1st Grade
December 20, 2024
First grade has been very busy this week with our themed days. On Monday, we had Grinch Day. We did all kinds of Grinchy activities and had Grinch juice and cookies in the afternoon. On Tuesday, we did all things Santa. On Wednesday, we read The Polar Express and watched the movie. We had cookies and hot chocolate. Each child got a special ticket and a bell. On Thursday, we had Elf Day. Students got to make their own elf using a red Silo cup. They turned out so well. Friday is our Christmas party. We will do a Santa is Missing mystery as a class. Then we will have fun with our party.
December 13, 2024
This week first graders have been very busy. We started a new unit in math about subtraction within 20. We are learning more long vowel patterns with the magic E. In our reading, we were introduced to the genre of drama. Students read two different plays this week focusing on our essential question: How do plants grow and change? One of our plays was the story, The Big Yuca Plant. Students were divided up into small groups and assigned a part to practice. Then we came together in a circle and read the play together. Each group read chorally for the part they were given. It was amazing. This was the first play we have done, and they totally rocked it!
December 6, 2024
First graders worked hard this week on several new and challenging skills. First, we learned about long vowel spelling patterns with the magic, silent E. Our reading texts this week focused on themes about measuring time. We read fun stories about characters that were running late. Our class also learned about the letter A in our RIASEC codes. It stands for artistic. We are learning about several different careers that are artistic. Finally, the students learned how to compare 2 digits numbers using the symbols <, >, and =. We played several games and used an alligator’s mouth to help us remember to eat the larger number. Our favorite game was Hungry, Hungry, Alligator.
November 22, 2024
First graders have been super busy this week. Last week, we learned about maps and read the book, Me on the Map. This week, we made a special project that started with us, our town, our state, our country, our continent, and finally our world. It was a flip book that started out small with us and became larger with each new location. Our class also started going to the preschool classroom to read to them. Several of our classmates went on Wednesday. We are going to continue this each week. Finally, we made turkeys to show what we are thankful for. It was an awesome week.
November 15, 2024
This week first graders have been reading several nonfiction texts about maps. We have learned about several different kinds of maps and how they help us. The maps also had map keys that we had to use to find certain things on our maps. Our class learned about the directions, North, East, South, and West. We used the sentence Never Eat Soggy Waffles to help us remember the order on a compass rose. The best part of the week was when each student chose a room in the school to create a map key and map showing all of the things in that room. The kids were super creative and did a great job. Next week, we are doing a project on one of the books we read this week, Me on the Map.
November 8, 2024
This week first graders learned many new things. In reading, we read texts about how characters helped in their communities. Students made connections to their own lives with this. First graders learned the spelling patterns with sh, th, and -ng. We did a great job with this challenge. In math, we reviewed what we have learned about counting patterns and numbers from 1-120. Students have worked very hard on this and will take their test this week. Everyone is pumped and ready for it! For social studies, students learned about elections. We read several books about students electing a class president in their first grade classroom, as well as a duck running for President. To explain the voting process, our classroom had an election for the best cookie, chocolate chip or Oreo cookies. We talked about the good qualities of each cookie, and the students received a paper ballot to mark their choice. Each one put their ballot in the ballot box. As a class, we counted each ballot and created a graph to show the winner. Check out the picture to see who won. Lastly, students have been learning about how to focus and use self talk when they are struggling or making mistakes. During Second Steps, students had to listen to a guided drawing of one of our characters, Pepito. They did a really good job. Look at their pictures to see what Pepito looks like.
November 1, 2024
This week in first grade, we were very busy. In math, we learned about counting patterns for numbers 1-120 on a number. We also learned about ending blends for our OG/spelling words. Our class read through several nonfiction texts and learned about where animals live. Students gathered their ideas and wrote about these animals. We also explored the I in RIASEC and discovered several careers that are considered investigative. I think the kids enjoyed Halloween Day the most. We had a costume parade, a witches brew snack, and fun games during our party. First graders had to balance candy pumpkins on jumbo and regular sized popsicle sticks. Then they had to play a Minute to Win It game with vampire teeth and jumbo marshmallows. They really enjoyed our eyeball poppers they got to launch in the gym. All in all, Halloween Day was a lot of fun!
October 25, 2024
This week in first grade, we had the 50th Day of School. Students learned about life in the 1950’s and were invited to dress like the 1950’s. During PE class, they bowled and did hula hoops. In our class, we listened to 50’s music and did the hand jive and the twist. This was our version of a sock hop. First graders even sampled candies that were popular in the 1950’s. We tasted Hot Tamales, Lemonheads, Smarties, Circus Peanuts, Boston Baked Beans, and Red Vines. On the 50th Day of School, we did several activities centered on the number 50. We counted by 1s, 5s, and 10s to 50. We drew 50 tally marks too. The students learned how to blow bubbles with gum. We charted our successes and made a graph of our data. As a class, we created a graph of our favorite activity out of bowling, sock hop, or bubble gum blowing. Sock hop got the most votes. Finally, we had a root beer or a Coke float. Before we enjoyed them, the students had to predict whether the ice cream would sink or float in their drink. We had a great time and learned so much about how life was different and the same in the 1950’s when compared to today.
