MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Dec. 8th – NO SchoolDec. 9th – December Project is due. We can’t wait to see your Christmas tree!Dec. 11th – Boxes are due for our manger scene project. Jan. 12th – Candles are due for our prayer service.Jan. 22nd – First Grade Prayer Service in the Chapel at 2:15pm.Please check our school website for additional news and events.

First Grade News December 7th – 11th 2015December’s Project

Reading Project Designing a Christmas tree of book

recommendationsWe can’t wait to see everyone’s creativity! Feel free to type your recommendations and attach them to each ornament. You may add additional ornaments (real or fake), garland, etc. to your tree. We look forward to transforming our hallway into a winter wonderland this week!

Have a wonderful week and a blessed holiday

season!Ho Ho Ho… Only a few weeks to go!

Well Done!

Everyone did an amazing job singing at this year’s Christmas show. We are so proud of our angels! You really put us in the Christmas spirit! Way to go!

Peace and Light First Grade Prayer

Service Mark your Calendar: January 22nd

at 2:15pm. Our prayer service theme is Peace and Light. For this special prayer service, your child will need one battery operated window (taper) candle. Plastic candles please. These candles can be found at most stores during this time of year. Make sure that your child’s candle has a battery and that their name is on the bottom. Candles should be brought in no later than January 12th.

First Grade Community Service Project

Theme: Thanking Community HelpersIn conjunction with our reading unit, we will be learning about people who live and work in our community. During writer’s workshop, students will learn how to write friendly letters and create messages to thank community members who help us every day. Along with our notes of appreciation, students will be filling candy bags to give to these individuals. This holiday season is a perfect time to reflect upon our many blessing and to thank those who help us.

Daily Reading Practice

Daily reading should consist of fluency practice, sight word practice, and free-choice reading. Break these into separate times to prevent them from feeling time consuming to your child.

Fluency PracticePoetry Practice (5 minutes a night)

Echo or choral read poems or short stories together to model expression and fluency. Be on the lookout for Christmas poems and songs to practice together as a family!

Sight Words (5 minutes a night)Don’t forget to practice the Dolch sight word booklet on a regular basis. Five minutes of daily sight word practice can make a big difference! Also, please have your child practice reading the weekly words that are attached to our spelling list. These words are in conjunction with our weekly phonics/spelling skills. Reading these words will help your child apply our phonics skills.

Free Choice Reading (5-10 minutes a night) Allow your child to select a book at their reading level to read aloud to you. When time allows, read to your child. This will inspire them and help them grow as readers.

Below are some items to ask Santa for:

Pencils and pencil top erasers

Glue sticks

Crayons- regular box

Crayons – a box of the thin twistable color crayons instead of colored pencils. This way, sharpening is not involved!

Writing journal (for home)

Curriculum NotesIn math, we will continue with subtraction. Please practice addition and subtraction facts at home. When time allows, play a math game that has been recently sent home to reinforce addition and subtraction.

Last week in religion, we made beautiful Advent wreaths and learned more about the importance of Advent. We also learned about St. Nicholas. This week, we will complete, Chapter 14 – Christmas. We are preparing to celebrate the birth of the Son of God.

Our reading and phonics notes are attached. Please continue to review long i and digraphs wh, ch, tch, sh and th.

During our writer’s workshop, we will learn how to write friendly letters. We will also complete some fun Christmas writing prompts.

In grammar, its all about nouns! We will continue to focus on nouns, proper nouns, and special nouns.

In science, we will learn about animals that migrate. We’ve been very fortunate to have had wonderful science experiments each Friday.

We will continue to review correct letter and number formation. Please review this at home too.

Get wrapped up in a good

book!

A hearty breakfast and healthy lunch will help

fuel the body for learning!

Long i (CVCe) and Digraphs wh, ch, tch, sh and th

Phonics: Long i vs. short i – This week, students will continue to identify the difference between long i and short i sight words. Students will also review digraphs wh, ch, tch, sh and th. Please review your recent sight word lists. Also, practice the additional list of digraphs that are attached.

Reading & Spelling: Our whole group story this week is, Who Works Here? This story is based on people living and working in a neighborhood. People that work in our community help us in many ways. As part of a community service project during this holiday season, we will be thanking people who work in our community. Students will learn how to write letters to thank others who help us.

Please practice spelling these words each evening. Our spelling test will be on Thursday.

like bike ride dime smile hide time ice white kite

who work

Don’t forget to practice your long i sight words from last week and this week’s digraphs that are attached. Thank you.

High-Frequency Words:

outside sunshine driveway

write

Words to READpeople live work who out

Spelling Words:

*Challenge Words:

Sight Words

what change why check where peach chop who teach church when cheese coach whale choose wheat stretch

catch wheel ditch which itch while patch pitch white chip fetch beach chase which watch

Digraphs wh, ch, tch Review of Digraphs sh, th

than shack that she these shell then shine thin shin think ship third shop smash

bath shut math shade cloth blush teeth cash smooth dish tooth dish trash fish

Long i Short i

Tim time

fin fine

slim slime

kit kite

hid hide

bit bite

rip ripe

pin pine

din dine