Helping Others!

Greetings! I hope everyone is having a good week. It was been was busy week at school. 

Today for Catholic School's Week we met with our Faith Families to create heart wreaths. These wreaths will be given to a local nursing home to hang in patients' rooms. 

In Language Arts class today we partner read How Bat Got Its Wings and then read a nonfiction piece about bats. Following that we completed pages in our close reading companion. After that we took our weekly assessment. Finally, we practiced using was and were in sentences. 

In Math class today we took our chapter test on measurement. Next week we will be looking at graphs and answering questions based on graphs. 

In Social Studies today we talked about the difference between needs and wants. We then sorted pictures based on whether they were a need or want. 

This afternoon we began our preparation for the 100th Day of School which is tomorrow. Today the students created a 100 beaded necklace which they will wear tomorrow. We are all excited for what tomorrow has in store. 

Have a great night! 

Spectacular Students!

Greetings! Today we honored our students during our Catholic School's Week celebration. Every student was given a pencil to remind them that they are "a sharp student". First grade really enjoyed playing our board games this afternoon. We divided into groups and spent about 20 minutes playing each game. They had lots of fun, and I enjoyed seeing some of the newer games. 

In Religion class today we wrapped up our chapter on the Holy Spirit helping the church to grow. We reviewed that the church began on Pentecost and that the Holy Spirit helped and continues to help the church today. 

In Language Arts, we practiced using our oral vocabulary in sentences. We then read long a words spelled ai or ay. We also practiced putting words into ABC order. Following that we wrote sentences using our sight words. Finally, we partner read a story in our decodable reader booklets. 

In Math class today we reviewed concepts related to measurement. The students are very good at this. We will take our chapter test tomorrow. 

In Gym class today we played kickball. The students did very well playing this game. They also had lots of fun. 

Tomorrow we will be meeting with our Faith Families to make crafts for a local nursing home. Have a great night! 

Thank You!

Greetings! Today was a really nice teacher appreciation day. I am so thankful to be doing what I love each and every day. Every morning I get excited about the day ahead and all the fun and learning that will take place. Thank you to everyone for the kind words not only today but each and every day. To me, I have the best job at the best school! 

We began our day by going over to church to spend some quiet time with Jesus during Adoration. We prayed for others and prayed to have a good day. 

We worked in our literacy centers during Language Arts today to build our fluency and comprehension skills. 

In Math class today we used our critical thinking skills to solve problems. The students did a great job with being able to explain their thinking. 

This afternoon we gathered together to watch Toy Story 4. The students just loved seeing it. 

Just a reminder that tomorrow is a jean day for students. It is also Gym day and Board game day! 

Happy Catholic School's Week!

Greetings and welcome to Catholic School's Week 2020! All this week we will be celebrating our school and what makes it such a great place to learn, serve, lead, and succeed. 

Today, we held a special prayer service of thanksgiving for those who have answered the call to religious life. We thanked them for answering God's call and prayed for me people to be open to the call of God. A special thanks goes out to Fr. Brian for all that he does for us. 

In Language Arts today, we reviewed our oral vocabulary words. We also practiced reading long a words spelled ai or ay. In addition we practiced putting words into ABC order. After that we reviewed our sight words and vocabulary words before switching focus to reading. We partner read a story in our decodable reader booklets. Then we read How Bat Got Its Wings, a folktale explaining when bat got wings. Following that we completed pages in our close reading companion to build our comprehension skills. 

This afternoon in Language Arts, we practiced writing contractions and wrote in our journals. 

This week in Penmanship we will be practicing B and b. 

In Spanish class today we reviewed the names for parts of the face. We drew a face and then labeled the parts in Spanish. 

In Math class today we identified the measurements of objects by understanding that something stood for one unit. It took us a little bit to get the counting down with the little squares, but once we did, we were fine. 

Tomorrow is Clash Day for the students. They may wear jeans and sneakers and are encouraged to wear mismatched clothes. If you have any questions, please let me know. 

Have a great night! 

March of the Penguins!

Greetings! I hope everyone is doing well. First grade had an exciting day to end our week of learning. 

