December 12th Newsletter

This was a very short week in first grade with the snow day on Tuesday and an early out on Wednesday and our IMS buddies on Thursday. 

In math we continued to work on measurement and comparing our height with the height of things in the classroom.  We also worked on combinations of numbers that add up to numbers 5-15.  We did all of our math work this week in partners.  The first graders did a great job of partner work.

In reading we read  the story "Me on the Map".  We did a little bit of map reading and talked about how we fit in the world at large.  We worked with the long a sound in words that have a silent e (cake, made, tape, etc.).  We will finish this story next week.

We finished up our pictures of our favorite Christmas trees from the Herbert Hoover Museum.  I think the blue Christmas tree and the one with the dice and the pink flamingos were by far the favorites.

We celebrated four birthdays this week.

I shared some of my favorite holiday literature this week. We read "The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree" by Gloria Houston,  "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" by Dr. Suess, and "Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg.  The main theme of all of these stories is that there is much more to Christmas than the glitter and commercialism that seems to be so common these days.  

The Christmas Carol Sing will be Friday, December 19th at 12:30.  If you would like to join us in singing Christmas Carols that day, please feel free to do so.

The first graders will also be enjoying a Christmas party next Friday from 2:15-3:15.

IMS Buddy Activity

Our IMS buddies came today to do some Christmas activities.  They brought some books about snow that they read to us.

We decorated sugar cookies.  I didn't realize first graders could eat so many sprinkles.

We made Christmas tree ornaments.

Here are the ornaments we made.  They are beautiful blue and silver snowflakes.

We had a great time with our buddies.

Sinterklass Came!!!

We arrived at school this morning to find candy, cookies, and a pencil in our wooden shoes.  After checking with Dan and Paula we decided that Sinterklass did have time to visit us while he was visiting the children of Holland. We all must have been good because we all got goodies instead of a lump of coal in our shoes!!!   

December 5th Newsletter

In reading this week, we worked on writing a personal narrative.  A personal narrative is a true story about something that happened to the writer.  I was very pleased with the writing of the students, considering this is the first formal piece of writing they have done for me.

We started a Holidays Around the World unit this week. We started in the country of Holland.  We learned that Dutch children start the holiday season on the evening of December 5th.  On this night they leave out their wooden shoes in the hopes that Sinterklass will leave presents and candy.  Then the actual Christmas celebration on December 25th is a very solemn occasion celebrating the birth of Christ.  We made some wooden shoes and left them on our desks over the weekend in the hopes that Sinterklass will be able to visit us as well as the children of Holland.  Next week our trip will take us to the country of Sweden and maybe Mexico.

THERE IS A 2 HOUR EARLY OUT NEXT WEDNESDAY FOR INSERVICE!!

It would be of great help if you could put your child's name in their winter clothing.  Black snowpants all look alike and it is very difficult to tell whose is whose.

West Branch Christmas Tree Museum

On Thursday we went with our Wellman Elementary buddies to the Herbert Hoover Museum in West Branch. We viewed their display of Christmas trees.  This year the trees were all decorated around an Elvis Presley theme. We heard a little bit about each of the trees and picked out our favorite tree. 

The patriotic tree was my personal favorite.

We had our picture taken with one of the trees and also with both of the other first grade classes.

Turkey Sing

We finished our day with a turkey sing in the gym.  I didn't know there were so many songs about turkeys.   Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!!! 

Our Thanksgiving Feast

The day of the big feast has arrived.  We started our cooking chores early by peeling potatoes and carrots.

  

We added broth and green beans.

We made cornbread.

Then we all set down to a wonderful Thanksgiving feast. We had our stew, corn bread, fruit salad, and pumpkin pie.  Our feast was delicious!!!   Our first picture is of Elizabeth Hopkins and her baby Oceanus.

Counting Seeds

With the help of our 5th grade friends we cut open our pumpkins and counted all of the seeds.  We had a grand total of 7,181 seeds in our pumpkins.  We then took all of those seeds and planted them outside near the fence on our playground.  Do you think we will get any pumpkins next spring?

The Hard Winter

We have made it through the hard first winter of our life in the New World.  Unfortunately, many of us did not survive that first winter.  We had to swear in a new Governor.......William Bradford because our first Governor, John Carver,  did not survive.

November 21st Newsletter

We have finished the first story in our new theme.....Home Sweet Home.  This week we read "Moving Day" about a hermit crab looking for a new home.  The skills we worked on were sh, ch, th, wh, and tch digraphs, comparing and contrasting, exclamatory sentences, and writing complete sentences.  Our spelling words focused on words with sh or ch.  Each week your child has 6 main spelling words and two challenge words.  You can help your child develop good study habits by helping them to study their spelling words nightly.

We have completed part of our pilgrim voyage and have arrived safely in the new world.  Next week we will be learning what life was like for the pilgrims once they settled in at Plymouth Rock.  The culminating activity will be our feast on Wednesday.

In math we have been focusing on counting pennies, nickels, and dimes and also working on frame and arrows. You can help your child in math by reviewing basic math facts to 10.

I will not be sending a Friday Folder home over Thanksgiving vacation since it is just a three day week and we are going to be doing mostly activities.  I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and you family a very safe and Happy Thanksgiving.   

Settling In

Our first job upon arriving at Plymouth Rock was to build our homes and the Common House so we would no longer have to live aboard the ship.  The Common House would be used as a meeting place, church, school, and even a hospital.

Governor Carver and William Bradford building the Common House

The Mullins family home

The Brewster Family Home

The Standish family home

The Hopkins Family Home

  

Our completed village

First Casualty

We have had our first casualty of the voyage.  Dorothy Bradford fell off of the boat as we were disembarking at Plymouth Rock.  We are thinking that this will be the first of many Pilgrims that do not make it to Thanksgiving. However since we also need Native Americans at the feast, many of us will take on a new personality.

Landing At Plymouth Rock

We were planning on settling in Jamestown, Virginia. However, one of the storms blew us way off course.  It was November 11, 1620.  Since Winter was coming we decided to stay where we were. We called our new village Plymouth Rock, after Plymouth England.  Before we left the boat we swore in our new Governor......John Carver.

  

 Here we are stepping off of the boat onto Plymouth Rock.