October 18, 2024
This week in first grade, we have been very busy learning about jobs in our community. All of our stories and writing this week have to do with them. We are connecting the jobs to our RIASEC codes. During our math block, we have been learning about all of the counting patterns on a 120 chart. This week, we also had our first nine weeks award ceremony for the whole school. First graders received awards for the following categories: perfect attendance, small group work, amazing artist, writing warrior, super speller, word wizard, and math genius. I am very proud of all of the hard work our class does each and every day.
October 4, 2024
This week in first grade we were busy writing personal narratives and taking a test over addition facts to 20. We also learned about RIASEC. Our class learned about the letter R for realistic. We watched videos about careers that are described as realistic, or the doers. Students chose one of the realistic careers and drew themselves as that occupation. They made connections with the characteristics of people with that career and themselves. We also learned about firefighters, who have realistic careers. The whole school will see a fire prevention assembly in the gym on Friday, October 4 where real firefighters will come and talk with us about fire safety. It has been a fun and exciting week in first grade!
September 27, 2024
This week in first grade, we worked on using all of our addition strategies to solve addition facts to 20. So far, we have learned how to draw pictures, use our fingers, use doubles facts, make a 10, and use a number line. Students worked with partners to solve different equations using any strategy they wanted. We then discussed how using certain strategies would be better for different types of problems. Next week, we will tackle solving addition facts with 3 numbers and true/false equations.
September 20, 2024
This week in first grade we have been very busy. We are learning how to find text evidence in our stories that we read and then writing about them. Also, we are continuing to learn new strategies for our addition facts. We practiced our double facts and then learned about our friends of 10. These are numbers like 7 and 3. We are getting really quick with our mental math strategies. The highlight of the week was our reading STEM activity. We read the book, The Dot, by Peter Reynolds. It is a wonderful story that helps kids learn how we can make mistakes, take chances, and use perseverance to be our personal best. We used this book to inspire us to create popsicle stick and dot sticker bridges. Partners had to brainstorm ideas, plan, create their bridge, test it with a 20 pennyweight, and then come up with plans to improve them. Most of the original bridges were successful in holding the 20 pennyweight. When we made improvements to the original design, all of the bridges were successful at holding a 100 pennyweight load on it without collapsing. We learned a lot about how bridges are constructed and made connections with our RIASEC codes and engineers. It was a ton of fun!
September 13, 2024
First graders had a great week of learning. We enjoyed reading several different texts about pets and why they are special. Students spent time writing in response to what we read. They did an amazing job with it. We also learned about statements and questions. They learned how to make editing marks for capital letters and how to circle missing punctuation marks. In our OG/spelling, we learn six different beginning L blends and did a wonderful job with our word and sentence dictation. First grade mathematicians learned about our double facts to 20. We made a color coded book with real life pictures, learned a rap song, and played BUMP with 10 sided dice. They are doing a great job memorizing these facts. Lastly, we learned about Patriot’s Day on September 11th. We made a special craft that honored the patriots that helped others after September 11, 2001.
September 6, 2024
First graders have had an amazing week! We are using our new reading program. The kids are really enjoying reading from their literature anthology. Readers enjoyed reading with partners this week. We can’t wait for our next story in our anthology.
August 30, 2024
This week in first grade, we have been very busy finishing up our review of kindergarten skills we learned last year. The students are doing a great job and have remembered so much! In math, we worked on math fluency by creating different combinations for 5. The kids used our ten frame paddles with magnetic counters to solve their problems. They did problems like 3 + __ = 5 and 5 = 2 + ___. They used their learning tools well. It was challenging at first, but we did great with it. Next week, we begin our unit on addition to 10.
August 23, 2024
This week, first graders were so busy having fun and learning. We’ve learned about the Summer Olympics in Paris, France. Students learned about the Eiffel Tower and completed a STEM challenge to build a model of the tower without it falling. We used the Engineering Design Process to do this. In math, students learned about how they have math superpowers that help them to solve and work math problems. We made a chart of all of the superpowers we might have. First graders chose one of the superpowers that they felt was one of their strengths. The best part was dressing up like superheroes with masks and capes. It was so much fun!
August 16, 2024
This week in first grade, we did many fun and exciting things. We have been reviewing skills from kindergarten and doing a great job with it. Students have really enjoyed learning about the Summer Olympics. So far, we have read about the history of the ancient and modern olympics. First graders learned about many of the athletic events that the olympians do. We also learned about the opening ceremony and the olympic torch. We made our own torches with a silhouette of the Eiffel Tower in the flames. They turned out great!
