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I am so excited to be a part of the St. Joseph School community as a first grade teacher! I was born and raised in the Chicagoland area and attended National-Louis University where I received my degree in education with a concentration in psychology. I am also a certified Orton-Gillingham tutor and teacher, a multi-sensory approach that is very explicit in teaching reading to beginning readers.

I have spent the last 25 years teaching at a Catholic school- the last 18 years in first grade! I fell in love with teaching at a Catholic school because of the loving family atmosphere it provided. I enjoy inspiring children to learn and strive for their goals. I am committed to ensuring each child feels successful, capable, and celebrated while they are in my class. I love and enjoy learning, and I want to share, with my students, this passion and show how fun and exciting learning truly is!

When I am not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our two sons. I love to read and spend time outdoors.

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Week at a Glance

ELA Unit 1 assessment on Tuesday

To practice letter- keyword- sound for consonants: z, qu
To practice letter- keyword- sound for vowels: a, e, i, o, u
To practice correct letter formation
To practice sound recognition
To segment and spell three- sound short vowel words
To write a complete sentence using capital letters and punctuation
To retell Tomas and the Library Lady, including key details about problem and solution
To write a narrative retelling of Tomas and the Library Lady that shows how library books change life for Tomas
To identify and generate proper nouns
To distinguish between what Tomas imagines and what is real in Tomas and the Library Lady
To write a narrative retelling of Tomas that shows how library books change life for Tomas
To develop vocabulary knowledge of the word knowledge
To write and speak about how Tomas adds to knowledge of how books change lives
To develop vocabulary knowledge of the word value

MATH

To use counters to make sums of 4 and 5 in different ways
To use counters to make sums of 6 and 7 in different ways
To use counters to make sums of 8 in different ways
To use counters to make sums of 9 in different ways

SCIENCE

Students develop a model of the sun’s daily path across the sky, then use this model to help someone who’s lost. In the activity, Sun Finder, students create a mobile paper model of the sun and earth to illustrate the position of the sun throughout the day.

RELIGION

To tell that Jesus is the greatest gift from God the Father
To explain that God wants us to help others feel welcome
To tell that we show our love for God when we care for others
To define liturgy, Mass, praise

Week at a Glance

ELA

To practice letter- keyword- sound for consonants: p, j, l, h, k, v, w, y, x
To practice letter- keyword- sound for vowels: a, e, i, o, u
To practice correct letter formation
To practice sound recognition
To retell Tomas and the Library Lady, including key details about characters
To ask and answer questions about key vocabulary in Tomas and the Library Lady
To retell Tomas and the Library Lady, including key details about setting
To identify and generate common nouns
To retell Tomas and the Library Lady, including key details about problem and solution
To write a narrative retelling of TOmas and the Library Lady that shows how library books change life for Tomas
To identify and generate proper nouns

MATH

To find sums by adding zero
To write addition facts horizontally and vertically
To write a number sentence to solve problems
To use counters to make sums of 4 and 5 in different ways

SCIENCE

Jada explores why her shadow changes over the course of a day at the beach. The lesson includes a short exercise where students act out the movement of shadows with their bodies. Students will trace their shadows using colored chalk and track the shadow’s changes throughout the day.

RELIGION

To identify things that God creates
To tell that God created everything out of love for us
To explain that we show our thanks and love to God by caring for his creation
To define or explain Amen, creation, Creator, God, and saint

Week at a Glance

ELA

To practice letter- keyword- sound for consonants: g, d, s, r, p, j
To practice letter- keyword- sound for vowels: a, e
To practice correct letter formation
To practice sound recognition
To understand that reading a book multiple times for different purposes helps readers better understand and enjoy the story
To discuss that different readers enjoy different types of books

MATH

To use manipulatives to model addition stories
To add two parts to make a whole
To write addition number sentences
To find sums by adding zero

SCIENCE

In this Read-Along lesson, Jada explores why her shadow changes over the course of a day at the beach. The lesson includes a short exercise where students act out the movement of shadows with their bodies. Students will trace their shadows using colored chalk and track the shadow’s changes throughout the day.

