Friday’s Message:
Bread from Around the World
Jabreel brought pan de sal from the Philippines. His mom, Nicole, told us a little about the history of the bread. Jabreel pointed out where the country is on the map. Before eating the bread, the students estimated how many rolls there were. Encourage your child to tell you what they did/learned.
Asian Pacific Islander Day
On Tuesday, March 9th ,the first grade classes will be participating in games and crafts from many Asian and Pacific Island countries. (Jabreel’s bread is from one of them.) Students will be rotating to the various stations, (similar to our skill group set-up) working with students from the other classes. The day will end with lunch. It’s sure to be a great day. Have your child dress for the occasion. Parents are invited.
Khadra
Get your cameras ready! We will be dancing March 22. There are two performances, the first one is usually about 10:30, then a repeated performance at 11. I’ll try to get the exact times for you by next week.
Website
Did you know you could get the weekly messages and homework on-line (just in case it gets misplaced!) Check us out on the Joaquin Miller website; there are also some photos! Thank you Kirby and Vivian, Julia’s dad and stepmom, for keeping us posted electronically!
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Homework:
READING
Read and record in your Reading Log.
WRITING
We’ve been playing games (mancala, space chase, tens, various “memory” games, just to name a few.) Last week students started designing a game board. This week they wrote the rules to play the game.
Have your child write about a game you play together at home. Name the game and tell how it is played (general directions). Your child can number the rules. Write complete sentences.
MATH
We’ve been using the “greater than” > and “less than” < signs. (Your child is bringing home the “sign” cards they made along with an activity we did). We used these cards with number quilt “pieces” they made and with coins.
Have your child practice making the greater than / less than signs.. Start with 2-digit numerals, They can get the numerals by rolling dice, cutting them from magazines or newspaper, or just writing numerals of their choice. Write the appropriate sign and read it to an adult. Write at least 6 of these equations. Your child can do a couple 3-digit comparisons if they would like. ( They’ve been building 3-digit numerals with a board game in class.)
Next have your child make some money comparisons. Have your child write the initial of the coin or the value of it (see the work sent home). Then make the appropriate sign for the comparison. Do several coins together to reinforce adding. Write at least 6 of the coin equations.
FLOUR and FLOWER
Students have been introduced to homophones, words that sound the same but have a different spellings / meaning (knead/need, I/eye, road/rode)
Bread is just one of the many foods that uses flour. Help your child discover at least 6 other foods that use flour. They can look for the word on packages where ingredients are listed or maybe they know of recipes where you use flour. List foods under the heading “flour is used”. Besides each word have your child draw or cut out a picture of the particular food.
Now do the same activity under the heading “flower.” Go on a nature walk and draw flowers you see or cut out pictures from magazines, newspaper ads, etc., or even use real flowers (but I told students to pick only from their yards). If you know the names of the flowers, have your child write it. Do at least 6 flowers.
Students will be sharing and doing a math lesson with the foods. We’ll also share our garden flowers.
Friday’s Message:
Walkathon
Thank you to Kris and Paul, Travis’ and William’s dads, for being our room coordinators for the Walkathon. We had our “kick-off” assembly this week, then they came in to rally up excitement for the fun fund-raising event. Your child brought home their sponsor sheet yesterday.
Science Fair
If you are interested in having your child do a project for the science fair, a packet is being sent home with your child.
Star Student
All the students are stars! Soon each student will have the opportunity to shine. Students’ names will be put into a “hat.” And a name will be pulled. That child can bring
*one special thing to share
*three photographs about himself/herself and your family
*an estimation activity
*a parent writing (Your writing will be included in the Friday/homework packet
sent home)
A more detailed paper will be sent home with your child when s/he is picked to be the star student.
Bread. Bread, Bread
Only a few students turned in the form for the bread sharing. Only one parent has noted that they would like to make the bread with the class. Cooking is a great way to integrate reading, math, science, and social studies. It’s a hands-on approach to learning. I’ll help you.
You’ll enjoy cooking with the class as much as the kids!! Please turn in the form below if you have not done so. Thanks!
Student’s name_________________________________________
Name of bread__________________________
I would like to make this bread with the class ____________
The day/time that works best for me is ___________________
READING
Read and record in your Reading Log.
WRITING
Choose a book from your child’s Reading Log. Have your child tell the main idea of the
story, then tell what is his/her favorite part. Remember to tell the title of the book and the author.
MATH
It took a couple of weeks to make the “pieces” / squares for our number quilt. Students selected number cards randomly. The number cards were “face down.” Then they “built numerals” with base 10 blocks; next they cut out “sticks of tens” and “units of one” to show it’s representation. Students reviewed the meaning and place value of numerals.
