MHR First Grade Mrs. O’Hara

Coming up this week…

Reading

We will review all the skills for Book 5 - Unit 2 with the Time for Kids article On the Go!  There are no new H.F. words. Friday we will take the Unit Test.  The skills covered are:

• H.F. vocabulary
• Decodable words with oo, ar, ir, ur, er, ou, ow, oi, & oy
• Comprehension skills - Fantasy/Reality and Summarizing
• Word skills - words with the ‘ing’ ending and compound words
• Study skills - practice the skill at the end of each story (using a glossary, subject, author, title, etc.)

Remember that 3 Book Adventure quizzes must be passed each term to receive a satisfactory grade in Independent Reading.  This term started at the beginning of March.

Spelling

Our spelling words are words from Math.  They are:

• feet
• five
• less
• miles
• sum
• ten

The challenge words are a review.  They are:

• from
• people
• horses
• called
• these

Phonics

We will continue to work on the “Pig Pen” vowels - au, aw, ou, ow, oi, oy.

Math

We will be continuing with Probability.  We will be determining if events are more likely, less likely, or equally likely to occur.  We will also determine the number of ways in which given objects can be arranged.
Friday - Check Your Progress on Probability

Religion

We will complete are Religion Book with Chapter 28.  We will review ways we can share our Faith and also assemble a Mass booklet and Prayer booklet.

Please be sure all Library books are returned this week.  Thursday is our last time for library this year.
Work folders will come home for the last time on Wed.
I will send a short newsletter on Friday about the days of June 1st, 2nd, and 4th.

Hope everyone enjoyed a nice long weekend. 

Coming up this week…

Reading

Our final story is the non-fiction story Young Amelia Earhart.  The children will read about how she followed her dream. The story tells of her disappearance while trying to fly around the world.  Our leveled readers are also non-fiction this week.  Our decodable words this week have the vowel sounds of ou, ow, oi, and oy.  Please help your child master these sounds by practicing the decodable words and looking for them as you read. We will continue to work on summarizing - using the main ideas to retell the story in our own words.  We will also continue to work on compound words.  Our H.F. words are:

• people
• father
• should
• woman
• horse

Spelling

Our spelling words also have ou, ow, oi, & oy.  They are:

• boys
• mouse
• noise
• sound
• town
• toy

The H.F. words are the challenge words.  The words are difficult and our test is on Thurs.

Phonics

We will also be working on the “special” vowels in phonics.  Intensive Phonics labels them as the “pig pen” vowels to help the children remember them.  They are ou, ow, oi, oy, au, & aw.

Math

We will continue with Fractions 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 on Monday and Tuesday.  Wednesday we will take a Check Your Progress.  Thursday we will begin Probability. 
Please continue to work on memorization of the addition facts.  We will take a timed test again on Thurs.

Religion

Chapter 25 - We Honor Mary and the Saints 
We will review what we learned in November about Mary and the Saints and ways we honor them. 
Wed. night: Learn the key word Saints on pg. 289.

Science

Last week we planted seeds, talked about the parts of plants and what plants need to grow.  We are hoping to watch our bean seeds grow over the next few weeks.
This week we will begin our last Science Unit on the Solar System.

Wed.  Return Library Books
Thurs.  Gym
Friday  No School - Planning Day

Coming up this week…

Reading

Our new story is The Story of a Blue Bird.  We will be working on decodable words with ir, er, & ur.  They all make the same sound.  Please help your child practice this sound by having them read the list of decodable words and also by looking for words with them as you read at home.  Our comprehension skill is summarizing.  This is retelling a story with only the most important events.  We will be reviewing compound words.  Our H.F. words are:

• brother
• mother
• sister
• from
• walked

Spelling

Our spelling words also have ir, ur, & er.  They may be more difficult because all of them have the same sound.
The words are:

• bird
• burn
• first
• girl
• hurt
• serve

The H.F. words are the challenge words.  They may also take some extra practice.

Phonics

We will also be working on vowels with ‘r’ in phonics.

Math

We will take a Check Your Progress on Capacity and Weight on Monday.  We will have covered all the critical skills for measurement and will send the rest of the chapter and rulers home. 
We will begin Chapter 12 on Fractions and Probability.  This week we will cover identifying equal parts, 1/2 and 1/3 of a whole.
*We will switch to the 100 problem addition timed test this week.  All children will begin with 5 minutes. The sums are to 10.  Subtraction was very difficult for some children.  It is essential that the facts to 12 are memorized before 2nd Grade.  They will be moving on to the higher facts right away next year.

Religion

We will finish up Chapter 24 on the Mass and begin Chapter 25 on how we can share God’s love.  We will also begin checking to see if the children can say the Hail Mary and Our Father.

