Thursday, January 30, 2014
Dear Families,
This week the first and second graders started a fun project. It is our job to decorate the bulletin board in the front hall in a couple of weeks. So, we began to learn what is was like to go through Ellis Island, step by step, when coming to America as an immigrant many years ago. There is a wonderful website for kids from Scholastic which takes viewers on an interactive tour of Ellis Island and we used that as a guide. The students are working to represent each step of the way, from arrival to inspection to entering New York. When we are finished we will display our work as a "walking tour" for the rest of the school. In addition, we read a beautiful story called The Memory Coat by Elvira Woodruff. Rachel and her family arrive at Ellis Island and their cousin receives a chalk mark "E" on his back as he is inspected at Ellis Island. Will he be able to enter America?
Shabbat Shalom,
Hamorah Caren
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Friday, January 24, 2014
Friday, January 24, 2014
Dear Families,
We had a short but busy week!
My math students are really becoming experts at telling time and answering elapsed time word problems! Throughout the day I ask them fun time questions and I love to see how they support one another and work together to come to an answer.
Because of the holiday and the snow day, we only had immigration once this week. We shared a story called American Wei by Marion Hess Pomeranc. It is the story of a little boy from China who comes to America and on the day he is to be sworn in as an American citizen, his tooth falls out and he loses it. How will he find it in time and make it to the court house? We also got caught up on some other immigration work that we started last week. Next, we will be learning about Ellis Island and making our dream jars.
Reminder: no school next Friday, January 31st for professional development day.
Shabbat Shalom,
Hamorah Caren
Dear Families,
We had a short but busy week!
My math students are really becoming experts at telling time and answering elapsed time word problems! Throughout the day I ask them fun time questions and I love to see how they support one another and work together to come to an answer.
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| Typical Morning Message with an elapsed time question. |
Because of the holiday and the snow day, we only had immigration once this week. We shared a story called American Wei by Marion Hess Pomeranc. It is the story of a little boy from China who comes to America and on the day he is to be sworn in as an American citizen, his tooth falls out and he loses it. How will he find it in time and make it to the court house? We also got caught up on some other immigration work that we started last week. Next, we will be learning about Ellis Island and making our dream jars.
Reminder: no school next Friday, January 31st for professional development day.
Shabbat Shalom,
Hamorah Caren
Friday, January 17, 2014
Friday, January 17, 2014
Dear Families,
This week as we continued our study of immigration, we read a story called The Dream Jar by Barbara Pryor. Valentina's family has moved to New York and her dad's dream is to be able to have his own store. Everyone in the family works and adds money to the "dream jar" until they have enough. All Valentina hears is that she is too little to work, until finally she realizes that she too can help. She ends up teaching English to the people in her tenement building. We discussed ideas such as what could the first and second graders do for jobs to help their families. We also discussed their dreams. Shortly, we will make our own "dream jars."
We also spent some time learning all about Martin Luther King, Jr. We shared a story, wrote adjectives to describe MLK, shared our dreams to make the world a better place, and we even played MLK Bingo with our Shabuddies.
Shabbat Shalom,
Hamorah Caren
Dear Families,
This week as we continued our study of immigration, we read a story called The Dream Jar by Barbara Pryor. Valentina's family has moved to New York and her dad's dream is to be able to have his own store. Everyone in the family works and adds money to the "dream jar" until they have enough. All Valentina hears is that she is too little to work, until finally she realizes that she too can help. She ends up teaching English to the people in her tenement building. We discussed ideas such as what could the first and second graders do for jobs to help their families. We also discussed their dreams. Shortly, we will make our own "dream jars."
We also spent some time learning all about Martin Luther King, Jr. We shared a story, wrote adjectives to describe MLK, shared our dreams to make the world a better place, and we even played MLK Bingo with our Shabuddies.
Shabbat Shalom,
Hamorah Caren
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| Learning to tell time! |
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| Tu B'Shvat seder |
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| Israeli Emmersaries |
Friday, January 10, 2014
January 10, 2014
Happy New Year!
This week my math group began to learn how to tell time. I was so impressed at how quickly all of the students picked up the new concepts. It took them only one day to go from reading time to the hour to time by the minute! The students were even able to start answering elapsed time word problems.
My grammar group learned all about synonyms and antonyms this week. Next, we'll move on to homonyms.
For immigration we read three wonderful stories. First, we shared I Hate English by Ellen Levine. Mei Mei is afraid to speak English now that she is in America because she fears she will forget how to speak in Chinese. To Mei Mei, her language was the most special thing she had from China. Afterwards, the students were asked to think of four items that they would bring with them if they were to immigrate to a different country. Next, we shared Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say and we learned about Venn Diagrams so we were able to compare Japan (where Grandfather was born) and America. We also had a little fun and compared ourselves to our parents. And, finally, we read The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco and we created our own class "quilt." Patricia's family quilt was made of a dress that her great grandmother had from Russia. Our class "quilt" is made up of pictures of our most special possessions.
And, from our Guest Blogger, Ella:
"Math was really fun this week because we did telling time. And, in immigration, we read a good story. We worked on our stories in Writer's Workshop."
Shabbat Shalom,
Hamorah Caren
Happy New Year!
This week my math group began to learn how to tell time. I was so impressed at how quickly all of the students picked up the new concepts. It took them only one day to go from reading time to the hour to time by the minute! The students were even able to start answering elapsed time word problems.
My grammar group learned all about synonyms and antonyms this week. Next, we'll move on to homonyms.
