Michael Jackson Has Nothing On Us!

We are connecting our study of Night and Day to physical activity.  I am sure your first grader has told you that we are studying the moon!  Yesterday we watched a couple videos of Michael Jackson moonwalking as well as two demonstrations of how to moonwalk on the big screen in front of the classroom.  Next,  we went to the gym for our first lesson. 

Today we had our second lesson and wrote the directions on how to moonwalk.  In Writer's Workshop, our Unit of Study is "How to" writing and so we were making connections among content areas.   

If you would like to learn, please ask your first grader to demonstrate and tell you the directions.

Walking On The Moon

We are learning about night and day in school.  One of the four essential questions in our study is, "Has anyone ever been to the moon?"  Yesterday I showed this five minute clip from Youtube set to the song by the Police, "Walking On The Moon."    Today they are pleading to watch it again.  I told them I would put it on my blog for families to enjoy.  The video features clips of astronauts tripping on the moon, the space ship blasting off from earth, the American flag flying, and a repetitive theme showing the footprint on the moon of the astronauts who landed there in 1969. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQX9KOCS7MA

We Went Shopping At The Holiday Fair!

Yesterday we shopped at the Holiday Fair.  I was impressed with how thoughtful your children were when they decided what presents to buy.  Thank you to Kimberly Gates and her army of volunteers.  "Thank you for opening your store for us."

"Sing Joy" Concert Tonight

Thank you to everyone who came tonight.  Our first graders were terrific and we should all be so proud of each of them.

My DonorsChoose Grant Was Filled!

Late last week I received an email from DonorsChoose.org stating that my latest project "Moving On Up," was filled.  DonorsChoose is a website that offers public school teachers the opportunity to write a proposal for a project that supports their public school classroom.   People from all around the world visit the website and choose a project to support by making a financial contribution.  If enough people pledge enough money for your project, it becomes reality.  

My latest project was for $280.00 and included materials to support our first grade curriculum here at Dike Newell.  As many of you know, after eleven years in kindergarten I moved classrooms and grade levels this past summer.   I wrote a project to support materials that I need for first grade and some bulletin boards for my new classroom.  All of these materials will be shipped the first week of 2012.  In the past four years, I have written eight grants and received materials totaling over $3500.00! 

On Friday morning, I used our projector to show my students the DonorsChoose website and read the actual on line project to them.  They are excited for their new materials to come next month!

Our Newest Volunteer

My mom will be coming into the classroom beginning next Thursday morning, December 8.  She used to work at Dike Newell as a teacher's aid when I was a middle school student.  She is very interested in reading to children and I am excited and thankful to have her help in my classroom.