Room 7
February 15, 2008
Friday’s Message:
Walking Tour on Tuesday
Our field trip on Tuesday to Chinatown and the BART lunar new year presentation are outside activities. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that it won’t rain. I’ve told students they need to:
-dress in layers
I also recommend they bring a jacket
(they can leave it in the car if it is a warm day)
-wear “closed” shoes
-after the performance, I’m hoping to take the kids to a nearby park
-bring a bag lunch
For the parents driving/chaperoning on this trip, we will be leaving school at 9:15.
More than a Taste
Leah brought matzah from Israel. She told us the story of how the Jewish people had been slaves in Egypt. When the ruler of Egypt, the Pharaoh, agreed to let the Jews go, they had to leave quickly and could not wait for their bread to rise. The flat bread they brought with them is called matzah. They left Egypt and crossed the desert into Israel.
Lynn, Leah’s mom, read a story about Passover. Passover is when Jewish people are imagining their first day of freedom. They have a ceremony called a seder. There is a book everyone reads from, it is called the Haggadah. They eat matzah in memory of the flat bread the Jews carried as they escaped Egypt. There are bitter herbs to remember the bitter taste of slavery. There is a mixture of apples, wine, and nuts called haroset. It is to remember the cement the slaves made for the pyramids; this mixture also a little sweet and also reminds them how sweet to be free. Lynn explained that though Passover is a Jewish holiday, friends are often invited. Freedom is for everybody.
Before tasting the matzah, students estimated how many pieces were in the box.
Then I counted the pieces, and Leah told who had the closest estimate. There were 11 pieces, but I asked what am I going to do since there are 20 students? They knew to break them in two, but first we discussed the difference between two pieces and equal halves. After cutting four pieces in half, I had students figure out how many halves would there be when we cut all the matzah equally.
Celebrating a Day of Love
Thank you everyone that brought treats for the Valentine’s Day party. The kids thoroughly enjoyed all the goodies. We had heart shaped sandwiches, cupcakes, fruit, crackers and cheese, cookies, and juice and water. Hopefully they still had an appetite for dinner. Thank you Jen, Isabel’s mom, for organizing the party.
Star Students
***Alexander Arriola*** was the star this week. Next week
***Christian Singleton*** is the star.
READING
Read and record in your Reading Log.
MATH
I’ve been making more reference to the clock as we do activities. When they had to be quiet for 100 seconds, they watched the second hand go around as I counted off the seconds by 5’s. We’ve counted the minutes on the analog clock and have been telling how many minutes past the hour. When we do activities in the class, I usually tell them how much time they have and where the “big” / minute hand will be.
This week have them go on a clock hunt around your house. How many clocks can you find? Draw a picture of the clock and/or what it is on/part of. Write what it is. Show the time on the clock.
WRITING
Students will be writing for BOTH field trips. This week have your child write
for lunar new year performance and chinatown tour. Write about something saw, heard, smelled, tasted ( a food not in their lunch), and touched. Extend each statement and tell why they like it or didn’t like it.
The second writing assignment will be due with next week’s homework. I’m giving it now while the Theaterworks performance is “fresh” in their minds.
for the Aesop’s Fables performance, write which story was your favorite and why. Then tell what lesson/ moral is from the story. If your child would like to tell the lesson from another story, please encourage him/her.
(Later in the spring, the first grade classes will be presenting their performance of Aesop’s Fables.)
SOCIAL STUDIES / Where my ancestors came from
Now I’m reading Captain Bill Pinkney’s Journey. It’s about the first African American to travel by sailboat around the world alone. As we’re reading, we found out his ancestors came from Africa. I told the class my grandfathers, ancestors, came from China.
Tell your child what country their ancestors came from before coming to the United States. Help your child locate the country on the map provided. Draw a person in the country/countries (if the country is small, draw an arrow from the person to the country.)
At the bottom of the map, have your child write the name of the country/countries their ancestors came from.
Then draw a house where YOU live. Color the ocean blue
Room 7
February 8, 2008
Friday’s Message:
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 the students as they counted their sets of 100 cents.
Watching it Grow
Leah’s mom, Lynn, did a science experiment with yeast. First she talked about yeast being alive and told them the three things that makes something alive: it eats, breathes, and grows. They were going to find out which food makes yeast grow the most by feeding it.
