Welcome to the start of another wonderful school year. First grade is a BIG step! The students are settling nicely and are working very hard. They have made the transition from Kindergarten to First Grade without skipping a beat! I am looking forward to a fun and productive year.
This year in Religion, the children will develop a deeper understanding of their faith, as well as a sense of community. They will realize they are special and unique creations of God as well as being introduced to Jesus' life from birth to the Resurrection.
In first grade, students are exposed to a wide variety of literature either through read alouds, reading groups or independently. Many students have asked if they could go to our reading corner already. It is so great to see them so eager to read. They have also put two books of their choice into their very own "book box". As the year goes on, I will also add books to them that are at each of their individual reading levels. Journals are used to write responses, predict outcomes and rewrite endings for stories. Our class word wall introduces and reviews vocabulary. I can't wait to start adding to it and watch it grow. Weekly spelling tests are also a new and exciting part of first grade.
In Math, manipulatives are used whenever possible to introduce new concepts and to help bridge the gap from the concrete to the abstract. These include, ten frames, place value blocks, linking cubes, chips, coins, rulers, graphs, clocks and calendars. This year the students will work on time, money, geometry (always a favorite), graphing, place value, basic addition and subtraction facts, fractions and measurement. Our science units will relate to weather and seasons, animals and plants, and magnets. A hands-on approach to science will be integrated whenever possible. In Phonics, we will begin with initial and final consonant sounds, rhyming words and short and long vowels. In Handwriting, students will develop proper writing position, spacing of words on paper and basic strokes utilizing the Zaner-Bloser method. English will introduce the students to nouns and verbs, punctuation and letter writing.
What a busy year we have ahead of us! I can't wait to watch my students grow both academically and spiritually. Let's work together this year to achieve the best educational experience for your child. Thank you so much for the blessings of your children.
Mrs. Mastrogiovanni
