Baking Again

Grade One made it to the kitchen again. It appears that all of the students enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing yummy treats. This time we added a bit of comedy to the recipe in preparing cookies called Reindeer Poop. The students found this hilarious and were shocked too to find out that they liked eating Reindeer Poop. = )

Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons cocoa
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups oatmeal -- not instant
1/2 cup chopped nuts -- optional

Directions:

Mix butter, sugar, milk and cocoa together in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Drop by teaspoon full (larger or smaller as desired) onto wax paper and let harden. They will set up in about 30-60 minutes. These will keep for several days without refrigerating, up to 2 weeks refrigerated and 2-3 months frozen.

Attached Poem

I woke up with such scare when I heard Santa call... "Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!" I ran to the lawn and in the snowy white drifts, those nasty reindeer had left "little gifts".

I got an old shovel and started to scoop, neat little piles of "Reindeer Poop!" But to throw them away, seemed such a waste, so I saved them, thinking-you might like a taste!

As I finished my task, which took quite awhile. Old Santa, passed by and he sheepishly smiled. And I heard him exclaim as he was in the sky... "Well they're not potty trained, but at least they can fly!"

A Big Success!

The Holiday Show was a huge success! I am so proud of the class. They worked so hard on their routine and learning their songs, which showed by the amazing job they did preforming. The party was a lot of fun too and I think I can say that everyone there that night enjoyed themselves. A very merry night indeed!

Holiday Show

The students have been practicing hard for the Holiday Show. They are doing a wonderful job and getting excited to share the night with their families. Our class is looking forward to Thursday night and are ready for some reindeer fun!

A few reminders:

• Students are to arrive at school and report to the classroom at 6:30pm.
• The class needs to stay together throughout the show and will be able to join their families after the performance.
• When the performance is finished the students can go with their families in costume for pictures and a visit with Santa. However, costumes must be returned to the class before the students go to the party.
• The most important part of Thursday night is to enjoy the Holiday festivities, so have fun!

Presentations

Rikuto, Tommy, Kevin and Ashley.

Brian, Jacob, Alex, and Chantal.

Michelle (her project was home already), Annie, Angus' poster and Ryota.

Anne, Mackin, Emily, and Jonah.

This week the students had their second presentation of the year and they blew me away with their efforts. I was thrilled to see the hard work put into their poster displays and speeches. The class enjoyed listening to each student present and was able to gain new information from each presentation as well. We really learned a lot about the crops and farm animals the class presented.

Thank you for all the support you offer the students at home!

Recipe for Easy Freezy Pumpkin Pie

Easy Freezy Pumpkin Pie

Ingredents:
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened
• Digest wheat cookies crumbled to make crust

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, salt, pumpkin and cinnamon.
2. Mix in the softened ice cream until well blended.
3. Spoon into the pie crusts and place them in the freezer.
4. Freeze for at least 3 hours before serving.
5. Enjoy a yummy treat!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yesterday the class was busy in the kitchen preparing a special treat for Thanksgiving Day. The students enjoyed working together to follow a recipe. They worked in groups of three and each had a turn at mixing the ingredients. Our Easy Freezy Pumpkin Pies had to stay in the freezer for three hours, so we left them for the next day.

The students arrived this morning very eager to try their treats. We spent time this morning taking about the meaning of Thanksgiving and thinking of all the things that we are thankful for. The students did a good job realizing that they have a lot to be thankful for and that they are lucky to be so fortunate.

After lunch we had our Math Lesson and then had our Easy Freezy Pumpkin Pie. All the students loved their pie and took pride in enjoying something that they had a part in making. We made a few extras, so we could share with our fantastic HIS office staff and with Mrs. and Mr. Lines.

Happy Birthday Chantal

Yesterday the class celebrated Chantal's seventh birthday at school. Her parents came with a cake at the end of the day and we all sang Happy Birthday. Chantal's little sister, Charmaine joined our class from pre-school to enjoy the celebration. The cake was yummy and Chantal was happy to share her special day with her classmates.

Happy Birthday, Chantal!

Happy Halloween

The Grade Ones enjoyed a very fun day at school celebrating Halloween. The students arrived that morning in their costume feeling excited and proud to show off their outfit to their classmates. We had a few superheros, fairies, action figures and even a few spooky costumes to frighten the class.

