Friday, December 20, 2013
Happy Holidays!
To all of the family members and friends of room 108, near and far: We wish you a save, happy, and peaceful holiday. Thank you for all the support in 2013. 2014, here we come!
Friday, December 13, 2013
Peace Week
The holidays have been on everyone's mind! As we chatted about the different holidays that take place at the end of the year we realized they all have a common theme of peace. After reading Peace Week in Miss Fox's Class by Eileen Spinelli, we decided to have our own peace week!
We focused on using kind words, lending a hand, giving compliments, and having a calm body.
We read The Peace Book by Todd Parr. A page in the book says Peace is watching it snow. We then read a book about the scientist William Bentley, who studied snowflakes. We decided to make our own snowflakes so it is always snowing (and peaceful) in our classroom!
We read the true story of Wangari Maathai called Wangari's Trees of Peace, and made our own peace tree with our wishes for a more peaceful world. Here are just a few of the messages that adorn the tree:
On Friday, we celebrated the end of our realistic fiction unit by meeting and sharing our stories as an entire first grade! Everyone was very excited to share their work with a new audience.
Have a peaceful weekend, everyone!
We focused on using kind words, lending a hand, giving compliments, and having a calm body.
We read The Peace Book by Todd Parr. A page in the book says Peace is watching it snow. We then read a book about the scientist William Bentley, who studied snowflakes. We decided to make our own snowflakes so it is always snowing (and peaceful) in our classroom!
We read the true story of Wangari Maathai called Wangari's Trees of Peace, and made our own peace tree with our wishes for a more peaceful world. Here are just a few of the messages that adorn the tree:
On Friday, we celebrated the end of our realistic fiction unit by meeting and sharing our stories as an entire first grade! Everyone was very excited to share their work with a new audience.
Have a peaceful weekend, everyone!
Friday, December 6, 2013
Updates from room 108
Here's what we've been up to lately!
In math we have been using all sorts of measurement tools! This week we practiced measuring to the nearest inch with rulers and tape measures. We measured objects in our classroom with rulers, parts of our bodies with tape measures, and even made a graph of the different heights in our classroom!
In writing we are taking our realistic fiction writing to the next level! Students have become punctuation police officers, patrolling the pages of their stories for proper punctuation!
We've also been working on word choice to take our stories from good to great to FANTASTIC! Here are some of the sparkle words spotted in student writing this week:
Our science experiment this week involved exploring the use of different sized screens to sort a river rock mixture. Students sorted their mixtures into these 5 groups with the help of 3 screens:
Large Pebbles
Small Pebbles
Large Gravel
Small Gravel
Sand
Take a look!:
On Friday, we started decorating our classroom for the winter holidays!
Happy weekend to everyone!
In math we have been using all sorts of measurement tools! This week we practiced measuring to the nearest inch with rulers and tape measures. We measured objects in our classroom with rulers, parts of our bodies with tape measures, and even made a graph of the different heights in our classroom!
In writing we are taking our realistic fiction writing to the next level! Students have become punctuation police officers, patrolling the pages of their stories for proper punctuation!
We've also been working on word choice to take our stories from good to great to FANTASTIC! Here are some of the sparkle words spotted in student writing this week:
Large Pebbles
Small Pebbles
Large Gravel
Small Gravel
Sand
Take a look!:
On Friday, we started decorating our classroom for the winter holidays!
Happy weekend to everyone!
Friday, November 22, 2013
Kidblog, Food Drive, and Other Updates
We have a new section on our class blog! Along the right hand side of the page you will see each child's name, in link form. Each student in our class now has his or her own Kidblog! Students will be posting throughout the year. The first post assignment: take a photo of your favorite spot in the classroom. Students learned to use the ipad cameras for this assignment. Soon to come: a video of students reading their published small moments stories!
We've finished unit 3 in Everyday Math! Our next unit focuses on measurement. Children will explore using body parts, rulers, and tape measures to find length, height, and circumference!
