Phonics

This week in Fundations, students will continue to focus on reading and spelling words with the ou and ow vowel teams. They will also learn the new trick words bought, brought, and piece. In addition, students will read and discuss an on-level decodable text to reinforce their phonics skills.

Reading/Writing

Students will identify the main topics of different sections in an informational text and explore examples of civil rights to understand the significance of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. They will make connections between historical events, cite information from both print and video sources, and categorize words related to integration and segregation. Additionally, students will compare information from two texts on the same topic to deepen their understanding

Math

We will continue our chapter on data by drawing conclusions and answering questions based on bar graphs. We will also make tables to help solve problems and begin working with line plots, learning how to create and analyze them to better understand and interpret data.

Religion

We will be focusing on Chapters 3 and 4 in our Eucharist book. Students will learn about the importance of quiet as a way to reflect and listen for God. We will hear the story of Moses and the burning bush and discuss how God’s presence makes places, like church, holy. We will also talk about how we prepare to worship God at Mass by asking for His mercy. Finally, students will learn what mercy means and why it is an important part of our faith.

Social Studies

In Social Studies, students will explore the question, "What do communities share?" They will learn how communities work together to meet their economic needs and wants, and identify something special about their own community. Students will also practice locating places on a political map and analyze community celebrations to understand how people share pride in our country.

Phonics

We will begin Unit 14, where students will be introduced to the vowel teams ou and ow, as hear in words like trout and plow. Students will practice reading and spelling words with these new sounds through a variety of activities. We will also learn the trick words Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday to help build reading fluency and confidence.

Reading/Writing

We will start our new module this week, which focuses on Civil Rights. Students will read Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story and Martin Luther King Jr. and the March on Washington, asking questions and making observations about the texts. They will also analyze a historical photograph, discussing how it connects to the reading. Additionally, students will explore the meaning of the word injustice by examining how a known prefix changes the meaning of a familiar word.

Math

This week in math, students will begin Chapter 9 on data analysis. They will learn how to collect and interpret survey data by organizing it into tally charts. Students will also create and analyze picture graphs and bar graphs, learning how to read and discuss the information each graph represents.

Religion

We will take a short break from our First Communion preparation to focus on learning about Holy Week and the important events that lead up to Easter. Students will read and discuss the stories of Jesus’ journey during this special time, including Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, and Good Friday. We will talk about why these days are meaningful for our faith and how they help us understand and celebrate the joy of Easter.

Social Studies

During Social Studies, students will learn what it means to be a good citizen by identifying positive behaviors and deciding whether specific actions reflect good citizenship. They will also brainstorm ways they can demonstrate good citizenship in their own community through meaningful actions and choices.

Phonics

During phonics, students will continue to focus on reading and writing words that contain the long "o" sound represented by the letter combinations "oa," "oe," and "ow." Additionally, students will review suffix endings to enhance their understanding of word formation. Finally, they will learn and practice trick words: lose, tomorrow, and beautiful.

Reading/Writing

We wrapped up our learning about the American West. After spring break, we will begin our next module, which will focus on the Civil Rights Movement. We will take a short break from our regular lessons to enjoy some fun St. Patrick’s Day activities. On Monday, students will work together to design and build their own leprechaun traps, using creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. This will be a fun way to celebrate the holiday while still practicing important thinking and collaboration skills.

Math

This week in math, students will explore weight, capacity, and temperature by using the appropriate measurement tools. They will also create a “Gallon Man” to help remember conversions for gallons, quarts, pints, and cups. Additionally, students will practice reading and interpreting bar graphs, pictographs, and line plots to build their understanding of data. Our next math chapter, which focuses on data, will officially begin after spring break.

Religion

As we continue learning about First Communion, our sessions will focus on gathering together and creating a quiet space in our minds and hearts for reflection. We will also learn about the story of Moses and the burning bush and how he listened to God.

Social Studies

In our next social studies lesson, students will explore the question, “How do leaders help their community?” They will participate in a class election, predict what community leaders can and cannot do, and conduct a mock demonstration. Additionally, students will identify a community problem and propose possible solutions to address it.

Phonics

In phonics this week, we will begin Unit 13, which focuses on the long o sound. They will practice reading and writing words that use the vowel teams oa, oe, and ow. Students will also practice adding prefixes and suffixes to base words to help them build and understand new words. Throughout the week, they will read on-level decodable texts to strengthen their fluency and apply the phonics patterns they are learning. In addition, students will practice reading and writing this week’s trick words: Monday, Tuesday, and cousin.

Reading/Writing

We will be wrapping up our module about the American West. Students will review and complete a vocabulary assessment based on the words we have learned throughout the module. They will also write an opinion paragraph about their favorite book from the unit, explaining their choice and supporting their opinion with reasons from the text. This will give students a chance to reflect on what they have learned while practicing their writing skills.

Math

We will finish up our measurement chapter this week. Students will practice determining the length of an item on a broken ruler and solving word problems involving length. They will also work on estimating, measuring, and comparing the lengths of different objects using appropriate tools. Our measurement assessment will be on Friday, March 13th.

Religion

We will begin preparing for First Communion this week. Each week, we will work through two sessions from our textbook and support our learning with picture books, videos, and a review of the different parts of the Mass. Our first two sessions, “Belonging” and “Gathering,” will focus on what it means to belong to different groups and to our parish family, as well as the importance of gathering together to celebrate special events and worship God. Any additional review and preparation you can do at home is very helpful, especially attending Sunday or Saturday evening Mass and encouraging your child to participate in the responses. Thank you for continuing to support your child as their primary catechists.

Social Studies

We will continue to explore the question: How can one person make a difference? We will identify problems and solutions in various communities, and we will also look at how specific individuals have made valuable contributions to society.