At Mass today Fr. Brian reminded us that Jesus calls us to love one another. 

We began Language Arts by reading The Mitten. After reading the story, we sequenced the order of the animals that went into the mitten. We then talked about what would fit inside our mitten. The students illustrated what would be big enough to fit into their mitten and then wrote about it. I was amazed with the creativity. We had dinosaurs, skyscrapers, cookies, and school. I wish I would have taken pictures to share. 

After that we worked in our literacy centers to build our fluency and comprehension. Please continue to read with the children over the weekend. 

In Math class today we worked on measurement. The students worked with a partner to measure 3 objects in our classroom using linking cubes. When everyone was finished, we discussed the longest and shortest object they measured. 

In Science class we focused on our teeth today. We learned that it is important to eat healthy foods to keep our teeth strong. We also talked about the importance of brushing our teeth to wipe away the germs and sugars that stick to them. 

Finally, after waiting all day, it was time to make our penguins in Art class. We began by filling the plastic bottles with cotton balls. We then used tacky glue to add the flippers, feet, hat, bowtie, and beak. They look adorable. 

Just a reminder that Catholic School's Week kicks off on Sunday. You are all invited to the Open House. The students are asked to complete a scavenger hunt during the Open House. I hope to see you there! 

Measurement Fun!

Greetings on this Thursday evening! I don't know about you but I am looking forward to tomorrow. It has been quite a busy week in first grade. 

In Religion class today we talked about how the Holy Spirit helps us today. We said that the Holy Spirit helps us to pray, teach others about Jesus, and help those in need. 

We began Language Arts class by reviewing our oral vocabulary words by answering questions using the words. After that we used our letter tiles to spell and read long a words spelled ai or ay. Following that we learned how to put words into ABC order when all the words start with the same letter; we learned that we focus on the second letter to put them in ABC order. Next, we practiced using our sight words and vocabulary words in sentences. We ended our morning by rereading A Tale of a Tail and sequencing the events in the story. 

This afternoon in Language Arts we read our decodable reader and sequences the events in it. We also practiced using was and were in sentences. 

In Math class today we learned how to order objects using a start line. We placed the pictures against a line and then ordered them from shortest to longest or longest to shortest. The students loved doing this. 

Finally, in Social Studies, we wrapped up our unit on geography by recalling everything we learned. Next our focus switches to economics. 

Tomorrow is a Faith Family Mass day. Students may wear the red Christ is RICH in me shirt to school. We also have Library and Art. 

Have a great night! 

Back to the Gym!

Greetings! Happy Wednesday! I hope everyone is having a great week. 

In Religion class today we talked about how the Holy Spirit helped the church to grow and how it continues to help the church today. 

We began a new week of learning in Language Arts today. We began by learning five new oral vocabulary words (feature, appearance, determined, predicament, and relief). Following that we answered questions on a story about how the elephant got its long trunk. Next, we learned how to blend and read long a words spelled with ai or ay. After that we learned our new sight words. New this week is the addition of two vocabulary words. This week we will learn and practice the words special and splendid. Finally, we put our new knowledge to work as we read A Tale of a Tail, a folktale about how the beaver got its tail. 

This afternoon in Language Arts we learned when to use was and were in sentences. We also practiced writing a sentence in our journal. 

For Gym class today we headed to the Gym and learned how to play kickball. Everyone got a turn to kick a ball and run the bases. Next week, we will put everything together and play a game of kickball. 

In Math class today we learned when to use the terms tallest, longest, and shortest. Like yesterday, we found this easy. 

Have a great night! 

WOW!

Greetings! Today was simply an amazing day. All I can say is WOW!

This morning we went over to church to see and listen to Tony Melendez. It was such an inspirational time. To see someone like Tony succeed in life gives us hope and courage. He did not let the fact that he was born without arms slow him down. He finds his strength in God. May we too not let anything slow us down from reaching our dreams. 

This afternoon was a normal one. We began with Math class. Today we started our chapter on measurement. We learned to identify the taller, shorter, or longer object when shown two pictures. We found this to be easy. 

