We are learning about history and history is the study of the past. There are four ways to learn about the past:

Pictures, People, Written Records, & Artifacts

The kids had a blast looking at pictures from my past, hearing stories about my past (from me), looking at written records from my birth and childhood, and checking out some artifacts from my past.

We talked about how families have a past. We looked at family trees and talked about the history of our families. We also discussed schools of the past and compared to what a school day is like now.  The kids noticed a lot of differences in the book we read. The kids were encouraged to talk to grandparents to see what school was like when they were little – to see if there were any similarities.

We also talked about how we can celebrate events AND people from the past.  The kids came up with some great holidays, and we discussed how these are events that happened LONG ago, but because they are important to our country, we celebrate them every year.  🙂  Just like each of them have a birthday every year, the 4th of July is the birthday of our country– so it’s something everyone in the US can celebrate together!

Spend some time chatting with your child about how life was different when YOU were little.

This week, we spent time studying economics.  We begin with a review of needs and wants.  A need is something we can’t live with out, a want is something that makes life more fun.    We talked about different wants- things that we have asked for for our birthdays or things that were on our wish list.

The kids know that we have 5 needs:

food, water, shelter, clothes, air

We talked about the idea of scarcity, how there isn’t always enough of something for everyone to have it (or sometimes we don’t have enough money to buy everything we want). We talked about how when you can’t have everything, then you need to make a choice between the things you want the most.  I gave the kids the example of how I go shopping and see so many things at the store that I want, but I don’t have enough money to buy it all.  So, we have to make choices!

We also talked about the idea of trade and how sometimes if you don’t have money, we can use trade to get the things we want or need. We discussed how trading is a great solution, but how it only works if the other person wants what you have to trade. Be sure to point out if scarcity ever happens at home too!

We spent time this week learning about Geography.We talked about how when we look at things, we see them one way, but when we look at a map, it looks different. We’ve learned that maps are made from a “bird’s eye view” or “aerial view”.

We read a book called, “Me On the Map” and learned about maps and globes.  We learned that there are symbols on maps and globes in the Key to help us understand.  Where we see green or brown, that is land, and where we see blue, we know that is water.

We also talked about how each person has a special place on the Map. Our Special place is our address. We each practiced writing and saying our addresses at school. There are 3 lines that help make up our address:

First and Last Name

House Number and Street Name

City, State, and Zip Code

Please have your first grader practice saying his/her address at home.  I will be checking in with each child during the month to see if they can remember all the parts of their home address (even the zip code).

We started our Economics unit for social studies today.  The first things we learned were needs and wants.  A need is something we can’t live with out, a want is something that makes life more fun.  🙂

The kids know that we have 5 needs:

food, water, shelter, clothes, air

We also talked about goods and services.  A good is something you buy that you can hold or touch, and a service is something that someone else does for you.  The kids did a great job of brainstorming different kinds of services- mailmen, waiters, policemen, teachers, and dentists.

We turned our room into a factory this afternoon to talk about producers and consumers.  We learned that we are all consumers (use, buy, & eat things) and we learned that producers make things.  We all became producers within Factory 104 and made a product to show off to the class.

During our Morning Meeting yesterday, we learned to stand up for ourselves when someone is being mean.  Often there are times when a friend (or sibling!) does something that bothers us and this is a great way to practice using our kind words and being polite.  First we tell them: “Stop” or “I don’t like that.”  Then, we give them, “A Bug and a Wish”.  For example,  “STOP!!” “It bugs me when you hog the football around and I wish you would please share with me.”  This allows the kids to communicate with each other and work on their problem solving skills.

In your child’s blue folder tonight, you will find “A Bug & A Wish” wand that you can make at home together.  Simply cut it out, and glue the pieces together back-to-back (or glue each piece to a popsicle stick.)  Your child may keep this wand at home to practice using this strategy with their brothers, sisters, and friends!

You might have come across a page labeled Georgetown Recess Rules, with a stick person right in the middle, when looking through your child’s blue homework folder tonight.

