First Grade News

Dear Families,

In Hebrew, we learned the letters mem, mem sofit (final mem), lamed, and a new vowel, which makes the “Ee” sound. We added lots of new words to our word wall, like menorah (lamp), melech (king), mechonit (car), matanah (gift), magafayim (boots), michnasayim (pants), misparayim (scissors), lechem (bread), lashon (tongue) and lev (heart). We also continue to read and write with all the letters and vowels that we have learned so far.

In Tefilah, we started learning the Amidah. The Amidah has 19 parts, and we will learn all of them. Our first graders are definitely up to the challenge! During this prayer, we need to stand, by standing, we show respect (kavod) to god. This week we learned the introduction to the Amidah, “Adonai Sefatai Tiftach” in which we ask God to open our lips and mouth in meaningful prayer.

In math, we have continued to review numbers up to 10. We practiced our numeral handwriting with both digits and words. We also are learning to accurately write numeral words as snap words. First graders have been counting and comparing amounts of objects using 10 frames, pictures, manipulatives, and numerals. We are adding, subtracting, and finding patterns. First graders have also worked on explaining their thinking when we solve word problems and have explored number problems with many possible answers.

First graders have started an inquiry into the weather! We shared what we already knew about aspects of weather and then searched for books from our classroom to make a weather library that can help teach us new information. We explored books and shared what we noticed and wondered about on sticky notes. We then read the book “A Wonderful World of Weather” by Kay Barnham to think about what aspects of weather we want to explore and learn more about. At home, discuss the weather often (if you don’t already!) and point out the words you use to describe temperature, humidity, precipitation, etc. Feel free to send in weather books from home! Next week, we will start our daily weather journal.

Check out our pics!

Shabbat Shalom,

Ilana and Liz