Next we worked on some things for Catholic School's Week. Stay tuned for details. 

Finally, we celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Day. We wrote about our dream for the world and added it to a craft. Have a look: 

As promised, here is a picture of the Eskimos we made on Friday. 

Just a reminder that tomorrow is Gym day. Wear your sneakers to school. 

Anything is Possible!

Greetings! I hope everyone had a great day to end their week. We had a busy and productive day in first grade to end ours. 

At Mass today, Fr. Brian reminded us that anything is possible with God. He encouraged us to never give up and keep pushing because we can do it. 

We wrapped up another week of learning in first grade. Today we used our oral vocabulary words in sentences, read words with oo and u and words with inflectional endings, and wrote sentences using our sight words. Finally, we took our weekly assessment. 

In Math class today we wrapped up our chapter on addition and subtraction to 20 by taking our chapter test. Next week will begin our chapter on measurement. 

In Science class today we talked about the five food groups. We looked at each food group and named foods in each group. After that we sorted pictures based on whether they were a fruit, vegetable, grain, protein, or dairy. 

Finally, it was time for Art. Today we made an Eskimo. This is one of my favorite Art project's. They always look so cute. I will post pictures of them next week once everything has dried. 

Just a reminder that the students do not have school on Monday. See you on Tuesday! 

Have a great weekend! Stay safe! 

Back to Reality!

Greetings! Well, we are back to reality today. I just have to keep reminding myself that it is January and that it is suppose to be cold and snowy. However, it doesn't make it any easier. 

In Religion class today we talked about what the early church members did together. We said that they prayed together, ate together, and shared their things just like a family does. 

In Language Arts class, we reviewed our oral vocabulary words, read oo and u words, and spelled and read words with inflectional endings. We also practiced our sight words by playing tic-tac-toe; the students created a game board using our sight words. They then worked with a partner to play tic-tac-toe. I heard many students say that they loved this. After that we partner read a story in our decodable reader booklets as well as our story from yesterday. We then read a story about the different food groups and completed pages in our close reading companion. Finally, we practiced writing the contractions for not. 

In Math class today we reviewed addition and subtraction to 20. Tomorrow we will be taking our chapter test. 

After Math class, we took a break to attend the C.U.R.V.E. program presented by the Altoona Curve and Loco. We learned that we are unique individuals that need to care for others, accept responsibility for our actions, value ourselves and others, and use our energy to ask for help when needed. This was a very entertaining program with a very important message. 

After our program, we went into Social Studies. Today we learned about our countries' neighbors: Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. 

Have a great night! 

Outside Fun in January!

Greetings on this absolutely beautiful winter day! It sure did not feel like January outside today. It felt like an early spring day. We are so blessed! 

In Religion class today we talked about how the church began on Pentecost. We also talked about how the church is the people who believe and follow Jesus. 

In Language Arts class, we reviewed our oral vocabulary words. We also practiced read oo and u words and also practiced spelling and reading words with inflected endings when the final letter is doubled. After that we reviewed our sight words. Then our focused switched to fluency. We partner read a story in our decodable reader booklets. We also read From Cows to You, a nonfiction story about how milk is transported. 

This afternoon in Language Arts, we wrote the steps in how milk goes from cows to stores. We practiced writing contractions for the word not. We also finished our writing project from Monday by writing about what we would like to fall from the sky like snowflakes. 

For Gym today, we headed outside to the sunshine. It was just too nice to be indoors. Who would have thought that we could have outside gym in January? 

In Math class today we used our critical thinking skills to solve problems. I was just amazed at how the students could verbalize how the got their answers. 

Have a great night! 

Sequencing Fun!

Greetings! Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone had a great day! 

In Religion class, we wrapped up our chapter on the Holy Spirit coming to Jesus' followers. We reviewed the events leading up to Pentecost, Pentecost itself, and the prayers we pray to the Blessed Trinity. 

In Language Arts class, we reviewed our oral vocabulary words and then learned three new words (delighted, enormous, and responsibility). Then we worked o rereading for understanding as we read a folktale. Following that we used our letter tiles to spell and read oo and u words. Next, we learned how to add inflectional endings onto words when the final letter needs to be doubled. We ended our morning by using our sight words in sentences. 