This is George! 🙂

George taught us about the recess rules at Georgetown Elementary on Monday! 🙂

Please take some time to look over this page and keep it as a reminder for your child throughout the year.  Also, if you have some extra time please read through our Lunch, Recess & Toys note.  This page should be able to answer any other questions that you may have about our lunch and recess times.

Geography:

We spent the past couple weeks learning about Geography. We’ve learned that maps are made from a “bird’s eye view” or “aerial view”.  We talked about how when we look at things, we see them one way, but when we look at a map, it looks different.

We read a book called, “Me On the Map” and learned about maps and globes.  We learned that there are symbols on maps and globes in the Key to help us understand.  Where we see green or brown, that is land, and where we see blue, we know that is water.

We also talked about how each person has a special place on the Map. Our Special place is our address. We each practiced writing and saying our addresses at school. There are 3 lines that help make up our address:

First and Last Name

House Number and Street Name

City, State, and Zip Code

Please have your first grader practice saying his/her address at home.  I will be checking in with each child during the month of December see if they can remember all the parts of their home address (even the zip code).

Economics:

 Before Thanksgiving Break we spent a portion of our day studying our first grade economics topics.  We begin with a review of needs and wants.  A need is something we can’t live with out, a want is something that makes life more fun.    We talked about different wants- things that we have asked for for our birthdays or things that were on our Christmas list.

The kids know that we have 5 needs:

food, water, shelter, clothes, air

Then I told the kids that I had some smarties and hershey kisses but not enough for everyone to have one of each.  Everyone was able to choose one piece to have. After they had chosen, I had the kids raise their hands if they weren’t able to get their first choice candy.  I used this example to explain the idea of scarcity to the kids, we talked about how there isn’t always enough of something for everyone to have it (or sometimes we don’t have enough money to buy everything we want).

I then shared how some of the kids had two pieces of candy that they really wanted, but they could only have one.  We talked about how when you can’t have both, then you need to make a choice between the ones you like the best.  I gave the kids the example of how I go shopping and see so many things at the store that I want, but I don’t have enough money to buy it all.  So, we have to make choices!

I asked the kids what you could do if you ended up with a piece of candy that you didn’t want and they came up with the idea to trade.  I had the kids who ended up with candy that wasn’t their first choice come to the middle of our circle and see if they could trade with each other.  Some of them were able to and some were not.  We discussed how trading is a great solution, but how it only works if the other person wants what you have to trade.

It was a fun activity that spurred a great discussion.  There will be many moments of scarcity as the year continues at school.  Be sure to point out if scarcity ever happens at home too!

This week we also discussed what it means to be a good citizen.  Each day we added another attribute to our “Good Citizen” chart.  Here is what we learned:

A Good Citizen...

1. FOLLOWS RULES.  We discussed reasons that we have rules such as rules help us learn, rules keep us safe, rules help make things fair, etc.

2. RESPECTS AUTHORITY.  We brainstormed a list of people who have power with authority (principal, teachers, bus drivers, moms, dads, etc.) and how they enforce rules. When we listen and respond to those in authority we are being respectful.

3. IS FAIR. We discussed what fairness looks like at school, and learned that fair isn’t always equal – it’s getting what you need in order to be successful.

4. IS RESPONSIBLE.  We learned about ways we can be responsible at school such as making sure that you have all of your tools ready (without being asked).  We are planning to begin classroom jobs next week to practice being responsible.

5. HONORS THE USA.  One way we can do this is to respect and remember symbols of the United States that represent our freedom such as the American Flag, White House, Liberty Bell, Statue of Liberty, and Bald Eagle.

If you notice your “first grade citizen” displaying any of the attributes above be sure to commend him/her on a job well done!

We are continuing to practice our addresses here at school. We have practiced writing and saying our addresses. There are 3 lines that help make up our address:

First and Last Name

House Number and Street Name

City, State, and Zip Code

Please help your first grader practice their address at home. I will be checking addresses a couple times in the next few weeks. This will be assessed for our next report cards.