We enjoyed a wonderful trip to the Zoo.  Thanks to all our chaperones!

We will enjoy the Parents Club Ice Cream Social on Wed.
Please remember that Gym will be on Thursday for this week and next.

Our virtue for May is work.  Please talk with your child about the importance of working hard these last few weeks of school.  We still have lots to do!

I hope all moms are enjoyed a wonderful Mother’s Day!

Coming up this week…

Reading

Our story is New Shoes for Silvia.  Our phonics skill is the sound of ‘ar.’  Please help your child practice this sound with the list of decodable words.  We will continue the comprehension skill of recognizing reality and fantasy.  Our new H.F. words are:

• once
• took
• every
• morning
• or

* Reminder - Children need to pass 3 Book Adventure quizzes between March 2nd (the beginning of the 3rd term) and the end of May.  We have a basket of Book Adventure books in the classroom.  Children may take quizzes at school if they have read the book at home.

Spelling

Our spelling words also all have ‘ar.’  They are:

• bark
• car
• dark
• park
• part
• star

The H.F. words are the challenge words.  Our test will be on Thursday this week.

Phonics

We will review Skill 5 (adjacent vowels) and have a test on Wed.  Please use the sheet sent home to practice adding ‘ing’ to long vowel words.

Math

We will continue working on measurement by measuring capacity and then weight. 

Religion

Chapter 23 - The Mass -  The children will learn about the different parts of the Mass and develop a better understanding of this special celebration.  We will be watching 2 short videos that will take us through each part of the Mass.

Science

We will continue learning about the classification of animals in preparation for our trip to the zoo.

*Please help your child  to return their Library books on time.  It helps if books are in by Wed.
*Thurs. We will attend the 8:30 Mass where the eighth graders will receive their ribbons.
*Pray for a beautiful day and safe trip on Friday.  We are really looking forward to it!  Scholastic Book orders are due.

Coming up this week…

Reading

We will begin Book 5 - Unit 2.  Our new theme is Many Paths.   The stories are about how each decision can open the door to a new path. Our first story is A Friend for Little Bear.  A bear must decide what is truly important and what is not.  We have completed all the short and long vowels and now will work on the “special” vowels. The children will learn to decode words with ‘oo’ as in room.  Please help them to practice reading the list of decodable words and also to look for ‘oo’ words as they read.  Our comprehension skill is Fantasy/Reality.   We will continue to work with the ‘ing’ ending - drop the e before adding ing.  Our new H.F. words are:

• friend
• these
• called
• pulled
• only

Reading tests will come home in the work folder on Wed.  Please go over them with your child and then sign and return them.

Spelling

Our Spelling words also have the ‘oo’ vowel pattern.  They are:

• cool
• fool
• moon
• roof
• soon
• zoo

The H.F. words are the challenge words.

Phonics

We will begin Skill 5 - adjacent vowels.  The adjacent vowel pairs are: oa, oe, ai, ee, ea, & ui.  In adjacent vowel pairs the first vowel is usually long and the second vowel is silent.

Math

The Chapter 8 Test on Money and Time will be on Monday.  Please review:

• names and value of the coins
• counting with mixed coins
• telling time to the hour and half hour
• time patterns

Tuesday we will begin Chapter 9 on Measurement.  We will begin measuring height and length with non-standard units such as cubes and paper clips and then begin using a ruler to measure inches.  The children should bring a foot long ruler to keep in school by Wed.

Religion

This week in Chapter 22 the children will learn that in the sacrament of  Eucharist, bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus. 
Wed. night they should learn the key words - Eucharist pg. 250 and Mass pg. 252

Science

We will begin learning about classifying animals by their body covering in preparation for our trip to the zoo.
We will learn about fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds.

Monday: Return signed Progress Reports
              We will attend the Band Concert at 1:15

Wed.  Children should return Library books and have a ruler for Math

Fri.  $1.00 Out of uniform and also a lunch time Bake Sale

Welcome back!
We have a busy week!
Coming up this week…

Reading

We will finish Unit 1 of Book 5 by reading the Time for Kids article, The Night Animals.  With this story we will review all of the skills from Unit 1.  We will be having the Unit Test on Thursday.  The skills tested are:

• All H.F. vocabulary
• Decodable words with long e (ea,ee, ei), long o (oa, oe, ow), and long i (i, y, igh)
• Comprehension skills - Making predictions and Drawing conclusions
• ‘ing’ ending and using Context clues
• Study Skills (go over the Study Skills page at the end of each story)
• Listening comprehension
• Writing a story

Making predictions and drawing conclusions take practice.  Please be sure to practice these skills with each story you read at home.  The children need to use clues in the text and illustrations plus what they already know.  The H.F. words are the review words:

• many
• find
• come
• kinds

Spelling

The Spelling words are words from Science.  They are:

• bugs
• frog
• logs
• owl
• pond
• rat

The H.F. words will be challenge words.

