1st Grade Activities: Week 21

Monday
1. Science/Nature: "What is an aardvark? Do aardvarks eat ants like anteaters?"; watch How to Begin Birdwatching (video); practice use of binoculars; review bird identification playing cards (Garden Birds Playing Cards, Heritage) and chart of birds local to our area; review drawings and pages in the book: Keeping a Nature Journal (Clare Walker Leslie, Charles E. Roth).
2. Telling Time: hours and quarter hours.
3. Math: play with manipulatives: 100 flats; review: 1 is 100, 2 are 200, 3 are 300, 4 are 400.
4. Spanish: watch video in Spanish: All Dogs Go to Heaven 2.
5. Music: watch Wee Sing in the Marvelous Musical Mansion (video); sing made-up songs.
6. Reading: Whose Hat Is It? Please, Wind? Puppies.
7. Assisted Reading: Sometimes I Wish; Jeepers Creepers.
8. Read Aloud: My Best Shoes; Henry and Mudge and Mrs. Hopper's House; Five Little Monkeys Wash the Car; Dog Breath: The Horrible Trouble With Hally Tosis; Crocodile and Hen; Good Night, Sleep Tight, Don't Let the Bedbugs Bite! The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood.

Tuesday
1. Art: attend Discovering Great Artists class; present book created last week following class project; learn about Paul Cezanne (1839-1906) and make a still art collage; present to the class; draw and paint a cat.
2. Reading: Polar Babies, Susan Ring.
3. Read Aloud: If You Give a Pig a Pancake, Laura Numeroff;
The Wind Blew, Pat Hutchins.
4. Computer: send IM message to Dad; look at how some secret codes work in book: The Secret Code Book.
5. P.E.: run and play at the park.

Wednesday
1. Art: draw a dog from A Kids's Guide to Drawing: How to Draw Dogs.
2. Phonics: watch Read Between the Lions phonics videos.
3. Reading: Hot Dog, Nora Gaydos;
A Trunk for Buck, Nora Gaydos.
4. Read Aloud: If I Ran the Circus, Dr. Seuss
5. Music: watch Wee Sing Musical Mansion (children's songs).

Thursday
1. Music: attend choir rehearsal.
2. Reading: *The Lunch Bunch, Margo Finch (assisted);
Biscuit Finds the Christmas Tree (handmade book).
3. Read Aloud: *That's What Friends Are For, Florence Parry Heide
4. Science/Nature: watch video about bears.
5. Art: outdoor chalk mural of the dream world from Sharkboy and Lavagirl video; draw Lavagirl.
6. P.E.: play with dogs.

Friday
1. Religion: pray; read short bios. on several saints: Paul, Timothy, Titus; read Gospel of the day.
2. Cooking: read, follow, improvise recipe for milkshake; measure liquids.
3. Art: draw butterflies; watch Basic Cartooning video (Mike Artell), draw a caterpillar. Video includes an explanation and demonstration of animation.
4. Language: watch video Clifford's Fun With Opposites: "The Pet Show"
5. Science/Nature: watch The Magic School Bus: Ready, Set, Dough (Chemistry -- It's A Piece of Cake) and The Magic School Bus: Butterflies! videos; peruse a book about paper: how it is manufactured, uses, properties.
6. History/Geography: read Ms. Frizzle's Adventures: Ancient Egypt, Joanna Cole
7. Reading: The Hungry Billy Goat, Rita Milios (assisted);
Do Donkeys Dance? Melanie Walsh (assisted).
8. Read Aloud: Arthur's Prize Reader, Lillian Hoban.
9. Music: sing made-up songs.

*best picks

1st Grade Activities: Week 20

Monday
(Holiday)

Tuesday
1. Art: attend Discovering Great Artists class: introduction, viewing of compositions by Piet Mondrian (1872-1944); create a piece using similar style; present and explain the creation to the class; draw paper dolls of Narnia characters: Digory, Polly, Eustace, Jill, swords, shields, bows, arrows, rings, toffee.
2. P.E.: park time.
3. Science/Nature: view video about bears.
4. Reading: A Fun in the Sun Day.
5. Read Aloud: The Last Battle.
7. Math: handle new base ten materials. 10 stacked 100 unit squares makes a cube of 1000 units (blocks).

Wednesday
1. Religion: pray; read brief bio. of Blessed Christina; read Bible readings for the day.
2. Reading: Big Ben; The New Kid; Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!; A Brown Cow.
3. Assisted Reading: Curious George Rides; The Story of Saint Patrick's Day.
4. Spanish: story time at library.
5. Music: Wee Sing in the Marvelous Musical Mansion, children's songs (video).
6. P.E.: run and play at park.
7. Cooking: 4-H class: help bake a cake for Chinese New Year dinner: measuring, pouring, stirring, read ingredient list, sprinkle sesame seeds before serving, help set table, enjoy meal with class, clean up.
8. Read Aloud: Adventures of Frog and Toad; The Last Battle.

