Mrs. Barabara Graham

PreK-2
stbrendanschoolbronx@gmail.com
(when sending emails please include child's name and grade in subject line)

January 25th through January 29th
 

Hi Everyone,

This will be our final week of the Transportation unit.  We will focus on safety and the meaning of different street signs.  

Vocabulary:
accident, emergency, safety, seatbelt, speed, speed limit, stop, traffic, traffic jam, traffic light, traffic signs, yield

January 19th through January 22nd

Hi Everyone,

This week we will focus on the drivers of the vehicles in our community.  We will discuss many community helpers and how important they are in our daily lives.

Vocabulary:
airplane, airport, ambulance, barge, cement mixer, conductor, crossing guard, driver, EMT, engineer, fire engine, firefighter, harbor, helicopter, locomotive, mail carrier, mail truck, operator, pilot, police car, police officer, school bus, tanker, tugboat, train tracks

Books:
Harbor by Donald Crews
Flying by Donald Crews
Truck by Donald Crews
School Bus by Donald Crews
Transportation in my Neighborhood by Shelly Lyons:
Firefighters to the Rescue! by Kersten Hamilton

January 11th through January 15th

Important Dates:
No School on Monday, January 18 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr.

Hi Everyone,
We will continue our study on "Transpotation" this week.  Our question of the week is "How are various modes of transportation similar and different?"  We have a number of fun activities and crafts that will been done throughout the week on this topic.  

If your child is not on Seesaw at this time, please log on.  It may be fun for them.  I have assigned more activities this week and will be checking them regularly.    

January 4th through January 8th

Important Dates:
Thursday, December 24th through Friday, January 1st school is closed.  We will all be back in school on Monday, January 4th. 

We hope you had a wonderful Holiday vacation.  Thank you for your gifts, although not necessary, they are very much appreciatated. 

Hello Everyone,
     We are starting a new unit of study called "Transportantion" and this will be for the entire month of January.  In this unit, we will ask a number of questions, such as: What kinds of transportation do I use and why? How are various modes of transpotation similar and different?  Who operates the vehicles in my community?  and How do we stay safe when using transportantion?  The first question we will discuss this week.  

Vocabulary this week:
bicycle, bus, car, express, fare, feet, helmet, keys, license plate, local, MetroCard, parachute, scooter, skateboard, stroller, subway, swim, taxi, train, truck, van, vehicle and wagon.

Books:
School Bus by Donald Crews: What is large (or small), bright yellow, and filled with students? A school bus!
 The Bus for Us! by Michael Rosen: The bus is great because it is for everyone!
Subway by Christoph Niemann: A father, two children and more than 840 miles of track. What does it add up to? Something thrilling.
Go! Go! Go! Stop! by Charise Mericle Harper: One day little green rolls into town and says his very first word, “Go!”

I'm glad to see so many of you on Seesaw.  I will continue to assign activities for enhancing your child's education.  Keep up the good work!

December 21st, 22nd and 23rd

Hi Everyone,

It's hard to believe 2020 in coming to an end.  We will finish our unit on Where We Live this week.  We will focus on some holiday activities as well as practicing our names and numbers in class.  

I am glad to see the majority of you all are on Seesaw and I have assigned many fun and educational activites your children will enjoy.  

 

December 14th through December 18th

Hi Everyone,

This week we will focus on the differences between land animals and sea animals.  It should be fun and educational.  We will ask questions such as, "Why can some animals live in water while others can not?", "Can fish survive out of the water?" and "Can you name some animals that live in water and some on land?"  Some song we will sing are "Baby Beluga", "Down by the Bay" and "Baby Shark".
 

December 7th through December 7th

Thank you all for attending our parent/teacher meetings on Friday.  I hope you were happy with the meeting.  If you have any questions let me know either with a letter in your child's backpack or by using email.  

We have been very busy in our classroom making a skyscraper out of boxes taped together.  All the children participated in cutting out windows and doors, however, we have more to do but it should be finished this week.  This week we will also discuss "Where do animals live?"  We will explore different habitates and the animals that live there.  

Please log on to Seesaw if you have not done so already.  It could be fun for the children.

The letter we are working on is "Dd".  Try to point out things in your home that start with the letter "d", such as,This w door. 

 


December 1st through December 4th

Hi Everyone,
We will start a new unit of study called "Where We Live" for the month of December.  This unit will discuss not only where we live but where animals live too.  This first week the focus question is "Where do I live?" and "Where do my family members live?"  We have a lot of fun activities planned for this month.
 

November 23rd through November 25th

Important Dates:  Thanksgiving Recess - School Closed from Thursday, November 26th through Monday, November 30th.  See you on Tuesday, December 1st.

Hi Everyone,
We are in our final week of the unit, All About Me.  We will discuss, "What makes our family important and unique"? these few days remaining in November.  We will ask specifically what are their favorite family foods, music and activities.