In reading, we've started focusing on character. Students use what they know about the characters in the book to guess what will happen next. We've also started using post its to mark our favorite parts of the story and the funny parts of the story.
In science, students have been examining and sorting river rocks into categories. Here are just a few of the ways these geologists have sorted rocks this week:
-by color
-by size
-by shape
-by amount of sparkle
-by texture
Just a reminder, Rowe School is hosting a food drive just in time for the holidays. We will be collecting food through Tuesday, November 26. You can keep track of our progress by checking out the graph in the atrium! Thank you to those who have sent in non-perishables with your children. If you haven't gotten around to scouring your cupboards yet, there's still time! Thanks for helping to teach the importance of being a kind and helpful citizen!
We've finished unit 3 in Everyday Math! Our next unit focuses on measurement. Children will explore using body parts, rulers, and tape measures to find length, height, and circumference!
In reading, we've started focusing on character. Students use what they know about the characters in the book to guess what will happen next. We've also started using post its to mark our favorite parts of the story and the funny parts of the story.
In science, students have been examining and sorting river rocks into categories. Here are just a few of the ways these geologists have sorted rocks this week:
-by color
-by size
-by shape
-by amount of sparkle
-by texture
Just a reminder, Rowe School is hosting a food drive just in time for the holidays. We will be collecting food through Tuesday, November 26. You can keep track of our progress by checking out the graph in the atrium! Thank you to those who have sent in non-perishables with your children. If you haven't gotten around to scouring your cupboards yet, there's still time! Thanks for helping to teach the importance of being a kind and helpful citizen!
Friday, November 15, 2013
50 days and counting!
Can you believe we've passed the 50 day mark?!! Friday marked day 52 of first grade!
The Falcons have been working hard on their realistic fiction stories! This week we focused on adding details to the description of our setting. Here is a student author reading his newest piece!
In math we've added dimes to our coin pouches! It's always handy to have a collection of pennies, nickels, and dimes at home for students to use when doing homework or just to practice. Encourage your child to count the coins worth more first, and count pennies last.
We learned more about the rocks we've been studying! here is an explanation from one of the geologists in our classroom:
The Falcons have been working hard on their realistic fiction stories! This week we focused on adding details to the description of our setting. Here is a student author reading his newest piece!
In math we've added dimes to our coin pouches! It's always handy to have a collection of pennies, nickels, and dimes at home for students to use when doing homework or just to practice. Encourage your child to count the coins worth more first, and count pennies last.
We learned more about the rocks we've been studying! here is an explanation from one of the geologists in our classroom:
Friday, November 8, 2013
Happy Veteran's Day!
Here are some highlights from our week!
We've started our study of pebbles, sand, and silt in science. Students explored 3 different types of rocks and observed what happened when they rubbed the rocks together. They went on to make scientific drawings and write their observations in their science journals.
Our book shelf is filled with published small moments stories!
We've started writing realistic fiction stories! Students are loving the opportunity to be creative and think up interesting characters and adventures!
Next week students will meet their kindergarten writing buddies. To prepare for the big job of helping kindergarteners master the writing process, students made teaching charts to aid their K buddies during writers' workshop!
Have a great long weekend, everyone!
We've started our study of pebbles, sand, and silt in science. Students explored 3 different types of rocks and observed what happened when they rubbed the rocks together. They went on to make scientific drawings and write their observations in their science journals.
We've started writing realistic fiction stories! Students are loving the opportunity to be creative and think up interesting characters and adventures!
Have a great long weekend, everyone!
Friday, November 1, 2013
Happy Howloween!
This last week of October was a special one. Not only was it Halloween, but it was also the culmination of our science unit on owls.
We celebrated the holiday this week by having a festive community meeting, learning a pumpkin craft from Olivia's family, and making owl masks!
