Check out this page every Sunday evening for an update on what's coming up in our classroom.

Week at a glance

December 15th-19th

Advent Service Project (ENDS December 17th)

This Advent, we are collecting items for the Catholic Social Services ‘Care-a-Van’ project. This project aims to support the unhoused by addressing their basic needs. As a school, we will be collecting adult sized winter essentials, such as mittens, gloves, hats and warm socks. Every item donated will be added to our House Christmas trees in the foyer and will earn points for that house.

Christmas Concert

If your child will be absent from our Christmas Concert on the evening of Wednesday, December 17th, 2025, please let me know. Otherwise, please reserve this evening so you can enjoy the songs and the show! Doors will open at 5:00 PM, and the Grade 1 concert will begin at 6:00 PM. Grade 1 students are asked to arrive around 5:30 PM. They will be called to meet in the House Room (Music Room) at approximately 5:45 PM to get set up. Please note that the evening concert is for immediate family only due to capacity limits.

Our Dress Rehearsal will take place on Wednesday, December 17th, from 9:00–10:00 AM for extended family.

Christmas Lunch

On Friday, December 19th, we will be having a special Christmas lunch in class to celebrate the season. To help make this possible, each student has been asked to bring an item to contribute to the lunch (send items in a labelled container).Thank you to everyone who signed up for a contribution: Christmas Lunch Sign Up. If your child will be absent for our Christmas lunch, please let me know as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation.

SPARK Reading!

On Monday of last week, your child was given access to Spark Reading, an online digital library that also includes some decodable books. This digital library allows your child to access books from home to practice their reading.

Once your child is logged in, they can choose to read books from the general library or from the “From My Teacher” section. The books I have assigned to them are all decodable texts that students should be able to read independently. These books are not required reading—I simply added them to make it easier for students to find books at their level.

If your child finds a book in the general library that interests them but is currently too difficult, feel free to read it to them. Kids love being read to, and it gives them access to books above their current reading ability. Not only can this increase their engagement and interest in reading, but it can also support the development of their comprehension and vocabulary as you discuss the story together.

Our learning plan for this week:

Social Studies: As we are deep into the season of traditions, this week we will be talking about different traditions we each have.

In the New Year, we will be doing a Family Heritage Project. Please watch your inboxes in January for more details. 

French: We continue learning Christmas words in conjunction with action words.. We will practice these French vocabulary words through song, writing and reading. GRINCH day will certainly help us to write lots and lots.

We continue to work on our French combos: ch, ou, é, oi & on (om with a b/p), an, en am & em (am & em is only with a b/p) & eu. This week, students will be learning Santa’s special combo sound: au, eau.

**Has your child been practicing their French flashcards? Do they know all of their color words, classroom words AND numbers up to 20?? Remember, these are extremely important as they help your child with reading fluency and French vocabulary! Our French Language Arts webpage is there to help!**

Mathematics: This week, we will begin working on the first steps of adding and subtracting using the benchmarks of 5 and 10. Students will explore and practice the different ways to make 5 and 10 using rekenreks, Cuisenaire rods, and other tools.

You can reinforce this at home by asking questions such as, “I have 9 plates, but I need 10. What should I do?” Your child will likely respond, “Well, you just need 1 more!”

We will also continue to work on naming the number that is one more, one less, two more, and two less than any given number up to 10.

Please take some time to check out the Math Webpage for games (Ten Frame practice, Okta’s Rescue, and Number Track are great options).

Please read the following for additional mathematical information to help support your child’s learning:

Counting is more than just repeating the series of numbers.  All of math is built on the structure and the patterns within the counting sequence.  So, help your child notice the repetition of the 0-9 in the numbers.  Here are stages kids go through while learning to count, please take note of where your child is:

• Child knows some number words, but does not say them in the correct order

• Child starts at 1 (or zero) when counting, but says it as a string of words and may not hear them as separate words

• Child starts at 1 (or zero) and understands they are separate words.  Can count up to 10, then learns to count up to 20. Children also start to count backwards from 10 and 20.

• Child can start from any number when counting.  For example, ask your child “Can you start counting from 7?”

• Child can skip count with understanding.  For example, when counting by 2s they don’t just have the sequence of 2,4,6,8,10 memorized, instead the child understands that they skip a number.

At home, here is what I recommend: (in French as much as possible).

1. Count EVERYTHING and NOTHING.  Have your child count collections of items, but also just have them count without counting items.  For example, ask them to count to the highest number they can.  

2. Start counting at random numbers.  For example, ask your child to count by ones, but start at 7.  This can be used when playing Hide & Seek.  Don’t just have them count to 20.  Instead you could have them start at 7 and count to 27 before they come to find you.

Being able to count properly, and know the sequence of numbers is what will help your child with addition and subtraction, which we will begin briefly with word problems this week (There are four cats, and then Mlle Elodie buys two more, how many cats are there now?). Students will use manipulatives such as rekenreks, counters or ten frames to help them do the word problems and see the quantities change.

We are also starting to practice saying our numbers from 0-50! Please use the following song to help practice these numbers at home: Les chiffres et les nombres de 1 à 100 alain le lait French numbers song **STOP the song after the number 50**

Sciences: Students have learned key vocabulary to help them describe the properties of items. Properties include color, size, and texture. Last week, students learned about the measurable property of length. They did this by comparing items to a fixed size, and by using a single repetitive unit (such as a paper clip). This week, we look at learning about the measurable property of weight.

English: We are now getting into the details of the rules and patterns of the English language. Last week, students learned the FLOSS spelling rule. This week, they will learn the -all,-oll & -ull word families, the ck sound and, if we have time, the /sh/ consonant digraph. 

We will also be learning the following irregular words go, no, so, goes, says, she, we. As well as reviewing what, want & your. Please have a look at the Heart Word Magic website to help you understand our process of learning irregular words in class.

Last week, we added a new choice activity that your child can do during our Daily 5 time: Writer’s Workshop. This provides them with an alternative option to reading. Essentially, they choose a topic to write about, and off they go—using the sounds and letters they know.

Please continue to practice the new reading skills and letters at home using your child's blue duo-tang. New decodable texts typically come home on Wednesday’s.

A reminder that our Sightwords Rethought WebPage provides you with ways you can help at home!

Religion:  Check out the Religion Tab on our website to connect what we are learning at school with your home.  We will be completing Unit 2 (ADVENT), Week 15: “Preparing for Jesus” and beginning Week 16: "Celebrating the Birth of Jesus". 

If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at elemoine@gsacrd.ab.ca

Mme Élodie Lemoine