Happy Tuesday! The Question of the Day was: Do farmers work in the winter? After spending some time on a Snowflake I Spy activity, we chatted a bit about our responses to the question. After this, we read the book Winter Barn which showed us how busy farmers are--even in the winter! This led to a writing session during which the students wrote riddles about farm animals. Each first grader received the picture of a farm animal. They then described their farm animal in writing without naming it.
After the students had been thinking and writing for about twenty minutes, we regrouped on the rug to listen to another book. True or False: Farm Animals provided students with more information to take back to their writing. Before we go to Historic Wagner Farm next week, we will share the riddles and see if we can match the words to the pictures that inspired them.
Following recess, we returned to Under the Lemon Moon in our Junior Great Books. After sharing and discussing some student wonderings, the boys and girls drew pictures of the final scene in the story.
During math, the students used double facts as a strategy for finding sums that are almost-double facts. We began by listing the basic double facts and moved on from there. Just as we use what we know about one word to help us spell other words, we can use math facts we know really well to help us remember other facts. Being able to apply knowledge to new situations is an important skill!
The specials class of the day was library. After library, a substitute teacher worked with the class while I continued to give individual students their Middle of the Year reading assessments. During this time, the boys and girls measured their paper chains, reflected on what went well or not so well, what they might do differently next time, and what their role was in the process. Following this, the first graders learned about France from the book Angus and the Mona Lisa and an activity sheet. They also received a pencil drawing of the Mona Lisa to color.
We will learn more about famous European artists tomorrow!
After the students had been thinking and writing for about twenty minutes, we regrouped on the rug to listen to another book. True or False: Farm Animals provided students with more information to take back to their writing. Before we go to Historic Wagner Farm next week, we will share the riddles and see if we can match the words to the pictures that inspired them.
Following recess, we returned to Under the Lemon Moon in our Junior Great Books. After sharing and discussing some student wonderings, the boys and girls drew pictures of the final scene in the story.
During math, the students used double facts as a strategy for finding sums that are almost-double facts. We began by listing the basic double facts and moved on from there. Just as we use what we know about one word to help us spell other words, we can use math facts we know really well to help us remember other facts. Being able to apply knowledge to new situations is an important skill!
The specials class of the day was library. After library, a substitute teacher worked with the class while I continued to give individual students their Middle of the Year reading assessments. During this time, the boys and girls measured their paper chains, reflected on what went well or not so well, what they might do differently next time, and what their role was in the process. Following this, the first graders learned about France from the book Angus and the Mona Lisa and an activity sheet. They also received a pencil drawing of the Mona Lisa to color.
We will learn more about famous European artists tomorrow!