The last two weeks went by so quickly. We celebrated a birthday with our signature dance party. Happy Birthday, Dennis! May all your wishes come true.
We also celebrated St. Baldrick’s and used this opportunity to learn about the cause and why people choose to fundraise, donate, or shave their hair. We were so excited to cheer on our classroom mom, Ms. Silvia Rodriguez.
In math, we continued with conceptual games using pattern blocks and ten-frames to explore spatial reasoning and number sense. During number talks, students practiced explaining their thinking and sharing strategies for addition and subtraction. We also started learning about time and how to read an analog clock. It was great to see some students notice that we count by 5s when reading the clock and make the connection between skip counting and telling time.
I am so very proud of their reading and writing. They are becoming more confident in their writing and are doing more on their own, while also collaborating with classmates.
We also started exploring cities and talked about the difference between cities and towns. We learned about the city of Chicago, especially the Chicago skyline, and looked at some famous skyscrapers, how they were built, and what makes them unique. For example, we learned that the St. Regis is the tallest building in the world designed by a woman. We also learned that the Tribune Tower has stones built into the bottom of the building from places all over the world, including the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, the Great Pyramid, the Tomb of Abraham Lincoln, a piece of the Twin Towers, and even a rock from the moon.
The students are working on a special project and are excited to present it to you during conferences. While learning about cities, they also created and named their own cities and wrote about what makes each one special and unique.
The last few weeks have been busy and full of exciting events in our classroom.
We also went on a field trip to the Des Plaines Theatre to see “Fractured Fairy Tales.” Before going, we talked about traditional fairy tales and read a few classic stories together. We discussed the common elements of fairy tales, like characters, setting, problem, and solution. Then we learned what fractured fairy tales are, stories that take a classic fairy tale and change parts of it in funny or surprising ways. Students enjoyed comparing the original versions to the fractured versions and noticing the differences.
The Winter Olympics started, and we had our own opening ceremony at school. After the students voted, our class represented Poland. Poland earned a total of four medals in the Winter Olympic games. For the closing ceremony, the school organized special events for students, including longest plank, long-distance jump, and wall sit.
In our class, the longest plank medal for girls goes to Evie, and for boys to Lucas. For long-distance jump, the medal for girls goes to Eugenia and for boys to Lucas. For the wall sit, the medal for girls goes to Sophia and for boys to RJ. We are so proud of all the students for participating, encouraging one another, and showing great sportsmanship.
We also celebrated Valentine’s Day with fun games and activities in the classroom. Students exchanged valentines and enjoyed a special PTO lunch.
That same week, we prepared our Glendi basket, “Book Lovers.” All students helped create our basket. We used quotes from different books and transformed our box into a beautiful collage.
Thank you to all the parents who made generous donations of books, treats, accessories, and monetary contributions. We truly could not have done this without your support. Congratulations to our classroom winner, Zaya, who won our basket, and to all the students who won other baskets and raffles. It was wonderful to see the children socialize and spend time together outside of school.
In addition to celebrating, we have been doing a lot of learning. We have been studying how things are built. We explored why foundations are important, how buildings are made tall and stable, and how fire prevention keeps buildings safe. A student shared about an immigrant architect, Immigrant Architect: Rafael Guastavino and the American Dream, and we learned about domes and why the materials we use are important for structure and safety.
We also studied building plans and blueprints. Students created their own building plans and then worked to construct their designs. This helped them understand planning, problem-solving, and revising their work.
We have also been spending a lot of time measuring. Students measured objects and distances around the room using blocks, paper clips, and rulers. They are using these measurement skills during building time as well, working to create skyscrapers, bridges, houses, and other structures.
In literacy, in addition to our phonics lessons, reading, and writing time, we are working on understanding the parts of a sentence. We are practicing writing complete sentences with capital letters at the beginning and punctuation at the end. Students are also working on adding details to make their writing stronger and more interesting. We are focusing on spacing between words, stretching out sounds, and rereading our writing to check if it makes sense.
Lastly, during the past two weeks, our class has been leading the morning pledge. All students did a wonderful job saying the pledge with the office staff and supporting each other in the morning. They showed confidence, responsibility, and teamwork.
