Due to the rain, we experienced our first inclement weather procedures. The first change of the day was the entry process. When it is raining, students do not use their usual designated entry doors at 8:15. As students arrive, they all go to the auditorium to be monitored by staff members. Morning recess breaks are held in the classrooms. Lunch recess breaks are also held in the classroom, but staff members other than teachers provide supervision.
After the morning bell, the first graders practiced the steps in their morning routine again. This included unpacking and checking home folders for notes or work. The students also learned that whenever they enter the classroom and find papers on their desks, they should be placed in their green folders to take home. The Question of the Day was: Are you wearing gym shoes today? Ask your child what the graph revealed!
We also attended a brief assembly in the auditorium during which Ms. Miller and Mr. Kosko shared what makes Bell School special and discussed behavior expectations for Bell School students. A follow-up conversation back in the classroom included a discussion of how we will use both our brains and our hearts at school. The students were also introduced to the following Dalai Lama quote: “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”
After the assembly, we read the poem Children, Children, Everywhere. Many of the children drew little pictures of children described in the poem during morning recess. This recess break was rather brief due to the 25 minutes we spent on our group bathroom break. We have not yet mastered traveling from Point A to Point B without numerous course corrections. We will keep practicing!
Before lunch, the first graders met Pinky the Axolotl and Fluffy the Tarantula. Pinky is a sweet natured amphibian with a permanent smile on his face. After twenty-eight giant faces peered at him, Pinky decided to spend the rest of the day in his cave. Fluffy is a well-behaved, quiet, and multi-legged member of our classroom. She eats crickets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Fluffy did not come out of her log today.
One of our first math lessons of the year involved tally marks. Tally marks help us when we collect data. The first graders used tally marks when they searched the room for various items like doors, desks, and dinosaurs. Discuss your child’s data collection sheet with him/her!
Following P.E. with Mr. C, we read the book When Kangaroo Goes to School. Ask your child how his/her first days of school compared to Kangaroo’s.
Our day ended with Buddy Time. The buddies participated in a scavenger hunt. They tried to find first or fifth graders who fit various categories. The papers were sent home. Ask your child to share something he learned about a classmate or fifth grade buddy!
Please check your child’s home folder for a field trip permission slip. You will also find a letter about financial literacy and a welcome letter from me.
The Owl About Me posters are due tomorrow (9/7).