Welcome to Mrs. Simmons’ First grade classroom! We are the OWLS! The Organized, Working, Learning Students!
We have many fun and exciting activities that we will be working on this school year! I plan on using many creative projects for each of our academic subjects.
* If you have any questions please feel free to email me at
What to expect in First Grade
Catholic Identity
We celebrate many blessings with our school, church, and priests.
We come join in prayer with our fellow classmates.
Academics
In first grade we are able to improve our reading and writing abilities by learning the letters of the alphabet and blending sounds.
In first grade, we learn our community, maps, and land forms.
In first grade, we are able to continue our knowledge of Math by learning how to problem solve, discovering how numbers are applied in real life using addition and subtraction.
Community
As an educator and mother, I’m able to teach my own daughter how to help others in our community. We were able to pick apples at Abbott’s Apple Orchard to donate to the St. Alphonsus Food Pantry. I will be participating in this event again this year.
We support our soldiers by making cards to send them for the holidays.
In first grade we will be participating in a few service projects to help our community.First and sixth grade worked together to lead a blanket drive this year to collect blankets for the Rescue Mission in Cayuga County.
Please remember:
*Students will have a weekly assignment sheet sent home for daily homework assignments. Please sign and return in your child’s take home folder.
* Students may bring a healthy snack to have in the classroom.
* Be sure to bring your sneakers for recess.
* Tissues and wipes are always appreciated!
*Please bring in your favorite book to read for the first day of school.
IXL for Math– Students will begin using the IXL webpage to spend extra time practicing various math skills. Students will need to spend 15 to 20 minutes a day working on a skill in math such as addition, subtraction, place value, or problem solving. Students will need to use their username and password that has been sent home. If you have any questions please let me know. I will also make this a part of centers in the classroom every Friday. http://www.ixl.com/
Classroom Events
12/7 Dress Down with a donation for the St. Alphonsus Giving Tree. Please send in either an unwrapped toy for a child or a $1.00 donation.
12/8 9 a.m. Mass at St. Alpnonsus Feast Day
12/11 Breakfast with Santa. First grade will visit Santa around 9:55 a.m. First grade students may dress down that day.
12/16 1 p.m. Christmas Concert Rehearsal at St. Alphonsus Church.
12/17 7 p.m. Christmas Concert 12/24- 1/3 No School Christmas Vacation
1/4 Dress Down for a cause
Tests and Projects
12/7 Unit 2 Reading Test
12/10 Science Test Chapter 5
12/11 Christmas Book Reports Due
12/11 No Spelling Test
12/11 No Religion Test
* Please send in one paper towel or toilet paper roll with your child. We will be using it for a Christmas project.
Classroom Subjects
ELA-Unit 2 Students will be continuing to practice letter blends and We will be practicing upper and lower case letter formations. We will also be practicing our reading skills. We will be identifying nouns and adjectives in a sentence. We will also practice using contraction words. Students will be practicing using proper grammar, punctuation, and capitalization.
Math– Chapter 2 We will be starting subtraction in this chapter. We will be learning how to compare and find a difference. Students will learn about related facts. For example 1-3=2 and 3-2=1. We are also practicing word problems and how to Understand, Plan, Solve, and Check the problem. We will look at words such as; how many left, difference, take away, and subtract. Students can use the webpage http://www.ixl.com/ or more math practice.
Religion– Students will be learning about how the church celebrates Jesus’ birth and the meaning of Advent. We will be working on a Nativity project in the classroom and an Advent packet. Students will practice daily prayers in the classroom such as Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and the Guardian Angel prayers.
Social Studies– Students will be learning about Christmas around the world and the history of Christmas. We will be working on packets in the classroom.
Science– In Chapter 5 Our Earth. Students will learn about the Earth’s different resources we use such as waster, land, rocks, and minerals. We will look at examples of different rocks found on the Earth. We will discuss how these resources are used on a daily basis.
Spelling– Students will have a weekly spelling list that they will be assessed on weekly. Students will also practice writing the words and using them in a sentence. Monday- Complete the Spelling worksheet by writing the spelling word and write 3x’s in your spelling notebook. Tuesday– Write spelling sentences #1-4 in your notebook on the lines. Wednesday– Write the spelling sentences #5-8 plus the bonus word in your notebook on the lines. Thursday– Study spelling words. Friday– Spelling test. * Homework for Spelling will change sometimes. Please check the weekly homework sheet for these changes.
Spelling List #11- We will practice these spelling words.
1. 1. No Spelling List this week.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
6. 6.
7. 7.
8. 8.
Specials
Monday- Music
Tuesday- Spanish and Gym
Wednesday- Music and Art
Thursday- Gym
Friday- Library and Gym
Dress Out Days– Students may dress out on the scheduled days if they have a “Dress Out Pass” from a birthday or reward. Students will also dress out if money or an item is requested for a cause for that month.
September 18
October 16
November 19
December 18
January 22
February 26
March 11
April 15
May 20
First Grade Supply List
- 1 blue one subject spiral notebook (plastic spirals seem to work the best)
- 1 composition notebook
- art smock (any old type of shirt or apron with the child’s name on the collar)
- crayon box with your child’s name on it
- 2 boxes of #2 pencils/ separate erasers
- crayons
- colored pencils
- pencil sharpener
- scissors
- ruler (inches and centimeters)
- 1 bottle of glue or 2 glue sticks
- 3 boxes of Kleenex
- 3 containers of baby wipes
- Two pocket folder (plastic works the best)
- 1 Clip board