Thank you for your continued support. We appreciate all that you do for our classroom community.
Over the last two weeks, we have been diving into how things are built and what engineers must consider before construction even begins. We started by learning about building on soft soil and discovered that strong foundations are essential. In many cases, engineers use raft foundations, which spread the weight of a building over a large area so it does not sink. In more challenging situations, piles (pillars) are added beneath the raft to reach firmer ground deeper below the surface and provide extra support.
We connected this to history by looking at a real-world example: the Aztec Empire. The Aztecs built their capital city, Tenochtitlán, on a lake after a vision from their god of war, who told them to build where they found an eagle holding a snake on a cactus. This showed students how people in the past solved complex building challenges using the knowledge and tools they had. After the Aztec Empire collapsed, the Spanish destroyed much of the city and rebuilt on top of it, creating what is now Mexico City. One important building we discussed is the Metropolitan Cathedral, which was built on top of an Aztec pyramid. Because the ground beneath it was soft, the cathedral began to sink over time. Engineers later used modern techniques, such as strengthening the foundation and carefully adjusting the soil underneath, to stop the sinking and help straighten the building.
We also began exploring what it takes to build tall buildings and skyscrapers. Students learned that before construction starts, engineers must calculate the total weight of a building, including materials, people, furniture, and even forces like wind. Choosing the right materials is essential so the structure can safely resist gravity. We discussed how beams support floors and spread weight across spaces, while columns carry that weight down into the ground. If beams are not strong enough, they can bend or snap; if columns are too weak, they can buckle and cause collapse. This helped students understand how all parts of a structure work together.
Students have been especially engaged while building their own structures in class. Through hands-on activities, they are testing ideas, problem-solving, and learning from both success and failure; just like real engineers.
Alongside this work, we are strengthening our literacy skills. Students are learning about the parts of a sentence, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, and proper punctuation, to help them become clearer and more confident writers. We continue to read regularly, play literacy games, and practice sharing ideas using complete sentences.
In math, we continue to explore numbers through a variety of math games and activities. It has been wonderful to see students begin to recognize patterns, group numbers, and make connections that help them add more quickly and efficiently. They are developing strong number sense and confidence by explaining their thinking and trying different strategies.
We look forward to continuing our exploration of how things are built and will keep you updated as our learning grows. The students are truly enjoying building, creating, and discovering together.
The last two weeks were full of fun learning as we explored superstitions! This started with the vasilopita coin celebration in Greek class, which led to great conversations about luck and family traditions. The students loved sharing superstitions their families believe in and learning that different families and cultures have different beliefs. We even made up our own classroom superstitions together!
In literacy, we had lots of practice with language skills. We worked on rhyming words, beginning and ending sounds, and clapping syllables. First grade students reviewed nouns and adjectives and practiced common and proper nouns. We also enjoyed reading every day, both as a class and on our own.
In math, we worked on addition through many fun and hands-on games. Students used tools like counters and number cards to explore different ways to add numbers. We talked about how there is more than one way to solve a problem and that mistakes help our brains grow. Students explained their thinking, worked with friends, and showed that they are developing strong math minds.
One of the highlights was creating lucky objects using air-dry clay! The students shaped, rolled, and pinched the clay and made up a good luck superstition to go with their object. The lucky objects came home with the students. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoyed creating them!
Evie—Black Cats: If you see three black cats, you have good luck.
RJ—Pot: If you find a pot, you will have good luck.
Raina—Snail diamond pot: If you find a snail near a diamond pot, you will have good luck. Carolina – Cat: If you find a cat, you have good luck.
Zaya—Butterfly: If you find a butterfly on a flower, you will have good luck.
Lucas—Axolotl: Finding a glowing axolotl will bring you good luck.
Adira—Spiral: If you find a clean spiral, you have good luck.
—Candy cane: If you see a candy cane, you have good luck.
Kaavya—Blue and green: If you find a blue and green spiral, you’re in luck.
Dennis—Dragonfly: If you see a dragonfly, you have good luck.