Phonics

We will practice adding ‘ing’ to Skill 4 words.  The children should learn - when a word ends in  e, drop the e before adding ‘ing.’

Math

We will continue to work on time with a review of hours and half hours on Monday.  We will also learn about elapsed time and estimating whether an activity would take about 1 minute or about 1 hour.  Tuesday we will have a Check Your Progress on Time.  We will finish up the week by learning the ordinals 11th - 31st and by applying skills with Problem Solving. 
We will have our first 100 problem Timed Subtraction Test on Friday.  The children will have 5 minutes and the facts are to 10.  Please keep drilling for memorization.  It is essential that these facts be memorized before 2nd Grade.
Our Chapter 8 Test on Money and Time will be on Monday April 28th.  Please continue to practice counting with mixed coins.  Give your child an amount and see how many ways that can make that amount with different coins.

Religion - Science

We will combine our Religion Chapter on Caring for God’s Gifts with our celebration of Earth Day on Wednesday.  We will talk about the many easy ways (recycling, saving electricity & water etc.) we can all help to take care of God’s Creation.

Wed.  Be sure all library books from before Spring Break are in
Friday  We will attend the afternoon performance of the Missoula Play - The Princess and the Pea at 1:00
            Progress Reports will come home
            Permission slip and fee are due for our Zoo Field Trip on May 8th

Welcome to a short week!
Coming up…

Reading

We will be reading The Owl and the Moon.  This is a story about a friendship between Owl and the moon by Arnold Lobel.  Our phonics skill this week is long i with i, y, and igh.  Please help your child become familiar with these long i patterns by practicing the decodable words.  We will continue to work on drawing conclusions and using context clues.  Our new H.F. words are:

• eyes
• head
• gone
• room
• everything

Spelling

Our spelling test will be on Thursday this week.  Our words also have the patterns for long i.  They are:

• child
• my
• night
• shy
• sky
• tight

The H.F. words are the challenge words.

Phonics

We will review Skill 4 words with silent e and have a test on Wed.  A list of words was sent home on Friday for practice of spelling and correct markings.

Grammar

This week we will be learning to recognize synomyms and antonyms.

Math

We will begin learning to tell time to the hour and half hour.

Religion

Chapter 21 - The Three Days - The children will learn about these very special days in our Church year - Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.  We will attend the Living Stations by the 8th Grade on Wed. at 1:45.  We will also attend the 2nd Grade Bread Celebration on Thursday morning.
Thank you for your help with our Palm Sunday Prayer Service last Friday.  It was a beautiful prayer.

Monday 8:30 Mass
Wed.  Please try to return Library books before break.
Thurs. 11:30 dismissal

Wishing your all Easter Blessings and a wonderful Spring Break - hopefully the weather will cooperate!

Coming up this week…

Reading

We will be reading the nonfiction story You Can’t Smell A Flower with Your Ear!  This story explains the five senses and how they work.  It also includes experiments to test the five senses.  Our decodable words this week have long ‘o’ with o, oa, oe, and ow.  Please have your child practice by reading the list of decodable words.  Our comprehension skill is drawing conclusions.  This involves figuring out certain facts by using what we already know.  We will also review using context clues.  This is using clues in the surrounding words to help us figure out a word or word meaning we may not know.  Our new H.F. words are:

• by
• high
• kind
• fine
• more

Spelling

Our Spelling words this week also have long ‘o.’  They are:

• boat
• cold
• goes
• hold
• road
• show

The H.F. words are the challenge words.

Phonics

We will introduce Skill 4.  The children should know - if a word has 2 vowels the ‘e’ at the end of the word is silent and makes the first vowel say the long sound.  We have already covered this in reading so it is only the markings that are new.

Math

Monday we will review counting with mixed coins starting with 1 quarter and various combinations.  The children should be doing this at home also.  Tues. we will have a Check Your Progress on counting mixed coins.  We will continue the week by:

• identifying 2 groups of coins with equal amounts
• comparing an amount of money to the price of an item
• identifying coins equivalent to $1.00

We will take the same subtraction test this Friday.  Please spend some time practicing and working toward memorization each night.

Religion

As we near the end of Lent the First Graders will be learning about Palm Sunday and getting ready for our Prayer Service on Friday.  If your child has a part please help them practice reading slowly, clearly, and loudly.

