Hello Parents,

This is the 1st week of Advent. The liturgical colour is purple. Advent is a time for waiting. We are waiting for the birth of our saviour, Jesus!

We have some very exciting news to share. Today we received a gift from Santa! His name is Gary the Scout Elf. Gary will be joining our classroom until Christmas, making sure the students are staying on the nice list! I have a feeling you will be hearing A LOT about Gary in the next coming weeks!!! I will be making sure I tweet out Gary's antics every day. Last year he pulled a few fast ones on us. He is a clever little elf!

Please remember to have your child review their word wall words each night for 5-10 minutes. They are expected to know all these words by sight.

In Language, students learned to draw Olaf, add details to the picture, colour it and then describe him. They are getting better at using the descriptive writing checklist to ensure that they have met all the success criteria. We have a few more descriptive writing assignments left to do in order to get really good at it.

Last week, in Math, we practiced comparing numbers using anchors of 5 and 10 and using math terms such as “more” and “less”. Next week, we will be starting our unit on data management (ex. tallies, surveys, bar graphs, pictographs, interpreting data).

In Science, we are exploring our knowledge about Seasons and Seasonal Changes. This week, we will focus on the Spring season (clothing, animals, activities, celebrations, food, weather etc). Unfortunately, focussing on Spring won’t make it come any faster! Ask your child to retell the story “Alfie’s Long Winter”. This is Mrs. D'Ettorre's absolute favourite story!!!

Important Dates:

• Advent Mass - Tuesday, December 1st at 10:45am
• Library Exchange - Wednesday, December 2nd
• December Craft with Nanny Sue - Wednesday, December 9th 1:00-2:10pm

(We need some volunteers to help out with this awesome craft! Write a note in your child’s agenda if you can help out for an hour)

Have a wonderful week!

Tiffany Lawless

November 22-27

Hello Parents,

It was so nice to have a chance to meet most of you at our Parent-Teacher interviews. Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to come and talk about your child’s learning. Remember that your child will benefit from the partnership we have in their learning journey. Grade 1 is a HUGE year! The children learn so much - new word wall words, how to read (for most of them), how to write sentences, how to work collaboratively, be responsible for an agenda and homework only to name a few! It is the most wonderful thing to watch them grow as the year goes on!

Our students learned a lot about Digital Citizenship last week. They know how to be responsible and safe while using the internet. They do understand that they need to ask an adult before going on any computer or Ipad device that can access the internet. To ensure safety, it is advisable that you monitor your child while they are using internet sites. We taught them to type in “xxxx for kids” for Google searches.

Please remember to have your child review their word wall words each night for 5-10 minutes. They are expected to know all these words by sight.

In Language, students will continue to practice descriptive writing. They are responsible for using a descriptive writing checklist to ensure that they have met all the success criteria. The writer’s checklist is integrated in the descriptive writing checklist.

Last week, in Math, the students showed 1 and 2 more and 1 and 2 less using ten frames. They were also given a bunch of counters and asked to organize them in an efficient way to count (Ex. by 2’s 5’s and 10’s). It was interesting during our “Share Out” to hear all the different ways the groups came up with answers to the following inquiry math question: There were 12 legs in the barn. What animals could there be in the barn? Students had access to pictures of barn animals with the number of legs written on each animal. Then they went off to collaborate to figure out possible answers. Great teamwork and collaboration was visible throughout the groups! Last week, we also did a small lesson on odd and even numbers. This week, we will be focussing on showing numbers using anchors of 5 and anchors of 10. Example: 8 is 3 more than 5, 7 is 3 less than 10. In addition, each week, the students will work on an inquiry math problem.

In Science, we are exploring our knowledge about Seasons and Seasonal Changes. This week, we will focus on the Winter season (clothing, animals, activities, celebrations, food, weather etc).

Important Dates:

• St. Cecilia Feast Day Liturgy - Monday, November 23rd at 1:15pm
• Advent Mass - Tuesday, December 1st at 10:45am
• Homework calendars are due back by Friday, November 27th

The new poem will go out on Friday, December 4th. There will not be a poem going out on Friday, November 27th since that is when the homework calendar is due.

Have a wonderful week!!

Tiffany Lawless

November 16-19

Hello Parents,

Our Remembrance Day Ceremony was lovely! Our children were very respectful as we honoured all our fallen heroes and our veterans. Your child should be able to tell you several facts about Remembrance Day (e.g. Veteran, National War Memorial, Lieutenant Colonel John McCRae MD, In Flanders Fields, Poppies, Wreaths, Belgium)

This Thursday evening is parent-teacher interviews. I would like to meet with every family. If you haven’t already made an appointment, please do so by Wednesday. If I have already met with you over the last two weeks then you don’t need to come Thursday night. If you prefer to a phone interview please indicate that in your child’s agenda.

Please check your child’s agenda every night. Sometimes I write a note for you in the agenda and ask for a parent signature but it doesn’t get done. We take the time every day to write a message for you. Please take the time to read and initial it each night. Please remind your child to bring it to school every day. I remind them that it is their responsibility to pack their bag with their belongings. The agenda belongs to the child and not the parent. Responsibility is one of our many important learning skills.

On Friday we started the first of five lessons on Digital Citizenship. We heard and discussed the story of The Good Samaritan. Children will discuss and discover ways to be kind, respectful and show peace to others.

In Language, we are continuing our study of Descriptive Writing. Students are expected to refer to the Descriptive Writer’s checklist as they do their work.

In Math, we will continue using manipulatives to practice showing quantities using the terms: one more, two more, one less and two less.

In Science, we are exploring our knowledge about Seasons and Seasonal Changes. This week, we will focus on the Winter season (clothing, animals, activities, celebrations, food, weather etc).