Eugenia—Cat: If the cat likes you, you will have good luck. If you find a four-leaf clover and a pot of gold, you will have good luck.
Rainie—Heart: If you see a heart, you have good luck.
Sophia—Lego Brick: If you see a Lego brick, you will have good fortune.
Next week, we will begin a new exploration “How Things Are Built.” The students will explore building through math, science, and engineering. In math, we will use shapes, counting, and measuring as we build. In science, we will test what materials are strong, what materials bend, and what happens when structures fall and are rebuilt. In engineering, students will plan, build, test, and fix their structures. They will work together, try new ideas, and learn that mistakes help us learn and grow.
The last month went by so quickly! We spent a lot of time preparing for our holiday program, and the children did an amazing job. They worked hard learning the songs and were so proud to help come up with ideas for their little dance. It was wonderful to see their confidence grow and how excited they were to perform for you.
The children also put a lot of effort into making gifts for their families. The salt dough ornaments were a big process and took several days to complete. The children shaped them, painted them, and waited patiently for them to dry. After that, they sat down and wrote thoughtful wishes and special memories just for you. One favorite project was the Grinch card. The children loved decorating the cards and carefully writing their messages. They were very proud of their work and excited to share it.
In math, we spent a lot of time playing new addition games created by Ms. Georgia DeClark. The children loved these hands-on games, and they were a fun way to practice adding numbers while working together and taking turns. Ms. DeClark designs activities that support children’s thinking and learning, inspired by Jean Piaget’s ideas about how children learn through play and exploration. If you would like to learn more, you can find her book here.
In literacy, we learned about snow crystals and snow in general. As I’m sure you noticed by how often the children needed to change clothes after recess, we had plenty of snow to explore! We took advantage of the winter weather by playing outside and experimenting with ice inside the classroom. We also read many holiday and winter books, which inspired the children to write and create their own books to read with the class.
We also enjoyed baking together. We made sugar cookies and wrote down the recipe as a class. Since I forgot the rolling pin at home, we couldn’t use cookie cutters, so we made “smashed” sugar cookies instead. The children thought this was very funny, and the cookies were delicious!
We celebrated two wonderful birthdays this month. Happy birthday to Kaavya and Zaya! We hope all your wishes come true.
The holiday program was a big success. The children did a fantastic job and looked amazing in their holiday outfits. On the last day before break, we had a fun and cozy day together. I baked mini gingerbread houses for the children to decorate, we watched a short Elf movie, and we enjoyed a tasty lunch sponsored by the PTO.
Thank you for a wonderful end to the year. I wish you all happy holidays and a wonderful new year. I look forward to seeing you all in 2026!
The last two weeks were full of excitement and hands-on learning. Last week, we welcomed a student teacher, Ms. Rissi, who spent three days with us and introduced the students to poi, a traditional Māori performance art that uses soft objects on strings to create rhythmic, coordinated movements. Poi helps students build coordination, cross the midline, and develop rhythm, all skills that support early reading. The students loved making their own poi using socks and rice and had a wonderful time practicing the movements.
In math, we had another visit from Ms. Georgia DeClark, an early childhood math specialist and passionate advocate for learning through play. She focuses on the importance of play as an essential tool for helping students develop problem-solving skills, communication, social interaction, and creativity. During her visit, she taught us new math games like Make the Biggest Number, Race to 50, and a fun subitizing game. The students jumped right in and were so excited to learn and play.
In reading, as many of you know, we finished Charlotte’s Web and celebrated with a pizza party.
Before finishing the book, the students learned about dioramas, and we talked about how they are a way to bring a story to life by creating a small 3D scene inside a box. The students worked so carefully using shoeboxes, clay, paper, paint, and small craft materials to build their scenes. Many chose the barn or the fiar and they added details like tiny webs, little food troughs, and clay animals. The dioramas show not only their creativity but also their understanding of the characters and setting.
The students also worked on simple book reports, writing in their own words what Charlotte’s Web was about and why they would or would not recommend it. This gave them a chance to practice retelling the story, thinking about their favorite parts, and explaining their opinions. Many students wrote about friendship, kindness, and how Charlotte always helped Wilbur. It was great to see how much they remembered from the story and how confident they were in sharing their thoughts.
