Computers Symphony and Tornadoes. Oh My!

It is only Tuesday, but we have had so much new learning that I couldn't wait to share it with you. The students arrived Monday to this morning message. We did inferring with the words in the morning message.

After our Morning Meeting we headed to Computers. Students had to use the Shapes Software to fill in one of the Pattern Block Puzzles. The challenge: Fill it with as few pattern blocks as possible. Then, fill it again with as many pattern blocks as possible.

Then students could free explore.

Today students were treated to Schoolhouse Symphony in the morning. This great program teaches students about instruments and music elements.

The students have been waiting to learn about Tornadoes. We did a minilesson to go along with our Wizard of Oz theme. It was probably the most favorite activity of the year so far. We began by reading the book It's a Tornado!

Next, we created our own tornado using two liter bottles, tape, and water. It was a HIT! It leaked a bit, but was a great visual for the students. I modeled several times. Then pulled a name to let a student try.

Next, we drew what we observed and had to write about how a tornado is formed.

I love how this student showed the water leaking from the bottles. Very detailed!

We ended the lesson by completing a Tornado Tree Map together. We wrote what tornadoes can, have, and are. Students said that Tornadoes can be dangerous and spin. Tornadoes have wind, air, moisture. Tornadoes are powerful!, strong, and big.

Now tomorrow we will learn about rainbows and do some more inferring. We are counting down the days to our field trip!

Consonant Blends

This week we are learning about consonant blends along with our short vowel work. We have been studying our class names and have noticed we have quite a few with blends. Throughout the week, we will be completing simple activities to help us learn more about blends.

I found this adorable chart at Ladybug's Teacher Files that I will be laminating and using in the classroom. I'm posting it for you to download and use at home. You can have your first grader cut out the blends and glue into a notebook. They can create a word journal. Each time they find a word with a blend, they can add it to their journal under the specific blend. Or you can put this in their FROG book as a reference.

What's up in Room 105?

This week seemed to fly by! With being out two days and an early release day, it was over before I could blink. Regardless, we had a very busy week. I wanted to share some photos of our two favorite activities of the week.
We have dived into our study of geometry in math. Since day one in Math Investigations, students have been making discoveries on how the pattern blocks fit together. This week we really focused on how we can make pattern block shapes with other shapes. Students began with the game "Fill the Hexagons." Here students roll two pattern block cubes and decide where to place the pattern blocks on the board. The board is full of hexagons. The game is over when all the hexagons have been filled. I was out that day so I do not have photos.

The game led us to our focus of decomposing shapes in different ways. We learned that two triangles make a rhombus. A rhombus and a triangle make a hexagon, as well as three triangles. We took that knowledge and found eight ways to make a hexagon.

On Thursday and Friday, we focused on finding different combinations of pattern blocks to fill the same shape area.

We now move on to the second Investigation of the unit. Students will be identifying attributes of shapes, comparing shapes, and exploring with triangles and quadrilaterals.

Students really enjoyed our Math unit, but the highlight of the week was the visit from Miami Township Fire Department. Last week, we studied fire safety. On Thursday, the Fire Department came for a Fire Safety event. I have never seen the students clean up so quickly and quietly as I did when the fireman walked into our room! They were SO excited! Students learned more about fire safety rules and had the opportunity to learn about the features of a fire truck. It was a great hands on activity to learn about the importance of fire safety.

I do wish I would have taken another class photo, but it was raining. We were trying to get in as fast as possible.
After the visit, we completed an interactive writing activity. Students wrote a letter to the Firefighters thanking them for the visit.

I cannot wait for next week! Wizard of Oz!!!

What's Alive?

We had a great week as scientists. We explored living and nonliving. Students drew pictures of something they saw outside. Next, we sorted the drawings. But the class could not decide if the leaves on the ground were living or nonliving. With some help from the book, What's Alive?, students discovered that the leaves on the ground were "once living." So we created a new category. Finally, we did a new sort on the SMARTboard.

Check out some cute photos below of us enjoying our once living lesson.

Room 105 C.A.R.E.S!

I wanted to share about our introduction to CARES. CARES stands for Cooperation, Accountability, Respect, Empathy, and Self-Control. We focused on one word a day this past week. I read a children's book each day, showcasing the character trait and then led a discussion. Students are beginning to develop an understanding of these "big" words, but we have much more planned! Next week, we will be participating in roll plays. Students will also will be creating a page for our book "Room 105 CARES!"

Below you can check out the books used in introducing CARES.

COOPERATION

ACCOUNTABILITY 

RESPECT

EMPATHY

SELF-CONTROL

 

2011-2012 Word Wall Program

We're "hoppin" into our Word Study program beginning Monday! 

 

This is a post from one of my favorite blogs, First-Grader At-Last. 

In talking with my fantastic first grade parents over the years, it seems that some of my first grade friends don't feel as motivated to read or practice sight words and spelling at home! Although I try not to give too much homework, I believe strongly in reading each night, and in making reading a bonding experience that is enjoyable for everyone involved! It is my hope that reading and spelling practice at home will no longer be a chore, but something those energetic first graders can look forward to! Here are some ideas that could make spelling and reading practice a little more exciting...




Make spelling words glow with the glow station!



Find a fun font and have your child type their words.



Put sight words on sticky notes and use a fun pointer. Call out words you want them to find.



Cut up old magazines. Look for sight words, or cut the letters out to spell the words and glue onto a piece of paper.



Fun spelling snack! Yum.



Write words with the Aquadoodle!



Bath time and learning time combined! Write words with bath crayons or bath markers!

Don't forget you can practice our spelling words at Spelling City.

Scientists...

We began our first science unit this week...Our World and Us. We begin this unit by learning about scientists. We read one of my favorite scientist books, What is a Scientist?, and began investigating what scientists do. This is what we learned...

One thing that scientists do, is use their senses. After several rainy days, we were able to become scientists and use our senses to explore the world around us. With a recording sheet and magnifying glass in hand students explored the area around our school. Students recorded something that they saw, heard, smelled, and felt.

SLUGS!! 

 

 

 

And we had fun too!!!

 

We continue this unit next week. Check back for more!