First Grade Update
October 1, 2026
Happy October!
A new month, a new season, investigating the weather in Fall, and new lunch table assignments - things couldn't be better!
We had an especially exciting snack walk on Thursday! We visited our kindergarten tree, and praised God for all the trees on our campus! While we were outside, we ran into a celebrity - the mailman! We got to chat with him about the process of mailing a letter, watch as he dropped off/picked up the Visitation mail, and peek inside his brand new mail truck!
We continued learning centers this week so students could rotate between 4 teachers (Ms. Wengronowitz, Mrs. Schletz, Mrs. Poehls, and Mrs. Kelley) to receive more personalized reading and math instruction in small groups. We will continue to have learning centers once a week.
Learning
Believe and Read
Kindergarten review: We finished explicit instruction on how to correctly form each lowercase letter. Of course, we will continue working on this the entire year. We learned sight words: his, her, for, or. We learned to identify a short vowel as one followed by a single consonant, and we learned to mark it with a breve. Point out short vowels and practice their sounds when reading with your first grader!
Comprehension
Unit 2: We learned about the concept of a narrator. When reading with your first grader, work together to determine if the narrator is a character in the story or not.
Math
Addition within 10: We took our chapter 2 math test: Addition within 10, and we introduced chapter 3: Subtraction within 10. I highly recommend making flashcards at home and drilling them daily so first graders are able to correctly solve subtraction equations within a few seconds.
Science
Observing the Sky: We questioned whether weather and temperature change throughout the day. On Wednesday, we went outside at 3 different times of day to make observations about the sky, the position of the sun, clouds, the air, and the temperature. Make observations of the sky when outside with your first grader!
Religion
God, Our Creator and Father: We prayed Saint Francis of Assisi's Prayer for Peace every day this week, noting that God loves opposites! We should try to love more than we try to be loved. When we give to others, we receive from Heaven! We learned the Holy Spirit is God's gift of peace. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are the Holy Trinity.
Social Studies
Civics: We learned that we are all good helpers and leaders at school when we act virtuously. Everyone in our class is a virtuous and valuable citizen of our first grade community!
First Grade Halloween Party, October 30, 1:20-2:30
You're invited to join us in the classroom for a Halloween Party! Grandparents, aunts/uncles, Godparents, siblings are all welcome! Costumes are welcome! Please let me know who will be attending so I can put them on a list to sign in at the Heart when they arrive.
Country Study
Families are invited to come into the classroom to share knowledge and lead an activity of your choice!
As part of our Groves Comprehension curriculum, first grade will be studying the following countries this year: Peru, Nigeria, Afghanistan, India, China, Argentina, Mexico, and France.
Do you have a special connection with one of these countries?
If so, you are invited to come into the classroom to share more. For example, you can show us pictures of your time there, teach us about the geography of the country, bring in an artifact, or something else! Feel free to be creative!
If you do not have a personal connection, but you would like to participate, you are welcome to find a book about one of these countries to come in and read and share.
Note: If you have a special connection to another country or community, you are invited to schedule a time with me to share your knowledge and lead an activity!
Please email me if you are interested in participating.
Postcard Project
Throughout the school year, we will attempting to collect a postcard from all 50 states!
Ask the person sending the postcard to please write:
What they love about their state!
A fun fact about their state!
A word of encouragement for the class!
Our mailing address:
First Grade c/o Tara Wengronowitz
Visitation School
2455 Visitation Drive
Mendota Heights, MN 55120
Popcorn and Cookies
Friday, October 30
Friday, November 20
Friday, December 18
Friday, January 29
Friday, February 26
Thursday, March 18
Friday, April 23
Friday, May 28
Upcoming Dates
- October 14-16 MEA break, no school
- October 30, 1:30-2:30 Halloween Party