The students participated in the Fancy Dress Parade and did an excellent job preforming their Halloween song for the audience. When returning to the class the students mentioned how much they enjoyed watching the other classes preform.

In the afternoon the students joined the lower grades to watch a Halloween movie and nibble on some popcorn.

It was a special day at HIS and the students enjoyed the opportunity to have an entire day of fun activities. It was a pleasure for me to share the experience with the class. I also enjoyed seeing so many parents at the parade. I would like to also thank you all for sending in such lovely treats for the students to enjoy during our class party. Grade One was a very lucky class! Thank you very much for your continued support, it is greatly appreciated! = )

Flu Shots

As the letter stated that went home on Thursday, the Grade Ones are eligible to have a flu shot on Friday the 9th. If you choose to have your child receive a flu shot then please, sign and return the forms that were sent home. If you need an additional copy, please ask and one can be sent home with your student.

If your child is receiving a flu shot on Friday then they must be sent to school with their Health Insurance Card. Without this card they are unable to administer the flu shot. If you have any additional questions, please contact me.

Happy Birthday Rikuto

Two birthdays in one week! There has been a lot of excitement and anticipation in our class for these events. We celebrated Rikuto's birthday this Friday. The class was excited to have Rikuto's mother join our class after art to share in the birthday celebration. We sang and enjoyed some delicious cake. Happy Birthday, Rikuto!

Happy Birthday Angus

Today the class celebrated Angus' birthday. It was the first birthday of the year and we were happy to have the chance to celebrate the day together at school. We were also thankful to Angus' parents for bringing in a birthday cake. The children sang happy birthday to Angus in English and Chinese. We all enjoyed a very yummy cake. Happy Birthday Angus!

International Day of Peace

The United Nations' International Day of Peace - marked every year on September 21 - is a global holiday when individuals, communities, nations and governments highlight efforts to end conflict and promote peace.

Our class participated in recognizing this day by making windmills for peace that were displayed in the garden in front of school. We had a class discussion on what peace stands for before completing the project. We talked about the fact that some people in the world live each day without feeling safe and that some are hungry. From our discussion we defined peace as wanting everyone in the world to be safe, healthy and happy.

The students enjoyed completing this project and took great pride in displaying their windmills in the garden yesterday.

Getting Started

The students are becoming adjusted to Grade One. The students are arranged in the classroom in groups of four. They are learning to help each other transition between subjects and stay on task. Each morning the daily schedule is reviewed with the class, so that the students are fully prepared for the day. The students are learning to use the schedule independently. A Table Caption is assigned each week through a rotation. The Table Caption's responsibilities include receiving and returning the materials needed for each subject from the table's cubby. The students are learning to work together as a team and help one another accomplish the goals for each day.

Welcome to Grade One

I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Kelly Egan and I will be your child’s classroom teacher for this school year. I have my Masters in Elementary Education, along with an array of teaching experience in diverse classrooms.

I am a strong believer in children’s ability to learn when placed in an environment that motivates them to do so. I am looking forward to teaching your child and getting to know their individual needs to help them reach their highest potential in the First Grade. I am also looking forward to getting to know the families so that we can work together to meet each student’s academic needs both in the classroom and at home.

As part of our routine, we have a healthy snack break that takes place at 10am daily. Please help to promote good eating habits by providing your child healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, crackers and granola bars. In cooperation with this routine, I ask that no candy be included in your child’s snack. To increase our communication throughout the year I have created a blog for our classroom. Please visit this website regularly: http://mskellygr1his.blogspot.com/

Listed below you will find the classroom supply list so that your child can be prepared to start the new school year. I am a firm believer in having an open-door policy in my classroom, so please do not hesitate to come to me with any questions or concerns. Please also feel free to contact me via e-mail at egan.his@gmail.com or at the school.

I look forward to meeting you and your student next week!

Best Regards,

Ms. Kelly Egan


Classroom Supply List

1. Pencils – 5
2. Erasers – 2
3. Coloring pencils – set of at least 12
4. Scissors
5. Markers – set of 12
6. Glue stick
7. No spill water bottle (please, fill with water only)
8. School bag
9. One folder to be used for homework only
10. Individual white board with 2 markers and an eraser
11. One warmer shirt/sweater to be left at school to help your child when they find themselves chilly in the classroom. This will assist the class in meeting the individual comfort needs of each student.
12. Box of tissues
13. A top to be used for protecting clothes when using paints throughout the year

* Please, clearly label all items.