This afternoon in Language Arts we reread A Look at Breakfast and sequenced how bread, jam, and orange juice is made. We then read our decodable reader and sequenced what happened to the food in the story. Finally, we practiced writing contractions with not. 

In Math class today we continued to solve word problems. The trick today was to use the numbers in the problem and not use other numbers. 

Just a reminder that tomorrow is Gym day. Please remember to wear your sneakers. 

Outside Fun in January!

Greetings! Happy Monday! I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather we have been having. I have to keep telling myself that it is still January and that winter will return. But until then, I will enjoy this weather. 

In Religion class today we talked about prayers to the Blessed Trinity. We did review the Blessed Trinity and then learned that the Sign of the Cross and Glory Be are prayers to the Blessed Trinity. 

We began a new week of learning in Language Arts today. We learned two new oral vocabulary words (delicious and nutritious). We then worked on rereading for understanding as we read a story about how food gets to our table. After that we learned how to blend and read words with oo and u like in the words book and put. Following that we learned our new sight words. We finished the morning by reading A Look at Breakfast, a nonfiction story about how certain breakfast foods are made. 

This afternoon in Language Arts we reviewed writing contractions for not. We also began our writing project by first creating it. We will be doing the writing tomorrow. 

In Penmanship class this week we will be writing S and s. 

In Spanish class today we learned the names for the parts of the face: eyes (los ojos), nose (la nariz), mouth (la boca), ears (las orejas), hair (el pelo). To help us remember the names, we played a game of Simon Says. 

In Math class today, we continued to solve word problems by adding or subtracting. We are doing very well at determining whether we need to add or subtract to solve the problem. 

Have a great night! 

Popcorn Fun!

Greetings! Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a great day to end this first full week of 2020. 

At Mass this morning, Fr. Brian talked to us about making time every day to pray. He encouraged us to set time aside to talk to God to strengthen our relationship with him. 

We wrapped up another week of Language Arts. We used our oral vocabulary words in sentences, read long e, u, and o words and CVCe words, and wrote sentences using our sight words. Finally we took our weekly assessment. 

We began Math class by reviewing subtraction. Then we practiced solving addition and subtraction word problems. We first had to decide whether we needed to add or subtract. After we did that, we solved the problem using various strategies. 

Science class was popping with excitement today. We continued our discussion on our five senses by conducting an experiment. We had to watch, listen, and smell as popcorn popped in our classroom. Then we got to taste and touch it. Needless to say, the students loved this experiment! 

Finally, it was time for Art. Today we made snowman peeking outside a window. They look so cute. I can't wait to put them in the hall for all to see! 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Happy Thursday!

Greetings! Happy Thursday! Today was another busy day in first grade. 

In Religion class today we learned about Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit came to Jesus' followers. 

In Language Arts class, we reviewed our oral vocabulary words, read long o, u, and e words. CVCe words, and our sight words. We then partner read a story in our decodable reader booklets along with our story from yesterday. After that we read about how transportation changed over time going from horse and buggy to airplanes. After reading about that we completed pages in our close reading companion. Finally, we practiced using is and are in sentences. 

In Math class today we solved subtraction problems when a number was missing. Using pictures, linking cubes, and number lines we solved problems like 15 - ? = 12 and 9 - ? = 9. The students did very well solving these problems. 

We ended our day with Social Studies. Today, we identified the continent, country, and state in which we live. We did this by creating a flip book. 

Just a reminder that tomorrow is a Faith Family Mass. The students can wear their read Christ is RICH in me shirts to school with their uniforms. Have a great night! 

Dancing Fun!

Greetings on this snowy Wednesday. Every time the snow flew, the students were so excited to see it. When the sun came out, they were disappointed. This was the other way around for me. 

In Religion class today we talked about how Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to his followers. The Holy Spirit would help his followers tell others about Jesus and love others just as Jesus did. Tomorrow we will read about Pentecost. 

