During the month of March, we celebrate Women's History Month. This month is significant as it honors the contributions of women to our history, culture, and society, reminding us of their achievements and inspiring future generations.

It is an opportunity to acknowledge women's accomplishments in various fields, from science to the arts, while also promoting dialogue around ongoing issues of gender equality. Understanding the historical context of women's rights helps us appreciate the progress made and the work still needed for a more equitable future.

We will learn about Amelia Earhart, Malala Yousafzai, Joan of Arc, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diane, Marie Curie.

Together, we can inspire our students and foster a deeper understanding of these vital issues.

During the month of March, we celebrate Women's History Month. This month is significant as it honors the contributions of women to our history, culture, and society, reminding us of their achievements and inspiring future generations.

It is an opportunity to acknowledge women's accomplishments in various fields, from science to the arts, while also promoting dialogue around ongoing issues of gender equality. Understanding the historical context of women's rights helps us appreciate the progress made and the work still needed for a more equitable future.

We will learn about Amelia Earhart, Malala Yousafzai, Joan of Arc, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diane, Marie Curie.

Together, we can inspire our students and foster a deeper understanding of these vital issues.

During the month of March, we celebrate Women's History Month. This month is significant as it honors the contributions of women to our history, culture, and society, reminding us of their achievements and inspiring future generations.

It is an opportunity to acknowledge women's accomplishments in various fields, from science to the arts, while also promoting dialogue around ongoing issues of gender equality. Understanding the historical context of women's rights helps us appreciate the progress made and the work still needed for a more equitable future.

We will learn about Amelia Earhart, Malala Yousafzai, Joan of Arc, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diane, Marie Curie.

Together, we can inspire our students and foster a deeper understanding of these vital issues.

This week, we will continue the Civics unit in Social Studies. We will be delving into the national symbols of the United States, focusing on the Star-Spangled Banner and Uncle Sam.

These symbols provide a profound way to understand our country's history, values, and identity. By exploring the meanings behind the American flag, Statue of Liberty, and bald eagle, we aim to foster a sense of national pride and unity among our students. This knowledge not only highlights concepts like freedom, democracy, and resilience but also helps children develop a deeper connection to their community and country.

Vocabulary: values, spangled, unite, fragile, battle, icon.

Social Studies 

This week, we start the Civics unit in Social Studies. We will be delving into the national symbols of the United States, focusing on the Star-Spangled Banner and Uncle Sam.

These symbols provide a profound understanding of our country's history, values, and identity. By exploring the meanings behind the American flag, Statue of Liberty, and bald eagle, we aim to foster a sense of national pride and unity among our students. This knowledge not only highlights concepts like freedom, democracy, and resilience but also helps children develop a deeper connection to their community and country.

This will be our final week with this unit.  We will spend this last week talking about making smart financial decisions, saving vs spending, and understanding the consequences of choices. 

Key Learning Objectives:  

Identify Needs and Wants: Distinguish between things we need for survival and things we want for enjoyment. Recognize that individuals make choices based on their needs and wants.  

Understand Scarcity: Explore the idea that resources are limited, leading to the concept of scarcity. Discuss the importance of making choices when faced with scarcity.  

Recognize Resources: Identify different resources, including natural, human, and capital resources. Understand how these resources contribute to meeting needs and wants.  

Explore Decision Making: Engage in decision-making activities to understand the decision-making process. Discuss the concept of trade-offs and the consequences of decisions.  

Appreciate Goods and Services: Differentiate between goods (items we can touch or hold) and services (actions provided by others). Explore the interdependence between producers and consumers in a community. 

The primary focus of this unit is to introduce students to fundamental economic principles such as scarcity, choices, and resources. Students will explore the concept of making decisions based on needs and wants, recognizing the availability of resources, and understanding the consequences of choices.  

Key Learning Objectives:  

Identify Needs and Wants: Distinguish between things we need for survival and things we want for enjoyment. Recognize that individuals make choices based on their needs and wants.  

Understand Scarcity: Explore the idea that resources are limited, leading to the concept of scarcity. Discuss the importance of making choices when faced with scarcity.  

Recognize Resources: Identify different types of resources, including natural, human, and capital resources. Understand how these resources contribute to meeting needs and wants.  

Explore Decision Making: Engage in decision-making activities to understand the process of making choices. Discuss the concept of trade-offs and the consequences of decisions.  

Appreciate Goods and Services: Differentiate between goods (items we can touch or hold) and services (actions provided by others). Explore the interdependence between producers and consumers in a community. 

The primary focus of this unit is to introduce students to fundamental economic principles such as scarcity, choices, and resources. Students will explore the concept of making decisions based on needs and wants, recognizing the availability of resources, and understanding the consequences of choices.  

