1st Grade T/Th- Week 17- December 10-13 (and January 13)

 
1st Grade Week 17Tue, Dec 10Wed, Dec 11Thu, Dec 12Fri, Dec 13Mon, Jan 13Co-Teacher Notes
VirtueTemperance- "I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified." -1 Cor. 9:27
BibleThe Advent BookChoose a lesson or activity from Kids of Integrity- Christmas or another advent family activityThe Advent Book
MathReview 6/7Look over Review 6/7 and work with your child on any concepts they missed;

MM 24 (first 10 problems)
Missing Toys Christmas ChallengeChristmas Break Activity Packet- optional, but encouraged!Use flashcards, games, MM 24 and whatever other resources are available to keep your child's math brain in working order over the next month. The website math-drills.com is a great resource for almost any math concept review
SpellingLesson 17:

Review Sound Cards;

Review EE and Vowel Team Syllables;

Dictate last three sentences on pg 151 in spelling journal
Review/correct dictation from Tuesday;

Review a selection of Sound, Rule, and Word Cards from your card box; student read Word Bank for the EE, pg 99 in activity book

Use Brush Her Teeth activity (see Teacher's Manual pg 150) to review EE and Vowel Team Syllables
Lesson 17 written assessmentCheck assessment from Thursday and add missed Word Cards to Review tab of card box; file Word Cards that your student has mastered in Mastered tab
GrammarChristmas Noun/Verb sortAsk your child to orally list several nouns, verbs, and pronouns for review.
Christmas Party & Book Exchange
WritingScripture Copywork: Luke 2:11 (Quarter 2 handwriting assessment)Copybook pg 55- Copying (step 4); Write neatly and accurately. Proof/correct and Illustrate (Steps 5 and 6)Encourage your student to write anything over the break - copy Scripture verses, Christmas carols, etc. Just don't let those little muscles weaken!
Reading"Humphrey's First Christmas"- Read and respondRe-read story in OPG L112 (pg 193) and do the Follow-Up activity"The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy"- Read and respondIt is so important that your child avoid the all-too-common Christmas Break regression! Continue to read, read, read over this long break: read alouds above the student's level (20 min/day) and decodable readers that allow them to practice the skills they've learned (Flyleaf books, OPG stories, etc). Your child has gained so much this semester! Protect that investment and prevent them from becoming discouraged when January comes. Use the Christmas Break Activity Packet as motivation to log books/pages read!
Read AloudQuest for the Lost Prince, pg 119-126Quest for the Lost Prince, pg 127-134Quest for the Lost Prince, pg 135-140Quest for the Lost Prince, pg 141-144 (optional)
HistorySotW Ch. 20: Greece Gets an Alphabet, pg 157-159 and The First Olympic Games, pg 166-168; Discussion questions below;

(The Stories of Homer from Ch 20 will be covered in Week 20)

Journal sentence: The Greeks held the first Olympic Games to celebrate peace.
..
ScienceEnjoy viewing this Gallery of Festive Insects!

Journal: draw your own version of a Christmas insect
Christmas challenge: build a gingerbread house with magnatilesMake sure you have G&B/MB (Marine Biology) text ready for next semester
GeographyWest Africa Song - Due 1/30West Africa has 16 countries! Start practicing now!
Memory WorkSCRIPTURE: Philippians 3:7-21 KJV (ongoing)
Books of the Old Testament, Genesis - Job, due 3/13
MATH: Fact flash cards (ongoing)
QUARTER 3 POEM: "A Child's Prayer," due 3/11
GEOGRAPHY: West Africa, due 1/30
December 13, 2024- January 13, 2025 Christmas Break
*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
HIG- Singapore Math Home Instructor's Guide (click to print addition or subtraction cards)
TB- Singapore Math Textbook
WB- Singapore Math Workbook
EP- Singapore Math Extra Practice
MM- Mental Math (see appendix in HIG)
AAS- All About Spelling teacher manual (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
G&B/MB- The Good and The Beautiful, Marine Biology 



Coming Soon:

Tuesday, December 10- Uniform-free Day Fundraiser- pay $5 to support the Costa Rica mission trip and wear clothing other than uniform (must still follow dress code guidelines for shorts/skirt lengths)

Thursday, December 12 - First grade Christmas party and classical book exchange! Our book exchange is the highlight of the Christmas party! Please send your student with a book that is 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

Thursday, December 12- Christmas spirit day- Christmas sweaters/outfits allowed

December 13- January 13, Christmas Break (electives do meet on December 13)

Tuesday, January 14- School resumes



Dear holly jolly parents,
Wow, it's already the end of the first semester!  That second quarter really flew by for me. This year has been so full of fun with your sweet kids. It's a good thing this is such a busy time of year because I'm really going to miss my students over the break! I pray you have a peaceful, restful, joyful time strengthening family bonds with your precious, growing-up-way-too-fast little blessings!  
~Mrs. Kuhn

Math: 
We will begin using all three 1B books next semester. However, I do not recommend taking a complete hiatus from math until then. I highly recommend practicing over the break! It can be discouraging to realize in January that there's been regression. This week I'll send home a fun packet of math activities that you can challenge your child to complete over the break (recommended, but not required)!

