We continued looking at shapes this week in math. The students used solid shape blocks to identify, describe and compare solid shapes. The First Graders learned the attributes of solid shapes. The students noticed that the faces of solid shapes are plane shapes.
Each week in First Grade, the students are learning specific skills to develop their social and emotional well being. The Madeleine School (K-5) uses the curriculum The Second Step to help students think about, develop and practice positive social skills. In this program, students learn how to understand and manage their feelings, how to make friends and be a friend, and how to solve social problems. The Second Step program is divided into 3 units: Empathy Training, Impulse Control and Problem Solving, and Anger Management. We have finished the Empathy unit where the children have practiced identifying and understanding their own and others’ feelings in order to better get along. In general, simply listening and talking about feelings helps children be more understanding of others. We began the Impulse Control unit this week. Here is the link to The Second Step program for more information
http://www.cfchildren.org/programs/ssp/elem/
Thank you for coming to Mass this past Thursday and supporting the First Graders as they led the school in celebrating Mass! The students were amazing. Leading Mass requires a keen sense of awareness of the structure of Mass. We spent time practicing in the church last week paying close attention to how Mass is organizes. I was so proud of their serious dedication to leading Mass!
In religion, the First Graders have been learning one of the Seven Sacraments, Baptism. Baptism is our welcome into the Church. Next Tuesday, the First Grade Class is in charge of bringing in lunches for the less fortunate who are served by St. Michael’s church downtown. I hope you can pick up some extra lunch supplies at the market this weekend and bring in an extra lunch or two!
Coming up:
Tuesday, January 24th – First Grade in charge of St. Michael’s lunches
Thursday, January 27 – All School Mass and Subway hot lunch
