Month: February 2024

Mrs. McClurg’s First Grade

Concepts Covered This Week:

Religion:

• We listened to the Gospels where we learned how Jesus cured the leper and how to be faithful to God.
• We learned about Saint Valentine and the significance of Valentine’s Day.
• We participated in the parish Ash Wednesday Mass, and a Liturgy of the Word.
• We learned that Lent is a 40-day journey with Jesus.
• We made Lenten suitcases that will carry the “things “we will need for our journey.
• We learned that fasting is one of the pillars of Lent. We wrote words or drew pictures of what we are fasting from during Lent and added these to our Lenten suitcases.

Language Arts:

• We started reading and writing words with the long “o” sound. We focused on words that follow the o-e rule.
• We learned about the “wh and sh” diagraphs. We wrote words and identified pictures of nouns and verbs that follow this rule.
• We read stories about families. These stories had many of our high frequency sight words.
• We wrote sentences about special people in our family and things we like to do with family members. We practiced writing these sentences with a naming part and a telling part.
• We also wrote a fun story about an animal or object. We followed the pattern of a rhyming story we read with a partner.
• We read a story about a king’s wish. We then wrote about our special wish.
• We identified the narrator of the stories.

Math:

• We reviewed the words associated with algebraic sense; plus, addend and sum.
• We reviewed some strategies to help us solve these facts, changing the order of addends, counting on, and reversing the fact.
• We wrote out flashcards for double facts to 20. We used blocks to prove that these facts are correct.
• We started to use the strategy of double + or – 1. This is a bit tricky, but many of us are making connections.
• We practiced the strategy make a ten. We used discs and pictures to demonstrate this strategy.
• We continued to fill in our February calendars and weather graphs. We answered questions and compared rows on our calendar.
• We traded our dimes, pennies, and nickel in for a dollar on the 100th day of school. Our 7th grade buddies helped by being the bankers.

Social Studies/Science:

• We shared our hibernation habitats. First graders have learned a lot about hibernation.
• We learned about some of the adaptations that animals use to survive the winter. We wrote about one adaptation and drew a picture of an animal that uses this survival technique,
• We celebrated Valentine’s Day by learning about Saint Valentine. We then passed out our valentine’s mail, shared a treat and watched a valentine show.
• We learned to identify signs in our bodies when we are feeling frustrated. We practice several techniques to calm our bodies and minds.

Specialist Classes- Physical Education/Art/Music/Spanish/Library:

• In music we used the xylophones to practice keeping a steady beat and following a melodic pattern. We played a melodic guessing game. We were introduced to the drums and learned to keep the beat.
• In art, we learned about basic face proportions and how to create a background using elements of art and principles of design. We also studied the artwork of Ronald Jackson and explore his portraits.
• In Spanish, we celebrated Día de San Valentín by making a heart drawing. We had to follow directions in Spanish and practiced writing messages of love and friendship on their hearts. We also reviewed winter and color vocabulary.
• In Physical Education we played fire, water, tree tag game. We also participated in a team activity using hula hoops, beanbags, and pool noodles.
• At the library, we added a page to our library story. We listen to a story and checked out books of interest.

Concepts Covered This Week:

Religion:

• We listened to the Gospel story where we learned that Jesus helps and heals.
• We learned that Jesus’ miracles show us that he is God.
• We listen to the Bible accounts of Jesus turning water to wine, feeding a large crowd with fish and loaves, and calming the sea.
• We discussed how Jesus is always with us, even at the hardest times.
• We participated in an all-school Spanish Mass.

Language Arts:

• We distinguished between pictures and words with the short and long of “a”.
• We identified words with ch and th diagraphs.
• We learned about the inflected ending -ed and -ing.  We practiced finding the base word and adding the endings.
• We read realistic fiction stories about family members and special times we share with these people.
• We wrote about animals and family members. We also wrote about the big ideas in the stories.
• We identified the narrator of the stories we read.

Math:

• We continued to work on the addition of two numbers with sums greater than ten.  We represented these answers as a group of ten and ones.
• We reviewed the addition strategies of adding in any order and counting on.  We made flash cards for double facts. We used these to practice the strategy of double plus one.
• We identified number and shape patterns on the February calendar.
• We traded a nickel and 5 pennies for a dime.  We are now at 94 days of school.

Social Studies/Science:

• We discussed and practiced ways to calm our bodies and focus on the task at hand. 
• We started to present our hibernator projects.  We are learning many different things about how these animals stay safe during hibernation.  We are also very curious about the materials used and why a student chose a specific animal.

Specialist Classes

• Inspired by the book “Hair Love” by Matthew A. Cherry; Illustrated by Vashti Harrison, we explored the concept of hair diversity and representation through the creation of mono prints. We developed an understanding of different hair textures and styles while also learning basic mono printing techniques. This project aligns with the celebration of Black History Month, providing an opportunity to honor the rich heritage, achievements, and contributions of Black individuals.
• In Music, we learned a clapping and moving song called Riga Jig Jig, and sang and learned about spirituals with the song Michael Row the Boat Ashore. We finished our study of Peter and the Wolf by completing our listening journals.
• In physical education we continued to work on soccer skills.
• In Spanish we practiced winter clothing vocabulary by playing a dice rolling game to dress a snowman. We’ve also been practicing responding to ¿Comó estás? and reciting La Gloria prayer.
• In library we listened to a winter story and checked out books of interest. We are very excited because Mrs. Kim has many new graphic novels.  We really enjoy this type of books.

Concepts Covered This Week:

Religion:

• We learned what makes our Catholic school different from a public school.
• We made cards to thank our parents for sending us to A.C.S.
• We finished our special poster for Lighthouse Mission Ministry(LMM).  We shared information about L.M.M. during the assembly on Wednesday. Mrs. McClurg delivered the poster to Base Camp.   They were very honored and touched by our poster.
• We practiced and presented Mass on Friday.  We worked very hard to read and participate in this Mass.

Language Arts:

• We practiced reading and writing many words where “a” makes the long sound.  
• We practiced reading and writing consonant blends.
• We read a story about making cookies and a folktale about a gingerbread man.  These stories had many of our high frequency sight words.
• We used these words to write sentences about the stories.
• We practiced writing sentences with correct capitalization and punctuation.

Math:

• We began a new unit on addition of numbers with sums to 20. We reviewed vocabulary associated with addition: addend, parts, sum, whole and plus.
• We practiced the addition strategies of counting on, switching the order of the addends and double addition facts.
• We also practiced checking to see if our papers were complete and accurate.
• We completed our January calendar and began one for February.
• We counted to 89, representing the number of days in school by using dimes, a nickel, and pennies. 

Social Studies/Science:

• We completed our class study of hibernation by adding some information to our notebooks.
• We read a fiction and nonfiction book about groundhogs.
• Many of us have completed our hibernating projects and are ready to share them with the class.

Specialist Classes- Physical Education/Art/Music/Spanish/Library:

• In art we completed our truck pictures by incorporating contrasting red hearts.
• In music we continued our unit discovering the instruments of the orchestra and listened to the excerpts of Peter and the Wolf, by Sergei Prokofiev.  This week we listened to The Bird (played by the flute), The Duck (played by the oboe), and The Cat (played by the clarinet).
• In Spanish, we practiced winter clothing vocabulary by playing a dice rolling game to dress a snowman. We’ve also been practicing responding to ¿Comó estás? and reciting La Gloria prayer.
• ln Physical Education, we continued to work on soccer skills.
• We did not have Library this week.