Class Book

On Friday students created a Pixie page for our Polar Express Class book.  Please view the video below to check out the favorite parts of the special day.

Skype

Technology is amazing!  There is so much I do with my students now that I could not have imagined doing with my students ten years ago.  Today we Skyped for the first time!  What an experience!  We were able to see and talk with a third grade class from North Carolina.  We took turns asking questions about our school, community, and state.  The students in North Carolina were shocked to learn that it was 4 degrees when we came to school this morning.  They also could not believe that we are a K-6 school.  I look forward to more Skype projects!

Polar Express Day

Friday was a fun-filled day centered around the classic, The Polar Express!  I am so lucky to work with the most amazing, talented, and loving first grade team!  We have been looking forward to this day since the beginning of the school year.  Here we are after the conductor (Mr. Holden) performed a beautiful reading of The Polar Express.

After the special reading, students received a ticket and completed various stations centered around The Polar Express.  We arrived "home" to hot chocolate and donuts and then we had the biggest surprise!  We received a special delivery from the North Pole!  Yes, The North Pole!  Inside, were silver bells and they were as cold as The North Pole!  It was such a special day to share together as a class. 
Enjoy the slideshow!

Create your own slideshow

Elf Sort

I was inspired by the Gingerbread Sort at First Grade Parade and the Dasher Sort at First Grader at Last to create a sort for our vowel work this week.  Our focus this week is short e.  I want my students to be able to distinguish between the sounds of long e and short e, so I created this elf sort.  I will be turning them into cards and completing the sort whole group, but it can easily be used at a literacy station.  Parents, you can print this out and use it to reinforce our study.  Click on the elf for the words.  Click HERE for a recording sheet.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Hanukkah!

This week students studied "The Festival of Lights."  We learned about the traditions and symbols of Hanukkah using several books including Celebrating Chanukah and Chanukah Lights Everywhere. 

Students learned how to play the game Dreidel and took home a dreidel as a learning souvenir.  We also designed our own menorahs and wrote about our learning.