Our next upcoming unit is about ticks and Lyme Disease. Students learned about what a tick is and how to identify one. Students learned ways to be safe around ticks by wearing bug spray, performing tick checks, wearing light colored clothes, wearing long pants/shirts and tucking in pants to socks if they would be in an area where ticks live. Kindergartens will be going home with a tick check laminated card. Please encourage and assist your child in daily tick checks especially after playing outside.
1st graders are wrapping up their final project for our nutrition unit. Students created their own restaurant and designed a menu! On the menu they had to create three meals using all 5 of the food groups. Their breakfast, lunch and dinner meals consisted of foods from the dairy, protein, grain, vegetable and fruit foods groups. Students used grocery store flyers to cut out pictures of food they wanted to include on their menu. First grade and Kindergarten classes have been busy learning about MyPlate and healthy food choices. They have been introduced to a new tool to help them make good food choices. You may have heard your son or daughter talk about GO, SLOW and WHOA foods. If they haven't you can ask them what a GO, SLOW or WHOA food is!! GO foods are our anytime foods, SLOW foods are our sometimes foods and WHOA foods are our once in a while foods. Students have been busy making posters that are now proudly displayed in the the health room with different types of GO, SLOW and WHOA foods. First graders were up and moving in a game where they had to perform a certain exercise for each food category. Some students even got "caught" eating healthy fruits and vegetables at lunch time and received a sticker! I will be stopping in again in the next few weeks to catch some more students making healthy food choices!! Keep up the great work with sending in healthy food options for our kids! in 1st grade health, students are reviewing the 5 food groups using the MyPlate diagram. Through 4 centers, everyone was able to review the colors of the 5 food groups, categorize foods in each group, draw their favorite foods from each food group and work with a small group to fill out charts from each food group. I was really impressed at how many students could share that they had a snack or lunch with many of the different food groups!In heath, we have been focusing on the heart. Students learned about how important the heart is and that it is working/pumping all the time. 1st graders did jumping jacks for 1 minute and found their pulse to see how fast their heart was beating. Kindergartners listed the many ways that they already exercise their hearts by playing. Students also created a goal to how they could exercise their hearts everyday through play. I am so proud of the goals they have set for themselves! Many of them were activities that they can do out in the snow which is perfect for the upcoming vacation! Enjoy!
First grade students were asked to be scientists and conduct an experiment about what sugary drinks can do to our teeth. They explored as a group what soda, water and Gatorade can do to our teeth. Our conclusion was that if we do drink or eat something sugary, we want to brush our teeth shortly after to prevent any cavities. Students had the opportunity to discuss what happens when we go to the dentist and the special tools the dentist uses to keep our teeth healthy and strong. Kindergartners also learned about keeping our teeth healthy. Students rotated through a few activities where they had the chance to practice brushing teeth and flossing. We also played a counting teeth game and drew pictures of food that makes our teeth happy and foods that make our teeth sad. Kindergartners also reviewed basic hygiene basics including washing our hands. Students learned and sang the washing hands song:
(tune: row, row, row your boat) Wash, wash, wash your hands Wash them day and night Soap and water does the trick It keeps them clean and bright Wash, wash, wash your hands Many times a day Rub and scrub and rise and dry Germs will go away! HEY! Our first grade students have been learning about two very important ways to stay safe when out in the community. Students learned what the word PEDESTRIAN means and each class had the chance to go on a mini field trip. Each class walked outside to a real crosswalk and had the chance to practice looking both ways and crossing the street with their group. We talked about the importance of being a safe pedestrian on Halloween night if they were going to be out trick or treating. Our next lesson was about how to be safe around people we don't know. We read the story "Safe with Strangers" by Stan Johnson. Brother bear and Sister bear were very different around strangers but they both knew that to be safe we never talk to strangers, take things from strangers or go anywhere with a stranger.
During our "Safety First" unit, first graders first identified steps in what to do if there were ever a fire in their house. We looked at and listened to the noise the smoke detector makes and where we would find them in our homes. Students also learned the importance of creating a family meeting spot outside of their home to make sure that all members of their families made it out safely. When we have a fire drill at school each classroom has a meeting spot outside as well. We reviewed when to call 911 and what to tell the person who answers the phone. In their next lesson, first graders went on a mini field trip to the crosswalk outside the school. Students practiced looking both ways before crossing the street and actually walked across the crosswalk by the bus loop outside. I am happy to report that everyone did an excellent job safely crossing the street!
In our kindergarten classes, students learned what an emergency is and what to do if there is an emergency. Students practiced dialing 911 on our class set of plastic phones. Students know to only call 911 if it is a true emergency because the firemen, EMT's and police are very busy helping people. Our kindergarten students also took a mini in school field trip to our playground. We reviewed how to safely move on the playground structures to prevent accidents and injuries. Students then created playground rules and signed the playground safety poster which is now hanging up in the hallway! First grade students learned what the word COURTEOUS means this week in health classes. Students met some interesting characters like rudy red, yellow yellow, big mouth brown, greedy green and outstanding orange to name a few. We decided that we would like to be like outstanding orange because they had the best manners and were kind and polite to others. Students created a helping hands wall which is now displayed in the health room. Students brainstormed how they could be courteous in different areas of the school like the lunch room, out at recess, in their classrooms, in the hall way and when using the bathroom.
Welcome Back! I am excited to return to Memorial after my maternity leave last January. My husband and I welcomed our first baby boy, Andrew. I will once again be teaching K and 1st grade health as well as some PE classes at Memorial. I will also be teaching PE at Blake Middle School.
The health room is once again a busy place. During these first few days of school the students have noticed some changes to the health room and our kindergartners will be coming to health for the first time. We shared some healthy exercises and healthy choices that your children participated in this summer. Our first unit for first graders and kindergarten will be Safety. Please check back to see updates from your children's classes! Looking forward to a great year! |