Students measured equal amounts of warm water (300 ml) and yeast (one package) into each bottle. The first bottle had just water and yeast. Then they put
( one tablespoon) of other “ingredients” into each of the other bottles: #2 sugar,
#3 sugar and salt, #4 sugar and baking soda, and #5 sugar and vinegar. (I gave you the materials needed in case your child would like to do this experiment at home ).
Lynn put balloons on top of the bottles to trap the gas the yeast makes when it grows. Students also could observe how “fluffy” the ingredients got. Have your child tell you what food made the yeast grow the best. They might even want to tell you the order to the least. Thanks, Lynn.
We then made the connection that yeast is sometimes in bread, and that’s why some breads rise/ are airier than others. When yeast is an ingredient, it’s eating and producing a gas (just like they could observe in the bottles) and it makes the product/dough fluff up.
Breads Around the World
Alexander brought pandesal from the Philippines. He showed and told us where the Philippines are, and that it is made of at least 7,000 islands. He explained when his parents were young, they moved to San Francisco with their families. Growing up and now they still eat most of the same Filipino foods they enjoyed in the Philippines. One of the foods is pandesal. Traditionally this bread is eaten for breakfast with coffee or hot chocolate. But you can eat pandesal any time of the day. Alexander likes flattening the pandesal and putting in the toaster. When he showed how he flattened it for toasting, he added that one of the ingredients in pandesal is yeast. He also eats it as a snack, with vanilla soy milk. Sometimes he even dips it in the soy milk.
Celebrating the New Year
Lucas’ and Mari’s moms, Luci and Tammy, visited our class today. They taught us about the lunar new year calendar. They also explained some of the symbolism of foods. Then they did a craft project with us. They ended with a new year’s treat for us to taste and a li see for everyone. Thank you Lucy and Tammy!
In class students have been preparing for the new year. They’ve been writing and painting with mobuts, Chinese brushes. I’ve also brought Chinese candies for them to taste; these candies are fruits / vegetables that have been dried, then dipped in sugar. Ask your child what kind they tasted and what it represents.
100th Day of School
We have been doing many activities around 100. Students have made number squares to 100; we’ll be using these squares to make a number quilt. They’ll be making a bag of trail mix by picking up 10 sets of ten “goodies” with chopsticks (a fine motor skill). We did 100 jumping jacks. They wrote what they wished they could have 100 of, and why. My favorite activity was getting them to be quiet for 100 seconds (just kidding.)
Star Student
***Leah Shear*** was the star this week. ***Alexander Arriola *** is the star next week.
Valentine’s Day
Next Thursday is Valentine’s Day. We will have a class party. Jenn, Isabel’s mom is organizing it. She may be calling you to bring things for the class. The party will be held the last hour of the day, 1:50- 2:50. Parents/ younger siblings are invited.
A class list is attached. If your child is planning to pass out cards, please let him/her
“address” the cards to their classmates.
Field Trips
Attached are the field trip forms for our trip to Lunar New Year presentation / Chinatown on Tuesday, February 19 and the Theaterworks production/Lake Merritt
on Friday, February 22nd.
I need parent drivers for these trips. Please turn in the permission slips at the beginning of next week so I can determine if we have enough drivers.
I color coded the field trips forms to help me keep things organized. Thanks.
READING
Read and record in your Reading Log.
WRITING
Write five things you love to do with the people in your family. Explain/ extend why each activity is so special to you.
MATH
Have your child sort their valentines cards two different ways. Use all their valentines each time. Then make two separate graphs to show how the valentines were sorted.
The total should be the same on both graphs. Encourage your child to make two different kinds of graphs to show the information.
Then answer the following questions.
What kind of Valentine do you have the most of?
Which Valentine was your favorite? Why?
What makes a Valentine special?
FLOUR and FLOWER
Students have been introduced to homophones, words that sound the same, but have different spellings/meanings (knead / need, sun / son, I / eye, road / rode).
Bread is one of the many foods the uses flour. Help your child discover at least six 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 the foods under the heading “flour is used.” Besides each word have your child draw or cut out a picture of that particular food.
Now do the same activity under the heading of “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 only pick from their own yards). If you know the name 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 of flowers.
Room 7
February 1, 2008
Friday’s Message:
Library/ Book Fair/ Math Lesson
Next Friday, as a class, we will be going to the school’s Book Fair. At that time I would like to make our visit a learning experience (that’s why I’ve been pushing them to learn money!)
The (average minimum ) price of a paperback is about $5.00 plus tax. If possible, I am asking students to bring six dollars in coins so s/he can choose and count out the money to pay for a book. Bring a combination of quarters, dimes, nickels, and no more than ten pennies for the 600 cents. (Reinforce counting coins throughout the week as needed.)