This week, we will proudly share our Charlotte’s Web dioramas with other classes, and the students cannot wait to show what they created!
Throughout the book, we also focused on friendships and compliments, just like Charlotte did when she wrote kind words in her web. We practiced noticing good things about each other and saying them out loud so we can help others feel valued and seen. We talked about how compliments make our hearts feel full and how important it is to lift each other up with kind words. We also tied this into How to Fill Your Bucket and created “I am” pages, where each student wrote positive words about themselves. This helped them remember that kindness is not only for others, it is also important to speak kindly to ourselves.
Happy Halloween! It was a wonderful day full of creativity, laughter, and hands-on learning!
What a fun and busy day we had! The kids’ costumes were spooktacular! To celebrate, we did a special science experiment and made color-changing playdough while learning a big new word, thermochromatic!
We started by talking about what thermochromatic means, how some materials can change color when they get warm or cool down. The children helped mix the ingredients for our playdough (flour, salt, oil, water, and cream of tartar), then we added thermochromatic pigment powder. The magic happened when they began kneading the warm dough with their hands, the heat from their fingers made the playdough change color right before their eyes! When the dough cooled, it changed back again. The kids were amazed and kept experimenting by blowing on the dough, placing it near the window, and testing what made the colors shift faster. It was a perfect mix of science, discovery, and sensory play.
We also painted our pumpkins, some spooky, some cute and colorful, and enjoyed delicious fruit and pizza for lunch. Before lunch we watched the short movie Room on the Broom, which tied in with our Halloween theme and gave us a moment to relax after such a fun-filled day.
This week, we used our big classroom pumpkin for some hands-on math fun! After talking about the different parts of a pumpkin, the children made predictions about how much it might weigh. Raina’s guess of 12 pounds was spot-on! Once we opened our pumpkin, we scooped out the seeds, dried them, and made another estimate, how many seeds were inside?
To find out, we counted the seeds by grouping them in sets of ten. Our pumpkin had 135 seeds! The children were so excited to see how close their guesses were. We then used the seeds for more math activities, where each group was given a fixed number of seeds (starting with 20 and going up from there) and had to divide them equally among themselves. Some groups quickly made equal piles, while others used a slower, one-at-a-time method until everyone had the same amount. Both strategies showed great mathematical thinking, helping children build number sense, practice fairness, and understand early division concepts in a hands-on way.
We continue exploring different math games and challenges. Some days, we used manipulatives, and other days we play games like War or use UNO to compare numbers and learn about place value. We also roll dice and use dominoes for addition practice. These games help children think critically, problem-solve, and work together, all while having fun!
In literacy, we continued our author study of Charlotte’s Web. The children are learning about friendship, kindness, and empathy through the story. Inspired by the kind words Charlotte weaves into her web to describe Wilbur, we began talking about how powerful words can be. Together, we practiced giving each other genuine compliments and noticing the good things our friends do every day. It’s been a beautiful connection between reading, writing, and social-emotional learning.
We also continued learning new “secrets” and searching for words for our Word Collector Journals, where the children practice using the new phonics skills they’ve learned from Secret Stories.
We celebrated Diwali and learned that it’s a holiday celebrated all around the world, not just in India! The children were surprised to discover that the second-largest Diwali celebration happens in London. To honor the Festival of Lights, we made our own diyas, small lamps that symbolize welcoming light and goodness into our lives. It was a beautiful way to learn about culture, traditions, and the meaning of kindness and hope.
Ms. Lisa’s class is also working on their service project this year by supporting Bernie’s Book Bank. Her class stopped by to share their project with us and explained why their mission is so important. Bernie’s Book Bank collects and distributes new and gently used books to children across Chicagoland who may not have access to books at home. Their goal is to increase literacy and help all children develop a love for reading.
If you have any gently used books you would like to donate, please bring them to school on Monday. Together, we can help share the joy of reading with other children in our community!