This week there was a 100 grid and we started assembling our number quilt. Students had to explain why s/he put a numeral in a particular square. For this activity students were:
-- counting rows by 10’s and counting on by 1’s
-- noting number patterns in rows and columns (a few students found diagonal patterns)
-- using math vocabulary like before/between/after
Your child’s homework is to cut out the squares of numbers on the 100 chart attached. Put the numerals in a container after they are cut. Then pull out the numerals one at a time and find where it goes on the blank chart provided. As your child puts the numbers down, s/he needs to explain why it goes in that particular spot. Glue or tape the numerals down when the chart is completed.
WORDS PER MINUTE
This week students worked with partners. One student kept an eye on the second hand of the classroom clock, while the partner read. Then they counted how many words the person read in a minute. Then they switched being timekeeper and reader.
Have your child practice fluency. Do at least 6 one minute timings. Have your child write the title of the book and the number of words per minute (WPM). Choose a variety of books your child can read from. A suggestion would be to use their book bag reader and/or library book for one of their choices. On one of the timings have your child reread one of their selections.
February 13, 2004
Friday’s Message:
Happy Valentine’s Day
We had a heartfelt day! Lots of love was passed around the room. Thank you to all the parents that donated goodies for our classroom party. The kids had fun passing out cards and socializing. It has been an extra busy week. Enjoy the long weekend!
Sweet Hearts
Did your child’s sweet heart treat make it home? Liz, Jake’s mom, and Paul, William’s dad, did the Valentine cooking project . It was hard resisting licking those sticky fingers, but they waited and were rewarded with half of a heart to eat at school. Thank you Liz and Paul!
Chinatown
We had a full day on our field trip. By having the students write about the trip, they shared a few things they saw, heard, touched, smelled, and tasted.
Thank you to everyone that drove and chaperoned; some drivers even switched for the return ride back to school. Thanks from all of us! We couldn’t have gone without you!
Thank you to Michael and Margaret, Claire’s parents, Nicole, Jabreel’s mom, Brian, Jake’s dad, Vivian, Julia’s stepmom, and Katie and Cynthia, Ryan’s moms, for helping us out on this trip. We hope you enjoyed yourselves, too!
Bread from Around the World
Last week I asked parents to sign up to bring a bread your child can share with the class. A couple of parents have already returned the form with the same bread listed. To be fair, I will let students bring the bread on a “first come, first served basis.” I will be contacting you when to bring the bread (just to spread out our bread tasting. The plan is to try to do a couple of breads a week.)
If you would like to make the bread with students on a particular date, please let me know so I can schedule you in. You can indicate your date of preference on the form, send a note with your child, or check in with me before or after school.
Homework:
READING
Read and record in your Reading Log.
WRITING
Write five things you love to do with your family and explain why. Write complete sentences.
MATH
Sort your valentine cards/goodies. Make a graph to show how you sorted them. Complete the attached worksheet.
TANGRAMS
Tangrams are great for visual perception. They originated in China. It is a seven piece puzzle that can be manipulated into many shapes. I read Grandfather Tang’s Story where animals made from tangrams kept transforming. Students had he opportunity to try puzzles with varying degrees of difficulty. Now they can try the challenge at home.
The tangram kit is for your child to keep at home. (Simply cut out the pieces of the square. Cut carefully on the lines.) If your child enjoys and/or is challenged by this activity, there are many tangram puzzles you can buy. You can also extend your kit by having your child make up his/her own puzzle. After s/he makes a shape, help trace around it. Then take the pieces off and see if s/he can put it back together, or better yet, can you or a family member? Can you get the pieces back into a square?
There is nothing to turn in for the tangram portion of the homework. If your child wants to turn in a puzzle shape outline s/he make with the seven pieces, s/he can do so. I’ll add it to thetangram puzzles students are working on.
February 6, 2004
Book Fair:
Students made their choices and counted out their coins to pay for their book/s. It was hard for some students to make a choice with limited funds (a real life experience!). Thank you to the parents that assisted/checked students as they counted their money.
100th Day of School:
Today is the 100th day of school. We've been doing many different activities around 100. We're making a number quilt of 100. They 're making a bag of trail mix by picking up 10 sets of ten "goodies" with chopsticks. We're pumping up balloons, our goal is to get 100. Students work in pairs. First they estimate how many pumps it take to inflate the balloon, then they count as they pump it up, and then they tell if their estimate was close. The book fair and counting out their dollars in coins reinforced ways to get to 100. My favorite activity was getting them to be quiet for 100 seconds!
