Riley has done really well his first nine weeks of 1st grade. Kenny and I are so proud of him. The only thing that he still needs work on is his handwriting, but it really is SO much better than it was last year.
Week one they learned classroom rules and procedures and how to unpack their supplies. They worked on using kind words and manners and how to build their classroom family. They got their first look at their reading and math books. They learned about how numbers are a part of us by completing a “Math about Me” project. They also started Chapter 1 in religion, God Is Our Father. They reviewed the Sign of the Cross, the Our Father prayer, and learned that their class saint is St. Andrew.
Week two they learned how to read, write, and spell using high frequency words; how to begin making predictions when reading and the genre of a story; and about beginning, middle, and ending sounds. They brainstormed about what they like about school, and they took their first religion test.
Week three they learned about words that have the short “a,” “i,” and “o” sounds and how to read, clap, and spell high frequency words. They listened to the story Jack and the Beanstalk and identified the genre, characters, and problem. They worked in small groups in Reading, learned that Heaven is their forever home, and attended their first school mass. They also celebrated August birthdays, including Riley’s!
Week four they learned new spelling and high frequency words and how to rhyme words and blend using Promethean board games. They listened to and read their first story in their “squirrel” reading book, worked in small groups in Reading (sorting words, making words with short “a” sounds, and rainbow writing), and brainstormed about their essential question of the week (“What do we do in school?”). They also took their first two math quizzes.
Week five they took their first ELA and spelling tests and started a new unit focusing on short “i,” brainstormed about their essential question of the week (“What is it like where you live?”), and discussed what makes a complete sentence. They played a Shake and Spill game in Math for ways to make numbers 4-7. They participated in prayer circle, watched a cartoon about guardian angels, and learned the Guardian Angel and Act of Contrition prayers. They also had their first mystery reader, Eli’s mom Brittany.
Week six they started learning about “l” blend words, brainstormed about their new essential question (“What makes pets special?”), discussed proper sentence punctuation, completed their second ELA and spelling tests, and took two math quizzes. They also celebrated SCR Grandparents Day.
They also had a really fun Johnny Appleseed Day on September 22, with lots of activities and special centers. I went in to help out and it was so fun! They made paper plate apples, did an apple math worksheet, and tasted apple chips, applesauce, and apple pie.
And they were treated to a picnic pizza lunch that same day for being one of the classes to have the most parents attend the first Co-Op meeting of the year. Dana and I brought pizzas, goldfish, and drinks to school that day and took some pics of the excited kiddos.
Week seven they took tests in ELA and spelling and began their new lesson, “What do friends to together?” They also took two Math tests. And they celebrated Mrs. Smith’s birthday on September 30.
Week eight they took their next ELA and spelling tests and started another lesson, “How does your body move?” They also started learning about possessive nouns and continued to discuss types of sentences. In Math, they worked with finding the missing part in subtraction and took another fact quiz. They participated in prayer circle and talked about what happened to Adam and Eve once they sinned. They also attended a special Blessing of the Pets morning assembly.
Week nine they took their next ELA and spelling tests and moved on to Unit 2 in Reading and their second set of reading books. They also started their next essential question (“What jobs need to be done in a community?”) and talked about using commas in a series. In Math they learned how to subtract vertically and horizontally and took another fact quiz. They also did a fun Halloween art project: tissue paper jack-o-lanterns.
First grade homework is no joke! Riley struggled with it at first, but he does pretty well with it now. They have a spelling packet and a grammar packet to complete almost every week. They usually do grammar in class but spelling is homework Monday through Wednesday most weeks. They also usually have homework in their math workbooks every night, as well as their ELA practice book. And they take a religion test and a math facts quiz just about every Friday, so we review those things all week as well.
They have had a few Black and Gold days and a SCR spirit day. They boys love wearing jerseys and t-shirts to school instead of their uniform shirts!
We got Riley’s first quarter report card a couple of weeks ago. He ended up with six A+’s and five A’s. We are so very proud of the work he is doing, even if he doesn’t love doing it. He’s making really great progress, and I think he’s going to have a really great year with Mrs. Smith. We actually meet with her today for our first parent-teacher conference, and I’m interested to see what she says about our Riley-bean.
Hope everyone had a fun and spooky Halloween!
1 comments:
So much work! I can't wait to hear what his teacher has to say about Rileybean.
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