It's the last day AND my birthday all in one! Time for fun!

It's a bitter sweet ending to a fabulous year with this group of  firsties.  This particular group of children have become such good friends and a big piece of my heart has been filled.  Today is our last day together  even though I always say, "Once a Cialini, always a Cialini".  I am so very proud of their accomplishments.  They have not only learned a great deal, they have become better little people who care about others.  They know the meaning of respecting themselves and other. So often children of this age don't know how to verbalize what respect means, but when you see them showing it each day you know they get it!  These firsties get it!

So the morning started with a great birthday surprise from a sweetheart and her family so I had to put it on....by the way it's my birthday too.

And then we HAD to have a dance party.  It was disco of course, but then I had a request from Cole to play Michael Jackson.  No one believed me when I said I knew the moves to the Beat It video....

The rest of the day was a blurr...we were so busy.  At the Marsh Awards Assembly, Samantha and Joey M. got awards for their Fire Prevention posters and Cole and Ava got Mileage Club awards for walking over 100 miles this year.  WOW!  Nothing like seeing pride on a seven year old's face.  I will miss these beauties, but at the same time I will enjoy the summer break.  Thank you to all the supportive parents this year.  I can't do my job well without you!  Absecon is the best!!!!!!

Friendly Neighborhood Helpers Unit

Spring is the time of year to get out and enjoy the community around you and that is just what we did this year.  Our Friendly Neighborhood Helpers unit includes a play about the people in our community that help us when we need it.  Absecon is an awesome town where people are friendly and outgoing.  It is small enough to have a "downtown", that lucky for us, is close to the school.  This means a community walk is part of this unit as well.  Here are some photos of both the show and walk.

We played the DENTISTS and the GARBAGE COLLECTOR'S which in this play it is politically correct to say.  Our local ACUA donated our shirts which was so cool. 

 

The whole first grade participated.  We had songs about grocers, plumbers, fire fighters, crossing guards, librarians, vets and chefs!  The firsties worked very hard learning all the words and the crown loved the performance. We even invited many community members to come see the show especially if their profession was featured.

 

 

Our community walk was another fun feature to this unit.  We left our school and walked all over town visiting places and getting tours to learn about how these places and workers help us.  Check this out.

Heritage Park

 

While we were on our way to the police station, we saw the ACUA guys collecting the recyclables so we sang our Garbage Truck song form our play to them.  This was one of those perfect moments that you could never have planned.  The ACUA guys were dancing and clapping for us!  So cool!

 

Absecon Police Department Tour

 

Absecon Shop Rite Tour

 

 

 

We learned about the meat grinder.......

 

the bakery,

 

the seafood department and much more.  I think everyone loved the freezer the most, NOT!  They were so good to us.  We got cookies, and cheese from the deli, and then a goody bag when we left.  Everyone went out of their way to show us around, especially Mr. Cella.  He taught us some great jokes too.  This lucky lobster actually fell to the floor, but his escape was unsuccessful.

 

As we were walking from Shop Rite to the firehouse, we went by Dr. Keating's office where the windows were open.  He is a dentist, so guess what we sang to him.......you got it....out Dentist song from the play.  He was thrilled to say the least and wanted to get a copy of the words.  Like I said, I could never have planned that awesome moment!

 

 

At the firehouse, we got a tour from Mr. Marrone and Mr. Green.  The firsties were amazed at the equipment and how much a fire fighter needs to know. 

 

 

 

Off to Burger King for lunch!

 

 

 

And DQ for ice cream!

 

We even got a tour of the inside of DQ.

 

Lastly, we walked back to Heritage Park to play for a bit before walking back to school.  All the firsties agreed that they would like to go on walking trips more often.  We did have a beautiful day!  Absecon is a great community!!!!!!!