Hello! Today was the 154th day of school. Both the in=person and remote learners began their by working on their penguin posters or their mini bug posters. During our morning meeting, we each added two teeth to the May column of our tooth charts. The fun fact of the day informed us that a pancake can be cut into 154 pieces with just 17 cuts. After reading the message of the day, students shared a few ways that people measure time.
During our Junior Great Books class for the week, we read the poem "Blue" by Claudia Lewis. The students wrote wonderings about the poem and began drawings to illustrate what the astronaut in the poem was seeing. Ask your child to read the poem to you! It is meant to be read in a rather unexpected way. The students were also shown works by other poets who sometimes write their words in shapes. Poets arrange their words in different ways to communicate what they want to say.
During our Junior Great Books class for the week, we read the poem "Blue" by Claudia Lewis. The students wrote wonderings about the poem and began drawings to illustrate what the astronaut in the poem was seeing. Ask your child to read the poem to you! It is meant to be read in a rather unexpected way. The students were also shown works by other poets who sometimes write their words in shapes. Poets arrange their words in different ways to communicate what they want to say.
This week's Second Step lesson presented a scenario that many students may have had some personal experience with: name calling. The first graders used problem solving to come up with options for Nicole, a girl who was upset when two classmates laughed at her and called her names after she fell. Ask your child to give you details about our discussion.
During the morning independent work time, the first graders continued working on their autobiography projects. The in-person learners are always eager to share what they have done so far, so I know we will have proud authors when the projects are completed!
Math began with the book Earth Cycles to show how the sun and the moon play a role in measuring time. We also watched a video clip that gave us a bit of the history of clocks. Students then searched for clocks or other timekeeping devices in their workspaces. The in-person learners looked in the classroom, hallway, main office, and out the window. Ask your child to name some of our time discoveries!
In science, we focused on insect symmetry. The students thought about why animals might find a symmetrical body to be advantageous. They also pointed out the lines of symmetry on a variety of insect models. After this, they drew the missing half of drawings of insects and shared their efforts with each other.
Math began with the book Earth Cycles to show how the sun and the moon play a role in measuring time. We also watched a video clip that gave us a bit of the history of clocks. Students then searched for clocks or other timekeeping devices in their workspaces. The in-person learners looked in the classroom, hallway, main office, and out the window. Ask your child to name some of our time discoveries!
In science, we focused on insect symmetry. The students thought about why animals might find a symmetrical body to be advantageous. They also pointed out the lines of symmetry on a variety of insect models. After this, they drew the missing half of drawings of insects and shared their efforts with each other.
During the afternoon literacy session, the students drew pictures of classmates in the manner of traveling artists from the past. They also completed a Miss Rumphius vocabulary paper, practiced their spelling words, and/or created a "What's Inside the Egg?" penguin chick project. I underestimated the length of time these tasks would take so it is quite probable your child did not finish them all during class today. Tomorrow should offer opportunities to catch up on the work.
I continued reading Antarctic Journal: Four Months at the Bottom of the World to the class during the Closing Circle. It is always insightful to read first-person accounts of events or places.
I continued reading Antarctic Journal: Four Months at the Bottom of the World to the class during the Closing Circle. It is always insightful to read first-person accounts of events or places.
Parents, please check the May 19 learning plan to prepare your child for school tomorrow. In particular, preview the SEL Day schedule with your child so he/she knows when to attend the various schedules. If your child is scheduled to read with me tomorrow, he/she should join me using our regular classroom meet link. Thank you!