For immigration we read three wonderful stories. First, we shared I Hate English by Ellen Levine. Mei Mei is afraid to speak English now that she is in America because she fears she will forget how to speak in Chinese. To Mei Mei, her language was the most special thing she had from China. Afterwards, the students were asked to think of four items that they would bring with them if they were to immigrate to a different country. Next, we shared Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say and we learned about Venn Diagrams so we were able to compare Japan (where Grandfather was born) and America. We also had a little fun and compared ourselves to our parents. And, finally, we read The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco and we created our own class "quilt." Patricia's family quilt was made of a dress that her great grandmother had from Russia. Our class "quilt" is made up of pictures of our most special possessions.
And, from our Guest Blogger, Ella:
"Math was really fun this week because we did telling time. And, in immigration, we read a good story. We worked on our stories in Writer's Workshop."
Shabbat Shalom,
Hamorah Caren
Friday, December 20, 2013
Friday, December 20, 2013
It is so hard to believe that the first semester of school is over already! Where has the time gone?
I was so very impressed with the book reports from my literacy group. It was clear that everyone worked really hard. The students presented their reports to one another and were allowed to share positive comments and questions. The next report will be assigned after break.
We are also getting quite a collection of books written by our classroom authors. Stop by and read!
Zach: the guy who created The Statue of Liberty, the face was of his mother?
Wishing everyone a wonderful winter break and a Happy New Year!
Shabbat Shalom,
Hamorah Caren
It is so hard to believe that the first semester of school is over already! Where has the time gone?
I was so very impressed with the book reports from my literacy group. It was clear that everyone worked really hard. The students presented their reports to one another and were allowed to share positive comments and questions. The next report will be assigned after break.
We are also getting quite a collection of books written by our classroom authors. Stop by and read!
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| Character bags and books written by famous Se'orah and Hitah authors. |
And, from Grades 1 and 2, did you know that:
Zach: the guy who created The Statue of Liberty, the face was of his mother?
Gabrielle: The Statue of Liberty welcomes people to America?
Dafna: The Statue of Liberty tells you that you're safe in America?
Jillian: The Statue of Liberty represents freedom and it has a poem written by Emma Lazarus who was Jewish?
Ella: people came to America to be free?
Yafa: people came to America to get more money?
Clara: when people come to America they are called immigrants and they see The Statue of Liberty as a sign that they are free?
Will: The Statue of Liberty's face is that of the designer's mother? (Frederic Bartholdi)
Zalmen: The Statue of Liberty has a lot of symbols on it?
Ben: people come to America to be safe?
Samuel: there is a poem inside The Statue of Liberty?
Josh: The Statue of Liberty came from France in parts (214 crates)?
From our Guest Blogger Zach: "We finished some of our stories and we built a snow igloo. "
From our Guest Blogger Zach: "We finished some of our stories and we built a snow igloo. "
Wishing everyone a wonderful winter break and a Happy New Year!
Shabbat Shalom,
Hamorah Caren
Friday, December 13, 2013
Friday, December 13, 2013
What a fun time the first and second graders had working on their immigration posters! They will be displayed in the front of the school next week. Please check them out! This is only the start of a very exciting and interesting unit!
What a fun time the first and second graders had working on their immigration posters! They will be displayed in the front of the school next week. Please check them out! This is only the start of a very exciting and interesting unit!
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| Creating a poster about "Rosa" from Mexico. |
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| Preparing to share about "Maria" from Italy. |
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| "Chang" came to America because Chinese government wouldn't allow his father to keep his shop. |
This week my literacy group learned about pronouns. In addition, we continued to review dictionary skills. During writer's workshop, the students are now expected to locate two misspelled words from their drafts in the dictionary. They also use the dictionary during our weekly spelling work as well.
My math group reviewed the calendar this week (days of week, months, days in a month, days in a year, and seasons). Next week we will be looking at calendars and answering questions as well as creating and labeling calendars.
Reminder: the book report is due next week.
Shabbat Shalom,
Hamorah Caren
Friday, December 6, 2013
Friday, December 5, 2013
Dear Families,
This week grades 1 and 2 started to learn about immigration. We discussed all the reasons why someone might immigrate to the United States and we read a wonderful story about four different children who all immigrated from different countries for various reasons. Next week the students will work in groups to present what they learned about their character to the rest of the class.
Grade 1 joined Grade 2 for Writer's Workshop this week. Students were encouraged to write a story about something from their own lives or they could create a fictional story. Some began with a picture and then wrote about it and others began with words. All of our stories will be "published" and eventually sent home.
Next week my math group will be moving on to reading and using a calendar and after vacation we will learn how to tell time. We will also learn how to answer elapsed time word problems.
Shabbat Shalom,
Hamorah Caren
Dear Families,
This week grades 1 and 2 started to learn about immigration. We discussed all the reasons why someone might immigrate to the United States and we read a wonderful story about four different children who all immigrated from different countries for various reasons. Next week the students will work in groups to present what they learned about their character to the rest of the class.
Grade 1 joined Grade 2 for Writer's Workshop this week. Students were encouraged to write a story about something from their own lives or they could create a fictional story. Some began with a picture and then wrote about it and others began with words. All of our stories will be "published" and eventually sent home.
Next week my math group will be moving on to reading and using a calendar and after vacation we will learn how to tell time. We will also learn how to answer elapsed time word problems.
Shabbat Shalom,
Hamorah Caren
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