Week of October 29th

Sacred Heart Academy

First Grade Curriculum Update

Dear Parents,                                                                                   October 28, 2012

Please make sure that your fabulous first grader goes over these areas of study with you this week.

Virtue of the Month: *Self-control and Self-discipline; Appreciation and Wonder for

Beauty of Our World

Saxon Math: Lessons 30-32: Write the numbers 28 and 29; Addition/sums and Number sentences; Top, bottom, left, right; Assessment #4 - Review as a class; Ordinal Numbers; Shape patterns; Number trains and Graphing and Math centers in the classroom

History/Geography: * The Mayans, continued

                                   

Religion: Serving God’s Kingdom; Session (Chapter) 8: Trust in God- The Lord's Prayer, Needs or Wants?, Ways of Being Like Jesus;  Wednesday-Class Mass @ 8:00; Thursday-All Saint's Day School Mass @ 10:00 a.m. 

Science: *Shoebox Diorama of a Habitat - Oral Presentations/Sharing continued; The Skeletal System

Literature: *Teacher “October-themed” selections;  *October poetry for October Writing Journal

Reading: Reading Centers: Individual and Group Reading with the teacher, SSR – Student Silent Reading, Buddy Reading (with other 1^st graders and with our 4^th grade Reading Buddies) and Listening Center as a class, Decodable Books #4-6

Saxon Phonics: Worksheet 30 - Assessment #5; Worksheet 31- Digraph -th, Compound Words; Worksheet 32-Digraph -ng an suffix ending -ing; Identify letter sounds and code vowels and consonants; Identify and/or match pictures with corresponding sound of each letter and/or matching letter. 

Spelling:  Spelling List 4; Rainbow words and sentences; ABC Word Order; Spelling Pre-test on Thursday; Spelling test on Friday (if not 100% on Thursday;) Around the World (sight word and spelling words) in class and/or Sight word /Spelling word Bingo

Language Arts: Capitals, periods, question marks and exclamation marks, Spelling word sentences

Art: * October themes art and crafts

News to Know:

Class Mass on Wednesday @ 8:00 a.m.; All Saints Day All School Mass on Thursday @ 10:00 a.m.

Halloween Carnival on Wednesday!  Your child may change in to their uniform prior to the carnival.  We will have parent helpers, if needed for the costume change/prep.  All students will eat lunch in the classrooms (home brought or purchased.)  The Carnival ends at 2:30.  

There will not be homework on Wednesday - other than studying for the Spelling Pre-test.

Friday is a Minimum Day.  Students may wear Free Dress.

Weekly Reading logs (due every Friday) You or your child may write out book titles read.  It is the greatest gift you can give your first grader – reading aloud to them or them to you!  Saxon Decodable Books may count as a read aloud.

Star Student Posters: Please have your child (and family) help decorate your child’s ALL ABOUT ME! Poster.  They may be 3-D, painted, colored, have real or hand-drawn photos added, magazine pictures, glitter, stickers, etc. added to make it your child’s own unique expression of themselves. Posters may be turned in as completed or by November 2^nd.

Week of October 22

Dear Parents,                                                                                   October 22, 2012

Please make sure that your fabulous first grader goes over these areas of study with you this week.

Virtue of the Month: *Self-control and Self-discipline

Saxon Math: Lessons 26-29: Write the numbers 24 through 29; Addition/sums and subtraction/difference and taking away, Number sentences; Top, bottom, left, right; Assessment #4; Mayan Math; Graphing and Math centers in the classroom

History/Geography: * The Mayans

                                   

Religion: Jesus Teaches Us, Jesus cares for us, The Lord’s Prayer, Serving God’s Kingdom; Wednesday-Class Mass @ 8:00; Thursday-All School Mass @ 8:00

Science: *Shoebox Diorama of a Habitat - due on Friday, October 26 (Refer to News to know for more information); The Skeletal System, cont.

Literature: *Teacher “October-themed” selections;  *October poetry for October Writing Journal

Reading: Reading Centers: Individual and Group Reading with the teacher, SSR – Student Silent Reading, Buddy Reading (with other 1^st graders and with our 4^th grade Reading Buddies) and Listening Center as a class, Book #2- Plan and Toss

Saxon Phonics: Worksheet 26- Trace/write Mm- monkey; Worksheet 27- Trace/Write Ee-short and long sounds; Worksheet 28-diagraph ck- duck; Identify letter sounds and code vowels and consonants; Identify and/or match pictures with corresponding sound of each letter and/or matching letter. 

Spelling:  Spelling List 3; Rainbow words and sentences; Spelling Pre-test on Thursday; Spelling test on Friday (if not 100% on Thursday;) Around the World (sight word and spelling words) in class and/or Sight word /Spelling word Bingo

Language Arts: Capitals, periods, question marks and exclamation marks, Spelling word sentences

Art: * October themes art and crafts

News to Know:

Class Mass on Wednesday; All School Mass on Thursday- both at 8:00 a.m.

Socratic Seminar- October 24th

Shoebox Dioramas are due on Friday, October 26^th.

Weekly Reading logs (due every Friday) You or your child may write out book titles read.  It is the greatest gift you can give your first grader – reading aloud to them or them to you!  Saxon Book #1 counts as a read aloud.

Star Student Posters:  Posters are coming home Monday.  Please have your child (and family) help decorate your child’s ALL ABOUT ME! Poster.  They may be 3-D, painted, colored, have real or hand-drawn photos added, magazine pictures, glitter, stickers, etc. added to make it your child’s own unique expression of themselves.  Posters may be turned in as completed or by November 2^nd.