Our field trip to Wagner Farm was a great success! We had a fun bus ride, our first one of the year, and everyone was very excited. At the farm, we learned how farmers take care of the animals and what kinds of food they eat. We even got to pet some of the animals! At the end of our visit, we made fresh butter and enjoyed it with some delicious graham crackers.
Wagner Farm is one of the last working dairy farms in Cook County. It gives children a wonderful chance to experience farm life up close, learning about animals, crops, and how food is made. It’s a perfect place for hands-on learning and connecting with nature.
We started a new chapter book, Charlotte’s Web, a timeless story about friendship, kindness, and courage. It’s a wonderful book to read with young children because it helps them understand empathy, emotions, and the power of words, all through the gentle friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a spider named Charlotte.
When we read Chapter 3, the students were very excited, thinking Wilbur was going to escape. When he didn’t, we decided to create our own version of the story, one where Wilbur actually does escape! I began the story with a short paragraph from the chapter, and the students took turns continuing from where the last person left off. Once our story was complete, we worked on illustrations and created our own characters. We hope you enjoy our silly but captivating version of Wilbur Escapes! 🐷✨
The last two weeks were full of literacy activities! We read an inspiring book called The Word Collector by Peter H. Reynolds. It’s a beautiful story about a boy named Jerome who loves collecting words, not just big or fancy ones, but words that make him feel happy, kind, or inspired. The book reminds us that words have power and can help us share our ideas, feelings, and dreams.
After reading, we started our very own Word Collector Journals! To begin, the students decorated their journals with words and pictures they found in magazines.
As you might have heard, we have some “secrets” in our classroom, ones the children can only share with their parents! These are from Secret Stories, a fun and engaging way to learn phonics. Each “secret” helps us understand why letters make certain sounds, which makes reading and writing easier and more exciting.
Every day, we looked through magazines and newspapers to find words that included the “secrets” we’ve already learned and added them to our Word Collector Journals. The students are becoming word detectives, spotting phonics patterns everywhere!
In math, we’ve been working on grouping, skip counting, addition, subtraction, and understanding place value. We explored these concepts through hands-on math games like Blokus, Zingo, Pick Up Sticks, and Which Is More?.
Through these games, students are learning to recognize patterns, make connections between numbers, and think ahead to plan their moves. They’re also strengthening their understanding of how numbers work together, for example, how groups of ten build larger numbers, or how skip counting connects to multiplication. Math games help children develop flexible thinking, persistence, and cooperation, all while having fun and building confidence as mathematicians!
During free choice, our class continues to wear the engineering and builder hats! Each day, the children create something new in our workshop, using the cardboard saw to cut and shape materials or building with blocks to bring their ideas to life. This week, we added new ramps to our collection, and the class immediately got back to designing elaborate marble runs!
While building and experimenting with ramps, the children are learning important skills such as problem-solving, spatial awareness, balance, and cause and effect. They test their ideas, make adjustments, and work together to figure out how to make their marbles move faster or travel farther. These experiences help develop critical thinking, perseverance, and creativity, all essential skills for young engineers and thinkers!
We also love exploring sensory activities like playing with slime, which helps children strengthen fine motor skills, focus their attention, and calm their senses through tactile exploration. And of course, creativity doesn’t stop there, the students have been making amazing costumes, using imagination and teamwork to bring their designs to life.
We finished our chapter book Mercy Watson to the Rescue and ended with a project where we had to find words to describe Mercy. Describing words, also called adjectives, tell us more about a person, place, or thing. They make our writing more colorful and help readers imagine the story better. The children came up with wonderful words for Mercy, sweet, brave, hero, funny, and my favorites, bacon and pork :))!
The students decided not to start the second book in the series, so instead we read a very cute story called Aggie and the Ghost. This inspiring book tells the story of a little girl named Aggie who moves into a new house. She is very excited until she finds out that the house is haunted, and the ghost is not very considerate! It makes loud noises, takes her socks, and eats all the cheese. Aggie tries to set some rules, but the ghost doesn’t like following them. To solve the problem, Aggie challenges the ghost to a game of tic-tac-toe. If Aggie wins, the ghost has to move out. When the game ends in a tie, they play again and again until they forget why they were even arguing.
