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! :)