First Grade News
First Grade is off to a fantastic start! Everything is in full swing and we are having a great time. This month was the beginning of our unit on Mexico. We have studied the geographic location and characteristics of the country of Mexico and have begun our study of Mexican families. We will learn how the people of Mexico meet the fundamental needs of food, shelter, clothing, social customs, communication, and transportation.
During the study of fundamental needs we will explore Mexico's culture including celebrations and holidays. November 2nd marks holiday known as Day of the Dead or All Soul's Day. Day of the Dead is celebrated in Mexico and by Latin Americans in the United States and Canada. Day of the Dead celebrates the lives of lost loved ones. Alters, known as ofrendas, are erected to honor the family members that have passed. Food, flowers, and other items beloved by the deceased are then placed on the ofrenda. Some common items used during this celebration are sugar skulls and marigolds. We will be learning more about this ancient holiday with the sixth grade on November 2nd.
First Grade is also really excited for our Halloween celebration on October 30th! We are gearing up for this "spooktacular" event by creating a ghostly mural, writing spooky poetry and spooky stories. Please come and check out our ghostly mural created with white paint and our feet! It is hanging in the hallway within the north playground doors.
The holiday season is fastly approaching and we will be involved with several exciting activities that encourage civic participation and community building. We are currently collecting donations for our grade level basket to auction at the Aspen Creek Fall Festival. First Grade will be collecting baby items to complete our Baby Basket. Proceeds from the auction are used to benefit our students in a variety of ways through our local PTA. Beginning the first week in November we will also be collecting canned food for the Broomfield FISH organization. The class that collects the largest number of canned goods will win a doughnut party. More importantly, our participation will help many needy families in our area during the holidays. Please help your child participate in this event and learn the valuable lessons that can be gained through community participation.
The First Grade teachers would like to thank you for your continued support and dedication to our program. We greatly appreciated seeing everyone at our fall conferences, and look forward to continuing successes throughout this school year.