FIRST GRADE NEWS

                                                  November 20, 2009

   Dear Parents,

             As we enter His gates with thanksgiving, it is good to reflect on our many blessings.  I am especially thankful for your overwhelming and indescribable support and for the opportunity to help you in bringing up our children in the way they should go.  I give thanks to Him and praise His name.                 

FIRST GRADE FACTS

1.        Our chapel offering this quarter will be dedicated to buying Bibles for a new Lutheran church in

Allen, Texas.  Please use the attached envelopes as you encourage your children to give the gift

of  faith.

2.        Our student randomly selected for Tea With Pastor for December is:  Georgia on December 9^th.

3.        Reading Tip:  Remember that phonics instruction is important as this is the

strategy your child will use to decode unfamiliar words throughout his life.  The main objective, of course, is to read.  Our primary curriculum focuses on “learning to read”, where the phonics is emphasized, and the intermediate curriculum begins the “reading to learn” phase.  The effort spent in phonics at this time sets the stage for your child’s future success.  Therefore, it is important to be diligent and to continue daily practice.  The rewards will be enormous. 

4.        Be sure to encourage your child to read his/her Accelerated Reader.  These are high interest books

and are designed to aid in fluency.

5.        Many of you like to plan ahead.  There will be a gift exchange at our Christmas

Party which will be on Friday, December 18^th.  A boy should bring a wrapped boy’s gift and a girl should bring a wrapped girl’s gift.  Please honor the $10.00 limit. 

SPELLING WORDS FOR THE FIRST WEEK IN ADVENT – NOVEMBER 30^TH

she    too    keep    same    more    we’ll    shack    went    tablet    brushing    their    goes

                       *Advent                * December                       *candles

The deck is next to their pool                               The fish had a hook stuck in its gill.

BIBLE MEMORY VERSES FOR THE FIRST WEEK IN ADVENT – NOVEMBER 30^TH

OBJECTIVE:  We joyfully worship the one true God. 

The joy of the Lord is your strength.  Nehemiah 8:10      Look!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  John 1:29

     You’ll love the Advent devotional “chain” that is coming home today.

This will be a wonderful aid in teaching your children the reason we celebrate the Christmas season.  Along with preparing our hearts for Christ’s birth, we will also be pre-

paring our classroom.  Each child is invited to bring an ornament with his name on it to

put on our Christmas tree. Your child’s first name can be written in any way: glitter, permanent marker, engraved, etc.  These will be returned.