After learning more about what and how owls eat, we dissected owl pellets and used our knowledge and some bone charts to figure out what animal the leftovers came from! We found mouse bones, vole bones, shrew bones, and rat bones!
On Friday, the amazing educators from Chewonki came with their owl friends to help us get up close and personal with these animals we've been studying. We were lucky enough to meet Huntington the Eastern Screech Owl, Byron the Barred Owl, and Sparky the Great Horned Owl.
In writers' workshop, we are wrapping up the publishing of our small moments books. Next week we will share our books with Mrs. Lincoln's class and move on to a new genre!
Homework books from your child's independent reading level have started going home in red folders. When your child finishes reading his or her book, send it back in to swap it out for a new one!
Have a great weekend, and don't forget to set your clocks back!
We celebrated the holiday this week by having a festive community meeting, learning a pumpkin craft from Olivia's family, and making owl masks!
After learning more about what and how owls eat, we dissected owl pellets and used our knowledge and some bone charts to figure out what animal the leftovers came from! We found mouse bones, vole bones, shrew bones, and rat bones!
On Friday, the amazing educators from Chewonki came with their owl friends to help us get up close and personal with these animals we've been studying. We were lucky enough to meet Huntington the Eastern Screech Owl, Byron the Barred Owl, and Sparky the Great Horned Owl.
In writers' workshop, we are wrapping up the publishing of our small moments books. Next week we will share our books with Mrs. Lincoln's class and move on to a new genre!
Homework books from your child's independent reading level have started going home in red folders. When your child finishes reading his or her book, send it back in to swap it out for a new one!
Have a great weekend, and don't forget to set your clocks back!
Friday, October 25, 2013
Editing, Owls, and Dancing Pigs!
The Falcons have been practicing their owl calls just like in the book Owl Moon! The Barred Owl call is always a favorite, as it sounds as if the bird is calling "Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you allllllll?". Here is our version for your enjoyment!
> We've also been learning about the owl life cycle. Students made and illustrated life cycle wheels to share their knowledge with you!
In Writers' Workshop, each student has picked one small moments story to edit and turn into a published book. Students edited for conventions on their own, and then met with an adult to work on 'book spelling'. Everyone is now making a final draft copy with marker drawings to be published and put in our classroom library for all to read and enjoy!
Rowe School was lucky enough to have author David Rottenberg and the Maine State Ballet come and perform Mr. Rottenberg's book, Gwendolyn the Graceful Pig on Thursday afternoon! It was a beautiful performance with a great message. Learn more about the story here!
> We've also been learning about the owl life cycle. Students made and illustrated life cycle wheels to share their knowledge with you!
In Writers' Workshop, each student has picked one small moments story to edit and turn into a published book. Students edited for conventions on their own, and then met with an adult to work on 'book spelling'. Everyone is now making a final draft copy with marker drawings to be published and put in our classroom library for all to read and enjoy!
Rowe School was lucky enough to have author David Rottenberg and the Maine State Ballet come and perform Mr. Rottenberg's book, Gwendolyn the Graceful Pig on Thursday afternoon! It was a beautiful performance with a great message. Learn more about the story here!
Friday, October 18, 2013
A lot of learning in 4 days
What a week! For only a 4 day week, we sure packed a lot in! Here are some highlights:
In readers' workshop, we've started our guided reading groups. Here is a description of guided reading, from the Fountas and Pinnell Blog (literacy gurus!) :
What is guided reading?
Guided reading is a teaching approach designed to help individual readers build an effective system for processing a variety of increasingly challenging texts over time. Using benchmark assessments or other systematic observation, the teacher has determined the approximate instructional reading level of each of the students. The teacher forms a temporary group of students that are alike enough in their development of a reading process that it makes sense to teach them together for a period of time. In selecting a text for the group, the teacher uses the level designation; thinks about the strengths, needs, and background knowledge of the group; and analyzes the individual text for opportunities to support students' successful engagement with the meaning, language, and print of the text. The teacher uses the text to help the children expand what they know how to do as readers.
