Science and Social Studies Videos

Technology is a wonderful thing.  What we once used were text books to present material of all kinds to our students is now being replaced by magnificent educational videos.  I did a bit of research to help our district's first grade classrooms have some resources at their finger tips.  It is becoming increasingly important to stay current and to give our students many opportunities to view our world in different ways.  I love books of all kinds but they can't compete with the live action a video can.  Check out my link  to view some science and social studies videos for the first grade classroom.  Enjoy!

First Grade Resources

Start each day in a happy way!

Money Money Money Money

Money......who needs it?  Well, we all need it!  We never seem to have enough of it, at least I don't.  I love a great sale and I hate the current gas prices.  Where does all my money go???????

Teaching first graders all about money is a common core skill they have to master.  It's really a life skill.    I tell my firsties that what they learn about money in first grade they will know until the day they die.  Ha!  I seem so powerful.  I'm not really.

One of my favorite warm up activities for math is to pass out handfuls of coins for my kiddos to sort and count.  The kids hated it at first but quickly learn to love it.  It was hard to distinguish between all of the different coins.  I give them sticky notes to write down how much is in each pile they created.  It has been amazing how they are getting very good a counting by 5's, 10's and even 25's.  They count all of their coins together by counting on.  They love understanding the whole dollar thing.  Here are a few pictures of my kids in action with the coins.

Start each day in a happy way:)

Music

Today it's all about the music.  Music is very important to the education of the young child.  I was brought up in a very musical family where music was part of our everyday lives.  I remember singing around the piano with all my sisters while my dad played.   I grew up thinking that everyone did the same thing.   My love of singing and music comes from this early experience in my life.  Many of my siblings have wonderful gifts of being able to sing and play musical instruments.  I do not have those gifts.   Though I do have a passion for dance.  I just love music with a great beat.

          I try to bring music into my class room often.  Music can help the young child when learning to read.  Simple songs and poems with rhythm help students remember words and help with rhyming skills.  Students like repeating spelling words put to songs and singing poems.

        My students love going to music class with our terrific music teacher Miss Sara Laderman.  From the moment they walk into class she keeps them busy with warm up songs, little dances and even playing instruments.  One day I visited she had them all playing a game to act out the movements of specific animals.  First graders were having a ball both moving and guessing what animals were acted out.   It's always fun in music class.
     
         My kiddos request certain songs that I have taught them.  Some of their favorites are the Big Rock Candy Mountain by Red Grammar and Looking For Dracula by Charlotte Diamond.  Our latest song is Chicken Soup With Rice by Carole King.  I love love love this song and book.  Check out this YouTube video it's terrific.

Music Class with Miss Laderman

What's your favorite song?
 Start each day in a happy way:)

Full Snow Moon

According to my big brother George, February's full Moon is traditionally called the "Full Snow Moon" because usually the heaviest snows fall in February. I have never heard of this before.  In Vermont and Northern NY I believe the heaviest snows fall in March.  Most of the country is experiencing some real freaky weather with lots of snow. 

My kiddos love the snow.  Recess time is the best when we have a foot of snow on the ground.  Last month I could see that the kids we itching to get outside and play in the snow.  A big rule at recess during the winter is to not throw snow balls.  I found these cheap bags of cotton balls and bought 2 of them.  During one morning meeting I had every one count out 10 cotton balls and hold on to them.  I counted off and told them it was a huge snowball fight.  I was soooooo much fun throwing "snowballs" at each other.  It was a great way to start our day with a bit of chaos.  I hope your world is snowy like ours.  If not......buy a couple of bags of cotton balls.

Start each day in a happy way!

Be Positive!

My winter vacation has started.  Yippeeeeeee!  Well, these first 2 days have been unproductive.  I've been sick and getting very little sleep.  So I've taken to napping during the day to catch up.  I think my cough has been waking me up at night.  Yuck!  I'm hoping that I get over this quickly.

Today I would like to promote a great new blog from a friend, who is in her last year of teaching.  Her mission is to blog each day for one year.  What a tough task.  Janet inspires me every day and I hope she will inspire you, too.  She is a high school French teacher who is still very active in her school community.  The kids, staff, administration and the whole community admire and respect this amazing teacher.  Please check out her blog to see how she makes a difference in people's lives every day.

365 Days of Difference: Creating Positive Change

Start each day in a happy way!  :)

It's been a while!

Hello Everyone,
    Sorry but I've been a little busy lately and I'm looking forward to our school's winter break next week.  I usually challenge myself to post to my blog every day of my break.  It will be the time that I catch up on all my classroom news.  So be on the look-out starting next week.

    My students have been so great lately.  We've had lots of tests these past few weeks in preparation for reports cards in March.  Our school is also, in the middle of organizing for our big winter carnival.  More details on that later.

   For the past few weeks my kids have been dubbing me the Queen of first grade.    They make me a this huge crown on my morning message board each morning.  They even created a  crown for me to wear.  I told them "only on Fridays".  It's when we have our whole school community time.

This past Friday the started saying, "All Hail Queen Dietsche!"  What a riot!  I just love my kids.  They keep my day so fun.

I'll be back again next week when you won't be able to shut me up for a week and a half.

Thanks for stopping by.

Start each day in a happy way!  :)