 

Mission Accomplished!

Greetings! Today was such a fabulous day. The students came in with a mission today. They came ready to work and learn. Their mission was accomplished! 

In Religion class today we talked how God made each one of us special. We talked about our unique likes and talents. 

In Language Arts class, we reviewed our oral vocabulary words and short a words. We also practiced using words with inflectional ending -s in sentences. Next, we reviewed our sight words by reading the word wall. Our focus then switched to building our fluency and comprehension. We partner read two stories one from our decodable reader booklet and the story we read yesterday Nat and Sam. Then we read a short nonfiction piece about school rules and completed pages in our close reading companion. We ended class by reviewing sentences. The students were given an example and had to decide whether or not it was a sentence. 

For Gym class today we went outside to the parking lot. It was fun to see the students interact with each. They all had smiles on their faces. 

In Math class we continued our study of number bonds. Today we solved problems when given the whole and one part. We talked about how we can count up to the whole or count backwards to find the missing part. 

In Social Studies we talked about how we can be helpers in the classroom. 

Finally, it was time for our pizza party. The students really enjoyed their pizza (most had 2 slices) and juice box. Thank you to all the parents who attended the Home and School meeting to make this possible. 

Tomorrow will be an exciting day to end the week! 

The Use of Thinking Caps

Greetings! Happy Wednesday! I hope everyone is enjoying their week. We had another busy day of learning in first grade. I was so proud of them today. They worked really hard all day and really used their thinking caps. 

In Religion today, we talked about how God created us and how God wants us to take care of the world. That led to a discussion on how we can help Earth. We said that when we pick up trash, plant a tree, or take care of animals we are helping keep the Earth beautiful. 

Language Arts was full of learning today. We began by reviewing our oral vocabulary words. Next, we worked on visualizing as we reread This School Year Will Be the Best. Following that, we practiced reading short a words and words with the inflectional ending -s. Then our focused switched to reading. We partner read a story in our decodable reader booklets. After a break for Music class, we returned to work to read our story Nat and Sam. 

This afternoon in Language Arts, we completed pages in our close reading companion that correlated to the story. We then wrote sentences using capital letters and periods. 

We began a new chapter in Math today. For the next couple of weeks we will be working with number bonds. Today we learned how to find the whole when given two parts. First we used linking cubes; then we practiced counting on. The students did very well with this. 

Tomorrow will be another exciting day. We have Gym and our pizza party! 

Our First Adoration!

Greetings! Happy Tuesday! Today was a great and busy day in first grade. 

We began our day by going to Eucharistic Adoration. Since this was our first time going, we went to the cry room. There we were able to see Jesus on the altar and talk about why Adoration is so special and important. Together, we prayed prayers and spent some quiet time talking to Jesus. It really was a nice experience. 

We began Language Arts today by reviewing our oral vocabulary words we learned yesterday and then we learned three new words: common, objects, and recognize. After that we worked on visualizing as we read a story about schools around the world. Following that we reviewed short a words by using our letter tiles to spell and read words. Next, we learned how to blend and read words with inflectional ending -s. Finally we practiced using our sight words in sentences. 

This afternoon in Language Arts we reread Jack Can. Following that we wrote key details from the story. We then read our decodable reader and answered questions about the details in that story. 

In Math class today we took our first test. The students did great at following along and trying their best. I am really proud of them. 

Tomorrow will be a fun day. We have Music class and Spanish class along with a new story to read. Sleep tight! 

A Rainy Day!

Happy Monday! What a difference a week makes. Last week it was sunny; today it was rainy. I can't remember a stretch of days where all it did was rain. I heard that if this was snow we would have over 3 feet. 

We began our day by attending the Officer Phil program. Using puppets and magic tricks, the students were reminded of safety rules to follow including always wearing a seat belt and helmet, never talk to strangers, and respect teachers and parents. 

After spending two weeks reviewing in Language Arts, it was finally time to learn some new things. We began class by learning two new oral vocabulary words: learn and subjects. Next, we listened to This School Year Will Be the Best Yet. As we listened to the story we worked on visualizing. After that, we learned how to blend and read short a words. Following that we learned our new sight words: does, not, school, and what. We finished our morning by reading Jack Can. The students were quite excited to have their very own reading book. 

This afternoon in Language Arts we learned about sentences. We remember that all sentences begin with a capital letter and end with a period. We practiced identifying sentences and writing sentences. 

Today we received our very first Spelling list. In class we wrote our words. We will practice these words all week in preparation for our test on Friday. 

In Math class today we reviewed the concepts we learned about the numbers 0-10. We practiced counting, identifying more and fewer, finishing number patterns, and identifying one more and one less. Tomorrow we will take our first Math test. 

Have a dry night! 

Learning Games!

Greetings! Happy Friday! We had a great day to end our week. 

