Grade One Social Studies in February

I would like to suggest some ideas for grade one social studies for the month of February.

As a French teacher, I used this month as the opportunity to link French and history by having my classes learn about the Voyageurs and the Fur Trade. This inevitably led to studying the habits of our famous symbol, the beaver as well as the bison. As a grade one teacher, I included these studies as part of the social studies curriculum. The class learned about Canadian animals in the life systems strand of science: beaver, caribou, elk, deer, moose, and bison.

Once again, I had some favourite picture books:

Little Caribou by Sarah Fox-Davies
Little Beaver and the Echo by Amy MacDonald
A Dog Came, Too by Ainslie Manson
Boris the Beaver by Marcus Pfister

Picture books for January

The month of January is the obvious time to teach more of the earth and space and living things strands of the Science curriculum. The excitement of Christmas is forgotten and the students are returning to your classroom feeling refreshed and eager to learn new things. The new winter season can be the basis of your science unit.
I always approached the new seasonal studies based on:
the weather:- how it affects the behaviour of animals;
- our activities and clothing (this approach allows the students to
relate their learning to their own experiences)

I have a list of favourite read-alouds for January to arouse the interest of the class. These books as a perfect way to integrate the language program to social studies, science, math, art and music. There are also many information books written at the primary level of comprehension as well. Many of the best books of this type draw on the experiences of primary students.

"The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats is a great picture book to start the unit. It was written in 1962 and remains a perennial favourite.

The list of other books that I used follows:
Footprints in the Snow
Millions of Snowflakes
Amy Loves the Snow
Sadie and the Snow
A Winter Day
Penguin Pete
Animals in Winter
I am Snow

There are many other great books which I will list in a later post.
When Winter Comes (by Robert Maass)

Another song for your class for Christmas

Another great song that is a favourite of mine is "Over The River and Through the Wood". It is actually an American Thanksgiving song. It is copyrighted so I can't publish it for you. I have shown copies of two books that have wonderful pictures, as well as the lyrics and the music. The lyrics evoke the kind of "olden days" magic. The first verse has the same images as Jingle Bells, and since there is no mention of Thanksgiving, the class can learn it as a Christmas song. The melody is catchy and bright.

Another Christmas song: Ring the Bells

This song is another simple round to teach your class. It is set in the key of D and begins on do. Use your pitch pipe to help the class find the starting note. Once the students have learned the song well, divide the class in half and have them sing it as a round. The results are very effective! You and your students will be amazed!

If you would like more music for your class, check out my website www.musicbooksforschoolteachers.com and purchase a book online.

Cick to enlarge and print.

A French song for your class for Christmas

Since I had taught French Immersion and Core French before I began teaching in the primary grades, I had a small repertoire of French Christmas songs.

I taught the following song to my grade ones and they performed it for their parents. You will recognize the tune of Frere Jacques. Use your pitch pipe to start the children on key. It begins on do.

When the class has learned the song perfectly, divide the class in half and have them sing it as a round. It sounds beautiful, and my students were thrilled to be singing in French. At the completion of the song, the glockenspiel can be used for the last line as an extra touch!

Click to enlarge and print.

A Christmas Song for Primary Classes

It may be late to teach this song to your class this year, but it is fairly simple and your class will learn it easily. This song works well for a simple presentation at a Christmas concert. One of your students could play the last two lines on a glockenspiel after the class has sung the song.

Click on the image to enlarge and print.

Taxes on Pet food

I think we have a distinct contradiction in the fact that food for pets is taxed.

The Ontario Government finally updated their laws on cruelty to animals. This new law has some teeth, and hopefully, people who mistreat animals will pay a heavy price.

But if the government really believes in this new law, how can they tax food for pets? I know that the standard argument holds that pets are a luxury, and therefore, their food should be taxed.

But every one of the five cats I have owned has been a rescued cat. I saved their lives and they needed food. All pets are living creatures who need food to stay alive.

So how can the government tax pet food?