The story opened an important classroom conversation about flexible thinking and friendship. The children shared moments when they had to change plans or solve a problem in a kind way. We talked about how sometimes, like Aggie, we can turn a tricky situation into a friendship by being understanding, patient, and trying to see things from the other person’s perspective, even if that person happens to be a ghost!
This story also inspired a special art project where the students created their own version of Aggie or the ghost, or in our case, their names and the ghost! We also spent time journaling about the book, writing about our favorite parts, how Aggie felt, and what we might have done if we were in her place. The children added wonderful details and drawings to bring their ideas to life. We even connected the story to math through tic-tac-toe, a fun game that helps students learn about patterns, logic, and strategy. It encourages them to think ahead, plan their moves, and use problem-solving skills, important for both learning and play!
Our special baby bird is growing and finally flew out of the nest! We observe it every day and watch as it learns to move around the cage with one claw and a little stump. It can fly for short periods of time and spends most of its time at the bottom of the cage because it still struggles with balance. We are hoping that, with time, she will learn to manage using only one claw. Mommy and daddy bird are taking wonderful care of her and feed her every day. This week we even got to gently pet her in hopes that she will get more used to our presence and allow us to care for her more.
The Wians family kindly donated an ant farm to our classroom, so now we have another “pet” to care for and observe! The farmer ants quickly began building tunnels, creating a new home for themselves. Even when some tunnels collapse, the ants don’t give up, they keep moving, building, and working together. It is great for the students to see how ants problem-solve and engineer their space. From observing them, the students are learning about teamwork, perseverance, and how living things adapt to challenges.
The students also love building every day in our workshop, sometimes they make houses for their pets or castles for their stories. The other day there was even a “tornado warning” in our workshop, and the children all worked together to secure the houses they built. It was amazing to see their cooperation and creative problem-solving!
We also celebrated two birthdays, Happy Birthday to Lucas and RJ! We celebrated their special days with dance parties and handmade cards from all their friends in Room 103.
Another exciting event was a visit from the fire department! The firefighters talked to us about fire safety, what to do in case of a fire, how to have an exit plan, and why checking smoke alarms is important. After the talk, we got to see the fire truck and fire engine up close and ask lots of great questions.
Lastly, we held our Bake Sale for Breast Cancer Awareness. The children learned that events like this help raise money for research and support people affected by cancer. It was a wonderful opportunity to teach kindness, empathy, and how even small actions can make a big difference in the world.
We started reading Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo. Mercy is a silly pig who lives with Mr. and Mrs. Watson. She loves toast with a great deal of butter. Since toast is her favorite, we decided to try it too! Instead of just buying bread and butter, we turned it into a science lesson.
We made butter by shaking heavy cream in a jar until it turned from liquid into a solid. We talked about how the shaking breaks down the fat in the cream and changes it into butter. Then, we baked bread together and learned how yeast makes the dough rise by creating tiny bubbles of gas. The students saw how the dough grew bigger as it rested. This helped them understand how ingredients can change through movement, heat, and air. Our warm bread and fresh butter were delicious, and most of the students loved it! We also wrote the recipe and ingredients in our journals so we can remember how to make it again.
Each day after reading a chapter from our book, the students write in their journals. They are learning to summarize the story in their own words and to add detailed illustrations. Their writing and drawing are getting better every day.
In math, we practiced grouping, skip counting, comparing numbers, and simple addition. We played pick-up sticks, the card game “War,” and counted and grouped gems in our classroom. These activities made learning math fun and hands-on.
This week we also talked about our school, Plato Academy. The children shared what they like about our school, and we turned their ideas into a beautiful art project that is now displayed in the hallway.
The most exciting news is that one of our canary eggs hatched! The children are observing the baby bird each day and noticing how quickly it grows. Canaries are small songbirds that are known for their bright colors and happy songs. Our baby canary was born with a defect and lost a claw. This gave us a chance to talk about disabilities and differences. We discussed how people and animals might look or move differently, but they can still live full and happy lives. The children showed a lot of kindness and shared ideas about how we can treat everyone with respect and care.