Thursday
1. Music: sing made-up songs; watch musical: Annie (video).
2. P.E.: run and play outside; observe a karate class.
3. Reading: Who Wants a Dragon? Bob the Builder: Muck Gets Stuck.
4. Read Aloud: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Richard Scarry's: Nicky Goes to the Doctor; Peter Pan: Where are Wendy's Brothers?
5. Art: illustrate a book.
6. Creative Writing: narrate text of book: Rosae, based on a horse character from the art class creation earlier in the week.
7. Science/Nature: observe and draw 2 dogs and 2 cats.

Friday
1. Homeschool meeting.
2. Library time: select and browse/read some books.
3. P.E.: run and play.
4. Spanish: color and read Let's Learn Spanish Coloring Book.
5. Geography: watch The Rockies by Rail (video).
6. Art: draw 2 mice and some cheese.
7. Read Aloud: There Are Monsters Everywhere.

1st Grade Activities: Week 19

Monday
1. Grammar: on-line madlibs stories identifying parts of speech such as nouns, verbs, adjectives (pbs.org/kratts/crazy/madlibs).
2. Reading: Where's My Teddy?, I Like Getting Dirty, I Like Growing Up.
3. Religion: pray; read short bio. of today's saints; read Gospel of the day.
4. Art: draw and color a speckled frog from the book: The Water Hole; color a cat, girl, and draw George from George Shrinks internet site.
5. Music: listen to Natalie Cole Christmas CD again.
6. Read Aloud: The Magician's Nephew.
7. Spanish: attempt to read some Spanish words in bilingual books; note that word order differs from the English.

Tuesday
1. Religion: pray; read short bio. of St. William; read Gospel of the day.
2. Art: make a cardboard coin (with picture of Ernie); write Ernie on it (copied from video cover); draw and color a pixie.
3. Handwriting: "Mom, I made my first lowercase r without tracing -- and it's perfect!"
4. Poetry: "Row, row, row.
Ho, ho, ho.
Santa comes to row,
in the lake of Socatoe."
5. Reading: What I See (emergent reader book); 10 Cut-Ups, Chickens, Peg and Ted, Willy's Wish (Bob books).
6. History: read The Statue of Liberty.
7. Read Aloud: Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp; The Magician's Nephew; Adventures of Frog and Toad.
8. Phonics: Bear Friends Learn to Read; Between the Lions: The Lost Rock (short "O" sound) -- videos; online books and concepts: starfall.com.

Wednesday
1. Religion: pray; watch Joseph, King of Dreams (video).
2. Spanish: story time; watch a fundamentals of soccer video in Spanish.
3. Art: story time craft; drawings in 4-H booklet.
5. 4-H meeting: respond to roll call; participate in games; listen to project reports; review member booklet; volunteer to sell raffle tickets in front of market.
6. Handwriting: label drawings in 4-H booklet.
7. P.E.: run and play at park.
8. Read Aloud: The Last Battle; Boss for a Day.

Thursday
1. Reading: Emily's Shoes; Bear Hugs; My Car; Best Friends; Get the Ball, Slim; Hop, Skip, Run.
2. Assisted Reading: Snakey Riddles.
3. Phonics: in context.
4. Art: draw people; twist tie characters; colored chalk drawings.
5. Music: sing made-up songs; write (pretend) musical composition on classroom chalkboard; attend choir rehearsal.
6. P.E.: run, skip, dance.
7. Religion: pray; read short bio. of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys.

Friday
1. Religion: pray; read short bio. of St. Hillary of Poitiers; Mass attendance.
2. Assisted Reading: Sammy the Seal; The Bunny Hop.
3. Read Aloud: Beauty and the Beast; Adventures of Frog and Toad; Railroad Toad; Where Fish Go in Winter; Look! I Can Tie My Shoes!
4. Music/Dance: watch Annie (Little Orphan Annie) musical (video); sing made-up songs.
5. Science/Nature: save apple cores for planting seeds; ask questions about growing an apple tree.
6. Art: drawings (pencil and pen).
7. Public speaking: sell raffle tickets for 4-H in front of market.
8. Geography: match state quarters to corresponding state on US map.

