job interview,thermometer search,counting by 2s

• continued with gathering data from N.O.A.A. on temp. and atmospheric conditions(cloudy today and 80 degrees). Tomorrow,end of the month we'll organize the data,using a bar graph,and pictograph,temperature range and season. We'll collect this data each month and watch the cycle.
• counted by 2s. Gave a cheer using 2's...with body movements. Ask about it. "zero.2,4,6,8,who do we appreciate? First Grade,First Grade...YEA!" applied use of skip counting knowledge as read large thermometer and one we drew on the board which they colored up to the temperature.
• read from our Social Studies book"People and Places",discussed holidays,identified National Holidays and customs based on pictures in book,focused on Labor Day
• identified jobs of Community Workers on big poster and flannel board,where matched tools to job
• Mr. Terry,school custodian,who describes his job as "technician",discussed what he did,showing us two kinds of thermometers,including the ever amazing"Temperature Gun".We each pointed the little red light to one of the vents in the room and read the temperature. It changed as we moved the gun....guess air must have different temperature in different places.hmmmmm.
• briefly looked at a big new science book....If we're going to see bugs all around,might as well know something about them ... looked at four different kinds of crickets.
• TONIGHT'S HOMEWORK
• due Friday or earlier if they choose
• MATH/SCIENCE: thermometer search...many are convinced there are no thermometers in the house except the one in the living room where we can make the house "hotter or colder". Don't tell them...let them discover! Open the 'fridge,the oven,..find the thermometer,find the one in the car,the one they use when somebody is sick, garden.....
• SOCIAL STUDIES: You or someone child knows,will be interviewed about their job.You may need to write the responses for some of the slow,slow writers(only if you can see that they're getting stressed,intervene).One childr wanted to interview her baby-sitter. Typically, there were several in class who didn't know what their parent did,or could state the job title but didn't know what it entailed. Feel free to make copies of the little book if your child would like to interview more..remember grandparents,uncles,aunts are candidates. ..grandma' or gramps would be thrilled with a long distance interview..retired people count. Have fun!
• Upcoming Events
• Tuesday--tomorrow,school councelor guest speaker,describes job,etc.
• Thursday--Head of Federation..they love to look at the big map of the world and see all of the things we do around the world
• Friday--Mrs. Oakes,what does a principal do...I found some great stickers for her to hand out.

Remember to listen to your child read to you tonight and mark it down in the reading section of The Agenda.It's the last flag.

If you did not look at the returned work from last week,please review and sign the sheet that let's me know you've had a chance to review it. Thanks....some children need to complete last week's homework.

REMINDER: Keep in touch if you have any questions, or feel there's something that you would like me to know. We're both on the same page...help your child be the best that she or he can be...tap into the gifts,develop them,share them with the world.

pictures,careers,maps,temp.

• while some children were having pictures taken those remaining in rm.worked in chosen Centers .Most popular:designing and writing a bk.,reading "365 Science Expeiments",rereading stories read in class
• U.S. weather map from U.S.A. Today,discussed and displayed noted temp.around country..hightest,lowest..looked at globe noting effect of geography on temp.
• throughout yr.each month,about this time,will follow cycle of seasons as it really happens.If you have newspaper,you may wish to find map and see what temp.is...First graders LOVE maps.
• read first issue of weekly Scholastic News.keep at home
• see folders,grader papers enclosed with form to sign and please return.These were assessment pages..no grades given. They have suggestions and give us a picture of where we need to begin to work....
• gave librarian book on Jobs as intro.to Labor Day
• discussed carreers we like to have when we grow up.A few were: Teacher...three applicants but one later changed it to Hall Monitor, three gymnasts, a ballerina, prof.soccer player and one Lion Tamer..I guess the country is safe.
• next week social studies discusses Labor Day...Mon. Mr.Terry,custodian
• Tues. school councelor,Thur.-Pres. of Federation, Fri.-Mrs. Oakes.
• We did so much more in class...ask about The story we read, the pop- up alphabet,Wordly Wise and touching our nose each time we heard a familiar vocabulary word
• Have a restful Shabbat, walk,talk...but mostly listen...and don't forget to read.

Be well...

Dear First Grade Parents,

This week the First graders learned in our Judaic class bout the month of Elul( חדש אלול).
We practiced blowing the Shofar and called out the different names of the blowing. We learned that we do more of the three following in this month:תשובה תפילה וצדקה- Teshuvah(repentance), Tefilah(prayers) and Tzedakah(Charity).

We also practice the recognizing and reading Hebrew. We went over the Patach and Kamats vowels.
Today we discussed the portion of the week and I sent with them a little packet to go over with them. This packet is suppose to be a family fun activity for Friday night(preferably). If it is possible, please sign it and send it back to school on Monday.

