Week at a Glance

Week of April 21-25, 2025

Math: We will start our chapter on money. Students will review skip counting by 5, 10, and 25. They will also practice identifying and counting groups of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters.

Phonics (FUNdations): Students will continue practicing words with ou and ow, along with trick words: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, bought, brought, piece. The assessment will be on Thursday, 4/24. Then we will move on to the new unit with long /oo/ sounds (oo, ue, ou, ew, u, u-e).

Reading and Writing (Wit & Wisdom): As we continue our module on Civil Rights heroes students will compare an audio version of a text to a written version as we listen to MLK Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Students will also identify the characteristics of a speech. Additionally we will examine the point of view of a text.

Science/Social Studies: In our final Civics lesson (that we may need to finish the week of 4/28) is about how communities share economic needs and wants and also how they have celebrations to share pride in their country and/or culture.

Religion: We are in the final countdown to First Communion (less than two weeks away), so we will spend extra time preparing for this special sacrament. We will practice for the Eucharist Prayer Service, Godparents’ Day, and First Communion. We will review Session 7 (which corresponds to Session 7 in your “Together” magazines) and is on the topic of Receiving. We will practice saying “Amen” in response to when the EOM says “The Body of Christ” and we will discuss how to reverently receive the Eucharist at Mass.

Tests and Quizzes: 

• Phonics Unit 14 Assessment = Wednesday, 4/23
• Practice words with ou, ow
• Practice trick words: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, bought, brought, piece

Additional Reminders:

• Please take your children to Mass over the weekend. Have a blessed and beautiful Easter!
• No School = Easter Monday, 4/21
• All School Mass = Tuesday, 4/22
• Art in a Box = Thursday, 4/24 - Thanks in advance to our volunteers!
• ABC Countdown begins Tuesday, 4/29 → Please see your child’s Home Folder for the countdown calendar next Tuesday. 
• There are no Friday folders this week.

• Practice words with ou, ow
• Practice trick words: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday

Week at a Glance

Week of April 14-18, 2025 - Holy Week

Math: 

• Ask and answer questions about bar graphs.
• Make tables/charts to solve problems.
• Analyze line plots to answer questions about data.

Phonics (FUNdations): 

• Decode and encode words with ou, ow spelling patterns.
• Read and write trick words: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, piece, bought, brought.
• Read on-level decodable reading passages.

Reading and Writing (Wit & Wisdom): 

• Discuss the injustices people faced in the United States prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
• Discuss ways people responded to injustices in our country.
• Identify the main topic of a text.
• Connect events in photographs to the text of a book.
• Identify adverbs in writing and use them correctly.

Science/Social Studies: 

• Identify ways to be a good citizen.
• Decide whether specific actions are those of a good citizen.
• Brainstorm good citizenship actions that could be performed in a community.

Religion: 

• Discuss the events of Holy Week, including: Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.
• Explain how Jesus instituted the Eucharist on Holy Thursday at the Last Supper.
• Discuss stories from the bible explaining Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Tests and Quizzes: None

Additional Reminders:

• All School Mass = Tuesday, 4/15
• Buddy Meet up (8th grade buddies) = Thursday, 4/17, during school
• No School = Good Friday, 4/18
• No School = Easter Monday, 4/21

• Please try to take your children to Mass over the weekend. This weekend we celebrate Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week.
  • We are also only a few weeks away from First Communion. Taking your children to Mass is the best way to help them prepare for this special sacrament.
  • It also helps them establish a habit of going to Mass that they will hopefully continue after receiving First Communion.

Upcoming Church Events:

• Saturday, 4/12 = *Optional* First Communion Banner Making Workshop
• Fun fact → April 12th = Fr. Martin’s birthday
• Tuesday, 4/29 = Eucharistic Prayer Service → 5-5:30pm in the Koenig Center
• Please note this prayer service is for the 2nd graders and their parents (not for siblings or extended family). Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.
• Friday, 5/2 = Godparents' Day (during school) → Please see the email that was sent out with the Google Form and the request for a letter from your child's godparent.
• Saturday, 5/3 = First Communion Mass

• Friday, 4/11 = Grandparents' Day Mass
  • Mrs. Stephens will give me a list of grandparents we are expecting.
  • We will meet the grandparents in the Narthex entrance of the church.
  • Students may sit with their grandparents during Mass in the areas that are not designated for classes.
  • Any students whose grandparents are unable to attend will sit with their class.
  • We are looking forward to this special day!
• Friday = Library Day --> Please send back library books. We will not have Library class next week (4/18), as there is no school that day.
• Easter Weekend = no school on Good Friday (4/18) or Easter Monday (4/21): If you are staying in town, I invite you to check out the parish website for information about church services on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.

Week at a Glance

Week of April 7-11, 2025

Math: We will start our chapter on data collection and analysis. We will practice gathering data with surveys, and we will make and analyze the following types of charts: tally charts, bar graphs, and picture graphs. The homework will mostly be the “normal” book pages, but I will try to give you a heads up if that is different by posting on my webpage.

Phonics (FUNdations): We will finish up our unit on syllables with long vowel sounds. Please see below for ideas of what kinds of words your child can practice at home. Then we will move on to ways to spell the /ow/ syllable (e.g., flower, cow, pout, etc.). New trick words will include: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday.

Reading and Writing (Wit & Wisdom): We will continue our module on Civil Rights heroes, and we will identify the main topic of different sections in an informational text. We will also make connections between a series of historical events in a text, and we will categorize words related to “integration” and “segregation.”

Science/Social Studies: This week’s lesson in Civics will be focusing on how leaders can help their communities. We will read about and discuss how a basic election works, and we will also identify a community problem and propose solutions.

Religion: We will continue our First Communion preparation with the next two sessions in our Finding God Eucharist books: Preparing and Remembering. We will reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice and on the wonderful gifts we have in our lives. We will also review the story of the Last Supper, where Jesus instituted the Eucharist. Please be sure to check out your “Together” magazine for the corresponding pages for ideas for discussions and activities at home. Thank you for being the primary catechists of your children!

Tests and Quizzes: 

• Phonics Unit 13 Assessment = Tuesday, 4/8
  • Practice words with oa, oe, ow, o-e, o (long o syllables)
  • Practice trick words: Monday, Tuesday, cousin, tomorrow, lose, beautiful

• Please try to take your children to Mass over the weekend.
• St. Joe Masses = 5pm Saturday and 7am, 9am, 11am, 5pm Sunday
• If you are out of town and are looking for a Mass to attend, I invite you to check out masstimes.org to find Mass times in your area. 🙂
• No All School Mass Tuesday 
• Friday, 4/11 = Grandparents Day Mass at 8:30 am in the church → Please see information from the administration with details on this special event.
• Easter Weekend = no school on Good Friday (4/18) or Easter Monday (4/21)

Upcoming Church Events:

• Saturday, 4/12 = *Optional* First Communion Banner Making Workshop
• Tuesday, 4/29 = Eucharistic Prayer Service → 5-5:30pm in the Koenig Center
• Please note this prayer service is for the 2nd graders and their parents (not for siblings or extended family). Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.
• Friday, 5/2 = Godparents' Day (during school) → Please see the email that was sent out with the Google Form and the request for a letter from your child's godparent.
• Saturday, 5/3 = First Communion Mass

• Library books = due Friday
• Easter Weekend = no school on Good Friday (4/18) or Easter Monday (4/21) --> If you are staying in town, I invite you to check out the parish website for information about church services on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.