Mon. 8:30 Mass
Wed. Be sure Library books are in
Friday 1:45 Stations of the Cross

We seem to be flying through the Kleenex.  Once again any donations would be appreciated!

Coming up this week…

Reading

Our story this week is Shrinking Mouse.  We will continue to work on the long e sound with 2 new patterns - ea & ie.  Please help your child practice reading the decodable words.  The repetition helps the children recognize and then use decoding skills in their reading.  We will also continue to work on prediction by using clues in the pictures and text and what we already know.  We will continue to work with the ‘ing’ ending as well.  Our new H.F. words are:

• before
• come
• off
• our
• right

Spelling

Our Spelling words this week have the ea & ie pattern.  They are:

• fields
• leaf
• piece
• reached
• read
• sea

The H.F. words are the challenge words.

Phonics

The children will be introduced to Skill 3.  This is the first long vowel skill.  They should learn the rule - one vowel that stands alone at the end of a word is usually long.  They should also practice adding ‘ing’ to the words with Skill 1 and Skill 2 sent home on Friday.  This sheet does not need to be returned to school.  We will have a test on spelling and proving words with the first 3 skills on Thursday.

Grammar/Writing

We are working on writing and editing stories about kites that got away.  Adjectives were also introduced last week.  We will continue to work on recognizing and the use of them this week.

Math

We will begin Chapter 8 - Money and Time

This week we will work on recognizing the different coins and their value and then begin counting with different combinations each day.  This skill can be very difficult.  It involves counting by ones, fives, and tens all mixed together.  Please help your child by spending some time each night practicing.  Please remember to have your child bring coins to school on Monday. 
The new subtraction timed test was more difficult.  Please work on memorization of the facts.  We will try the same test again this week.

Religion

Chapter 11 - The Holy Spirit Helps the Church Grow.  We will continue to learn about the Holy Spirit and how he helped the first members of the Church and continues to help us today.  The children will bring their books home on Wed. and should learn the key word - Church (pg. 133).  On Friday we will attend the 6th Grade presentation of a Passover Meal.  Please encourage your child to keep their Lenten promises and to contribute to our collection for the Orphans.

Mon. 8:30 Mass
         Each child should bring a baggie with 1 quarter, 3 dimes, 3 nickels, and 5 pennies

Wed. Return Library Books
        Scholastic Book orders are due

Thurs. 8th Grade will perform Willy Wonka for us at 9:00

Friday 6th Grade Passover Meal

Coming up this week…

Reading

This week we will begin Book 5 - Unit 1.  Our new theme is Think About It!  Our first story is Seven Sillies.  The phonics skill we will be working on is long e with ‘e’ and ‘ee.’  Please help your child practice reading the decodable words.  Our comprehension skill is to make predictions.  The children will learn to use clues from the story and what they know to figure out what will happen next.  We will also review the ‘ing’ ending.
Our new H.F. words are:

• all
• four
• many
• over
• so

The Unit 4 Reading Test will be in the work folders on Wed.  Please be sure to go over the test with your child, especially the writing section.  The tests should be signed and returned by Friday.

Spelling

Our spelling words this week have long e.  They are:

• bee
• she
• sheep
• three
• tree
• we

The H.F. words are the challenge words.

Phonics

This week we will learn that on Skill 1 words the final consonant needs to be doubled before adding ‘ing.’

Math

This week we will complete Chapter 7 on Geometry.  We will have Check Your Progress on Tues. and the Chapter Test on Friday.  Skills that will be covered are:

• plane figures ( identifying how many sides and corners)
• solid figures
• attributes of solid figures ( edges, vertex, face, flat surface)
• roll, stack, slide
• plane figures that make up solid figures
• slides, flips, and turns
• same size, same shape
• symmetry
• completing a pattern

We will also continue with subtraction timed tests.  This week’s test will have 36 problems with numbers to 10.  The children are doing well.  Keep working on memorization.

Religion

We will be working on Chapter 10.  The children learned that Jesus died and rose to new life.  Now they will learn that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help his followers.  Wednesday night help your child learn the key word Pentecost.  We remember two special Saints this week.  On Tues. we remember Saint Patrick and on Thursday Saint Joseph.  Remember that we are collecting change all during Lent for the Ophans. 
We had a beautiful prayer service last Thursday.  Thank you for all your help getting the children ready.

Mon. 8:30 Mass
Tues. Saint Patrick’s Day - Saint Baldrick’s Event - Out of uniform
Wed. Return Library Books if they are not in
Thurs. Saint Joseph’s Day
Friday Those attending the Sock Hop after school may be out of uniform (50’s style)
           1:45 Stations of the Cross