An Apple A Day

Fall is officially here!  To celebrate, we did several activities with apples this week.  We started with some nonfiction text reading using our Scholastic news magazine.  We learned all sorts of interesting facts like the seeds are called pips.  We enjoyed an apple snack while we read our magazines.  The magazine had several nonfiction text features.  We made our own books about apples with nonfiction text features like a table of contents, labels, captions, and a diagram.  The students worked very hard on their books.

A couple students even went home and made their own nonfiction books about fall that included some of the features we have been discussing in class!  How cool!  I love that they are taking the learning home and that parents are encouraging the children to create their own books.  Thank you for your home support.

Of course, we had to do some science with our apples.  One tool scientists use is a scale.  We compared the weight of an apple to different supplies in our desk.  In our science journals, the students sorted the objects into heavier than an apple or lighter than an apple.  The scientists did awesome.

We also got creative with apples.  The children really enjoyed this song made about the Dr. Seuss book Apples On Top.



After watching the song several times, the children set out to make their own "Apples On Top" book with a book making app called Scribble Press.  Scribble Press is an awesome book creator for $3.99.

To create their books, students had to be very techie.  They learned how to take a selfie, adjust the picture, import the picture to their page, add stickers, type text, and publish an e-book.  Click here to see one students awesome Apples On Top rewrite.

Over the Ten Fact Rainbow

Knowing 10 facts is hugely important for future success in mathematics.  We have been practicing so many different and fun ways.  Take a look!  We built Ten Fact Rainbows to help the students memorize the very important ten facts. We built stacks of ten and then made a rainbow poster to tie the learning together and give the students a great visual.

After each student had a Ten Fact Rainbow, the students used the rainbows to play a game called "Ten Grab." In the video below, two girls  are using the rainbow to play. In "Ten Grab," player one rolls the die.  If the student rolls a 4, he/she would take 6 cubes because 6+4=10.  Play continues until the cubes are gone.  The student with the most cubes is the winner.


We also made books about Ten using the app Scribble Press.  To make the books, students had to arrange the ten facts on a ten frame, take a photo, size their photo, and add the photo to their books.  Then, the students wrote the equation on the page.  Click here to be linked to one student's book. 

We will continue to work on combinations of ten in the next two weeks.  Look for more posts with games to practice combinations of ten!

Colors Everywhere

We did some color mixing in science but were also able to mix reading, writing, spelling, and science objectives.  Our scientists worked together to mix different colors of water to make new colors.  The scientists made predictions and recorded their findings in their science journals. 

Free picture collage generated with Smilebox

In spelling, we are practicing spellling the color words.  We worked together to make a color reference wall with all the color words posted.  We have been listening to color songs to help us remember how to spell the words.  Click on each color word to be linked to the song: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, brown, black, white.

We also wrote about colors.  Each student published a book about the colors he/she likes.  Then, they painted an illustration to match the writing.  The students worked hard on conventions of print like starting with a capital, using spacing, and ending sentences with periods. 

Pirate Day

Argh!  We had such a great "Talk Like a Pirate Day" on Friday.  Our whole wing, 1st and 2nd grade dressed up to celebrate.  Click here to learn the history of "Talk Like a Pirate Day."  We had fun, pirate-y learning going on all day.  The day began by choosing pirate names.  They were pretty silly.  The students had new names like Big Buckle Charlie and Fearsome Pegleg Patsy.  Some students put their pirate name on all their papers Friday!  Ha!  Made correcting papers a little more interesting!

Next, we folded some pirate hats and learned about the "ar" chunk.  We filled our hats with "ar" words and practiced reading and spelling all the words. Then, we tested our ability to read "ar" words with a Q-arrrrr hunt.  In the QR hunt, the students scanned QR codes with their ipads.  The QR code revealed a word.  Students had to read the word and find the picture of the word.  When they found the picture, there was another QR code.  The students completed the series of clues on the first try!  They were an awesome crew!

Toward the end of the day....we found a secret map!  We had to use the map to find some letters, then unscramble the letters to find the treasure.  The letters said GOLD!  At recess, we ran all over the playground looking for pirate clues and gold.  The children found clues but no gold.

 

A disappointed crew reentered the classroom to find....GOLD!  And, to all our surprise, Mr. Wardell came back too.  He was wearing a make-shift eye patch.  The children are still questioning if Mr. Wardell was the pirate.  Of course, they asked him if he delivered the golden treats....but a good pirate doesn't reveal anything.

Our day was filled with learning and fun.  We read all sorts of wonderful pirate books, made a pirate graph, played new pirate apps, and all sorts of interesting things.  There are two great pirate apps, one for spelling and one for math.  Check out Pirates Love to Count and Pirates Love to Read in the App store.  Click on the names of the apps to find more information.  Yo, ho, ho!

Mr. Wardell Visits

The wonderful Mr. Wardell was in our classroom Wednesday and Friday this week.  Mr. Wardell is the man who has generously invested in our students providing us with ipads and other interactive technology.  With Mr. Wardell, we also had Mrs. Hertz, the Director of the Billings Education Foundation, and Mrs. Lowe visiting our classroom.  Our guests enjoyed meeting this new wonderful group of first graders and checking in on last year's group.  The children showed them how they are reading using the app I Like Books.  We can't wait until they visit again and we can show them how much we have grown.

Even More Science!

Our third science lab this week was an actual experiment. In this experiment, the scientists had to follow step by step directions, make predictions, and record their findings. However, the best part of this experiment is it had the children EXCITED about science! Each scientist trio had a plate of milk with drops of food coloring, a Q-tip, and a small cup with dish soap. The students were to dip the Q-tip in the soap and then in the food coloring to see what would happen. Some of the predictions were the plate would explode, the milk would start smoking, and the colors would make a rainbow. Here is what did happen:

I love the "OOhhh"s and "Ahhhh"s and squeals of delight! After conducting the experiment a few more times, students drew what happened so we can put the results in our science notebooks. Look at these great journal entries!