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Janis Mathew's
1st Grade Classroom
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| First grade is off to a good start. We have 8 boys and 9 girls enrolled in our class.
The week of September 3-7 we will be doing the TPRI reading assessment. This assessment helps to identify reading and comprehension development of students. It, along with the Stanford 10 assessment, will help me identify needs of the student and plan instruction accordingly. The Stanford 10 will also be given this month.
In math we are working with numbers and counting but we will soon begin addition and subtraction.
Saxon Phonics is exciting. Keep up with what we are learning by checking your child’s homework each night. Be sure to go over the sight words.
We are learning about living things in science. This week we are looking at different plants and learning the names of their parts. During Social Studies we are learning about our school and our community.
One of our goals in religion class is to learn to participate more in Mass than we did in Kindergarten.
So you can see we are very busy. I look forward to a great year with a fantastic class! |
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In first grade we are getting underway with our reading groups and centers. I am still doing some reading testing this month so we may be changing some of the groups.
Don’t forget that parent/teacher conferences will be at the end of this month. I will be sending out a sign-up sheet around October 10 so that I can get the schedule ready. I will be able to do a few conferences before/after school for parents who work and find it difficult to take off during the day. If you wish to have a conference before the end of the month, please schedule that with me.
In November, the first and second grades will be doing a short Veteran’s Day program at the home/school meeting. We also hope to do it after Mass on the Friday before Veteran’s Day, but that has not been scheduled yet.
Be sure to plan a safe Halloween for your child. Please remember that we do not have a
Halloween party at school. If you wish to send candy home with the class, then that can be passed out at the end of the day and taken home.
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This is the month to think about the bounty that God has given us and thank him for all his gifts. I am very grateful for the opportunity to teach your child. They are all special blessings from God.
I would like to express to my sympathy to 3 of our families who have lost families members during October. May you feel God’s comfort, love and grace.
Let me remind you of our Veterans’ Day program for the home/school meeting on November 13. It will be a very meaningful program, especially if all our students are able to participate. Please make an effort to be here for the program and support the home/school group. Remember that we will remain after school on November 13.
Many of our class are beginning to “publish” their first book. We have been busy writing since the beginning of school.
In Math we are busy working on addition and subtraction. In November we will be continuing with addition.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving as you celebrate with your family. |
| First, I would like to thank each family that participated in the “Shoeboxes for Soldiers.” Our class collected a large number of items which I am sure will be very useful for those who receive the gifts.
Christmas is upon us and we are getting ready for our Christmas program. That date should be announced soon.
I know that there will be lots of activities during the Christmas break, but please remember to have your child read everyday and review the sight words that will be sent home before the break.
Have a wonderful Christmas season. May you feel God’s peace that He sent through his Son, Jesus. Be safe and be back in school in January. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EACH OF YOU! |
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Our class is busy at work. It seems like Christmas vacation was a long time ago!
Our main goal this week and next week will be to give the TPRI testing to all our class. We give this test at the beginning, middle and end of the year to chart our development in reading.
Please be sure that all homework assignments are completed. This is very important because our weekly assessments in phonics are based on what we do in class and on our homework.
In Math we are going a little different direction than adding and subtracting. We are working with number and place value. Then we will move to money. Of course, we will have to count money and add and subtract money!
This month is Social Studies we are learning about our community [Dallas] and its leaders. We will also do a study about Martin Luther King. In Science we will be studying about animal habitats.
So, keep up with us in all the busy things we will be doing.
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First Grade
In January we completed the TPRI test. I was very pleased with the good results that everyone showed in reading. Keep up the good work, students! We still have more to do. Keep reading every day with your child, parents.
Mrs. Wangler is working on plans for a field trip for first and second grades. She should have some information within a couple of weeks. I will be arranging a place for us to eat when I know the date. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
February 14th is Valentine’s Day. We will have a party and the students can exchange valentines. In the homework folder this week, I am sending a list of names so students can write them on the cards. I do not know if the Home/Schoolome/ScH organization is providing snacks that day. If not, I will be calling on some of you to help.
Remember that Lent has begun and I urge each of you to use this time to remember the great sacrifice God made for us.
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With a short month, we have a lot to do in a little time. We are busy in reading, phonics and spelling. All first graders are reading on grade level but we are pushing on to become the best second grade readers! In math, we are learning about plane and solid figures and will soon move on to fractions. In science, we are studying about the weather and in social studies we are learning about businesses in the community and the goods and services they offer.
In April we will go on two field trips. Parents will receive information about both of these this week. At the beginning of April we will go on a field trip with kindergarten and on April 29 we will go on another field trip with second grade. I look forward to both of these trips.
Have a good spring break and great Easter with your family. Don’t forget to read with your child every day! |
We are now in our last nine weeks of school. How this year has flown by! During this quarter we will be working on handwriting, writing sentences and regrouping in math. We need to polish these skills in order to be ready for second grade.
Don’t forget that we will be going on a field trip on April 29th to see the Wizard of Oz. We will also have a World Music Show on April 17 and a special interactive study about lions on April 14. This will be a busy month.
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First Grade
Our school year is quickly coming to an end. Would you believe that your first graders are almost second graders! They have all done such a great job this year.
We have completed our phonics program. However, we are still working on sight words and spelling. In math, we are working on two-digit addition with and without regrouping, measurement and reviewing math facts. We will continue reading, literacy centers and learning new vocabulary until the last day of school! This week and next week we will continue with our final TPRI testing in reading.
Many thanks to all you parents who have continually helped your child with homework. Thanks, too, for sending snacks and goodies on special days. Thanks to parents who have been able to come to school and help out during special events. Thanks to parents who have accompanied us on field trips. Thanks to parents who would like to have been able to do more, but could not because of work or other reasons. Thanks to each of you, who in your own special way, has supported me in my teaching this year. I appreciate each one of you and all you have done to make this a great year. |
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