Nutcracker

Below are the links to the Nutcracker Reader's Theater.

https://youtu.be/gW6PoffQVUs
https://youtu.be/N3qH1biCO4Y
https://youtu.be/zDRe3-eBzcA

Art: Degas and the Little Dancer

As they prepare to perform the Nutcracker, first grade girls are also learning about Degas. They are drawing master copies from his works, imagining the stories of the dancers, and "sculpting" each other into The Little Dancer. Ask your first grader to pose like the sculpture, and maybe take a trip to the BMA to see it in real life! 

 

 

 

 

Art: Painting Nutcracker Sets

First graders are working collaboratively in art to create large-scale painted scenery for their Nutcracker performance. They defined the differences between background and characters, brainstormed features to place in the scenes, and problem solved to paint together. 

 

 

 

WINTER CONCERT

Come one, come all!

Please join us for the Winter Concert for students in grades K-2 next Friday, December 16!  The concert begins at 8:30 am and will end by around 9:10.

Each and every student participates in this performance!  The first grade girls will be on the left side of the stage (as you are facing it.)

Attire for the concert is as follows:
• Split top uniform, skort, jumper, or gray pants
• Dark green or gray tights or knee socks (no leggings or white socks)
• White long sleeve turtleneck or polo shirt (no sweaters – the girls will be warm enough under the bright lights!)

See you there!

Art: Painting Something You Can't Name

First graders were challenged to paint something they can't name. They learned that a painting that isn't of something specific can be called abstract. Girls worked on two paintings side by side using tempera paints. Ask your first grader how we use tempera paints in the art studio. 

 

 

 

 

Fall in First Grade

We have had a busy and fun fall in First Grade.  The girls have been busy reading, learning doubles facts, discussing fall holidays, conducting science experiments, and enjoying parent readers.  The First Grade had a chance to work with the Fourth Grade on a wonderful project to celebrate Diwali. Your daughters were partnered with an older student and designed rangolis together.  The girls had a blast!  We had a wonderful Spirit Day, House Kick Off Party, and Halloween together. Here are some pictures of the girls in action! Happy Fall to all!

Diwali activity with the Fourth Grade:

    Spirit Day:

House Activities:

Halloween:

First Grade Fun:

From the Library

First grade girls started the year in Library by reading Norton Juster’s Neville. (He is the author of The Phantom Tollbooth.)  Ask your daughter how Neville made friends in his new neighborhood. We then became Cynthia Rylant experts by reading one each of the series Poppleton, Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, and Mr. Putter and Tabby. We finished that author study with The Relatives Came. We then read a couple of books about characters who try to find their roles in the world: The Crocodile who Didn’t Like Water and Fritz Danced the Fandango.  Next up was Mac Barnett’s The Skunk, a new book about a person who is at first annoyed by and afraid of the skunk who follows him. Ask your daughter how he feels once the skunk is gone. And we’ve just read the hilarious Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock, a crowd favorite. Watch out if someone tries to trick you into saying "Isn't that a strange moss-covered rock?"

French: Sing Along

The girls have been learning lots of songs, games and vocabulary.  They have learned a little skit about how to greet each other and another about how to buy school supplies.  I hope they have each shared their story that they brought home last week about the little family that lives in the house. Here are the girls in Ms. Bradley's class singing happy birthday to a classmate.  Then they practiced their song about the bunny and the deer.

Music: Teamwork Dance

When making music together, teamwork is crucial!  The first graders learned a folk dance that gives us lots of chances to practice just that!

We made a list of over 10 different teamwork skills we use in the dance - here are just a few!

- holding hands properly

- traveling in and out of the circle the same way and th same distance!

- maintaining th same circle size while traveling

It's so much fun when everyone works together!

Art: Color Mixing with Tempera

First graders have been preparing for a collage project by making colored papers. They mixed the primary colors (red, blue, yellow) and white tempera paint to see what they could discover. Girls shared their discoveries and named their colors. Ask your first grader what she learned about color. 

 

 

 

Music: Finding Our Voices

The first graders have been exploring their different types of voices.  

They can identify and demonstrate talking, singing, whispering, and calling (shouting).

Here they are using their own voices!

Talking

                                                                         

                                                                       
                                                                            Calling

                                                                       Singing

                                                                     Whispering

Fun Times in First Grade

Welcome to First Grade! The year is off to a wonderful start as the girls come to school every morning ready for new challenges and fun. We have read many stories, written in our journals, and come together as a class for math games and activities.  The new playground has been a great place for new friendships to form as well as a place to try new things. Here are some pictures of the girls in action!

  Playing math games as a whole First Grade

Recording sounds on a "Listening Walk"

Performing our Readers Theater for the Fourth Grade

Engineering time in science 

Building friendships on the playground!

Learning about Bryn Mawr's five founders on the Founder's Bench

Showing off our hard work!

Working together on the playground

Climbing the new equipment!

We can't wait for a fun and exciting year together! Go First Grade!