February Skills Checklist...

I want to thank all of you for your extra help and working with your child at home. The homework packets are a great opportunity for the children to learn responsibility while reinforcing skills we are working on in class. 

Here is my February skills checklist if you are looking for additional suggestions for what to work on at home.

• compare numbers using <, >, =
• name even and odd numbers
• write dictated 2 and 3 digit numbers, add even more digits for added challenge
• place numbers correctly on a hundreds chart
• practice addition facts
• count to 300+ by 1's, 5's, and 10's
• identify place value for hundreds, tens, and ones
• solve addition and subtraction number stories
• count backwards from 100
• calculate values of combinations of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters
• measure objects to the nearest centimeter and inch
• identify compound words, adjectives, nouns, and verbs
• correct usage of capitals and punctuation
• identify properties of solids, liquids, and gases
• identify city, county, state, country, continent in which they live
• name all of the continents and oceans
• practice tying shoes
• practice the Mustang Motto of being respectful, responsible, and compassionate

harmonica 101 @ mann...

Harmonica 101 with Mr. John Milan has begun at Mann! The children thoroughly enjoy their hour lesson with the musician each week. Mr. Milan is an artist that has taught harmonica and drums locally for over 30 years. He also works with the ArtStart program in the Oak Park District 97 schools. Previously, the youngest children that he has worked with as a part of the ArtStart program have been 2nd graders...until our first graders at Mann! Thus far, his work with us has been met with great success, and enthusiasm!

Mark your calendars for February 12th, this is the date for our harmonica recital, with piano accompaniment! The children will showcase favorites such as Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, When the Saints Go Marching In, and even the Star Wars theme song!

From harmonica 101 @mann

Happy New Year!

As 2010 is upon us, we took time in room 116 to reflect on 2009 and how we can be the best student we can be in 2010. Not new years resolutions as much a reminder of the Mustang Motto (Be respectful! Be responsible! Be compassionate!) and how it applies to us both in school and at home. Some of our focus includes...

• Use good manners! Please and thank you goes a long way. Raise your hand, and wait to be called on, before you talk in class. LISTEN while others are talking, don't just wait for your turn to say something. Walk quietly in the hallways at school.

• Be responsible! Cooperate to get school work done. Tell the truth, even when it may be hard to do so. Basically, do your best work all the time!

• Care about others! Ask your teacher and grown ups "how are you?" Smile at someone who looks sad or down. Read and share books with a friend.

Is it December already?

We took our first field trip as first graders this week. We went to take in the sights and sounds of Ballet Legere's performance of Peter Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker at the historic Chodl Auditorium in Cicero. The children were captivated as the production was riveting! The costumes, the scenery, the music captured all of our senses. Prior to the trip, we read a plethora of renditions of the Nutcracker, including a delightful tale entitled Nutquacker. Therefore the children were familiar with the storyline. Mrs. Beck, during music class, and myself, in the classroom, also shared classic sounds of the Nutcracker ballet. We left with 23 and returned with 23, so the trip was a rousing success! :)

Here is a picture of room 116 looking quite dapper in their ballet finest...



And here is a picture of room 116 looking quite dapper in their ballet finest...and making silly faces :)

We have one week remaining of school in 2009. So hard to believe 2010 is quickly upon us! Here is a buffet of skills you can work on over winter break...

• tell time on analog clock to the hour, half hour, quarter past, and quarter until 
• measure using inches with the aid of ruler and tape measure
• use a number grid or number line to solve addition and subtraction problems (simple and complex 2 digit problems)
• solve number stories
• calculate value of coin combinations
• order and compare numbers to 22
• continue work with possessive, singular, plural, and proper nouns
• continue to practice capitalization and punctuation
• identify main idea and supporting details of a story
• identify sequence of main events of a story
• continue to work on mechanics of friendly letter writing (have your kiddo email me, but it must have the proper form and spacing of a friendly letter: date, greeting, body, closing, signature)
• sort materials according to properties
• keep up the mustang motto!
• practice zipping coat and bundling up independently
• practice shoe tying
• read, read, read
• and most importantly...practice building snowmen, building snowforts, and snowballs! :)

art appreciation 2.0...

