First Grade
Welcome to First Grade at Meridian!
In first grade we will be taking your child on a journey that starts with themselves. They will explore who we are as their understanding grows through learning and reflecting. This unit of inquiry will last all year as we make connections to ourselves, our community, and our world. We will explore the impact of our decisions and participate in various cooperative learning experiences for how we organize ourselves. Our journey continues with how we express ourselves, as students learn to respect and appreciate their own culture, as well as other cultures in the world, by exploring various festivals and celebrations. The next journey will be to understand where we are in place and time, as they begin to see the world as bigger than their own backyard by exploring various representations on maps and in the world. Next, they will be ready to understand how they, while only in first grade, are sharing the planet and learn to protect it. Finally, they will begin to understand how the world works as they care for baby chicks, research an animal of their choice, and begin to better understand concepts such as life cycles and food chains. We are looking forward to an amazing year as we embark on this learning journey!
Tell Me What You Did Today?
When children come home at the end of the day,
The question they're asked as they scurry to play
is, "Tell me what you did today?"
And the answer they give makes you sigh with dismay.
"Nothing, I did nothing today!"
Perhaps nothing means that I explored with a clock,
Or counted to 100, or sorted some rocks.
Maybe I painted a picture of red and blue
Or heard a story of a mouse that flew.
Maybe I observed the chicks eat today,
Or went outside on the monkey-bars to play.
Maybe today was the very first time
That my scissors followed a very straight line
Maybe I lead a song from beginning to end,
Or played with a special brand new friend.
When you're in first grade
And your heart has wings,
"Nothing" can mean so many things!!