Key Learning Objectives:  

Identify Needs and Wants: Distinguish between things we need for survival and things we want for enjoyment. Recognize that individuals make choices based on their needs and wants.  

Understand Scarcity: Explore the idea that resources are limited, leading to the concept of scarcity. Discuss the importance of making choices when faced with scarcity.  

Recognize Resources: Identify different types of resources, including natural, human, and capital resources. Understand how these resources contribute to meeting needs and wants.  

Explore Decision Making: Engage in decision-making activities to understand the process of making choices. Discuss the concept of trade-offs and the consequences of decisions.  

Appreciate Goods and Services: Differentiate between goods (items we can touch or hold) and services (actions provided by others). Explore the interdependence between producers and consumers in a community. 

Dear Families, 

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our classroom community. We are excited to share that our diverse backgrounds enrich our learning environment, and we want to celebrate this through our upcoming unit, “Holidays Around the World.” 

Throughout December, we will explore Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Each holiday offers a historical perspective that connects to our social studies curriculum. We will engage in read-aloud sessions and crafts that highlight the unique traditions of each celebration. 

If your family celebrates a different holiday in December, please feel free to share it with us. We would love to include your traditions in our lessons and honor the beautiful tapestry of cultures in our classroom.

Dear Families, 

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our classroom community. We are excited to share that our diverse backgrounds enrich our learning environment, and we want to celebrate this through our upcoming unit, “Holidays Around the World.” 

Throughout December, we will explore Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Each holiday offers a historical perspective that connects to our social studies curriculum. We will engage in read-aloud sessions and crafts that highlight the unique traditions of each celebration. 

If your family celebrates a different holiday in December, please feel free to share it with us. We would love to include your traditions in our lessons and honor the beautiful tapestry of cultures in our classroom. 

Thank you for helping us create an inclusive and enriching experience for our students. 

Warms Regards,  

Mrs. Hamilton and Mrs. Koenig. 

Dear Families, 

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our classroom community. We are excited to share that our diverse backgrounds enrich our learning environment, and we want to celebrate this through our upcoming unit, “Holidays Around the World.” 

Throughout December, we will explore Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Each holiday offers a historical perspective that connects to our social studies curriculum. We will engage in read-aloud sessions and crafts that highlight the unique traditions of each celebration. 

If your family celebrates a different holiday in December, please feel free to share it with us. We would love to include your traditions in our lessons and honor the beautiful tapestry of cultures in our classroom. 

Thank you for helping us create an inclusive and enriching experience for our students. 

Warms Regards,  

Mrs. Hamilton and Mrs. Koenig. 

As we approach Thanksgiving, I want to express my gratitude for your support in our classroom. Teaching our first graders about this holiday is an enriching experience that I believe is essential for their growth. 

Thanksgiving provides a wonderful opportunity to introduce the concept of gratitude, emphasizing the importance of being thankful for what we have. It's a valuable life skill that we can cultivate from a young age. 

Additionally, we'll touch on cultural awareness in a simplified manner, introducing our students to the diverse cultures and the people who inhabited this land before the arrival of European settlers. This understanding is crucial as we discuss respect for different backgrounds. 

Lastly, learning about Thanksgiving allows children to connect with their own families and traditions, enriching their experiences during this special time.

As we prepare our students for more independence, I want to emphasize the importance of teaching them their phone number and address. This knowledge is crucial for their safety, especially as they begin spending more time away from home at school or daycare. 

Here are a few key reasons why this is vital:

• Emergency Situations: If a child is lost or needs help, knowing their address and phone number allows them to share vital information with adults who can assist them in contacting their parents.
• Independent Ability to Contact Caregivers: Memorizing this information empowers children to reach out to their parents when necessary, even if they are not directly supervised.
• Building Confidence: Familiarity with important personal details can enhance a child's self-esteem and confidence in managing potential situations.
• Developing Responsibility: Learning their personal information early on fosters a sense of responsibility for their own safety.

Thank you for your support in this important aspect of our students' development. 

We will take a break from maps and globes to learn about the importance of elections, how to understand the voting process, and what the President’s job entails. Towards the end of the week, students will start mapping their bedroom using the parts of a map that we have been learning about.

Last week, we learned how to use a map key and looked at different types of maps.  This week, we will identify natural and human features and start creating their own simple map showing Huanan and natural features.

Vocabulary for this unit:

borders: the outer lines that separate a country or state

continents: Large pieces of land on Earth

destinations: the place you want to go

explorer: a person who travels and studies places

features: distinct or special areas

neighborhood: the area right around where a person lives

restaurants: places people go to eat

route: path to get you somewhere

sphere: a solid, round 3-D shape