Celebrating the Lunar New Year:
On Tuesday, February 10, we will be going on a field trip to Oakland Chinatown and the BART Chinese New Year presentation. Your child brought home a permission slip this week. Please return it by Monday. We need parent drivers for this trip. Thanks!
Asian/Pacific Islander Living History Day:
On Tuesday, March 9th, all the first grade classes will have the opportunity to participate in the Asian/Pacific Islander Cultural Day. A form was sent home with the students that did not return it. Please return it by next week. Thanks!
Valentine's Day Party:
Next Friday, February 13th, is our Valentine's Day Party. Room coordinators may be calling you to bring treats, drinks, and/or paper goods. If your child is planning to pass out Valentine cards for the class, a list is attached. Parents are welcome to attend.
Parent Volunteers Needed:
I need parents to assist with skill groups in the afternoon. During this time, four different groups are set up, each with a different activity. The activities are integrated with writing, math, science, and art. I need parents to help with underwriting, checking and helping students when needed.
The groups are stuctured and the students generally are doing well by staying on task. However, I feel I'm not able to help students as much as I would like because I'm mostly supervising. I'm not able to get to their individual needs. My lessons tend to be open-ended and hand-on, so every student's work is unique and needs to be addressed accordingly. I hope you can help.
Skill Groups are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 1:50-2:50. On Friday they are scheduled at 12:40-1:40, but it sometimes changes to the last hour of the day if there is an assembly. Presently I have one parent, Cynthia, Ryan's mom, that comes in on Thursdays. If you can't do it on a regular basis, maybe you can team up with another parent and alternate weeks. If you can help on any of these days, please let me know. Thanks!
Everybody Eats Bread:
We will be starting a multicultural unit on breads around the would. Please let me know which country and the name of the bread your child will be bringing in. If you would like to make the bread with the class, that would even be better!
Please sign up A.S.A.P. I'm hoping we'll be able to taste a couple kinds of bread a week.
January 30, 2004 (Highlight)
Lindsay Wildlife Museum:
Hopefully your child shared with you something s/he learned, say, heard, or felt at the museum. The museum's wildlife rehabilitation center treats more than 6,000 native California wild animals each year, returning whenever possible, most of them to the wild. The students learned what to do if they see a wild animal and what some animals will do to protect themselves. They saw mammals sleeping, birds perched high, and saw/felt the backbone of reptiles. Have them name some of the animals they saw.
After the museum we went on a jog through the park, then sat down for lunch. It was a beautiful day!
Storytelling:
Julia's grandmother, Bobbie, came in and told the class stories related to the Asian culture. One story was about a boy who swallowed a pearl and was transformed into a dragon. We learned about dragons and their significance. In another story about a magic paintbrush (Bobbie gave each student a paintbrush so they could make "magic"). We are reminded that with hard work, you can do what you set out to do. The third story was about a sculptor who "listened" to the rock/jade that was to be carved for the emperor. He doesn't carve what the emperor wants, but gives him so much more.
Book Fair:
As a class, we will be going to the book fair next Friday, at our scheduled library time. We've been learning about money. I am asking all students to bring at least three dollars in coins so your child can purchase a book on his/her own (or you can make the selection with your child prior to or when we go as a class). I like to use the book fair as an opportunity for students to practice math/money concepts and learn to make choices.
January 23, 2004 (Highlight)
What a Wonderful Class!
Hats off to Ariel, Claire, and Kennedy, for speaking at the Oratorical Fest today! Ariel wrote an original speech, Claire recited a poem by Langston Hughes, and Kennedy recited some words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Great job girls!
In the spirit of the oratorical, our class did a choral presentation "What a Wonderful World!" The kids were terrific!
Time Capsule:
We have been writing for our time capsules. Please have your child bring his/her time capsule container. Remember to include your letter to your child.
January 9, 2004 (Highlight)
Happy New Year and we're off to an exciting start! This week we started writing things for our time capsule. When we finish this project, your child will bring his/her time capsule home for safe keeping unit the year 2005 (if you can wait that long).
Field Trip to Lindsay Wildlife Museum:
On Thursday, January 29, we will be going to the Lindsay Museum in Walnut Creek. We will be leaving school at 9:30 a.m. and returning by 2:30 p.m. We are scheduled for the "Animal Characteristics" program at 10:30. Hopefully it won't rain that day and we'll be able to spend time at the park.
We need parent drivers for this trip. A permission slip will be sent home next week.