December Newsletter

CALENDAR EVENTS

11/26 - 12/13 CES & SHB Annual Toy Drive
12/1 Christmas on Broadway, including Gingerbread Houses
12/2 Advent Family Mass, Sr. Mardel Chapel, 4:30 PM
12/5 Vocal Music Winter Concert, 6:30 PM
12/7 NOTE: Friday Singing Practice is Canceled

12/7 View Marble Mazes at Morning Arrival, 7:55 - 8:15 AM

12/14 Noels, Dress Uniform, NOTE: Friday Singing Practice is Canceled
12/21 Midday Dismissal - Christmas Break Begins
12/24 - 1/4/19 School Closed
1/7/19 Classes Resume

                                                   

                  

                                        

LANGUAGE ARTS
Word study skills continue with introducing the v-consonant-e rule. Girls will have opportunities to practice in class and at home by building words with letter cards:

• CVCe (consonant•vowel•consonant•silent e )

Girls will be performing the Reader's Theatre, Looking for the Muffin Man.  This month's comprehension strategies include:
• Make connections
• Make inferences, including predictions and conclusions from pictures and text

WRITING  

Our newest Writing Workshop Unit of Study, Nonfiction Chapter Books, introduced first graders to writing information. Mini lessons cover new concepts, as well as incorporating techniques learned in the previous narrative unit. Girls are practicing their craft of information/nonfiction writing by increasing the length of stories with chapters about their topic. They will also make a Table of Contents before publishing their books.

SOCIAL STUDIES & COMMUNITY
• December is filled with anticipation for the holiday season. First graders are introduced to winter holidays and cultural celebrations using lights. "All around the world there are festivals of light. The light shines for all the good in our lives. They honor wisdom, faith and love, and hope for brighter days." (from Celebrations of Light) by Nancy Luenn.
• Recognition for Who Works in Our Community
Girls will share a festive holiday snack on December 12th to show appreciation for our  dynamic Facilities team: Mr. Geoff DeSantis, Plant Operations Director, Plant Engineers: Danny Seibert, Hector Flores, Jared Moreno, and Tim Duckett, Events Coordinator, Jessica Jasso, Theatre Manager, Chris Miller, and Receptionists: Nancy McIntire, Sandra Stapleton. How do they contribute to the smooth running of the Broadway campus? 

SCIENCE  

Girls will be starting a Sound and Light with Ms. Raina. Investigations introduce how sound comes from vibrating objects. Using simple materials (cups, rubber bands, craft sticks) and instruments, girls explore how sounds are being produced. They'll explore ways to change sound: volume (loud, soft) and pitch (high, low).  Light investigations will explore shadows and reflections. Girls will be using flashlights and mirrors during their light investigations.

                                    
DESIGN/ENGINEERING
First graders are continuing to explore with forces: gravity, friction, and push/pull. Girls built mazes with legos to move the marble through a maze successfully. How much force did you use? Too little or too much? Did the marble stay on the path?

Building with Partners

Trying Out the Marble Maze

Sharing Each Other's Mazes

MATH

After completing Chapter 5 lessons with geometric solid shapes, first graders will be introduced to the concept of ordinal numbers: first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth. They will also learn to identify and use position words.