Ring!! Ring!!

Ring! Ring! went the alarm in Amelia's room. It was time to get ready for school, but Amelia was still asleep. Her mom came in to check on her and saw that Amelia pulled the blanket over her head. "Okay sweetie, it is time to wake up and get ready for your first day of first grade!", her mom said.

The words "I'm sleepy" came from under the covers. Just then, Amelia's puppy Bailey hopped into the bed and started licking her face. "Okay, I'm awake now." Amelia started giggling and got out of her bed. She looked at her visual checklist of self-care tasks she needed to do independently before going to school each day. "First, I will use the bathroom and wash my hands!", she said excitedly. She was so excited to be a first grader!

Amelia came downstairs to find her breakfast at the table. "I made your favorite breakfast Amelia," said her mother. Amelia saw a huge stack of pancakes on the table for her and smiled as she sat down in front of them. She ate her breakfast and talked to her mom about all of the adventures she hoped to have in first grade this year.

Okay mommy, I'm ready!

Wait, Amelia did you look at your checklist?

Amelia was so excited for her first day, that she was ready to rush out the door, but her mother stopped her and asked if she completed her checklist. "Yes! I mean, wait, I don't think I did everything yet. I will double-check mommy.", Amelia said reassuringly.

"Thank you for telling the truth, Amelia. It is important to be honest, and always helpful to double-check things before you leave. So, what did you forget to do?"

"I forgot to brush my teeth mommy. I am sorry."

"I understand sweetheart, that's why it is important to double-check. Go brush your teeth and then we can go."

Amelia ran to the bathroom and brushed her teeth, then her and her mother got in the car to go to school.

     Welcome to

   First Grade!

Amelia arrived at school and went to her class to meet her new teacher, Mrs. Johnson. After class introductions were made and expectations were discussed, the class began to work on math skills. Today they were going to be learning about shapes.

SHAPES:

Mrs. Johnson showed the class some shapes on the board and called on students to identify them. "Okay class, who can tell me what this brown shape is called? Yes, Sara?"

"Is it a circle?"

"Good try, Sara. Who else would like to try? Yes, Amelia?"

"It is a hexagon." 

"That is correct, Amelia."

SHAPES:

Amelia went through the rest of her day with excitement. Her last class of the day was Reading, where students learned how to sound out words and put words together to make sentences- out loud and on paper.  According to Lev Vygotsky, language development is the foundation of cognitive development (Berk, 2013). At the end of class, Mrs. Johnson informed the students that it was time for Centers- which allowed them to play in different areas. Amelia decided to go to the reading nook with her friend Shannon and they took turns reading books to one another.