In writers' workshop, we are working on adding detail to our stories to make them COME TO LIFE!
In science, we have switched gears. Our red wigglers will continue to be an important part of our classroom throughout the year as we watch them turn food scraps into lovely compost soil, but while this is happening we will study a variety of scientific topics. Our latest topic? OWLS! We've started a KWL chart to help us organize our thoughts and wonderings about owls.
We've read a few books about owls, one realistic fiction and one an informational text, to help us answer some of our questions about these mysterious animals.
We studied the calls of different owls, and compared how some are alike and some are very, very different. Visit http://www.massaudubon.org/owls/ to listen for yourself!
In readers' workshop, we've started our guided reading groups. Here is a description of guided reading, from the Fountas and Pinnell Blog (literacy gurus!) :
What is guided reading?
Guided reading is a teaching approach designed to help individual readers build an effective system for processing a variety of increasingly challenging texts over time. Using benchmark assessments or other systematic observation, the teacher has determined the approximate instructional reading level of each of the students. The teacher forms a temporary group of students that are alike enough in their development of a reading process that it makes sense to teach them together for a period of time. In selecting a text for the group, the teacher uses the level designation; thinks about the strengths, needs, and background knowledge of the group; and analyzes the individual text for opportunities to support students' successful engagement with the meaning, language, and print of the text. The teacher uses the text to help the children expand what they know how to do as readers.
In writers' workshop, we are working on adding detail to our stories to make them COME TO LIFE!
In science, we have switched gears. Our red wigglers will continue to be an important part of our classroom throughout the year as we watch them turn food scraps into lovely compost soil, but while this is happening we will study a variety of scientific topics. Our latest topic? OWLS! We've started a KWL chart to help us organize our thoughts and wonderings about owls.
We've read a few books about owls, one realistic fiction and one an informational text, to help us answer some of our questions about these mysterious animals.
We studied the calls of different owls, and compared how some are alike and some are very, very different. Visit http://www.massaudubon.org/owls/ to listen for yourself!
Friday, October 11, 2013
Fire Safety Week!
Fire Safety Week is always a hit here at Rowe School and this year was no exception! We were busy this week learning about how to be safe in the kitchen and what to do in case of a fire, practicing fire drills, visiting the fire barn, touring the emergency vehicles, testing our skills in the smoke trailer, and taking rides on the ladder truck! Check out some highlights in our slide show below!
A friendly reminder: Fall conference sign up sheets went home in your child's folder this week. Please return (in paper form or via email) your top 3 date and time choices to me by next Wednesday, October 16th. I look forward to meeting with all of you and sharing all the great work the Falcons have been doing in first grade!
Happy long weekend!
A friendly reminder: Fall conference sign up sheets went home in your child's folder this week. Please return (in paper form or via email) your top 3 date and time choices to me by next Wednesday, October 16th. I look forward to meeting with all of you and sharing all the great work the Falcons have been doing in first grade!
Happy long weekend!
Friday, October 4, 2013
Snapshots from week 5
We've finished reviewing our capital letters in handwriting! On to lowercase next week!
We explored calculators and ten frames in math!
I did a recycling interview with each student. I typed up their answers and they made "How I Help the Environment" posters to hang in the hallway.
As part of our recycling unit, we reused old paper towel rolls and turned them into falcons! They will be flying home on Monday!
Next week is Fire Safety Week! We will visit the Fire Station on Tuesday and have the smoke trailer at Rowe School on Wednesday.
Happy weekend!
We explored calculators and ten frames in math!
I did a recycling interview with each student. I typed up their answers and they made "How I Help the Environment" posters to hang in the hallway.
As part of our recycling unit, we reused old paper towel rolls and turned them into falcons! They will be flying home on Monday!
Next week is Fire Safety Week! We will visit the Fire Station on Tuesday and have the smoke trailer at Rowe School on Wednesday.
Happy weekend!
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