During the month of February, we loved learning about Oceans and Marine Life.  We discovered that fish are vertebrates,  breathe with gills and their bodies are covered with mucus that helps them move through the water.  The Kindergartners worked on painting an Ocean Wall in our classroom.  They made a model of a coral reef with water, seaweed, coral and a variety of marine animals that we studied in the afternoon.  The Kindergartners also used this work to teach lessons on the different ocean animals to the younger students in the classroom.  

Here are some pictures of the Ocean Wall and other February work in P1:

Ocean Photos and other work in P1

We also had a fun Valentine’s Day celebration in our classroom.  Students exchanged valentine cards and gifts. We played games and did some arts and crafts and enjoyed a snack of strawberries and whipped cream.

Here are some pictures of our Valentine’s Day activities:

Valentine’s Day fun

Ms. Kini did a presentation on Chinese New Year.  This year is the Year of the Tiger.  Ms. Kini shared the story of how the Chinese calendar was created and how each year is named after one of twelve animals.  Students learned what their own Chinese zodiac animal is based on the year they were born.  Then we played a fun game to find others with the same animal by making the noise their animal makes and listening for someone making the same animal sound.  Ms. Kini also had a small gift for each child and demonstrated the appropriate way of giving a gift using both hands and receiving a gift also using both hands. 

Here are some pictures of Ms. Kini and the students during our Chinese New Year lesson:

Chinese New Year Activities

March is right around the corner.  We will be studying dinosaurs, reptiles and amphibians and learning about the continent of Asia. Parent Teacher Conferences are in March.  Please sign up for a time to meet with us to talk about your child’s progress.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.

Thank you!

Ms. Melissa, Ms. Diana and Ms. Kini 

Blog for 2/15

One of the most frequently asked questions in P1 is “When will my child start speaking in Spanish?”  

Language acquisition is a skill that takes time. Typically, a child’s first words in their native language are spoken around 10-14 months of age. From there, children learn simple words, begin to speak in phrases, then more complex sentences as their knowledge of the world grows. By the time children begin preschool, they have a fairly large vocabulary in their native language, can ask questions, understand some basic abstract concepts (like emotions) and speak in complete sentences. This process takes years.

Starting to learn a second language means beginning this process again.  However, because children have a greater capacity to speak and understand language, they are able to pick up skills faster.

The first Spanish component the students experience is listening to Ms. Diana give simple instructions for daily classroom functions (wash your hands, stand up, sit down, line up, etc. ) and hear repeated words such as snack, lunch, days of the week, months of the year.  Children hear simple Spanish words first, absorb and process information and vocabulary using materials in the classroom. This is called Pre-production or the “silent period”. Students often mimic the words they hear, can identify pictures and follow simple instructions. 

In the Early production stage of learning, children can answer questions with a yes or no and may start to say short phrases in Spanish. Their vocabulary is growing and they are able to identify pictures, numbers and follow more complex instructions.  

During the Speech Emergence stage, children can answer questions or speak with three or more words in simple phrases and patterns. Students can understand the general idea of a story with pictures, are able to identify numbers, do linear counting and build simple words with the Spanish moveable alphabet and syllables. They are singing songs and reciting poems in Spanish, but may not fully understand the words they are saying.

When students reach Intermediate Fluency, they are able to read and write simple words, speak in simple phrases and sentences and perform basic math functions (such as addition and subtraction) in Spanish. Students may also begin to communicate with each other in simple sentences, play Spanish speaking games with each other and are able to follow more complex directions from their teachers.

Spanish language learning is enriched each month as we study a new topic and incorporate more vocabulary. These skills are reinforced each year as children have the opportunity to practice lessons and remember concepts from previous units of study. 

Here are some pictures of our students working with Spanish materials and activities.

P1 Photos for 2/15 Blog

As always, we thank you for your support of our classroom and our school!

Thank you!

Ms. Melissa, Ms. Diana and Ms. Kini