RELIGION

To identify things that God creates
To tell that God created everything out of love for us
To explain that we show our thanks and love to God by caring for his creation
To define or explain Amen, creation, Creator, God, and saint

Week at a Glance

ELA

To practice letter- keyword- sound for consonants: t, b, f, n, m, c
To practice letter- keyword- sound for vowels: i, u, o
To practice correct letter formation
To practice sound recognition
To understand that reading a book multiple times for different purposes helps readers better understand and enjoy the story
To discuss that different readers enjoy different types of books

MATH

To count and connect with objects and numbers
To practice one-to-one counting with small objects
To build number sense with number of the day

SCIENCE

To deepen understanding of two foundational scientific practices: making observations and asking questions. In the activity, Curiosity Challenge, students “train their brains” by observing an everyday object and asking questions like a scientist would
To investigate what it takes to make a stationary object’s shadow move. In the activity, Moving Shadows, students use flashlights and paper gnomes to explore how moving the position of a light makes shadows move. Students relate these observations to shadows changing throughout the day and the Sun’s position moving across the sky

RELIGION

To identify things that God creates
To tell that God created everything out of love for us
To explain that we show our thanks and love to God by caring for his creation
To define or explain Amen, creation, Creator, God, and saint

Week at a Glance

ELA

To understand the concept of syllable in multisyllabic words
To understand compound words
To apply syllable division rules
To read and spell words with two closed syllables or closed v-e syllables

To read with accuracy and prosody
To locate and name text features and explain
To write a conclusion for an informative paragraph
To analyze how illustrations help make the author’s point in Never Smile at a Monkey
To plan an informative paragraph stating the author’s point with supporting reasons
To distinguish shades of meaning of the word touch by using sentence-level context

MATH

To read and write time to the hour on an analog clock
To use a digital clock to tell and write time to her hour
To read time to the half hour on an analog clock
To use a digital clock to tell and write time to the half hour

SCIENCE

To carry out an investigation to determine the relationship between the shape of different bird beaks and the food each bird eats. In the activity, Find the Best Beak, students experiment with long pointy beaks that are great for picking up seeds and wide flat beaks that are good for scooping. They discover that different beaks are best for different kinds of food.

RELIGION

To demonstrate understanding that the Church is God’s family
To explain that followers of Christ are called Christians
To define Christian and Sign of Peace

Week at a Glance

ELA

To decode and encode vowel-consonant-e syllable in one- syllable words
To understand long vowel sounds
To distinguish between narrative fiction and informational books
To read with accuracy and prosody
To generate and answer questions about Never Smile at a Monkey using key details from the text
To find attributes in a text that differentiate between different animals in the same category
To locate and name text features and explain
To write a conclusion for an informative paragraph

MATH

To compare the lengths of objects using indirect measurement
To compare and order the lengths of objects
To measure the lengths of objects using nonstandard units

SCIENCE

To carry out an investigation to determine the relationship between the shape of different bird beaks and the food each bird eats. In the activity, Find the Best Beak, students experiment with long pointy beaks that are great for picking up seeds and wide flat beaks that are good for scooping. They discover that different beaks are best for different kinds of food.

RELIGION

To demonstrate understanding that the Church is God’s family
To explain that followers of Christ are called Christians
To define Christian and Sign of Peace

Week at a Glance

ELA

To decode and encode vowel-consonant-e syllable in one- syllable words
To understand long vowel sounds
To distinguish between narrative fiction and informational books
To read with accuracy and prosody
Trick words: friend, other, another, none, nothing

To plan an informative paragraph
To know and use text features to locate more information in What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?
To write an informative paragraph that describes how two animals use the same feature differently
To categorize words related to mammal by defining their attributes

MATH

To compare two-dimensional shapes by their attributes
To use two- dimensional shapes to make a composite shape
To use logical reasoning to solve problems

SCIENCE

To understand what Earth Day is and why it's celebrated, including its significance in promoting environmental awareness and protecting the planet

RELIGION

To identify Easter as the time when we celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection
To explain that Jesus is in heaven with his Father
To explain that one day we will share in Jesus’ new life
To relate Sunday to the Resurrection