This week the 1st graders in room 116 were treated to another amazing art appreciation venture. This activity was led by Mrs. Robbins, with the help of Mrs. Bromley and Mr. Gale. The children were first introduced to Dancing Girl by Paul Klee. There was a fantastic discussion regarding the piece and what letters, numbers, and images were contained within the work. They then created their own sketches in which they drew some letters and numbers on paper and then created pictures out of these shapes. Next, the children moved to a different medium, black paper. Again, drawing letters and numbers and seeing what images could take shape. They then added texture and color.

This was an excellent activity. The children were so focused as they created their art. The best part is the children learned that Klee's Dancing Girl can be found in the New Modern wing at Chicago's Art Institute. They are all eager to take a venture to see the work in person and try to find the monogramed "PK", as Klee used a handkerchief as his canvas for Dancing Girl. 


I want to thank Mrs. Robbins for a wonderful project as well as Mrs. Bromely and Mr. Gale for their help making this so successful!!! I have created a slideshow to capture the budding artists of room 116.

Pictures in our minds...

We have begun a new unit in our Open Court reading series, Our Neighborhood at Work. This unit explores a plethora of occupations and how the workers help their surrounding community. This mirrors nicely our unit on community in social studies we are concurrently studying.

Each unit in Open Court begins with a read aloud connected to the theme. During this opening story, I do not show the children the illustrations. The children are instead encouraged to draw a picture while I read out loud to them. Their picture may be an illustration inspired by the story, a personal connection to the story, or even a picture about the unit's theme. The children then add the read aloud's title to their creation (remembering to capitalize the beginning letter of each word and underlining said title) and take turns sharing their picture on the ELMO with the class. We thoroughly enjoy this activity!

This unit's initial read aloud is called Wake Up, City! by Alvin Tresselt. Here are some pictures the children created while they enjoyed this reading selection about a city coming to life in the morning.

From Miss C.'s Blog

From Miss C.'s Blog

From Miss C.'s Blog

From Miss C.'s Blog

From Miss C.'s Blog

From Miss C.'s Blog

November Skills Checklist...

Our work in room 116 has been diligent; we have now completed three units of study in Open Court Reading and Everyday Mathematics. Monday will be a review day and we will have our game face on to tackle the assessments of unit three on Tuesday. The assessments at the first grade level are a snapshot of skills, concepts, and topics we have covered in the unit of study. These assessments are a way of practicing test taking skills. There is no real preparation necessary for the first grade assessments. As long as your child has been participating and working hard, they will be successful.

That said, I'll share with you my November skills checklist. Again, these skills checklists are intended to inform you of what we will be working on in school and a suggestion of topics you can practice at home. Reading nightly and having great family conversation are always encouraged.

• can tell time on an analog clock to the hour and half hour
• can count backwards from 100
• can count by 2's to 100
• can count and exchange pennies, nickels, and dimes
• can read 2 and 3 digit numbers
• names even and odd numbers
• identifies before and after a specific number
• can write a complete sentence using correct capitalization and punctuation
• can identify and complete a pattern
• can solve addition and subtraction number stories
• can use standard units for measuring length
• completes frames and arrows diagrams
• can recognize the Dolch high frequency words 1-100
• can identify the main idea and details of a story
• can identify nouns, verbs, adjectives and compound words
• can recognize singular, plural, and possessive nouns
• can recognize and identify letter and sounds (j, dge, f, e, x, z, sh, th, ch, tch, ar, mb, ir, wh, ur, w, er, ng, k, qu, ce, ci, y)
• can identify living and non-living organisms
• can define and provide examples of habitats and organisms
• can identify address and phone number
  
• practices the Mustang Motto of respect, responsibility, and compassion

In closing, we enjoyed a three day (beautiful!) weekend in honor of Veteran's Day. I am including a picture of one of my heros...my cousin Seamus. He has been like a brother to me growing up, and he is currently serving his second tour of duty overseas. My thoughts are with him every day! Thank you so much to those who serve this great country!

From Miss C.'s Blog