First Grade... Summer on the Way
Miss Binder May 2015
A Fabulous Year in First Grade
All of the first graders studied the importance of protecting our environment. They worked in the greenhouse with Mr. Zito and promoted the 3 Rs by making posters that are hanging up around school, reminding everyone to save water, pick up trash, turn off lights, and recycle. Our trip to Highland Oaks Park was a great way to help the planet Earth. The students picked up trash and made the park cleaner and safer. We also studied living things as well as the 6 categories of animals including mammals, fish, birds, insects, reptiles, and amphibians. The students were fascinated by the idea that all insects are bugs, but not all bugs are insects. A spider is an arachnid, not an insect, but still a bug.
Social studies time continues to help everyone make sense of the world we live in. Connecting what they already know with the new information learned has allowed our students to understand what it means to be a citizen in this country. Through reading, writing, technology, and geography, and real life experiences celebrating holidays, doing mitzvot, and becoming a community of learners is what kept social studies alive for the students all year.
Earth Day Clean Up
We Love Learning in the Exploratorium!
First grade Lego exploration this month will connect simple machines and models for students to design sail boats and bridges. Students will construct and discuss ways machines angle, tilt, and balance forces.
Hebrew
A Message from the Team
Wow, what a year! To better state that- what a GREAT year! We have learned a lot this year and participated in many fun and exciting projects. We have developed our language skills and prepared our students with the knowledge and skills needed for next year in their Hebrew reading, writing, listening and speaking abilities. We started to learn how to write in cursive and our students are excited to learn this new skill! Please make sure that your child completes their homework to reinforce the skills and content learned in class. We still have much to do before school ends in our Hebrew, Torah, and Holiday studies. We continue to count the Omer, the seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot. Shavuot is one of the main three holidays of the Torah; it is also called Chag Matan Torah, Chag Habikurim and Chag Hakatzir. In class we’ll be singing and learning about the customs of the holiday, like dressing in white and eating dairy foods.
Have a wonderful and safe summer. We hope to see you all next year!
Morah Revital, Morah Lilach and Morah Odelya
Yom Haatzmaut
P.E. with Coach Andy
Spanish/Manderin
Learning Languages....
Spanish:
The beginning of May will find students talking and celebrating “CINCO DE MAYO”; this holiday commemorates the victory of the Mexican army over the invading French army in the Battle of Puebla which took place on May 5, 1862. It is celebrated in Mexico and many parts of the United States. They will then create a special card to honor their mom’s on Mother’s Day.To end the month, the students will work on a “summer” unit in preparation for the end of the 2014-2015 school year.
Mandarin:
This May, we will learn different locations such as school, bus station, park, supermarket, post office, and library. Students will be speaking to each other with phrases such as “Do you go to school?” and “Yes/No, I do/do not.” They will learn how to write the character “no” in Chinese. From there we will move on to saying the locations within the house of different family members, such as “Where is mom?” and “Mom is in the park/living room/balcony/study/bathroom..” Family members include little/big brother, sisters, mom and dad. They will also be writing the character “book”.
Art
Eric Carle Inspirations
Lag B'Omer at the JCC
Have an Awesome Summer!
Love,
Ms. Binder