Math

Welcome 1st grade families! How lovely that I get to know your children this year.  They are a fun group who seem to get along very well so far. This first week and a half, we have mainly been getting to know each other and I have been sharing the math cabin routines and procedures with them.  I have introduced the daily jobs:  Calendar, Attendance, Days in School, Weather, and Temperature.  These jobs rotate weekly ensuring that each student has the chance to perform them several times during the school year.  Kylen or Cat will be helping us to care for the animals each week, so make sure your student has good foot protection on those days, i.e. shoes preferably closed toe.  I sent home a note saying to bring a cup for tea to the math cabin.  It is not mandatory, but some children enjoy having their own cups.  We always have extra cups for those who choose not to bring one.  Best not to bring one that is very precious as we have a porcelain sink and they occasionally get chipped.  We will have tea daily, usually unsweetened, although occasionally it contains a little honey. 

I tend to incorporate other languages when I teach, so I have been teaching them a French number rhyme.  Ask them and see if they remember any of it.  It starts with ‘Un, deux, trois, J’y vais dans le bois.’  Our current 2nd graders learned it last year.  We will also count in Spanish and sing in Spanish, generally when we meet by the pool fence.  Every Tuesday, we will have a Sharing Circle, either on the mat outside (nice weather) or in the math cabin.  These circles are based on the Restorative Circle practice from Nonviolent Communication and serve the purpose of building trust, communication skills, appreciation of others and self, etc.  They are my first step towards the Positive Discipline class meeting format. 

I look forward to a wonderful year!

Investigation: “How many feet do our 16 chickens have?” Students solved in partnerships using unifix cubes, tally marks, and drawings.