1st Grade Activities: Week 18

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Vacation

Thursday
1. Religion: pray; read today's Bible readings; read short bios. of yesterday's and today's saints; read Psalm 1.
2. Phonics: on-line work at starfall.com; watch Look and Learn: Bear Friends Learn to Read; Between the Lions: Little Big Mouse Starring the Short "I" Sound, Red Hat, Green Hat Starring the Short "E" Sound, The Lost Rock Starring the Short "O" Sound, The Lucky Duck Starring the Short "U" Sound (videos).
3. Reading: What Rose Doesn't Know, Dress Up, Spots, My Pal Al (short early reader books).
4. Assisted Reading: Three Stories You Can Read to Your Dog.
5. Read Aloud: The Magician's Nephew; Robinson Crusoe; The Water Hole.
6. Music: listen to Classical Kids Christmas CD; attend choir rehearsal.
7. Art: draw a duck, bunny, two cats; draw colored chalk mural on large classroom chalkboard and label: Peter Pan, Wendy, Michael, John, Captain Hook, Tinkerbell, Indian Camp; the Lost Boys, mermaids, Ma, Pa, Tick-Tock; make rock "puppet"; label a rock: "ROCK AND ROLL".
8. P.E.: run and skip.

Friday
1. Religion: pray; read short bio. of Blessed Andre Bessette; read about the creation of angels in children's Bible; make angel wings so a tiny doll can be St. Michael.
2. Phonics: Between the Lions: Little Big Mouse (short "I" sound) -- video.
3. Math: work with base ten blocks: addition.
4. Art: draw ballerina, cat, doll, whale: decorated with glitter pens.
5. Reading: Where Are Maisy's Friends?; Catch Me, Catch Me: A Thomas the Tank Engine Story; Bed Bugs (Bob Books).
6. Music listen to Natalie Cole, The Magic of Christmas CD.
7. P.E.: dancing.
8. Drama: play roles of gypsy, St. Bernadette, Mary, cat.

Weekend
1. Art: drawing; decorate Christmas door hanger with pens, glitter glue; make beaded ornaments: included sorting, counting, measuring, cutting, assembling according to directions; sketch deer at park.
2. Music: listen to Christmas music: Simply the Best Christmas Album (CD); listen to Orlando di Lasso: Missa Sesquialtera (live); Beethoven: Symphonies 1 and 6 (CD).
3. P.E.: run and play; scooter riding.
4. Phonics: Between the Lions videos.

Christmas Vacation

During vacation there was lots of drawing, crafts, singing, drama, read-alouds, informal math, nature study, and conversation.

1st Grade Activities: Week 17

Monday
1. Religion: pray; read short bio. of Blessed Urban V.
2. Math: identify how many beads in 100 chain (10 bars of 10 beads each connected in a chain); work with 100 board; handle 10 bars and unit cubes (base 10 blocks); explore bead material demonstrating the square of numbers 1-10. (Montessori bead materials).
3. Reading: many traffic signs; Critter Sitters.
4. Read Aloud: Newt; Thank You Very Much, Captain Ericsson; In the Land of the Big Red Apple; The Silver Chair.
5. History: brief intro. to inventor Captain John Ericsson (1803-1889).
6. Music: sing Christmas carols; follow words in songs.
7. Art: illustrate a story with computer sketch art; draw and color a mouse and some school and play items to cut out and play with (inspired by reading Critter Sitters).
8. Creative writing: write a story (illustrated) about Biscuit (the dog) and Christmas.

Tuesday
1. Art: draw more illustrations and put book together: Biscuit finds the Christmas Tree, including reindeer pulling a sleigh with Biscuit and his reindeer friend; draw another mouse and ice skates, scarf and hat to cut out and play with.
2. Handwriting: title page and some song lyrics for book; hand-number the pages.
3. Science/Nature: hold, observe, play with, feed snail.
4. Religion: pray; hang Jesse tree ornaments; read the stories of Queen Esther and Daniel in the lions' den from the Bible.
5. Music: sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel and other Christmas songs; make up a song about saints; another about the snail.
6. Reading: book covers and spines;
7. Art: modify and decorate flower princess art in Photoshop, print and color to cut out and play with; creation includes includes dogs, crowns, and other paper objects made of stars; make a cricket from clay.

Wednesday
1. Read Aloud: Three Cheers for Pooh, the Best Bear in All the World.
2. Religion: pray; read short bio. of St. Peter Canisius; read a story about St. Ita; hang Jesse tree ornament.
3. Art: draw honey, bees, milk, toast to cut out for teddy bear to play with and have a picnic (after reading about the real Christopher Robin and Pooh).
4. History: the beginnings of the Winnie-the-Pooh stories: how the characters, names, settings, drawings, and stories were created; find Buffalo Bill museums on the internet; print out horses, color to cut out to play with; get info. about cowboys.
5. Spanish: story time at library.
6. Reading: Moo, Baa, La La La!; Where Is My Country?; Mrs. Brice's Mice.
7. Read Aloud: The Berenstain Bears and the Bully; Buffalo Bill and the Pony Express.
8. P.E.: run and play at mall playground.

Thursday, Friday
Vacation