We began with our first school Mass of the year. Today at Mass, Msgr. Lockard encouraged us to become RICH that is respectful, honest, courageous, and humble students this school year. 

We finished our review in Language Arts today. We reviewed the letters j, y, and z. After reviewing those letters we played "Uh-Oh". During this game the students reviewed the letters names and sounds and had to generate words that began with a letter. We finished class by listening to a nonfiction story about various kinds of transportation. Afterwards we listed the facts that we learned. 

In Math class today we put on our thinking caps to solve several problems. We grouped numbers into categories based on whether they were less than 5, from 5 to 7, or greater than 7. We then identified the numbers greater than 2 but less than 7. Finally, we continued a pattern by drawing the next set. 

Then it was time for Science class. Today we explored the various ways animals move. The students were divided into groups and given a cube with animal pictures on it. They had to roll the cube and act out how that animal moves. They really loved this. 

We ended our week with Art. Today we made owls by sponge painting. I will post pictures on Monday once everything has dried. 

Enjoy your weekend! 

Rain in Gym!

Greetings! Happy Thursday! Today was a good day in first grade. We are looking forward to the cooler weather that is predicted. 

For Religion class today, we went over to church to review church manners. We talked about how we stand, sit, and kneel. Before leaving, we spent a few quiet moments talking to God. 

In Language Arts we reviewed the letters g, w, v, qu, and x. We also reviewed the sight words see, said, was, and, and have. After reviewing those words we partner read a decodable reader. Following that we read a poem about a rocket ship and talked about what we would like to see if we rode a rocket ship to outer space. 

We began Gym class outside. However, it began to rain which forced us inside. We then went to the gym to play "Four Corners." We all agreed that the splash of water made us feel good. 

In Math class today we practiced identifying one more and one less than a number. We began by using linking cubes and then transitioned to do it in our heads. 

We wrapped up our day with Social Studies. Today we talked about families. We discussed things we help our families do and things we learn from our families. 

Tomorrow will be a busy day. We have our first school Mass and Art class! 

Open House Night!

Greetings on this warm Wednesday! The students really enjoyed being able to dress down. The comfort of cool clothes helped us to have a great day in first grade!

In Religion class today we talked about how God created the world. We took time to draw something beautiful God created. 

In Language Arts, we reviewed the letters k and u. We also reviewed the words are, me, she, with, and for. Following that we listened to a poem and discussed the things a family does together. We then listened to the story "The Tortoise and the Hare" and talked about the lessons we learn from that fable. 

In Math class today we worked with number patterns. We used linking cubes to help build the steps in a number pattern. It did not take them long to discover when we counted backwards. 

Just a reminder that tonight is Open House! There is a meeting at 6:30 which will lead into Open House. I look forward to meeting everyone tonight! 

The Return of Summer!

Greetings! No doubt, it is definitely feeling like summer. Despite the heat and humidity, we did our best to learn new things in first grade today. 

In Language Arts, we reviewed the letters d, h, e, b, and l. We also reviewed the words where, here, the, play, and we. We partner read a decodable reader. We also read a poem and a nonfiction story about different habitats. After reading the latter stories, we discussed various plot elements in them. 

In Math class today, we reviewed the terms more, less, greater than, and less than. We did this as we completed workbook pages. The students are doing very well with these terms. 

This afternoon we began something new at Holy Name called Faith Families. Each faith family is led by a teacher and composed of students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. Throughout the year, the faith family will meet and discuss some aspect related to faith. Today we discussed the word respect, how we can be respectful, and looked at the life of Mother Teresa as a model. It was a really nice afternoon. 

Because of the heat, students may wear shorts, sleeveless shirts, and sandals to school tomorrow. If you have any questions, please let me know. 

Our First Friday!

Greetings! Happy Labor Day! I hope everyone is enjoying their three day weekend! We had a great Friday to end our first week of first grade! 

In Religion class, we completed a mini retreat about Jesus and the Creed. We talked about how Jesus is God's Son and ways to love him. 

In Language Arts, we reviewed the letters c, f, and o. We also reviewed the sight words this, is, my, look, and little. We read a rhyme about an imaginary place and a famous fiction story, "Jack and the Beanstalk." After reading both we discussed each piece. 

After our review we read If You Take a Mouse to School. We then created are own mouse and wrote about what would happen if we took a mouse to school. Here is a picture of the finished product:

In Math class we talked about the terms greater than and less than. We used linking cubes to show two numbers and then identified which one was the greater and which one was the least. We will continue this discussion on Tuesday but without the linking cubes. 

As we begin Science this year, our first area of concentration is on animals.  We talked about different ways to group animals. We said we could group them big vs. small; those that swim vs. those that don't, and those that fly vs. those that don't. 

We wrapped up our Friday with Art class. We made a school bus. They students worked hard at cutting and following directions to put it together. Here is a picture: 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!