The first graders began the day with a map activity sheet to practice using a compass rose. The question of the day was: Have you ever used a map other than in school? Before our morning meeting, all water bottles were banished to the hallway for repeated conduct unbecoming a first grader. This will be their new home, out of reach but accessible if truly needed.
To expand our study of houses, we read the book A House is a House for Me by Mary Ann Hoberman. In it, we moved beyond the common interpretation of what a house is to the more fanciful. Ask your child for examples of things that are houses for things! As is written in the book, "And once you get started in thinking this way, it seems that whatever you see is either a house or it lives in a house..."
After reading and discussing the book, the students generated their own ideas of things that are houses for things. They wrote their ideas on sentence strips and drew careful, colorful, and detailed illustrations to match. The paper people in the hallway will soon hold the projects for everyone walking by on the first floor to enjoy!
During math, we read A Cloak for the Dreamer. This would be a great book to check out of the library for a second reading at home. There is mathematical content about shapes and patterns, but the underlying story is about family relationships and supporting each other's dreams. After reading the story, the first graders worked with colorful one-inch tiles to partition rectangles into equal-size squares. Some had difficulty distinguishing between rows and columns.
Our math lesson rolled over into the afternoon so we only had time for a brief science class today. The boys and girls began creating life cycle models of an oak tree. When complete, they will be circular in shape without an obvious beginning or end.
Before Music class with Ms. Lambert at the end of the day, we returned to the computer lab to work on our shapes projects. Ask your child to describe what he/she has completed so far. We have two more sessions in the computer lab for this activity.
The first graders will participate in both planting and building activities tomorrow!
To expand our study of houses, we read the book A House is a House for Me by Mary Ann Hoberman. In it, we moved beyond the common interpretation of what a house is to the more fanciful. Ask your child for examples of things that are houses for things! As is written in the book, "And once you get started in thinking this way, it seems that whatever you see is either a house or it lives in a house..."
After reading and discussing the book, the students generated their own ideas of things that are houses for things. They wrote their ideas on sentence strips and drew careful, colorful, and detailed illustrations to match. The paper people in the hallway will soon hold the projects for everyone walking by on the first floor to enjoy!
During math, we read A Cloak for the Dreamer. This would be a great book to check out of the library for a second reading at home. There is mathematical content about shapes and patterns, but the underlying story is about family relationships and supporting each other's dreams. After reading the story, the first graders worked with colorful one-inch tiles to partition rectangles into equal-size squares. Some had difficulty distinguishing between rows and columns.
Our math lesson rolled over into the afternoon so we only had time for a brief science class today. The boys and girls began creating life cycle models of an oak tree. When complete, they will be circular in shape without an obvious beginning or end.
Before Music class with Ms. Lambert at the end of the day, we returned to the computer lab to work on our shapes projects. Ask your child to describe what he/she has completed so far. We have two more sessions in the computer lab for this activity.
The first graders will participate in both planting and building activities tomorrow!