Important Dates:

• November 16th-20th - Bully Awareness and Prevention Week
• Library book exchange - Wednesday, November 18th
• Thursday, November 19th - Parent-Teacher Interviews starting at 4:00pm
• Friday, November 20th - PD Day - No school
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Have a wonderful week!!

November 9-13

Hello Parents,

We had another fantastic week last week! The pyjama and stuffy day was enjoyed by all our friends! They worked hard and deserved it! Love the teamwork!

It was so neat to hear the children tell me that they notice so many word wall words while reading the levelled books in class during Independent Reading. I encourage you to have your child use Raz-Kids as much as you have time for it. A child last year started at level 2 in October and he read and improved weekly and by the end of the year that child read at a level 22! That child used Raz-Kids often throughout the year and all the hard work paid off! Remember that understanding the text is key. A child who can decode the words but doesn’t understand what has been read is not ready for that level of text. There is so much growth and change that goes on in Grade 1. Your child works hard at school. We learn a lot and have fun doing it! As you can imagine, it is challenging to be one teacher to 19+ children in one class. Some children need a little extra support. They are all at different levels in reading, writing and math and that is ok. Your child will be most successful if they work hard at school (We call it being “On The Job”) and have some extra support with their reading, writing and math at home, that only a parent can give them, one-on-one. The amount needed varies per child of course. I am looking forward to meeting with every family during interviews so we can talk about your child’s learning.

In Language, not that most children can write a simple sentence, we will introduce a Descriptive Writing Checklist during our descriptive writing work. Here is what it looks like:

Descriptive Writing Checklist:

• I have an opening sentence
• I have included 3 details
• I have a closing sentence

This is used along with the Writer’s Checklist which is now expected with all written work.

In Math, we talked about number sentences with addition and subtraction and how to write them using math symbols ( +  -  =  ). We will continue to explore numbers and do Inquiry Problems each week. Here is an example: Katrina has 12 apples. Some are red and some are green. How many of each apple might she have?

In Science, we are exploring our knowledge about Seasons and Seasonal Changes. This week, we will continue to focus on the Fall season (clothing, animals, activities, celebrations, food, weather etc). If time permits, we will do a leaf collage after reading the story “Leaf Man”.

Last week, our class did very well during our school lockdown. I had to remind just two students that there is NO talking aloud at all during this time. Please ask the how a lockdown works at our school when they are in the bathroom, hallway and in our classroom.

Note that interview night is Thursday, November 19th starting at 4:00pm. If you already know that this night doesn’t work for you, please write me a note in your child’s agenda.

Appointments are booked online.

Please sign and return Report Card envelopes by Tuesday. Thanks

Important Dates:

• Wednesday, November 11th - Remembrance Day Ceremony at 10:45am
• Wednesday, November 11th - Special Remembrance Day Craft Session with Nanny Sue
• Friday, November 13th - Gospel Value Assembly - Justice at 9:30am
• November 16th-20th - Bully Awareness and Prevention Week
• Thursday, November 19th - Parent-Teacher Interviews starting at 4:00pm
• Friday, November 20th - PD Day - No school

I hope you all have a great week!

November 2-5

Hello Parents,

We had a very exciting week! The Dance-a-Thon was a ton of fun! Our class brought in 130 food items for the We Scare Hunger Food Drive! For reaching our class goal of 100 cans, our class has earned a pyjama and bring your stuffy day on Friday, November 5th! Thank you very much for all your donations!

*If you still have Dance-a-thon pledge forms, please return them as soon as possible. Thank you for all your wonderful support with the food drive and pledge form money raised!

In Language, we continue to use adjectives to describe various things. We described a white ghost pumpkin, a pumpkin or cat last week. This week they will colour a dragon and then describe them using adjectives while writing telling sentences (Declarative Sentences). Telling sentences require a period at the end. The students are required to use a writer’s checklist to check for their written work. Here is what it looks like:

Writer’s Checklist:

• My sentence starts with a capital letter
• My sentence has spaces in between words
• My sentence ends with punctuation ( .   ?   !   )
• My sentence makes sense

In Math, we practice counting to 100 by 2’s, 5’s and 10’s on a daily basis. Please practice skip counting at home. Students are learning how to use a Ten Frame to show numbers to 20. We will continue using ten frames this week. You can help your child with their number sense by having your child count objects in their environment: count dinner settings, apples you purchase at the store, steps in your house, smarties in a box, cans in your cupboard etc. Look for math everywhere! The possibilities are endless!

In Science, we are exploring our knowledge about Seasons and Seasonal Changes. This week, we will continue to learn more about each season by researching information about each one using books and technology.

Last week, our class practiced what to do during a lockdown drill. They did a fantastic job! I didn’t have to tell them much because they already knew a lot about the procedure! Impressive! We will have a school lockdown drill this week to make sure all students know what to do in the event of a real lockdown. 

Please ensure that you read and initial your child’s agenda each day. I check them every day after first recess. Students take the time to write in them and sometimes I write a note for you to read. I told the class that it is their responsibility for bringing their agenda to school every day. They are not allowed to tell me that their mom or dad forgot to pack their agenda. Please remind them that they should pack their agenda and their lunch daily. Responsibility is one of our learning skills and a very important one. I use that word regularly throughout the day. Thanks for your support.

Note that interview night is Thursday, November 19th starting at 4:00pm. If you already know that this night doesn’t work for you, please write me a note in your child’s agenda. I would like to meet with every family for the Progress Reports. Mme. T and I are available most mornings at 8:30am.

Important Dates:

• Tuesday, November 3rd - School Council Meeting 6:30pm
• Wednesday, November 4th - Library Book Exchange
• Thursday, November 5th - Photo Retake Day
• Friday, November 6th - Progress Reports go home

Have a wonderful week!

Tiffany Lawless