Mark your calendars. Our first grade will be preparing the mass for January 24. First grade is doing the readings, petitions and will be in the choir. Remember you are always welcome to attend the school masses. Your child will not be sitting with you at this mass, but they may visit with you after mass. You may sit where we normally sit or anywhere you choose.

Math: I'm very pleased with how everyone is getting their homework done and returned the next day. Looking at what your child brings home will keep you up to date on what we are doing in math. Most children don't use their fingers, but I have a few that want to. Please encourage them to memorize the doubles. The + and - 1, they should just count up or back 1. They should understand that when you take a number away from a number (5-5=0) the answer will always be 0. Also if you take 0 away from a number (7-0=7), you will always end with the number you started with.

Reading: We have been doing poetry, little books, big books, Kids Time Magazine, predicting what could happen, telling stories from pictures, picking out rhyming words, and we are doing stories in the basal reader.

Printing: I have seen lots of improvement for some since conferences. Thanks for your support.

Religion: We have been concentrating on the season of Advent and really working at keeping Christ in Christmas. We have an Advent prayer we say daily. We also open windows in an Advent calendar, light the advent wreath in our classroom as well as attend the all school one. We do meditations on Fridays to prepare for Sunday's liturgy. We had a special little ceremony to set up the crib set in our room.

Social Studies: Last week your child brought home the Time For Kids about the Great American Landmarks. We skipped ahead to unit 3 in our Social Studies book because it was related to this. In this unit we are learning about our country through its symbols, heroes, and holidays. Make note of the web sites below that your child could learn more about the symbols of the U. S government.