Reading:
It is so important that your child continue to read over this long break. They have gained so much this semester- protect that investment! I suggest going back through prior OPG lessons and having your child read those stories, giving special attention to areas of weakness. A reading log and some short-response questions are included in the Christmas Break Activity Pack I'm sending home (again, not required, but recommended).

Required books for next semester include:
- "Baby Island" by Carol Ryrie Brink
- "Aesop’s Fables for Children" by Milo Winter
- "The Adventures of Jimmy Skunk" (Dover Children's Thrift Classics) by Thorton Burgess
You should have purchased these at the beginning of the year, but now is a good time to make sure they're accessible.  

Spelling:
We will finish Lesson 17 this week. Over the break, continue practicing phonogram cards, sound cards, word cards, and rule cards. Also try to have your student read each word bank at least once!



Composition:
Custom Handwriting Practice Sheets  are a great way to hold on through the break to all your child has accomplished this semester.  Keep it light and fun!

Science: 
Enjoy viewing this gallery of insects that are naturally decked out for Christmas! 

Journal: draw your own version of a Christmas insect

Make sure you have G&B/MB (Marine Biology) text ready for next semester.

History: 
We will be covering "The Stories of Homer" section of Ch. 20 in Week 20, so you can skip those pages for the time being. 

SotW Ch. 20 Discussion questions: In what ways did the barbarians change when they became more civilized? Why do we know more about the early Greeks than we do about the barbarians? If you developed your own alphabet, what symbols would it have? How did the Olympic Games get their name? What were some of the events in the pentathlon? How were the early Olympics similar to and different from the current Olympics? 

Journal sentence: The Greeks held the first Olympic Games to celebrate peace.

Geography:
West Africa Due 1/30- There are 16 countries on this map! Practice, practice!

Memory Work: 
Quarter 3 poem:  A Child's Prayer  will be due 3/11. Your help at home with memorization is a blessing!

Books of the Old Testament:  Here is a link to the song we practice in class. The Old Testament is 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).  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. Due 3/13.

1st Grade T/Th- Week 16- December 3-9

 
1st Grade
Week 16
Tue, Dec 3Wed, Dec 4Thu, Dec 5Fri, Dec 6Mon, Dec 9Co-Teacher Notes
VirtueTemperance- "I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified." -1 Cor. 9:27
BibleThe Advent BookChoose a lesson or activity from Kids of Integrity- Christmas or another advent family activityThe Advent BookChoose a lesson or activity from Kids of Integrity- Christmas or another advent family activityChoose a lesson or activity from Kids of Integrity- Christmas or another advent family activity
MathHIG pg 90-92; TB pg 84-86; WB Ex 59 pg 145-146Parent read HIG pg 90-91 & 93; HIG pg 94; TB pg 87-88; WB Ex 60-61 pg 147-150; MM 22 (first 10 problems)Semester Review

MM 22 (last 10 problems)
Merry Measurement (sent home in student's folder): Measure the objects with either of the candy cane rulers included and record measurements on provided sheet; Try measuring more objects around the house too!

MM 23 (first 10 problems)
Continue to work with your child on any concepts they need to review from this semester;

MM 23 (last 10 problems)
SpellingLesson 16:

Review Sound Cards;

Review Plural Silent E Words;

Dictate second three sentences on pg 141
Lesson 16:

Review/correct dictation from Tuesday;

Review a selection of Sound, Rule, and Word Cards from your card box;

Student read Word Bank for Name Game Syllables Part 1, pg 51 in activity book

Use The Multiplying Machine activity (see Teacher's Manual pg 140) to review Plural Silent E Words
Lesson 16 written assessmentLesson 17, EE and Vowel Team Syllables:

Parent read pg 143-144;

Review a selection of Sound, Rule, and Word Cards from your card box;

Student read Word Bank for Sound of Long U, pg 79 in activity book;

Use letter tiles for New Teaching, pg 145-148
Lesson 17:

Review a selection of Sound, Rule, and Word Cards from your card box;

Student read Word Bank for EE, pg 99 in activity book;

Student use tiles to spell several words you select from "Practice More Words" section, pg 150;

Dictate Word Cards 116-124 in spelling journal;

Teach "been," pg 149; dictate Word Card 125 in spelling journal;

Dictate first three sentences on pg 151 in spelling journal
Check assessment from Thursday and add missed Word Cards to Review tab of card box; file Word Cards that your student has mastered in Mastered tab
GrammarFLL Lesson 51: Story narration, pg 79-80FLL Lesson 52: Introducing verbs, pg 81FLL Lesson 53: Action verbs, pg 82-83FLL Lesson 54: Telephone numbers, pg 84-85
WritingScripture or poetry copyworkCopybook pg 53- Copying (step 4); Write neatly and accurately.Scripture or poetry copyworkCopybook pg 53- Proof/Correct and Illustrate (steps 5 and 6)
ReadingReview all phonograms;

SF Week 15, Day 1, pg 54-57;

Introduce the vowel pair EW as /o͞o/ (OPG L110)
Review all phonograms;

