The classroom is decorated for Christmas, we are learning about Advent and the first Christmas in religion class, and we are starting some Advent service projects this week. Christmas is a joyous time in first grade! In other subjects, we are learning fact families, digraphs and final stable syllables, and our spelling list this week is made up of words with "th" digraphs. Below are some pictures of the students in computer class, in indoor recess, enjoying Friday Morning Videos, and decorating for Christmas. 
Upcoming Dates:
Dec. 14:  Wear Christmas attire to film Christmas show
Dec. 16:  School Mass for K - 2
Dec. 18:  $1 MegaShambuck Dress down day 
Dec. 23:  Christmas party; Red & green dress down day; Early dismissal 11:45
Dec. 24 - Jan. 3:  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Please remember this page is in blog format, so you can scroll down to see old posts.  

The first graders and I would like to thank everyone who donated to the Adopt-a-Classroom fund for first grade. We got several boxes full of goodies from Amazon, including a new art easel for the classroom. It is so important in first grade for me to teach using many different strategies to reach everyone and to help everyone have a deeper understanding of things, so all of these things that make it possible for us to learn in different ways are so important! Following the thankful theme, we have done lots of things this past week in celebration of Thanksgiving, including writing thank you letters to our parents and making lists of things we're thankful for and then putting those things in alphabetical order. 
Nov. 24:  Early dismissal at 11:45
Nov. 25-30:  No school; Happy Thanksgiving!
Dec. 2:  Report card distribution; Secret Santa shopping 
Dec. 4:  Free MegaShambuck dress down day
Dec. 16:  School Mass for K - 2
Dec. 18:  $1 MegaShambuck Dress down day 
Dec. 23:  Classroom Christmas party; Red and green dress down day; Early dismissal 11:45
Dec. 24 - Jan. 3:  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Please remember this page is in blog format, so you can scroll down to see old posts. 

We're having a lot of fun learning in first grade! We're studying the solar system in science, the election and government in social studies, digraphs in phonics, and the difference between fantasy and realistic fiction in language arts. In religion, we're studying different ways to pray to God and we're currently focusing on our Lord's Prayer. We're working on fact families and counting on in math and we're learning many songs that help us remember our lessons, including a doubles rap. On Veteran's Day, we made cards for veterans and we worked on adjectives to describe our veterans. Here are some upcoming important dates:
Nov. 16:  #iGiveCatholic fundraiser begins
Nov. 18:  School Mass for kindergarten, first, and second grades
Nov. 19:  End of 1st trimester
Nov. 20:  MegaShambucks dress down day $1
Nov. 23:  MegaShambucks party; dress down or dress up like your favorite historical figure
Nov. 24:  Early dismissal at 11:45
Nov. 25-30:  No school; Happy Thanksgiving!
Dec. 2:  Report card distribution
Dec. 2:  Secret Santa shopping 

We had lots of fun today with pumpkins! We did experiments, dissected a pumpkin, learned about the life cycle of a pumpkin, and we even made a jack-a-lantern. Her name is Olivia. Here are some upcoming important dates: 
Friday, Oct. 16th:  Parent-Teacher Conferences: NO SCHOOL for Grades K - 5
Wednesday, Oct. 21st:  School Mass for K - 2
Friday, Oct. 24th:  Fall Fest; Prior registration required
Friday, Oct. 30th:  First Grade Halloween party; dress down in orange and black
Monday, Nov. 2nd: Winter Uniform Begins
Saturday, Nov. 7th: Food Truck Fund Raiser 11:00 to 6:00
Thursday, Nov. 19th: End of First Trimester
Friday, Nov. 20th: Dress Down Day for $1
Tuesday, Nov. 24th: Early Dismissal
Nov. 25th - 30th: Thanksgiving Break

See the post below this one for our Columbus Day project.

We discuss the calendar each morning in first grade. As part of the discussion, we talk about the seasons and the holidays. This month, we have discussed Columbus Day and Halloween, and of course, fall. We sing songs about the days of the week and the months of the year. We also dissect a new number each day. We break the number down into tens, fives, and ones. We use it in addition problems. We talk about if it's even or odd and why. We pretend to buy something at that price and the students need to create different combinations of coins to pay for it. Students of the Week also do show and tell, the weather report, and we read their parent letter during this time. I also read books relative to the season or holidays during morning meeting. Below are some pictures of our Columbus Day project. 

First grade does not look exactly like it has looked in the past, but we are making the most of it. The students are doing a great job with their masks and face shields! We take several mask breaks a day when outside and spaced 6 feet apart. In class, we are reviewing the alphabet and the sounds each letter makes and we are focusing on short and long vowels. In religion, we just started the story of creation and in math, we are working on addition. We're already writing sentences and reading daily. 

Dear Parents,
It is my pleasure to welcome you and your child to first grade at St. Joseph School!  My name is Stacey Biggins and this will be my ninth year teaching first grade at St. Joseph Catholic School. I could not be more excited to teach this wonderful upcoming first grade class! I also look forward to meeting all of you at first grade's Back to School Parent meeting  scheduled for August 19th, 2020 at 6:00 pm in my classroom. This meeting is for parents only.

As you prepare for first grade, please refer to our classroom’s supply list below. I have also included a list of supplies for art class that your child will need in addition to the supplies needed in the classroom. Please label your child’s supplies with a Sharpie marker or name labels.  It is very helpful to have every marker, crayon, glue stick, etc. labeled as students will manage their own supplies.  It is also helpful if you can send replacement supplies in from time to time, mostly new pencils.

When you send your child to school, please have the art supplies in the art tote already, so they do not get mixed up with the classroom supplies.

Classroom Supply List
1 box of crayons (no higher than 24 count)
5 sharpened pencils
1 large eraser
2 glue sticks
2 2-pocket folders
1 backpack or school bag
1 pencil case or box
1 dry erase marker
1 coloring book 
1 package of disinfectant wipes
1 box of tissues

Mrs. Fagnani’s Art Supply List    
1 Tote bag (approximately 12 x 16)
1 box of crayons (24 count)
1 art shirt (pull-over)
1 box of colored pencils
1 box of fat classic colored markers
4 glue sticks
4 pencils
1 eraser
1 box of tissues
1 package of baby wipes

Copy books and journals will be provided by the school. Should you have any questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions, please feel free to contact me at any time. You can reach me by calling the office at 717-632-0118 or emailing me at sbiggins@sjshanoverpa.org. May God bless you and keep you and your family safe for the remainder of the summer!

With anticipation for a very blessed school year which we will hopefully be doing in person,
 
Mrs. Stacey Biggins