In Language Arts, we reviewed our oral vocabulary words. We then used our sound boxes to segment words into their sounds. After that, we practiced reading long o, u, and e words along with CVCe words and our sight words. Following that, we partner read a story in our decodable reader booklets before reading our story Long Ago and Now. 

This afternoon in Language Arts we compared and contrasted life long ago and now by completing pages in our close reading companion. We also practiced writing dates correctly. 

Finally, after a long break from Gym class due to holiday concerts, we headed to the gym for some fun and exercise. Today we danced to classics like YMCA, The Chicken Dance, and Hokey Pokey. At the end of class the students had time to free style to a song. We had fun! 

In Math class today we practiced writing subtraction sentences. Students worked with a partner to spin spinners and then write the subtraction sentence that went with the numbers spun. 

Have a great night! 

Subtraction Fun!

Greetings! Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone is having a great week! We sure are in first grade! 

For Religion today, we went over to church for Eucharistic Adoration. We spent some quiet time talking and praying to Jesus. It was a great way to start our day. 

We began Language Arts by working in our literacy centers. We then jumped back into our week of learning. We learned three new oral vocabulary words (entertainment, present, and future). We practiced rereading for understanding as we listened to a story about pioneers. We then used our letter tiles to spell and read long o, u, and e. We followed that up by learning how to read CVCe words by first dividing the word into syllables, reading the syllables, and then reading the word. Next, we practiced using our sight words in sentences. We ended the morning by rereading Life at Home and comparing and contrasting life long ago to life today. 

This afternoon in Language Arts we read our decodable reader and compared and contrasted how boys and girls helped their parents long ago. After that we practiced using the verbs is and are in sentences. Finally, we wrote the final two steps in how to prepare ourselves to go out in the snow. 

In Math class today, we again practiced subtraction. The students are very good at counting backwards to find the answer. Tomorrow we will be practicing writing number sentences. 

Just a reminder that tomorrow is Wednesday and we will have Gym! Don't forget your sneakers! 

Gorgeous Day!

Greetings on this gorgeous day! I am just loving this weather. I know it will not last, but I will appreciate every day that it stays around. 

We had a great day in first grade. It was full of learning and fun. I loved every minute of it. 

We began our day with Religion. Today we talked about how the risen Jesus visited his followers. He wanted them to know that he was alive. And he wants us to know that he is always with us. 

We began Language Arts class by working in our literacy centers. From there, we began a new week of learning. We learned two new oral vocabulary words (century and past). We worked on rereading for understanding as we read The Last Train. After that we practiced blending and reading long o, u, and e words. We then learned our new sight words. Finally, we put all of our new skills to work as we read Life at Home, a nonfiction story looking at life long ago and life today. 

This afternoon in Language Arts we practiced using the verbs is and are in sentences. We also wrote the first two steps in how we prepare to go outside to play in the snow. 

In Penmanship class this week we will be practicing writing u and U. 

In Spanish class today, we reviewed the greetings that we learned by completing a flip chart. 

In Math class today we learned how to subtract. We counted backwards from a number to get our answers. 

Have a great night! 

Hello 2020!

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great Christmas holiday. I enjoyed spending time with my family, relaxing, reading, and snuggling with my dog. 

We began our first school day of 2020 by going to Mass. Today is the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. Fr. Brian reminded us today that we should always respect Jesus' name. He also encouraged us to stop and say a prayer when we hear people using his name in vain. 

After Mass, we met up with our Faith Families. With them, we talked about the different names given to Jesus. The students created a wheel of the names. 

Finally, it was time to get back into the first grade routine. We had our Math Meeting and went to the library. We ended the morning by writing about what we hope to do this year. 

In Math class today we reviewed adding numbers whose sum is greater than 10. We used linking cubes, a number line, or our heads to solve the problems. I was happy to see that the students did not forget this over the break! 

In Science class we began our unit on health. Today we learned the 5 senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch. To help us remember them, we created  and labeled Mr. Potato Heads. They look great! 

We ended our day with Art. Today the students used tissue paper to design a snowflake. Each one is unique and beautiful. 

Have a fabulous weekend! See you on Monday!