Over and Under the Snow

We read a few books about animals in winter this week.  We talked about how animals adapt to the harsh cold winters.  The kids learned a few new vocabulary words: adaptation, predator and prey.  

At the very end of "Animals in Winter" the book gives instructions on how to make various kinds of bird feeders.  We decided to give it a try...

 After we made a glorious mess with Crisco and bird seed, we cut out pictures of birds from magazines to decorate bags so we could carry them home.  The kids LOVED it!

Poem of the Week

Last week we spent time learning a poem called "December Leaves".  It's one of my favorites, the poet compares December Leaves to a bowl of cornflakes!

December Leaves

The fallen leaves are cornflakes

That fill the lawn’s wide dish

And night and noon the wind’s a spoon that stirs them with a swish.

The sky’s a silver sifter,

A-sifting white and slow

That gently shakes

on crisp brown flakes

The sugar known as snow.

After reading together as a class, locating rhymes, sight words and drawing a picture of our mental images, we read our poems to a buddy-

And then we acted out the poem as we enjoyed a good old fashioned bowl of cornflakes!

yum

Thanks A lot

Well, dear families we have made it to November!  The first few months are always the hardest, I think.  When we meet each other in September we haven't learned to love each other yet.  And the process is haphazard- filled with missteps and messiness but somehow our hearts always find a way to one another... How lovely it was to have had a celebration of sharing and gratitude to mark the momentous event of becoming a first grade family.

I asked the kiddos to video themselves sharing something that they are grateful for and a few brave souls took me up on it!  I put their short videos together along with some photos of our thanksgiving celebration into a longer video.  I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed making it.

And a very special thank you to all of the parents who donated food and/or came to help and celebrate with us.  You are an awesome, amazing team!

Looking forward to more growing, learning, laughing and sharing in the months to come.

With deep gratitude and love,
-Michele Hackett

Coding in Computer Lab

We had a lot of fun in Computer Lab last month. The kids were introduced to coding, the language of Computer Programming. They enjoyed it so much that I wanted to be sure that you had the link to the site we used to continue at home. 

            Here is a video that explains what coding is:

You can find several different links to many coding activities off the district website.

1. Go to the BRADT page 

2. Click on K-5 Technology page

3. Click on "Coding is cool"

4. These are your choices, we played the candy game.

Have fun, coding is cool!

Writers Workshop

We have begun a new writing program along with all other Mohonasen Elementary classrooms from Kindergarten through Fifth grade.  This common core writing workshop curriculum was designed by Lucy Calkins with help from the Teachers College at Columbia University. 

Our class is currently working on personal narrative, or "small moment" stories.  The children are learning how to tell a story with a beginning, middle and end and then how to write and revise their stories. 

Each writers workshop consists of a 10 minute "mini lessons" followed by a 40 minute period of student writing, with some teacher and peer conferencing.  The kids are learning that their lives are full of stories to tell and then planning, writing and revising these stories with the help from me and a "writing buddy". Each writers workshop ends with an opportunity to share some of the students writing.

Here are a few photos of us working with our writing buddies to revise our stories- 

Writing Buddies

Sharing each other stories

Asking questions

Who, what, where, why, how?

Writing, then revising

listening carefully to one another

because "when we're done we've just begun"!

A few students showing the class that they can read their stories like they read books.

Loving the loop

We have easily taken over where we left off last year!  The kids have been both productive and happy.  They are working very hard and I am super proud of them!

Roll & Write a sight word - Daily 5

Guided Reading - Daily 5

Computer Center - Daily 5

More Word Work

-an enthusiastic reader!

and more readers

Authors in training at the writing center

We have begun a weather unit with Mrs. Lynch in Science Lab.  We are learning how to chart and measure the weather.  The kids absolutely love it!

Science Lab - learning to read a thermometer with Mrs. Lynch

We have added a new routine called "Fun Friday". This is a time to reward all of our first graders hard work with a fun activity to end off our week. Parents are welcome to come in after lunch and offer a craft, a game or be a "mystery reader".  Let me know if you want me to put you on the schedule.

"Fun Friday" with Mrs. Harmon 

Making Halloween themed Sensory Bags

Spooky gooey fun!

"Coloring Club" at recess

I love this group!

The First Day of First Grade

I have never accomplished so much on the first day of school!  The kids were absolutely wonderful.  Here is the word web we constructed at the end of the day that lists the many marvelous things we did together-

Then the kids got busy writing and illustrating...

We were able to get outside twice today, for recess and quiet time.

We made a first grade class quilt to display in the hallway.  What a nice looking group!

I cant wait to see those beautiful faces again tomorrow.