Week at a Glance

ELA

To decode and encode vowel-consonant-e syllable in one- syllable words
To understand long vowel sounds
To distinguish between narrative fiction and informational books
To read with accuracy and prosody

To plan an informative paragraph
To know and use text features to locate more information in What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?
To write an informative paragraph that describes how two animals use the same feature differently

MATH

To sort open and closed shapes
To use defining attributes to identify and describe squares, rectangles, triangles, trapezoids, and circles
To compare two-dimensional shapes

SCIENCE

In this Read-Along lesson, Gabrielle sets sail with her aunt—the captain of a tugboat—and discovers how the sights and sounds on the bay can help boats find their way. The lesson includes a short exercise where students get moving by pretending to be boats.

RELIGION

To understand the basic story and importance of Holy Week, including Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, and recognize that it is a special time to remember Jesus' love and sacrifice for us.

Week at a Glance

ELA

To segment and blend up to 5 sounds
To be introduced to vowel team sounds: au, aw

To read with accuracy and prosody
Trick words: about, our
To add suffix -s to words with 5 sounds
To add suffixes -ed, -ing added to unchanging base words with closed syllables
To generate and answer questions about What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?
To identify the main topic and retell key details of sections of What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?
To plan an informative paragraph
To categorize words related to the word mammal
To categorize picture of animals as either mammal or not a mammal
To know and use text features to locate more information in What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?
To write an informative paragraph that describes how two animals use the same feature differently

MATH Chapter test on Thursday

To add tens and ones to find the sum with regrouping

SCIENCE

In this Read-Along lesson, Gabrielle sets sail with her aunt—the captain of a tugboat—and discovers how the sights and sounds on the bay can help boats find their way. The lesson includes a short exercise where students get moving by pretending to be boats.

RELIGION

To explain that God wants all people to be part of his Church
To describe how the Holy Spirit is with us
To explain that the Holy Spirit gave the Apostles courage
To define parish and Pentecost

Week at a Glance

ELA

To segment and blend up to 5 sounds
To be introduced to vowel team sounds: au, aw

To read with accuracy and prosody
Trick words: out, about, our
To add suffix -s to words with 5 sounds
To add suffixes -ed, -ing added to unchanging base words with closed syllables
To distinguish between narrative fiction and informational books
To select two details to include in an informative paragraph about a feature of a sea horse
To define words by category and by one or more key attributes, using a concept map about a sea horse
To examine similes in Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea and analyze how they reveal deeper meaning in the text
To use phonetic spelling in their Focusing Question Task
To write an informative paragraph that includes two or more details about one of a sea horses’s unique features

MATH

To add tens and ones to find sums within 100
To guess, check, and revise to solve problems
To add tens and ones to find the sum with regrouping

SCIENCE

In this Read-Along lesson, Gabrielle sets sail with her aunt—the captain of a tugboat—and discovers how the sights and sounds on the bay can help boats find their way. The lesson includes a short exercise where students get moving by pretending to be boats.

RELIGION

To explain the importance of being a good friend
To tell how Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be his followers
To define catholic, Church, and guardian angel

Week at a Glance

ELA

To segment and blend up to 5 sounds
To be introduced to vowel team sounds: ou, oo, ue, ew, au, aw

To read with accuracy and prosody
Trick words: how, now, down, out, about, our
To add suffix -s to words with 5 sounds
To distinguish between narrative fiction and informational books
To define words by category and one key attribute, using sea horse
To identify and use text features, such as an index, text box, and labels, to locate key information in Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea
To select two details to include in an informative paragraph about a feature of a sea horse
To define words by category and by one or more key attributes, using a concept map about a sea horse

MATH

To use a number line to count back by tens to subtract

To count on by tens and ones to find sums within 100
To add tens and ones to find sums within 100

SCIENCE

In this Read-Along lesson, Gabrielle sets sail with her aunt—the captain of a tugboat—and discovers how the sights and sounds on the bay can help boats find their way. The lesson includes a short exercise where students get moving by pretending to be boats.

