Seussical!

On Friday, February 2nd, we will be going on our First Grade Field Trip to see Seussical at the Stoneham Theatre! 

"This fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza brings to life all of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, and a little boy with a big imagination: Jojo. Join us as we travel from the Jungle of Nool to the invisible world of the Whos as Horton and Jojo search to feel not so alone in the universe.

Full of lessons about growing up, feeling alone, and personal responsibilities, this show is perfect for children and adults alike."

Please remember . . .
1.  Arrive on time! We will be leaving promptly at 8:45am.
2.  A brown bag lunch is NOT needed for this trip, as we will be returning to Steward School in time for our regularly scheduled lunch.
3.  Eat a hearty breakfast!

Looking forward to a Seusstastical day,
Kathleen Gouzie

One More Mystery Guest Reader in January!

Special thanks to Betty Magnus, Lianna's nanna, for being our Mystery Guest Reader on Friday.  The children enjoyed listening to Popsicle Pony, by Jill Stover.

Mrs. Magnus is a retired first grade teacher and former assistant principal in Danvers who has expressed an interest in volunteering in our classroom.  I am truly delighted to be having such a talented, experienced educator join us soon to share her knowledge, love of learning, and passion for working with children!

January Mystery Guest Readers

The month of January has been full of surprises, as several Mystery Guest Readers have visited our classroom.  On January 12th, Tony Rogers led the children in some fun imaginary play.  The children listened to the sound of popcorn while acting out the popcorn slowly heating up and beginning to pop, and then getting faster and faster as all the popcorn kernels began to pop!

Then, he settled the children on the rug so they could listen to two stories, 

This Is Not My Hat and The Book With No Pictures.  The kids loved The Book With No Pictures so much, they asked if Mr. Rogers could read it again, and they all joined in, reading the silly phrases and sentences.  It was a fun-filled Friday afternoon with lots of giggles!

On January 19th, Heather Kubany visited the classroom to read two wonderful books, The Thingumajig Book of Manners and Winter's Gift.  The children really enjoyed both stories, especially the beautiful illustrations in Winter's Gift and the important message in the story about never giving up.

Steamboat Penny S.T.E.M. Challenge!

Last week the children participated in the Steamboat Penny S.T.E.M. Challenge! Challenge:  To build a boat using only straws and plastic wrap that will support 25 pennies.  The boat must support 25 pennies without sinking. Time: Teams will have 3 minutes to collaborate and 10 minutes to construct.

Here are some pictures of our Steamboat Penny Challenge!

How Do Animals Survive in the Cold Weather?

Dear Families and Fabulous First Graders,                               

Are you looking for something fun to do on this blustery, bitterly cold snow day?   
Do you know how grey tree frogs survive during the cold winter months?  When the temperature dips below 32 degrees F, they freeze completely solid! 

They thaw out when the temperature rises above freezing! Now that's an innovative way to survive during the cold winter months!

You can click on the picture below to read a book about Animals in Winter.  There's also a black and white copy of the book that you can print and color, and some fun activities to go along with the book! (The black and white copy of the book is duplicated, so you can have an extra copy for a sibling or friend!)

Here are some videos to help you learn more about how animals survive through the cold winter. The first two videos are introductions to animal adaptations and migration. Where Do Animals Go in Winter is one of my favorite videos! This video has some amazing pictures of animals and fascinating facts about the innovative ways they have adapted to survive the cold winter weather! If you and/or your child have a moment to watch any of these videos, let me know what you think! 

As always, your feedback on blog posts and comments are always welcome. My goal is for our classroom blog to be a way to keep you informed on some of the wonderful learning that takes place in our classroom every day, while also providing extension and enrichment activities to further enhance your child's learning.

04:30

Animals With Winter Coats!

Where Do Birds Go In Winter?

where do animals go in winter? - YouTube

▶ 17:28

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz9Ps9D8weU

Oct 24, 2013 - Uploaded by marky mark

Hibernating and Migrating Animals -for Kids of Kindergarten,Preschoolers ... Learn About Animal Survival ....

Winter Adaptationsnaturalistoutreach4,728 views