In addition, we are practicing writing and recognizing numbers 1 through 10.  We are also having the children write their names daily. 

November 16th through November 20th

Hi Everyone,

As we continue the All About Me unit, this week we will focus on the question "What makes my class important and unique?"  In our classroom, we have different jobs the children are assigned.  This week we will be asking the children "What jobs do family members have outside of school?"  and "What's your favorite job in school?".  

Math:  The children will start writing numbers 1 - 10 on a daily basis, please try to do this at home also.  We have also discussed tallest, biggest, middle, medium, shortest, and smallest with our height chart.  
 
Literature and Phonics:  Last week we focused on the letter "V v".  This week we will focus on the letter "T t ", for Thanksgiving.  

Vocabulary:
community, friends, kind, manors, peace, polite, respect, share, teamwork and together
 

November 9th through November 13th
 

Hi Everyone,

November 11th - School Closed - Veterans Day

This week we will work on our feelings and the question "What feelings do I have and why?".  We will introduce the children to our feelings chart and have them match how they are feeling on a daily basis.  Therefore, helping them to recognize the feelings of others as well as themselves.

In class, we will invite the children to refer to their name cards and count the number of letters in their name then pick and place the appropriate number card next to their name card. The name of the game is "Name Numers". 

On a daily basis, we excercise in class and count the number of repetitions at the same time.  This increases their knowledge of numbers and the order in which they happen, verbally.   

VOCABULARY:
afraid, angry, bored, brave, confused, creative, ecstatic, excited, feelings, frustrated, gloomy, grumpy, happy, hopeful, love, mad, playful,sad, scared, silly, and surprised

November 2nd through November 6th

Hi everyone,

This month, we are discussing the topic "All About Us".   We would like to have the children recognize himself/herself as a unique individual having his/her own abilities, characteristics, feelings and interests.  The overall question this month is, "Who am I and who are the people in my life?" 

We will measure the children's height and create a height chart introducing them to measuring tapes and other non-standard forms of measuring.  It should be alot of fun.  We will also have the children draw a self portrait and discuss their facial features.  In addition, we will fingerprint the children and have them examine the results using a magnifying glass.  

The letter of the week is Pp.  We will practice this in school and if you would to follow up at home that would be beneficial.  So far we have practiced, Ff, Aa, Ll  for Fall, Tt, Aa, Pe, Ee for tape as in tape measure.

You all received your Seesaw Code and I have responded to a number of you on the computer.  Could everyone please log onto this website so I know you are all set up.  Thank you.

Our classroom is now requesting donations for the children.  The following items would be very helpful:  paper towels, tissues, and ziplock baggies.  Thank you in advance.

If you would ever like to speak with me, just write a note and put it in their folder or email me and I will set up a time.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Graham and Miss Kristina

October 26th through October 30th

Hi Everyone,

We are entering our last week of the unit The Five Senses, and we will finish up with our Sense of Touch.  Last week we had a very fun experiment, it was called "Tell Me What You Smell".  This was where we had four different odors: vinegar, shaving cream, cinnamon, and coffee.  They covered their eyes and smelled each item than told me what they thought it was, it was a great deal of fum.  Many did it a few times.  

I would just like to mention, we are always focusing on them writing their names as well as numbers 1 through 10.

I would also like to mention, please label all of your childs belongings.  Also, if your child does not already have two folders please put them in their backpacks.

Vocabulary:
dry, feel, fingers, hard, rough, skin, smooth, soft, touch, wet

BOOKS:
Don't Touch My Hair!  By Sharee Miller
Touching by Helen Frost
Busy Fingers by C.W. Bowie

October 19th through October 23rd

Hi Everyone,

Last week we discussed our "Sense of Sight",  we created a chart of what the children saw on their way to school.  Each children was asked to share their observations and a list was created.  In addition, the childen made telescopes using glue, tape, paper towel holders, a cup, and their cutting skills (with a little help from the teachers) to make them very unique to their liking.  We also discussed the meaning of many words associated with our eyes and sight. 

This week we are focusng on our "Sense of Hearing" and will have many activities, words to learn, and crafts asociated wth this subject. 

Vocabulary
crunch, deaf, ears, hear, hearing aid, listen, loud, predictions, quiet, sign language, sound, and volume

Books:
WHO SAYS MOO? by Ruth Young
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do you hear? by Bill Martin Jr.
WHY SHOULD I LISTEN? by Clair Llewelyn

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
- school hours are from 8:20am to 2:55pm.
- all regular size backpacks, folders, jackets, clothes, sheets, lunch boxes, blankets and other personal items should have your child's name on them.
- each child should wear a mask every day.
- each child should have 2 folders for their work and any letters we send home.