Social Studies 

Over the next few weeks, our class will begin learning some basic economics concepts in a kid-friendly way! Students will explore topics such as goods and services, wants and needs, making smart choices, and scarcity. 

Through stories, class discussions, and hands-on activities, students will learn how people make choices every day and why we can’t always have everything we want. These lessons help build real-world thinking skills and connect to situations students see at home and in their community. 

We’re excited to see the thoughtful conversations and learning that will come from this unit! 

Thank you for your continued support.  

Social Studies 

This week, students are learning about important symbols and places that help tell the story of our community, our state, and our country. We are exploring how different groups of people are represented through civic symbols and why those symbols matter. 

Students are learning to recognize and talk about well-known symbols such as the American flag, the National Anthem, the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, the Liberty Bell, and the Colorado flag. We are also learning about symbols that are meaningful to different groups, including tribal flags of Native Nations connected to Colorado, the LGBTQ+ Pride flag, and symbols connected to people working for equal rights. Students are learning that these symbols represent ideas like freedom, fairness, pride, and belonging. 

In addition, students are learning about important civic places. We are discussing places like the White House, state and national capitols, and meaningful places in our local community. Students are learning why these places are important and how they help people work together and make decisions. 

Through these lessons, students are building an understanding that communities are made up of many people, stories, and symbols—and that learning about them helps us respect and care for one another. 

Welcome Back!  

This week, we will talk about New Years Resolutions and write our own.  Then, we will learn about Martin Luther King Jr.  and his message of kindness, fairness, and treating others with respect. Students will explore how their words and actions can help make our classroom a caring and welcoming place for everyone.  

Social Studies 

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our classroom community. We are excited to share that our diverse backgrounds enrich our learning environment, and we want to celebrate this through our upcoming unit, “Holidays Around the World.”   

The next two weeks of December, we will explore Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, along with other holidays from various countries. Each holiday offers a historical perspective that connects to our social studies curriculum. We will engage in read-aloud sessions and crafts that highlight the unique traditions of each celebration.   

If your family celebrates a different holiday in December, please feel free to share it with us. We would love to include your traditions in our lessons and honor the beautiful tapestry of cultures in our classroom.  

Social Studies 

This week, we are starting our Communities unit.  This this unit, focus on the following:  

• Chronological Thinking: 

• Arrange life events in chronological order. 

• Use words like past, present, future, change, first, next, and last to describe time and sequence. 

• Recognize the organizational components of a calendar (year, month, week, day). 

• Use a calendar to determine events from the past, present, and future. 

• Historical Sources and Perspectives: 

• Distinguish between primary and secondary sources. 

• Identify information from these sources to answer questions about historical patterns and the order of events. 

• Comparing Past and Present: 

• Compare daily life in the community today with life in the past. 

• Describe local people who demonstrated qualities like courage, honesty, and responsibility. 
   

Social Studies 

This week, we are starting our Communities unit.  This this unit, focus on the following:  

• Chronological Thinking: 

• Arrange life events in chronological order. 

• Use words like past, present, future, change, first, next, and last to describe time and sequence. 

• Recognize the organizational components of a calendar (year, month, week, day). 

• Use a calendar to determine events from the past, present, and future. 

• Historical Sources and Perspectives: 

• Distinguish between primary and secondary sources. 

• Identify information from these sources to answer questions about historical patterns and the order of events. 

• Comparing Past and Present: 

• Compare daily life in the community today with life in the past. 

• Describe local people who demonstrated qualities like courage, honesty, and responsibility. 

Social Studies 

We will continue learning about Maps and Globes this week focusing on creating maps and learning to write our address.  

In this unit, students will compare and contrast the functions of maps and globes, use direction words to describe location, and create a simple map including human and national features.    

Please complete the form with your address and phone number and return it with your child as soon as you can.   

Our learning targets are as follows:  

Students Can:  

1. Explain that maps and globes are different representations of Earth.  

1. Describe locations using terms related to direction and distance. For example: Forward and backward, left and right, near and far, is next to, and close.  

1. Recite an address including city, state, and country, and explain how those labels help find places on a map.  

1. Distinguish between land and water on a map and globe.  

1. Create simple maps showing both human and natural features.  

We will continue learning about Maps and Globes.   

In this unit, students will compare and contrast the functions of maps and globes, use direction words to describe location, and create a simple map including human and national features.    

Please complete the form with your address and phone number and return it with your child as soon as you can.   

Our learning targets are as follows:  

Students Can:  

1. Explain that maps and globes are different representations of Earth.  

1. Describe locations using terms related to direction and distance. For example: Forward and backward, left and right, near and far, is next to, and close.  

1. Recite an address including city, state, and country, and explain how those labels help find places on a map.  

1. Distinguish between land and water on a map and globe.  

1. Create simple maps showing both human and natural features.  

Social Studies 

We are starting our new unit on Maps and Globes.  

This week, we will start our social studies unit on using geographical tools.  In this unit, students will compare and contrast the functions of maps and globes, use direction words to describe location, and create a simple map including human and national features.   

Please complete the form with your address and phone number and return it with your child as soon as you can.  

Our learning targets are as follows: 

Students Can: 

1. Explain that maps and globes are different representations of Earth. 

1. Describe locations using terms related to direction and distance. For example: Forward and backward, left and right, near and far, is next to, and close. 

1. Recite an address including city, state, and country, and explain how those labels help find places on a map. 

1. Distinguish between land and water on a map and globe. 

1. Create simple maps showing both human and natural features. 

Social Studies: We have started our “Leader in Me” unit.  In this unit, students will learn leadership and life skills to create a culture of student empowerment based on the idea that every child can be a leader.    

Last week, we learned about Habit 1, Be Proactive.  This habit focuses on being in charge of yourself, your words and your actions.  We learned about the importance of saying, “It’s OK to walk away”.   

This week, we will learn about Habits 2, 3 and 4. Habit 2 talks about how to be proactive and making a plan. Habit 3 is learning to put first things first. This habit focuses on helping students learn to prioritize tasks in their daily lives. It teaches important executive functioning skills, which are essential for managing everyday activities like making plans, solving problems, and adapting to new situations. By developing these skills, students can better organize their time and responsibilities.  

Habit 4 focusing on sportsmanship and celebrating each other’s win while celebrating our own efforts. 

 The Seven Habits   

Habit 1:  Be Proactive (You’re in Charge)   

Habit 2:  Begin With The End In Mind (Have a Plan)   

Habit 3:  Put First Things First (Work First, Then Play)   

Habit 4:  Think Win-Win (Everyone Can Win)   

Habit 5:  Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood (Listen Before You Talk)   

Habit 6:  Synergize (Together Is Better)   

Habit 7:  Sharpen the Saw (Balance Feels Best)