Week of October 15th

Dear Parents,                                                                                   October 14, 2012

Please make sure that your fabulous first grader goes over these areas of study with you this week.

Virtue of the Month: *Self-control and Self-discipline

Saxon Math: Lessons 22- 24: Write the numbers 20 through 24; Addition/sums and subtraction/difference and taking away, Number sentences; Graphing and Math centers in the classroom

History/Geography: * Early people and civilizations- the earliest people:  Hunters and Nomads

                                   

Religion: Jesus, Our Lord and Savior, St. Joseph, The Holy Family and Being Like Jesus; Wednesday-Class Mass @ 8:00

Science: *Ocean habitats – complete booklets; * Review of habitats; Shoebox Diorama of a Habitat - due on Friday, October 26 (Refer to News to know for more information); The Skeletal System, cont.

Literature: *Teacher “October-themed” selections;  *October poetry for October Writing Journal

Reading: Reading Centers: Individual and Group Reading with the teacher, SSR – Student Silent Reading, Buddy Reading (with other 1^st graders and with our 4^th grade Reading Buddies) and Listening Center as a class

Saxon Phonics: Worksheet 23- Spelling with k and c; Worksheet 24- Trace/Write Bb- balloon; Worksheet 25-Assessment #4; Identify letter sounds and code vowels and consonants; Identify and/or match pictures with corresponding sound of each letter and/or matching letter. 

Spelling:  Spelling List 2; Rainbow words and sentences; Spelling Pre-test on Thursday; Spelling test on Friday (if not 100% on Thursday;) Around the World (sight word and spelling words) in class and/or Sight word /Spelling word Bingo

Language Arts: Capitals, periods, question marks and exclamation marks, Spelling word sentences

Art: * October themes art and crafts

News to Know:

Our last day for ITBS testing is this Monday.  The children said they are sad to see it end.  “Filling in the bubbles was fun!” said one test taker J

Thank you for your support in having your child be the best prepared for testing.

Shoebox Diorama Habitat project- the children have nearly finished with our study of habitats.  They have been shown some samples of a box style home made habitat. 

Please help your child decide upon an ocean/water, desert, meadow/prairie, rainforest/forest or underground habitat.

They may use a shoebox (or similar small box) to decorate their habitat by coloring, gluing, painting items found in this habitat.  The children saw a lot of great ideas on last week’s field trip!

Shoebox Dioramas are due on Friday, October 26^th.

Weekly Reading logs (due every Friday) will start next week for homework.  You or your child may write out book titles read.  It is the greatest gift you can give your first grader – reading aloud to them or them to you!

Week of October 8th

Sacred Heart Academy

First Grade Curriculum Update

Dear Parents,                                                                                   October 7, 2012

Please make sure that your fabulous first grader goes over these areas of study with you this week.

Virtue of the Month: *Self-control and Self-discipline

Saxon Math: Lessons 21 and 22: Write the numbers 19 and 20; Addition/sums and subtraction/difference and taking away, Ordinal numbers- 1^st, 2^nd, last; Problem solving – dogs and dog beds (continued); Math centers in the classroom; Number Bingo

History/Geography: *Ocean habitats on a map; Compare and contrast Desert and ocean habitats; San Diego Natural History Museum Field trip on Wednesday (9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – time approximate)

                                   

Religion: Celebrating Ordinary Time; Wednesday-Class Mass @ 8:00

Science: *Ocean habitats; The Skeletal System

Literature: *Teacher “October-themed” selections;  *Poetry- My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson and October poetry for October Writing Journal

Reading: Reading Centers: Individual and Group Reading with the teacher, SSR – Student Silent Reading, Buddy Reading (with other 1^st graders and with our 4^th grade Reading Buddies) and Listening Center as a class

Saxon Phonics: Worksheet 20-Assessment #3; Worksheet 21: Trace/Print Kk – kite; Worksheet 22: Trace/Print Cc- cat; Identify letter sounds and code vowels and consonants; Identify and/or match pictures with corresponding sound of each letter and/or matching letter. 

Spelling: No Spelling test this week due to ITBS testing; Around the World (sight word and spelling words) in class and/or Sight word /Spelling word Bingo

Language Arts: Capitals, periods, question marks and exclamation marks – “Oh my!!!,” continued.

Art: * October themes art and crafts

News to Know:

First Field Trip (1^st/3^rd grade classes) – San Diego Natural History Museum – Habitats, Wednesday, October 10^th

We will leave after Mass, Attendance and Field trip prep – restroom breaks, collection of snack and lunches and designated chaperone group “round up” of children and their booster/car seats.

PLEASE REMEMBER: Children need to wear their school uniform, bring a snack and lunch and have their labeled booster or car seat in front of the mural by 8:00 a.m. (unless their parent is driving J)

ITBS testing begins the Monday, October 8^th and will continue until Wednesday, October 17^th.  PLEASE provide your child with the rest and healthy breakfast that will help them to focus and do their best J

It is imperative that your child be timely to school. Tardy students must sit at the office until an in-progress testing period is completed. 

All testing will occur before and after sack and recess the morning hours.

First grade will continue to have all pull out classes, such as P.E., etc.

Homework will be adapted for this testing period- Math or Saxon Phonics per night.  No Spelling test this week.