We had a fun and interesting week in our class. I thank you for allowing me to teach your wonderful children.
Shabbat Shalom,
Mrs. Bass

Technology Class

First graders practiced logging in and logging out with the correct username and password. We reviewed the parts of the computer and Kidpix and began creating pictures.

The first graders all worked hard and followed directions.

Greetings from the Music Room

We started the year with our traditional EKA name game. We added a special twist by "saying" our names with a drum. One of our focuses this year is learning to recognize the difference between beat and rhythm, and recognizing opposites in music (high/low, fast/slow, getting louder/getting quieter....). We will also continue developing our singing voices. I will be using the Kodaly philosophy in music education to teach melody and rhythm reading skills. I'm looking forward to another great year with your children. Patty Riggle Bonner-music

Hebrew Class for First Grade

We are learning the letter Alef and at the same time the kids are learning vocabulary for Alef. They sing songs about Ariot, Alef letter, Tal Am kids and are working on the Shalom unit that deals with daily life in class. They hear and read stories from our big book, library books and play games with the new words. In Ya-hah-dut (judaics) we are learning about Rosh Hashanah, the Shofar and the symbols of the Holiday.

Thanks for last night..enjoyed it.Come again!!

• did much board work,compared temperature since began collecting data,compared yesterday and today's with two thermometer,noted meaning of C.and F. once more
• looked at poster showing correct writing posture,where to keep hands,practiced.
• completed a few pages in our handwriting workbook.
• worked on discovering what number we had difficulty forming or which may need to be "tweeked "for legibility ( no reference to a common ly used computer activity)
• played Monster Mash and a board game of "guess the missing number that comes before,between or after the numbers written on the board or your page
• count by fives and tens...please check to see where the breakdown occurs if there's a slow down anywhere with your child. The decade mark is often the stumper. Don't begin with 5 or 10,start at 15 or 25. See how far child will go. How far can you count before the light changes? Can you go farther at the next light? ...be creative with the automatic skill.
• if the fives and tens are solid,without parental mouthing or intervention,then move on to the 2s.
• wrote in our new Handwriting Books. Worked on making a nice,First Grade "a". It was fun to go to the board with the feeling"I just can't do it." and leave with"Ha! I did it".
• Read in our Social Studies book: People and Places. Ask how many stripes on our flag and why. How many stars? Why? Some may not yet remember the word "colonies".
• listened to the final chapter in our first book " Fluffy Goes to School".Fluffly sat on my lap Ask about story and how Fluffy managed to think quickly to get himself out of an embarressing situation. What was he what was he wearing and why? How did he get into those clothers? . They should repeat the plot.

We're beginning our vocabulary building book:Wordly Wise

We're reviewing the first five words and will do the next ones next week.Look for more suggestions for reinforcing these new words.

1. leap
2. .swamp
3. trunk
4. capital
5. nomument
6. steep
7. load
8. globe
9. coast
10. nation

homework due on Fri,can be handed in earlier.

Brief Overview of Today's Happenings

• reviewed skip counting by 5s,10s 2s
• read math story problem,showed how we solved it
• remembered to use correct units in our work..when we wrote the temperature we added the degree sign and said the answer was 9 boys in our math story
• listened toa N.O.A.A. weather radio that was using solar power.We looked at the solar panel.
• worked on reading our calendars.
• listened to a story about a little mouse who worried. We talked about some of us being worried about going to First Grade on the first day. It's good to find that sometimes other people worry about the same things.
• did a sample of the glyph we're doing for math homework.
• made a cut and paste chart of some things we think we can do well and some not so well.
• most of us think we do well in lots of things from cooking to listening to music and enjoying a story.
• tomorrow we've had a request for another game of Monster Mash in math
• we'll practice writing some numbers,get our handwriting books and write in our journal
• we'll be introduced to a book about a character named Fluffy,who is all id. .
• music tomorrow.
• What Can I Do If I'd Like to Extend the Lessons ?

• pour out some nickels on the table.The child guesses how much money in all,after telling you how much each nickel is worth. Then your child touches each coin,moves it over and counts out loud. See if the guess was right. Too much? Too little.
• do the same with pennies,two at a time.Dimes first.Tens are easier than counting by twos.
• If your child learns better by movement, try marching in place as they skip count,or take giant steps,or sway...be creative,get a rhythm going. Sing the numbers.
• don't always begin at the beginning..count from 15 to 115, or 20 to 190.
• remember...Your child counts!...double entendre intended.
• listen to child read aloud for ten min. nightly. If you need a more difficult or easier book,talk with me.

see you tomorrow night....and remember to keep in touch.

First Grade Art

First grade is exploring line in art. They were very excited to use rulers to create straight lines for their first art project. Each student created an abstract design, which they are filling in with patterns of line and color.