RELIGION

To tell that the Church is found around the world
To explain the importance of being a good friend
To tell how Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be his followers
To define catholic, Church, and guardian angel

Week at a Glance

ELA

To segment and blend up to 5 sounds
To be introduced to vowel team sounds: oa, oe, ow, ou, oo, ue, ew, au, aw

To read with accuracy and prosody
Trick words: any, many, how, now, down, out, about, our
To add suffix -s to words with 5 sounds
To distinguish between narrative fiction and informational books
To identify the main topic and retell key details of sections of Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea
To describe the purpose of an informative paragraph
To define words by category and one key attribute, using sea horse

MATH Chapter 4 test on Wednesday

To subtract to find missing addends
To add tens within 100
To subtract tens to find the difference

SCIENCE

In this lesson, students practice using light to communicate information. In the activity, Secret Signals, students work in pairs to build a device that solves the problem of communicating over a distance. They send secret messages to one another using light and colored markers.

RELIGION

To identify Lent as a time to do good things and to live like Jesus
To tell how Jesus helps us grow closer to God the Father
To explain the significance of Ash Wednesday

Week at a Glance

ELA

To distinguish between a closed syllable and an open syllable
To be introduced to vowel team sounds: oi, oy
To read with accuracy and prosody
Trick words: see, between, each

To distinguish between narrative fiction and informational books
To write questions on sticky notes
To identify the main topic and retell key details of sections of Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea
To describe the purpose of an informative paragraph
To define words by category and one key attribute, using sea horse

MATH

To subtract using the make 10 to subtract strategy
To identify similarities in related addition and subtraction sentences
To identify similarities in fact families
To subtract to find missing addends

SCIENCE

In this lesson, students practice using light to communicate information. In the activity, Secret Signals, students work in pairs to build a device that solves the problem of communicating over a distance. They send secret messages to one another using light and colored markers.

RELIGION

To identify Lent as a time to do good things and to live like Jesus
To tell how Jesus helps us grow closer to God the Father
To explain the significance of Ash Wednesday

Week at a Glance

ELA

To understand the concept of a closed-syllable word
To distinguish between a closed syllable and an open syllable
To be introduced to vowel team sounds: ai, ay, ee, ea, ey, oi, oy

To read with accuracy and prosody
Trick words: say, says, see, between, each
To generate and answer questions about Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea
To write questions on sticky notes
To identify the main topic and retell key details of sections of Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea
To describe the purpose of an informative paragraph
To define words by category and one key attribute, using sea horse

MATH

To use a number line to subtract
To use doubles to subtract
To write a number sentence to solve problems
To subtract using the make 10 to subtract strategy

SCIENCE

In this lesson, students practice using light to communicate information. In the activity, Secret Signals, students work in pairs to build a device that solves the problem of communicating over a distance. They send secret messages to one another using light and colored markers.

RELIGION

To tell that the Church is found around the world
To explain the importance of being a good friend
To tell how Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be his followers
To define catholic, Church, and guardian angel

Week at a Glance

ELA

To distinguish between consonant blends and digraph blends
To blend and read words with up to four sounds
To segment and spell words with up to four sounds
To add suffix -s to words with four sounds
To introduce R-controlled vowel sounds: ar, or, er, ir, ur
To read with accuracy and prosody
Trick words: would, could, should, her, over, number
To describe the connection between information in the back matter to information in the story in Me….Jane
To revise a topic statement in an informative paragraph
To generate and answer questions about Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea
To write questions on sticky notes
To identify the main topic and retell key details of sections of Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea
To describe the purpose of informative paragraph
To define words by category and one key attribute, using sea horse

MATH Chapter test on Thursday

To add three numbers
To count back 1, 2, or 3
To use a number line to subtract

SCIENCE

To consider materials from the perspective of how much light they let through. In the activity, Paper Stained Glass, they use these materials to create a work of art.

RELIGION

To identify disciples as Jesus’ friends who followed him and tried to live like him
To tell the story of Jesus’ Resurrection
To explain how Jesus is always with us
To define Christ, disciple, and Resurrection