Happy Summer!

From all of us to all of you: HAPPY SUMMER!

This week students had a chance to reflect on all of their growth this year.  As they finished putting together their portfolios they spent some time writing and sharing the ways they have improved as writers.

Everyone is super excited for the play performances on Monday!  Students spent time on Thursday and Friday rehearsing for the big day.

Always an end of year favorite, the students couldn't wait to get their hands on the big tub of chapter books!

A Full Week!

As part of our science unit on the ocean, first graders spent Monday learning about amazing Horseshoe Crabs!  They learned about their significant impacts on the medical world, breeding, predators and prey, and their lifecycle.

Back in the classroom, students have been working diligently to prepare the sets for their plays on June 15!

They've also been sprucing up their first grade portfolios in preparation for the portfolio celebration next Wednesday after school.  They are so excited to share all their work with you!

A few reminders:
1. Step up day will take place on Monday morning.
2. Beach day is Tuesday!
3. The portfolio celebration happens on Wednesday from 3:30 to 6:00.

Everyone in room 108 has been working hard this week to prepare for our class plays on June 15th.  Students have been rehearsing lines, trying out different voices, and making their masks!  Next week we start set design!

We've started studying the ocean!  Each day, we learn about a different ocean creature and add it to our murals.  So far, we've learned about algae, coral, whales, and crabs.  Next week, we get a visit from real live horseshoe crabs!

In writers' workshop, students are working on informational writing.  On Friday, they decided on a sea creature to research and write about in their final book!

We wrapped up our mapping unit this week by going on a treasure hunt!  Students used a map of the school and surrounding area to help them find clues that led to the hidden treasure: a box full of compasses!

Our final science unit began this week.  Students will be studying the ocean for the remainder of the school year, with the culminating activity being our trip to Crescent Beach in June!

In readers' workshop this week we practiced reading the 4 plays that will be featured in our theater presentation on June 15.  On Friday, students chose their roles.  Next week, we start making our masks!

In math, we continue to review some of the concepts introduced in Everyday Math this year.  Students used straws and twist ties and followed directions to make a series of different polygons.  They also used a weather map to review temperature and range.

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Though it doesn't seem possible, the end of our year in first grade is fast approaching!

The readers' workshop model we've used throughout the school year ends this week.  Starting next week, we will begin work on our Reader's Theater class plays!

In Everyday Math, we've started our final unit which is a review of many of the topics that were covered this year.  It is a terrific opportunity for students to practice some of the more challenging skills they have been introduced to over the course of the school year .  This week, we practiced telling time to the minute and adding 2 coin amounts.

We officially ended our weather unit with a visit from channel 6 meteorologist Todd Gutner!  He taught us all about high and low pressure systems and answered many of our lingering weather questions!

Our mapping unit will wind down next week.  This week, students finished their body maps and participated in a gallery walk to view and appreciate everyone's hard work.

In writing, we've started our final unit of the year: informational writing (also known as All About Books).  The students are off to a great start, with many books already completed on topics such as:
sharks, lightning, Ohio, ballet, jaguars, and many more!

Happy weekend!

Our mapping unit is in full swing and the students are loving it!  We read and used a map of Rowe School's playground, used a compass rose to find specific spots on a map from the book Franklin's Neighborhood, used clay to represent all the different kinds of maps we are a part of, and started making body maps!

In writers' workshop students learned to edit their poetry this week.  They then picked one poem to publish and illustrate.  They will share their poems with Ms. Honan and the rest of the first graders on Monday at our poetry celebration!

In readers' workshop the first graders became directors as they read this week!  They learned as much as they could about ALL of the characters in their books, imagined the setting, and even instructed their reading buddies to act out the important  parts of the story!

We kicked off our new mapping unit this week!  Students learned about the importance of a compass rose on a map and practiced giving each other directions using north, south, east, and west to find hidden pennies in the classroom.

Students continue to read and write poetry in writers' workshop.  We've started talking about revision, word choice, and line breaks too!  Here's a collaborative poem we wrote this week about recess:

Students have been observing the nature outside our window and adding leaves of poetry to our poeTREE!

In readers' workshop, students are practicing becoming the characters in their books.  They are looking at punctuation, tag words, and the storyline to help them figure out how the character is feeling and use proper tone of voice.  This is all practice for our class plays, which we will start working on in mid-May!  The big performance will be Monday, June 15 in our classroom.  More info to follow in the coming weeks!

April Showers...

In science we've been studying rain this week.  Students made clouds rain in the classroom!  They used pipettes to add colored drops of water to shaving cream clouds.  When the clouds got too heavy with water, they rained!  Students predicted how many drops of water it would take to make the clouds rain.  It took one group's cloud 180 drops of water before it rained!

We also made rain art.  Students used watercolors to paint a weather related picture.  Now, we're waiting for the  perfect rain to let the raindrops 'finish' the painting!

Math was all about fractions this week!

Poetry is our new writing unit!  Ms. Honan helped us kick-off the new unit with the first of three first grade poetry meetings.  We brainstormed what we know about poetry, learned a fun poem to recite out loud, and wrote a collaborative poem about spring.  Students are now searching for the just right poem to share at next week's meeting!