Week of April 25 - 29, 2022

This week, the third-grade Planeteers hosted a waste-free lunch for the school.  The Planeteers  challenged us all to see if we could bring in a lunch that would create no trash.  First Grade was up for the challenge!  We discussed over the past week, ways in which we could each do that.  Once the day finally arrived, the class was so excited to each share how their lunch was waste-free.  

This week, we have been learning about the er, ir, and ur digraphs.  On Thursday, the class broke into pairs to play a game dealing with these sounds.  Each student was given a game board with 6 different numbered columns.  In each column, was a list of words that contained one of the diagraphs about which we have been learning.  

After the students rolled their die, they read a word to their partner from the appropriated numbered column.  The students then colored in that word.  The first student, in the pair, to have three columns colored completely, was the winner.  The class was having such a good time, they asked to keep playing until each of their boards was completely colored!

Reminders!!

*Next week, P.E. is Thursday (day 3).

*In preparation for Mother's Day, each student will be able to invite on guest (his/her mother or special friend) to a special May Crowning & Celebration of Mothers Prayer Service on Friday, May 6th at 8:15 am in the school gym.  Find more information in the Happenings.  If you are interested in attending this special celebration, please sign up here.  We would love it if each child had someone in attendance.

*HCA Mothers' Brunch - Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 11:30 am

 

Week of April 18 - 22, 2022

This week, we have been doing a lot of learning about what Earth Day is and ways in which we can help take care of the Earth.  The students are in the process of working on an Earth day writing project.  They did a great job brainstorming different ways that they can help keep the Earth clean for all of us!

We have also started learning about the parts of a seed.  The students dissected a lima bean to examine the seed coat, stored food, and plant embryo.  They were surprised to see just how small the plant embryo inside the lima bean was and that it even had tiny leaves attached to it!

 

First grade is also experimenting to see which seeds we can get to germinate if we take away one of the things that seeds need to grow, like soil or sunlight.  Our first experiment is happening on the windows of the classroom.  Each student placed a lima bean in a ziploc bag.  They added some water beads to the bag to act as the water supply.  The bag will act as a greenhouse for the seeds.  Our next seed experiment will be a lima bean in a glass jar filled with cotton balls.  

The students also sequenced the life cycle of a seed.  Their flowers really help to brighten our room!

HCA had an Earth Day prayer service on Friday morning, followed by an Earth Day scavenger hunt outside.  The children explored the grounds with their families to find the things on their lists.  The weather couldn't have been more beautiful!  Everyone had a wonderful time!

Have a great weekend and enjoy the nice weather!

Reminders!!!

*Next week, P.E. is Wednesday (day 3) and Friday (day 5).

*The third grade Planeteers are hosting a waste-free lunch on Wednesday, April 27th.

*HCA Spring Benefit & Silent Auction - Saturday, April 30th - This event is 21+.

*In preparation for Mother's Day, each student will be able to invite one guest (his/her mother or special friend) to a special May Crowning & Celebration of Mothers Prayer Service on Friday, May 6th at 8:15 am in the school gym.  Find more information in the Happenings.  If you are interested in attending this special celebration, please sign up here. We would love it if each child has someone in attendance.

*HCA Mothers' Brunch - Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 11:30 am

Week of April 11 - 15, 2022

Last week, First Grade did some experiments with Peeps!  The students were broken into three groups.  Each group was given cups of several different liquids - water, vinegar, and Coke.  The students hypothesized about what would happen to a Peep after it was put into each liquid.  They then put a Peep into each liquid to observe the reaction.  The class found that the Peep in the vinegar became fizzy, the Peep in the water changed the color of the water, and the Peep in the Coke dissolved the fastest.

The most exciting part of the Peeps experiment was when the students mixed baking soda in with the vinegar!  The students loved watching the eruption that came out of the cups!  The students wanted to try this part over and over again.  While the baking soda and vinegar combination caused quite the reaction, they didn't have too much of an effect on the Peep.

Reminders!!!

* There is no school on Monday, April 18th due to the Easter holiday.  School will resume on Tuesday, April 19th.

*Next week, P.E. is Tuesday (day 3) and Thursday (day 5).

Week of April 4 - 8, 2022

Welcome back!  Hopefully everyone had an enjoyable spring break!  The students were all so glad to see each other when they came back to school on Tuesday.  They all enjoy each others' company so much!

Before we left for spring break, the Lower School finished up with our dinosaur theme.  The classes really enjoyed all of the different dinosaur learning and projects we completed over the course of the theme.  Thank you for all of the different families who shared their dinosaurs with us.  They really helped to bring our hallway to life!

One of First Grade's last dinosaur activities was to make fossils.  Each child was given a ball of salt dough, which they rolled into a thin, flat circle.  After their circles were ready, each child chose a dinosaur to make impressions of in the dough.  The class had lots of fun choosing different dinosaurs and  putting their dinosaurs in different positions in the clay.  When they were finished, the class put their dough on the shelves to dry.  After we returned from spring break, the students discovered the dough had hardened and their fossils were ready to take home!

Reminders!!!

* Next week,  P.E. is on Monday (day 5).

*There is no school on Friday, April 15th and Monday, April 18th for the Easter holiday.