Lots of things happening in First Grade...

• Reminder: Lunchtime is later than Kindergarten.Please,include a sizable recess snack,even if hot lunch is ordered.

Thursday's Highlights:

• math count using manipulatives(sticks),numbers in correct place value slot,counting coin vlaue to track
• read simple math story problem,required to "show your work." Steps your brain used to get the answer.
• noted and posted birthdays,writing this month's on personal calendars
• N.O.A.A.Weather Radio,collected data on day's current temp. and atmospheric conditions.New voc. word: precipitation
• noted parts and whole...if one part missing,the object may not work.All parts interdependent(removed battery from radio,piece missing,won't work,why?)
• assessed letter formation and knowledge of lower case letter( reversals are normal ). We'll work on self awareness and self correction beginnning next week.
• read"Morris the Moose Goes to School" Morris sat politely on my lap as I read.
• reviewed author,characters. new vocab.word: Plot
• played with homonyms in story,predicted,read messages relayed by pictures,several copies of books and complete series on reading shelves to enjoy at leisure.
• free write in journals,with reminder of where to put date,drawing relates to journal content
• phonogram cards (letter sounds) ,reviewed digraph sound of "th",assisted in confusion of body part the "fum"is actually pronounced and spelled "thumb."
• signed in,making bar graph for attendance. Today's question same as yesterday.Yesterday,some children felt scared,some excited. Today,none scared ,just excited,sleepy or both,discussed how one could have more than one feeling at a time
• science safety,nose can give sense clue that teacher may have just wiped the board with rubbing alchol,put in drawer out of sight as safety precaution,saw flashlight,siren,flashing light on emergency weather radio,be prepared for unexpected events,
• viewed brief video-science safety and experiement, reasons for results. Video correlates with book found on science table. Discussed sometimes enjoy something so much want to hear story again,read book by same author again,see video again. All agreed wanted view this one again.
• .

Friday highlights

• daily math routine,listening and pulling out info.we choose to retrieve only by listening,collecting and comparing weather data,comparing temperature,higher/lower/the same. How much difference between them and why? Look for any discernable pattern as month continues.
• discuss and apply Derech Eretz principle s"Yes,please", "No,thank you",in more concrete ways than in Thurs.classroom game.
• receive handwriting book,browse, note correct way to sit,hold paper down,begin letter formation.

What Can I Do?

.encourage and model"Yes,please"."No,thank you".

• during 10 min. nightly oral reading(they read to you,the other way doesn't count),note "th"sounds,identify on display boards,advertisements,oral language. Guess at how the rest of the word might be spelled. notice how can be in intial,median or end of word.
• read story to child,predict what might happen next ,reasoning for prediction,name main and minor characters, plot ( what happened)
• walk quietly together.,listen to :many sounds in nature,what was it,why do you think,where in space is sound wave coming from?
• remember to keep in touch with me.

The first day in First Grade...

We were very busy.

• read a pop-up book about Bugs in School...learned two new words:manual (as in manual

pencil sharpener and manually turning the Weather Radio crank to make it give us the weather)and Paper-engineering (as in the process used in pop-up books).

• discussed concept of parts and whole...without the battery,plug or energy the radio or pencil sharpener will not do it's job.
• We can be sources of energy.

• dated our new calendars,filled in all of August,posted todays temperature and atmospheric conditions.
• toured the room,learning about each center
• rules for polite bathroom behavior, ..knock before trying the door.
• put our school supply boxes together for both Hebrew and English
• established a Supply Bank with our reserves in the back of the room
• reviewed some information in the Parent/Student handbook,found in the backpack.
• established the rule that the Agenda with your child's name,is to be taken to all classes,taken home and returned daily (not taken to lunch or P.E.)
• went to P.E. today
• made a sun visor to protect our eyes from the sun
• some children volunteered for a few vital jobs:door holder,recess door holder, gym door holder, end-line leader,greeter, etc. More jobs will be given as the week progresses.
• reviewed parts of Agenda. No homework tonight, just reading.Remember to mark it in the Reading section of the Agenda.
• Please return summer homework.
• ate in the lunchroom. Remember,Wed. is ice cream for $1.00 as eighth grade fundraiser
• estimated (predicted) how many teeth would be lost by the entire class by June
• added up number of teeth currently loose in First Grade population
• revised our predictions of:100 lost,3,5 and 12....will return to estimate in Jan. to see if based on current loss data collected,estimate needs further revision.

See backpack for Parent/Student Handbook.

Tomorrow

• begin count of Days in school,use coin count of day
• wonderful,brief video of science experiments which correlate with those seen in a science book on our science table.
• Summary: It was a busy day.We all did well.
• Please keep in touch.