2nd Week of Advent!!

This is such a busy time of year, with so many distractions!! Yes, Christmas time!! A time where children are thinking of the gifts they want!  In the classroom my concentration is on the gifts WE can give to Jesus!  I'm sure you've heard of our classroom visitors?? The kindness buddies have partnered with the Christmas Angel to encourage a spirit of giving rather than receiving!  Talk to your child about some of the exciting things they have been doing as kindness gifts for Jesus :).  Each day they have been leaving them a kindness note, giving them a kind deed to do for others.  Some deeds will be things for them to do at home :) please give them the opportunity to help out :) This has had a very positive impact on their overall behavior- it is FANTASTIC!!! I'm so proud of their willingness and excitement to do for others!!!

This week I will start giving sentence dictation as part of the spelling test.  Instead of giving challenge words, I will be giving them two sentences.  The sentences will be given with words they have had or, words they should know. Also, in order to get the sentence correct, they will need to write a proper sentence with a capital letter in the beginning and the correct punctuation at the end.  We have been doing lots of writing practice, and they know how to write a sentence.  We will practice this before the test, but you will need to do this at home too :) 

Their reader will go home twice during the next two weeks for practice.  The stories are getting a little more difficult, and they need to practice!! Starting in January, they will have a reader or book go home each night, along with any other homework that is assigned. This begins the transition to 2nd grade!! 

YOUR CHILD SHOULD BE READING EACH NIGHT, AND DOING MATH FACTS PRACTICE EACH DAY ALREADY :) !!

Our December birthday party will be next Thursday, December 18th at 1:30. I will post a note for parents to sign up to bring in goodies etc for that day :). If your child's birthday is this month , please sign up!! The children feel so special when they get to provide something for their class. If you'd like to help that afternoon, it's always appreciated too :)

This Thursday December 11 at 8 am , the first graders will be doing their advent presentation for morning prayer:) come join us !

********** I'm posting the vocabulary and spelling words for the next two weeks, because I know how busy this time if year is.  Thought you could get a head start!

Vocabulary for week 12/8:

return

should

old

pair

clothes

cook

knight

small

bring

Spelling for week 12/8:

for

have

they

help

she'd

pet

sled

jet

test

net

Vocabulary for week 12/15:

try

hard

rest

play

sing

please

thank

word

first

second

third

Spelling for week 12/15

twigs

went

of

bend

fresh

still

dish

planted

going

spelling( this they should know :) )

Our Christmas party will be next Friday, December 19th. I would like to start at 11. More info to come. This party will include lunch & goodies.