* Note anything underlined in the table above or in the notes below is a clickable link for your convenience *
Key to Abbreviations:
GP- The Gospel Project- Home Edition
TB- Singapore Math Textbook
WB- Singapore Math Workbook
MM- Mental Math (see appendix in HIG)
CCC- Complete, check, correct
AAS- All About Spelling (click here to print any missing phonogram cards)
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 (click here to print OPG sight words)
SotW- Story of the World
G&B/A- The Good and The Beautiful, Arthropods
COMING SOON...
Thursday, March 30- Spirit/Pizza/DOGS day
Friday, April 7- No school (Easter)
Tuesday, April 11- No school (Easter)
Saturday, April 15- Fortis Lap-a-thon
Tuesday, April 18th- Austin Aquarium field trip (see below for information)
Saturday, April 22- Fortis Nerf Tournament
Dear Families,
Here we are, finishing the last week of March! The month of April has several special days, including our field trip and Easter, and then we will have our long-awaited Agora marketplace event at the end of the month. Trust me when I say these weeks will fly by! We still have important work to accomplish, so don't let the warmer weather and thoughts of summer entice you into the hare's mistake of stopping to rest too soon. Your labors are producing good fruit that will blossom in its time!
Math:
It's time to teach time! In 1st grade, we will introduce the concept of 5 minute increments corresponding to the large numbers on an analog clock. However, the students are only expected to master telling time on the hour and half hour. Students should also gain understanding of how long minutes vs hours are by estimating how long it takes to complete a task.
Pleast note a typo in your HIG at the top of pg 66. It refers to tasks 2-3 in the TB on pg 70-71, but those are actually on TB pg 64-65.
Flashcard Games for math facts (or phonograms!)
Reading:
We continue with more silent letters this week, including "Silent L," which can be tricky, depending on your particular regional pronounciation. In words like calm and palm, you may use more of an /l/ than you do in words like talk and chalk, but rarely do people pronounce the full /l/ in these words. Let me know if you have any difficulty with this lesson!
Please complete Phonogram Assessment #5 on Wednesday with your student. You may leave the assessment inside the page protector, as the students and I have a procedure for how we check them in class. The completed assessment is due Thursday, March 30.
Decodable words in "Good Friends" from the Early Reader's Bible (sight words in parenthesis): Good, the, king, saw, kill, he, that, (was), a, brave, boy, son, this, too, his, name, to, be, will, you, my, best, (friend), yes, I, (said), had, things, gave, bow, and, robe, show, am, thank
Decodable words in "A Wise King" from the Early Reader's Bible (sight words in parenthesis): A, wise, king, long, the, (said), (was), new, he, had, God, to, make, him, (one), day, (two), came, with, each, this, is, my, did, not, know, who, cut, in, some, (of), it, no, yes, then, knew, that, how, thank, you, for, me, do
Geography:
Southern Africa Map and Song will be due 4/13. Students should be able to point to each country as they sing/recite the names. This is the final remaining part of Africa that we have yet to memorize!
History:
This week we'll have the priviledge of hearing from a special guest about their travels and experiences in China! Here are some questions for discussion as you teach SotW Chapter 34: Why do you think Julius Caesar still wanted to sail across the Mediterranean Sea, even though he was warned about pirates? Predict what could have happened if the pirates never released Julius Caesar. What do you think Caesar meant when he said, "I would rather be the most important man here than second in command in Rome!"? Why was the Senate unhappy with Caesar? What choice would you make if you were Cincinnatus and the people wanted you to be king?
Journal sentence: Julius Caesar was popular with the Roman people, but was disliked by the Senate.
Reminder: This semester's at-home project will allow students to tap into their inner entrepreneur as they set up shop in a recreation of the central Greek gathering place and marketplace, the Agora. Students will create a product they wish to sell, a price point, and a sales pitch to entice their friends to visit their stall in the marketplace. Fortis students from other grades will be "window shopping" in our Agora before we buy and sell amongst our class (currency provided)! Project guidelines can also be found here. This project will be presented by the students on April 25th. They are encouraged to wear Greek attire/costume to school that day to lend authenticity to their project.
Science:
This week is Part 1 of our study of marine mammals, which will include seals, sea lions, walruses, sea otters, polar bears, and manatees. We will do the blubber protection activity on page 100 in class. It's a perfect hands-on way to appreciate God's special design for cold water mammals!
Journal sentence: God created marine mammals with special ways to survive in their environment.
Field Trip to Austin Aquarium!
**Click here to register and pay for the field trip**
Details:
Tuesday, April 18th, 2023
Depart Fortis 10:20am
Return to Fortis between 1:00-1:30pm
Cost: $6.95 students, $8.95 parent chaperones (siblings age 3 or older attending with a parent chaperone, $8.95)
Payment and registration due by April 11th
I will need parents to help transport students, so if you are able to drive, please let me know!
Also, indicate that you can be a driver on the permission slip form.
We will bring sack lunches to eat at the picnic area inside the aquarium after our tour.
Memory Work:
Quarter 4 poem: Rock of Ages will be due 5/2. In addition to the title, I would like the students to recite, "Written in 1763 by Reverend Toplady" before they begin reciting the poem. Here is a link to the song that we practice in class. This artist does substitute "commands" for "demands" in the 2nd stanza, so I will accept either of those words as correct.
Books of the Old Testament: Psalms - Malachi due 4/27. When we finish this section, we'll have memorized the order of all the books in the entire Bible! Here is a link to the song we practice in class. As always, 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.
