GRADE 1 – MISS SOFIANAKOS (dsofianakos@sjps.net) 

We have smoothly sailed along into this 2020-2021 academic school year! Greetings! My  name is Ms. Daniella Sofianakos and I have the absolute pleasure of being the first-grade teacher for my third year here at Saint Joseph School. 

Each of us is continuously exploring the world around us and learning every day. In first  grade, we are building upon our skills learned from Kindergarten. Students have been properly forming letters and numbers, sharpening their sentence and story writing skills, reviewing phonetic skills, and continuing to reinforce social skills.  

First-Graders are discovering new ways to problem solve and are going through a  transitional stage. Using technology has become the key element in today’s educational  field. Our students will be utilizing Google Classroom, Sadlier Math, Razz-Kids, Happy  Numbers, Mystery Science, and Generation Science as additional resources to help  reiterate, enhance and develop Math, Language Arts, and STEM Skills.  I encourage each family to review daily mathematical addition and subtraction equations and to read daily for at least 15minutes per night.  

During the month of September in Science students learned about the changing seasons,  germs and viruses, apples and pumpkins. In Social Studies students discovered more  about the community in which we live and the ones that surround us.  

I look forward to continuing to discover the world with our explorers and if you ever  need any assistance, you can contact me at dsofianakos@sjps.net

ELA- English Language Arts-

Reading: The students will continue to use their Journeys' Literature Text Book to read and learn about main characters , settings, genres of the stories and master the understanding of the differences between Authors and Illustrators.  
The stories for this week are "Lucia's Neighborhood" which is a informational text and "City Mouse and Country Mouse" which is a fable. The students will read and and compare both stories completing a Ven Diagram.

Writing: Students will begin journal writing in their penmanship composition notebooks this week to refine their fine gross motor skills.

Spelling:  Our upcoming spelling words for this week are the following:

Math: The students have been speeding past their benchmark assessments and are now using many different methods and concepts to add and subtract from numbers 1 through 10.                                                                                                                 

Science:   The students are currently are working on a Project Based Learning Activity with apples and pumpkins. Students are learning how each one grows and is comparing their similarities and differences                                                                  

Social Studies: Using Scholastic News the students have a broader perception of how the world is around us and inside the community. They are learning about different STREAM careers and learning the differences between Long Ago comapred to The Now.                                                                               

Computer Science: Our students are learning how to utilize Google Classroom for assignments, projects and classwork. For the first time in St. Joseph History our first graders are learning how to log themselves in to their own email address. They have been practicing their typing skills and logging into Happynumbers, Sadlier Math and Raz-Kids A-Z at this time. 

Religion: This month our students will be practicing and learning about the Rosary.
We have sailed right through the first two chapters in our religion workbook. The students have been learning about what it means to be Catholic and the differences and similarities between our religion and other religions 

MAP STANDARDIZED TESTING STARTS THIS WEEK
ELA- English Language Arts-
Reading: The students recieved their new Literature Text Books called Reading Street- however I will be incorporateing this with their Journeys' Literature Text Book as well. This gives our students a chance to observe differences between books and stories. By doing this, our students will be exposed to many different components of reading. 
The stories for this week In Reading Street are" Sam, Come Back!"  and " Puppy Games" which both genres of the stories are Fiction. The students will be studying story sequencing and the short a vowel sounds and words. 
Writing: Using daily prompt questions, our students have begun their journal writing every morning in their journal composition notebooks. They are writing and drawing about apples, pumpkins and what they would see at the farm in the season of Fall. 
This week they will start using their their penmanship workbook to  continue implementing the proper way to sit and hold a pencil while writing and learning the strokes of how to write.

Spelling:  Our upcoming spelling words for this week are the following:

 

Math: The students have been becoming detectives not only in Reading but in Mathamatics as well.  They are now learning how to read and detect clue words to help them solve word problems. They have learned how to find out what they know and what they need to find out. They are using methods such as, count on which is the numberline, Addend plus Addend equals Sum (A+A=S) and model which is a rectangle box split into two sides using drawings of how to find the missing number.                                                                   
Science:   The students are continuing to work on their Project Based Learning Activity with apples and pumpkins. Students are learning how each one grows and is comparing their similarities and differenes. The students will be covering different types of land forms in the state of New Jersey.                                                         

Social Studies: They are learning about different STREAM careers. These include studying in the fields of Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, and Mathamatics and what jobs/ careers fall under each.
The students will be learning about American Flag,  The Bald Eagle, The Bell and Statue of Liberty and their meanings. 
 
Computer Science: Our students are continuing to learn how to utilize Google Classroom for assignments, projects and classwork. For the first time in St. Joseph History our first graders are learning how to login to their chromebooks with little guidance. 
They have been practicing their typing skills and logging into Happynumbers, Sadlier Math and Raz-Kids A-Z at this time.

Religion: This month our students are honoring Mother Mary, Our Lady of The Rosary by donating $2.00 for Roses to put around our statue. The students will continue to practice and learn about the Rosary and what each bead stands for. 
Before lunch the students practice" Prayer before Meal" which is the following below:
"Bless us Oh Lord,
and these thy gifts,
which we are about to recieve,
from thy bounty,'through Christ our Lord
Amen,"
- I have added this at the end.
"And we also pray for those Families and Children who are less fortunate then us.
Amen" feel free to practice at home if you would like.
Before leaving the classroom everyday the students repeat the act of contriction. 

The Lord's Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
They kingdom come.
They will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. 
Amen.

Hail Mary
Hail Mary, Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death.
Amen

Morning Offering
O Jesus,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer You my prayers, works, joys and sufferings
of this day for all the intentions
of Your Sacred Heart,
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
throughout the world,
in reparation for my sins,
for the intentions of all my relatives and friends.
Amen.

Guardian Angel Prayer
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
to whom God's love commits me here,
ever this day be at my side,
to light and guard, to rule and guide.
Amen.

The Prayer of Saint Francis 
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is dispair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;  

Lord, Grant that I may seek
To comfort rather than be comforted;
To understand rather than to be understood;
To love than to be loved.  

For it is by giving that one receives;
By forgiving that one is forgiven;
And by dying that one awakens to eternal life.
Amen.

Grace Before Meals
Bless us, O Lord, and these they gifts,
which we are about to receive
from thy bounty,
Through Christ our Lord. 
Amen.

Act of Contrition
My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good,
I have sinned against You Whom I should love above all things,
I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our Savior Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us.
In His name, my God, have mercy.
Amen.

Exit of The Day Prayer:
We are grateful for the
signs and wonders of this day,
for ordinary events and it's surprises,
big and small.
We thank you for the
loving people who surround us.
May we continue to reflect your goodness
to others in your name.
We ask this through your beloved Son, Jesus.
Amen.