Have your child put the coins in a see through zip-lock baggie with his/her name on the outside; this will be your child’s “wallet.” Your child can bring in their “wallet of coins” anytime next week. I will hold it for safe keeping.
I will need parents to help during our time at the book fair (8:30-9:15 a.m.) next Friday. Students will count out their coins before paying at the register. Please let me know if you can help! I can’t do this myself.
There are other things besides books that can be purchased. When your child is with me they will only be able to purchase book/s. (You may send extra $ with your child if you want them to buy several books. Your child will also learn about making choices within their means/funds.
The Book Fair is open Tuesday-Friday and you are welcome to take your child before/after school. (see Walkie-Talkie for details)
Asian and Pacific Islander Day
Attached is a flyer for the 1st grade living history cultural event. Hope you can help out and join us for the exciting learning experience.
Star Student
***David Schneidinger***is the star student this week. ***Leah Shear *** is the star next week.
Field Trip Reminders
We will be going to see a lunar new year performance and have a mini tour of Oakland Chinatown on Tuesday, February 19th and on Friday, February the 22nd we will see a theaterworks production of Aesop’s Fables. Permission slips will be sent home next week. We need parent drivers for these trips.
Everybody Eats Bread
We will be starting a multicultural unit on breads around the world. Please let me know which country and the name of the bread your child will bring in. If you would like to make the bread with the class, that would even be better!
When students bring in their bread they will find the country it originated in on the map. They can also tell something about the bread/ country. We will be tasting our way around the world and also learning about it.
Please sign up A.S.A.P. I’m hoping we’ll be able to taste a couple of kinds of
bread a week.
Student’s name__________________________________
Name of bread___________________________________
Country________________________________________
READING
Read and record in your Reading Log.
WRITING
Chinese New Year begins February 7th. Students started writing Chinese characters / symbols for the numbers 1 -10 and the names of the animals in the zodiac. Attached are characteristics of the different animals of the lunar calendar. Find the animal signs for each member of your family. Help your child read/ understand the characteristics.
Then have your child tell / write how the family member is like one of the given characteristics. Write at least one sentence for each person in your family.
MATH
We’ve been learning about money and counting by 5’s, 10’s, 25’s (and 2’s)
Attached are some coins and their value. Have your child cut out the coins in strips, then into squares, or use real coins. Practice counting by 5’s/nickels, and 10’s/dimes and add on 1’s/pennies.
Then take your child shopping with you and/or use the grocery advertisement. Have your child read six items that are less than one dollar (i.e. cost per pound).
Make a chart showing the name of the item, the cost, and the coins needed to pay for it. Your child can tape real coins (the homework will be returned) and/or use the coins/value attached.
Encourage your child to use more than two different coins when they are capable. If your child can easily count a combination of nickels, dimes, and pennies, then use quarters. If your child wants to shop for more, certainly encourage him/her.
BAGGIE OF 100
Next Friday, February 8th, is the 100th day of school. Help your child think of
100 of one thing that s/he can share with the class. There are 20 students in the class so 100 will divide evenly. (Your child’s 100 items will be given to classmates. After everyone shares, they will have a mixture of 100 items). We will be doing lots of math as students pass out an equal number of their “thing” to all the kids in the class.
Put the 100 objects in a clear zip lock bag. Please have your child write his/her name on the bag. We will be sorting and doing language arts activities with their bags of 100 before passing out the “goodies.” No food items please.
Next week we will not be checking out books because of the Book Fair. At our regularly scheduled library time, Friday at 8:30 a.m., students will have the opportunity to purchase books. (See Walkie-Talkie for more information/hours)
Since we have started learning about money, this would be a great time for your child to practice counting money to make his/her purchase. I am asking all students to bring six dollars in coins (mostly quarters, but also dimes, nickels, and some pennies)
to purchase a book at the book fair (The money raised at the book fair goes directly to our library so they can get more books).
I need parent volunteers to help as students count out their coins before paying at the register. PLEASE let me know if you can help. I definitely cannot do this myself!
Put your child’s coins in a ziplic bag with his/her name on it. This will be their wallet.
(Your child can practice counting coins, six sets of 100 cents, to fill their wallet). Students can bring in their wallets in anytime next week. I will hold it for safekeeping or they can bring it in Friday.
The Book Fair is open before, during, and after school. You may visit it at any time if you would like to purchase additional books.