10/9-10/13 First Grade Newsletter

Dear First Grade Families,

I hope everyone is well. Here is all the information that you and your child will need for this week, 10/9/-10/13. I want to keep you informed about the exciting things happening in our first-grade class. Please take a moment to read through this week’s updates to avoid questions that are clearly stated on all emails/ reminders. I would greatly appreciate it!

Homework
If you missed my email last week, you can check out my school blog and click on the links related to the homework. http://www.stanthonygardena.org/first-grade/

Please make sure to follow the daily assignment on our weekly homework list that will be sent on Monday. Kindly sign the homework list and your child’s behavior chart daily

• Math- Please see weekly homework list (Please don’t do advanced pages)
• Word Study- 4 Word Study decodable on Seesaw (listen, read, record & highlight words with DOUBLE CONSONANTS AND -CK
• 4 Sight words notebook activities- Week 6 (Students must use their September menu, and choose DIFFERENT activities every day)

Week 5

1. what
2. all
3. were
4. we
5. when
6. your

 TESTS
Students will be tested weekly on Word Study/Phonics & Fluency/Sight Words every Friday. Parents can help their child by reviewing the topics we learned for that week.

• Word Study- Words with double consonants and -ck
• Sight Words- Week 6
• Vocabulary- Lesson 6 (words and definition will be sent home)
• Comprehension- Jack and the wolf (copy of story will be sent home)

Math Doubles Fact Practice for Success in Future Lessons

I wanted to recommend practicing doubles facts within 10 with your child at home. This fundamental skill will greatly assist them in our upcoming lessons, and I’m excited to share a fun resource for you to use at home.

Doubles facts, such as 1+1, 2+2, 3+3, and so on, are foundational math facts that provide a strong base for more advanced mathematical concepts. When children have a solid grasp of these doubles facts, it becomes easier for them to solve more complex addition and subtraction problems, as well as gain confidence in their mathematical abilities.

In class, I’ve been using a catchy “Doubles Rap Song” to make learning these facts engaging and enjoyable for our students. I encourage you to practice this song at home with your child. It’s not only an effective learning tool but also a lot of fun! Singing and repeating the doubles facts can help reinforce their memory and build fluency.

Please click the link for a copy of our doubles rap song: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RoVJS0ZgTS9hixU2WzXohz02gdkORboE/view?usp=sharing

Please take some time to practice these doubles facts regularly with your child. You can incorporate them into daily routines, like during meal preparation, car rides, or before bedtime. The more they practice, the more confident they’ll become in their math skills.

Parking and Safety Reminders

As we continue to strive for a smooth and efficient drop-off and pick-up process for our kindergarten and 1st-grade students, we wanted to share some important parking information with you. Please see the attached map: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RX4fQAfD_7Wtv_s_irl0hWRUpEfGpMfb/view?usp=sharing

In addition to providing this map, we want to remind all parents and caregivers to be mindful of where you park when dropping off or picking up your child. To maintain safety and ensure the flow of traffic, please avoid parking in the following areas:

1. Pedestrian Lanes: Parking in pedestrian lanes hinders the safe movement of students and can create congestion.
2. Red Lanes: Red lanes are designated for specific purposes and should not be used for parking. They are crucial for the smooth flow of traffic.
3. The Alley Beside the School: Please refrain from parking in the alley beside the school as it can create traffic bottlenecks and safety hazards.

We kindly request that you not only adhere to these parking guidelines but also share this information with any additional family members or caregivers who may occasionally pick up or drop off your child. By doing so, we can collectively ensure the safety of our students and the efficiency of our drop-off and pick-up routines.

Saint Plate Project & Report DUE on Oct 30th
Instructions, template and report sheet was sent home Friday, Sept. 29th (1 month of prep for project.
Each student received the following materials:

1. Ziploc
2. Report instructions & rubric
3. Report sheet
4. Saint stencil
5. Paper plate

Please read the instructions below.

1. With the help of a parent, student will research about their assigned Saint (catholic.org, usccb.org)
2. Complete the attached report sheet. (Paper plate & Ziploc will also be provided)
3. Include a photo or drawing on report sheet.
4. Cut out the report and glue them onto one side of the plate provided.
5. Using the stencil, create your Saint and glue it on the other side of the plate.
6. Students will bring their project to school and submit on Oct. 30^th  

* Please involve your child in making their own projects. *

Attached below are some example projects from the previous class.
Please use these as a reference, the reporting will be done in the classroom not on Seesaw.

Sample 1
Sample 2
Sample 3
Sample 4
Sample 5
Sample 6

Dress-Up
On November 1st, Students may come to school dressed up as ANY Saint.
Saint costumes do not need to be elaborate! Students will process in Mass with the school in their costumes. Costumes should go over your child’s school uniform, as we will be changing after Mass. This will be part of their Religion participation grade. 

Halloween costumes
To ensure that all costumes follow our School’s Halloween costume guidelines, I would like to ask everyone what costume their child is planning to wear on October 31. Please be sure costumes meet all these guidelines. They must be appropriate and pre-approved, or a student may be sent home to change. Please let me know what your child is wearing by clicking this link: 
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M3VW8FcFhJgLGnXCwFAaZsPXOgvg4cg23ODmT40fWSw/edit?usp=sharing

• Costumes should be child-friendly. No inflatables, no gory or scary clowns, no devils, or scary costumes
• Costumes Should Not:
  • Be obstructive, offensive, inappropriate for a Catholic school (skimpy or revealing), gory, evil, or violent
  • Drag on the ground
  • Contain sharp objects, pointed objects, or materials that may accidentally strike another person.
  • Contain any weapons that resemble or could be mistaken for an actual weapon.
  • Encourage cross-dressing. Boys dress up like boys, and girls dress up like girls

UPCOMING EVENTS
School calendar can be found (clicking here)

• October 13 – Fall Candy Sale Ends
• October 25- K-5 Sound of Music Field Trip 8:30 am-1:30 pm
• October 27 – All monies due for Fall Candy Sale
• October 31 – Halloween Trunk or Treat (NOON DISMISSAL), Daycare till 3pm ONLY, 8th grade fundraiser at 11am (pizza sale), Daycare only from 12-3pm today (follow all Halloween dress up guidelines. Jr high to wear Formal Mass uniforms to daily Mass, then change into costumes)
• November 1 – All Saints’ Day: 8am All School Mass and Dress up, K-8  procession before 8am Mass (in saints’ costumes)
• November 2 – All Souls’ Day: 8am All School Mass
• November 9 – Fall Chocolate Sale: Magic Show for qualifying families, lunch and show provided in Hall
• November 10 – All School Ice Skating Annual Event (Sports PLC fundraiser) Toyota Center

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns. I will try my best to respond as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continued support in your child’s education. I look forward to another wonderful week of learning and growth.

Thank you & God Bless!

Warmly, 
Ms. Martinez