May 4 - 8

This week we had a visit from the Ithaca Fire Department!  Thanks to Jill for organizing the experience for all first graders and kindergarteners.  Students got to learn about the gear that the firefighters wear and all the different tools on the fire engines.

In math we have been looking at number patterns on the 100s grid and reviewing making change with coins.  We have also been exploring place value by making the largest and smallest possible numbers with two, three, or four digits.  Coming up we will be studying fractions more and continuing to work with coin combinations.

In reading we have been working on reading fluency with short plays.  Students each got a play that they had to read several times, then make finger puppets for each character.  They will bring home a copy of their play to review over the weekend and then perform them in class early next week.  I will record the performances to post on here! We will do this again later in the month with different plays.

I brought in some pond water to move our tadpoles into a larger container so they will have more room to grow.  They currently have some teeny, tiny legs forming!  We also planted fast-growing brassica seeds that just sprouted.  We are charting their growth on a calendar and giving them plant food supplements in their water.

In writing we are making riddles about ourselves that will be posted in the hall.  Stop by to read them next time you're in the building and see if you can figure out who wrote each one!  We also picked a poem to make into a class poetry book, which students are recording themselves reading aloud on the latest Voicethread:



We are currently studying: kick, some, fun, play, animal.


SPRING FAIR - Friday, June 5th.
This year our class is in charge of the Lemon & Strawberry Shoppe.  This is a table where folks can get lemon & strawberry treats for a ticket.  We need 10 - 12 Volunteers for 1/2 or 1 hour shifts to cover the table.  Sign up times begin at 5:30 and end at 8:30.  We need folks to set up & clean up and during the fair to take tickets and give out treats.  If you went to last year's fair, you'll know that it can get pretty hectic so we'd really like to have 2 people on in a shift.  And of course we need lemon and strawberry treats!  We hope that all our families can supply at least 1 if not 2 desserts for this table..  things like lemon squares and strawberry shortcake or feel free to be imaginative!  If you could please let the Room Parents know what time you can volunteer & what you will bring, that would be very very helpful!!  You can let Karen, kmlaface@twcny.rr.com, or Serenity, s.paolangeli@yahoo.com or Connie, cap69@cornell.edu  know what you are making and when you can be available to volunteer.  THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROSITY :-)