SF Week 15, Day 2, pg 58-60 (reference pg 55 for instructions on Manipulating Syllables activity);

OPG L110: The vowel pair EW as /o͞o/, pg 191; Dictation: drew, chew, screw

Read
SPIRE decodable book "The Long Hike"
Review all phonograms;

SF Week 15, Day 3, pg 61-63;

Introduce the vowel pair UI as /o͞o/ (OPG L111)
Review all phonograms (add UI);

SF Week 15, Day 4, pg 64-66;

OPG L111: The vowel pair UI as /o͞o/, pg 192; Dictation: suit, fruit
Review all phonograms;

SF Week 15, Day 5, pg 67-69;

OPG L112: Review of Words with the /o͞o/ sound, pg 193
All sight words that should be learned and reviewed thus far: the, I, a, of, have, give, to, two, too, was, said, do, who, friend, eye, buy, shoe
Read AloudQuest for the Lost Prince, pg 87-94Quest for the Lost Prince, pg 95-102Quest for the Lost Prince, pg 103-110Quest for the Lost Prince, pg 111-118
HistorySotW Ch. 18: Read aloud "The Monster in the Maze"SotW Ch. 19: The Early Greeks, pg 153-156; Discussion questions below;

Journal sentence: The Mycenaeans were the first to use horses and chariots in war.
ScienceG&B/A Lesson 9: Crustaceans- Crayfish Mini Book and Parts of a Crayfish, pg 43-44 (skip Lesson 10 Preparation)

In Journal, student writes the heading "Parts of a Crayfish" and glues assembled pieces of puzzle to the page (unassembled pieces were sent home in your child's folder yesterday)
Read Aloud: "Small Wonders: Jean-Henri Fabre & His World of Insects"
GeographyWest Africa - Due 1/30
Memory WorkSCRIPTURE: Philippians 3:7-21 KJV (ongoing);
New Testament books in order- Due 12/5
MATH: Fact flash cards (ongoing)
QUARTER 3 POEM: "A Child's Prayer," due 3/11
GEOGRAPHY: West Africa, due 1/30
*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
HIG- Singapore Math Home Instructor's Guide (click to print addition or subtraction cards)
TB- Singapore Math Textbook
WB- Singapore Math Workbook
EP- Singapore Math Extra Practice
MM- Mental Math (see appendix in HIG)
AAS- All About Spelling teacher manual (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
G&B/MB- The Good and The Beautiful, Marine Biology 



Coming Soon:
Tuesday, December 10- Uniform-free Day Fundraiser- pay $5 to support the Costa Rica mission trip and wear clothing other than uniform (must still follow dress code guidelines for shorts/skirt lengths)

Thursday, December 12- First grade Christmas party and classical book exchange! Our book exchange is the highlight of the Christmas party! Please send your student with a book that is 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

Thursday, December 12- Christmas spirit day- Christmas sweaters/outfits allowed

December 13- January 13, Christmas Break (electives do meet on December 13)

Tuesday, January 14- School resumes


** Dear Parents **
I hope you enjoyed a 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. (Please do not have your student practice Review 6 or 7 ahead of time.)

We will begin using all three Singapore 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, Happy Numbers and whatever other resources are available 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 is "The Long Hike."  Most words are decodable, but you may need to give your child a couple of sounds we haven't taught yet in words like want and some. Remember to encourage smooth, natural reading with proper pauses and expression.

Looking ahead, required books for next semester include:
- "Baby Island" by Carol Ryrie Brink
- "Aesop’s Fables for Children" by Milo Winter
- "The Adventures of Jimmy Skunk" (Dover Children's Thrift Classics) by Thorton Burgess
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 continues 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:
Thus far, the only way we have taught students to spell a long vowel sound is with silent E, but with Lesson 17, we will begin teaching them to use vowel teams as well. Of course they have been learning to read vowel teams in OPG already, but now they will be recognizing them as a new syllable type and spelling them. 
This usually brings up the question, "How can I teach my student when to use silent E versus when to use EE (or another vowel team for other long vowel sounds)?" Sometimes there are guidelines we can teach them, like the fact that silent E is not often used to spell /ē/ but the vowel team EE is commonly used. Unfortunately, a lot of times there is no guideline and it comes down to familiarity with the words. Familiarity comes by practice with both decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling) the words. Your AAS student manual has a Word Bank for EE on pg 99. Use this list to build that familiarity. Make sure your student reads and spells lots of these words not just once, but several times to internalize which words use this spelling pattern. 

A note about the word been: been is the first rule-breaker we will encounter in AAS. You should teach it with the same procedure we've been using to introduce the other rule-breakers we've taught in reading. 


Science:
Enjoy the incredible photographs within the Crayfish mini book included in this lesson! There is no journal sentence this week. Instead, the students will write the heading, "Parts of a Crayfish" at the top of a journal page and then glue the crayfish puzzle pieces into place on that page. 

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 1/30- There are 16 countries on this map! Practice, practice!

Memory Work: 
Books of the Bible: On Dec. 5, 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.

Quarter 3 poem, "A Child's Prayer" will be due 3/11/24.