* Note- anything underlined in the table above or highlighted below is a link *
Key to Abbreviations:
GP- The Gospel Project- Home Edition
HIG- Singapore Math Home Instructor's Guide
TB- Singapore Math Textbook
WB- Singapore Math Workbook
MM- Mental Math (see appendix in HIG)
CCC- Complete, check, correct
AAS- All About Spelling
FLL- First Language Lessons
SF- Sounds First Phonemic Awareness Program (click here and scroll down to Grade 1)
OPG- The Ordinary Parents' Guide to Teaching Reading
SotW- Story of the World
G&B/A- The Good and The Beautiful, Arthropods
G&B/MB- The Good and The Beautiful, Marine Biology
COMING SOON...
Wednesday, December 9- First grade Christmas party and classical book exchange! Books should be wrapped, but not tagged "to" anyone. Books from any of these lists would be appropriate: Kindergarten read-alouds , First grade read-alouds , Second grade read-alouds
Sunday, December 12- Falcon Moms Christmas Wrapping Party @ Kristi Martin's Home, 3:00-7:00pm
Monday, December 13 - Friday, January 7- Christmas Break (No School)
** Dear Parents **
I hope you enjoyed your taste of the upcoming long break and are rejuvenated enough to finish out these two weeks strong! I know we've begun a very busy time of year, but you can do it!
Begin thinking now about how to avoid the very real problem of regression over the long Christmas break. Though you will not be teaching anything new at home over the break, I encourage you to still expect your student to keep what you have taught in working order. Their skills represent your time, and you want that investment protected so we can pick up where we left off come January! Consider a daily chart for your child along the lines of:
1. Compute Something
2. Write Something
3. Read Something
4. Play!
~ Mrs. Kuhn
Bible:
We're taking a short break from The Gospel Project until after Christmas. In the meantime, I hope you have some special gospel-centered Christmas traditions to enjoy in your home. I will be sharing The Advent Book with the students, which is something I've done every Christmas with my own personal children since they were infants. If you need ideas for your family, I've provided links to Kids of Integrity Christmas lessons in the home day assignments for Bible. Feel free to use these or to skip them if you have your own Christmas devotional plans.
Math:
We will finish off our units on measurement this week, and end the first semester next week with a cumulative test over all concepts taught thus far. Results will be reflected on upcoming report cards.
We will begin using all three Singapor Math 1B books (HIG, Textbook, Workbook) next semester. However, I do not recommend taking a complete hiatus from math until then. I highly recommend using flashcards, Mental Math, and whatever resources are convenient to keep your student's math brain in working order over the next month. It can be discouraging to realize in January that there's been regression.
Reading:
This week's decodable book from Flyleaf publishing is "We Can Get Fit." All words should be easily decodable except "are,", and you may need to provide guidance that the "a" in "squat" is making the third sound of "a."
Looking ahead, required books for next semester include:
- "The Adventures of Jimmy Skunk" (Dover Children's Thrift Classics) by Thorton Burgess
- "Cleopatra" by Diane Stanley
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You should have purchased these at the beginning of the year, but now is a good time to make sure they're accessible.
Again, it is so important that your child continue to read over the upcoming long break. They have gained so much this semester! Protect that investment!
Composition:
Custom Handwriting Practice Sheets are a great way to hold on through the break to all your student has accomplished this semester. Keep it light and fun!
Spelling:
The schedule for spelling will look a little different this week, as we start Step 12 on Tuesday. This means the test will end up being given at home NEXT Monday (12/6). Please give your student the test and then send me a photograph of the completed test at akuhn@fortisacademy.net .
The schedule for spelling will look a little different this week, as we start Step 12 on Tuesday. This means the test will end up being given at home NEXT Monday (12/6). Please give your student the test and then send me a photograph of the completed test at akuhn@fortisacademy.net .
Science:
This week at home, you'll be discussing spiders- eek! These small yet wise creatures toil day by day and inch by inch spinning their webs. How does a spider's patient work bring it closer to its goal? Discuss this with your student and see how they can apply it to their life, education, and faith!
We will begin using The Good and the Beautiful- Marine Biology text next semester when we return from the break, so be sure you have your copy handy.
History:
SotW Ch. 19 Discussion questions: Why were the Myceneans called the first great Greek civilization? What made them such great fighters? How were the barbarians different from the Greeks? Why is the time of the Dorians and the Sea People called the Greek Dark Ages?
Journal sentence: The Mycenaeans were the first to use horses and chariots in war.
Geography:
West Africa Due 1/27- There are 16 countries on this map! Practice, practice!
Memory Work:
Quarter 2 poem: Count Your Blessings will be assessed this week.
Books of the Bible: On December 2nd, I will assess the New Testament books, then it's on to the Old Testament! It's quite a bit longer than the New Testament, so we'll take the rest of the school year to master it (Quarter 3 Genesis - Job, Quarter 4 Psalms - Malachi). Here is a link to the song we practice in class. Again, if you or your child are already familiar with a different song, I'll assess that no problem, as long as the books are said in order.
