This is a short video made with Moviemaker. It is a lesson on counting money using the Smartboard.

Gingerbread fun hits 1A!

Today in our classroom the children wrote some wonderful poems about being an elf on the computer. It still amazes me how much they can produce when using a keyboard.

The other thing we did today was make our gingerbread houses. Several parents were in to oversee the project with myself. The creativity just flowed out of every student. They all added a personal toouch to each of their houses. They all had a great time and laughter filled the classroom.

New Wiki on Christmas

I have recently started a new adventure with using a wiki. The title of it is "ohchristmastree". There I showcase some of the decorations I have in my house. Take a look and feel free to add pictures of your trees, or decorations you may have at your own house. Happy Holidays and enjoy....

Just click the link below or paste it in your address bar....
http://ohchristmastree.pbwiki.com/Pictures+of+Christmas+Trees

All Aboard!!! Christmas Around the World Begins....

Currently, the first graders in 1A are studying about different traditions around the world centered aroung this holiday season. This week we have been to Germany and have learned about the first Christmas tree and how families celebrated the holiday then and possibly now. We also learned that the custon of making gingerbread houses might have come from there.

Also, we took a ride to Holland where we found out that Sinterklass visits the children on Dec. 6th on a white horse with his Zwarte Piets. We also found out that the children in Holland would leave their shoe by the fireplace in hopes that they would find a little treat in it left by Sinterklaas. We even tried this in class today and well......he came....We found some chocolate coins in our shoes.....The excitement was more than any of us could bear. Some children even made the connection with how we leave stockings by the fireplace for Santa....

Over the next couple weeks we will be visiting, England, Sweden, France, and of course studying Hannukah. Check back to see what we have learned and what customs we adapted from these countries and celebrations....