Measure Up!

Our last unit in math explores concepts of measurement.  We are concentrating on length.  In first grade, our objective is to develop accurate measurement techniques.  For example, we must line up our starting points and we must be careful not to leave gaps or have overlaps between units.  We will also used a variety of nonstandard measurements to discover that different units of measure will result in different measurements.

 

We started exploring measurement by just comparing length.  We lined up objects in our desk and recorded the longer and shorter.  Then, we used the foot cut outs from last week's homework assignment to compare feet measurements.  We ordered our family's feet on our desk then we used cubes to find out which feet were the same length.  Also, we measured different lines around the classroom with our hands and feet. Our class measurement discussions were fantastic.  The students made great connections.  They all got really good at accurate and precise measuring. 
   

Here are some great online games to use at home for practice measuring:

Measurement Games

1. Estimate and Measure

2. Fish Tales

3. How Big are You?

4. Length Strength

5. Can you Fill It?

Habitat Inquiry

It is difficult to know where to start.  For the last six weeks, we have been reading, writing, and researching different habitats.  It has been quite the cross curricular inquiry project.  The students have learned and applied so many important skills.  They are pretty spectacular!  First each inquiry group read several books about a habitat.  Some of the habitats we studied included grasslands, ocean, wetlands, desserts, and woodlands.  Through our whole group discussion, we discovered that all the habitats meet animal and plant basic needs.  As a class, we made this short informational video about basic needs.



In science, this habitat study has led to discussions about living and nonliving, producers and consumers, food chains, adaptations, and more.  Our class checked out every habitat book from the library.  They also utilized our schools' subscription to WorldBook , a website called Wonderopolis, and we learned from Animal Atlas videos.  We found some great interactive games on food chains and adaptations.  Click on the links above to check them out!

We also incorporated some art.  Each inquiry group made a mural of their habitat.  The groups were sure to include the basic needs of the habitat, as well as, some of the living and nonliving things that are in the habitat.  The children had to use team work to create the murals.  Also, each child wrote a poem about one of the habitats we have studied.  Here are a few of the poems and the finished murals.

Hot and Grassy

Yellow and Green

A few trees and many flowers

Home to cheetahs, elephants, and zebras

The savanna is pretty

by Savannah

Hot and dry
Sand and rocks
Filled with cactus
Home to owls, camels, and snakes
The Dessert
by Bradyn

Wet and grassy.
Big and clear.
Filled with cattails and water lilies.
Home to ducks, fish, and frogs.
The pond is a habitat.
by Matthew

Prairie
Flat and Grassy
Hills and Trees
Filled with plants and holes.
Home to deer, prairie dogs, and antelope.
The prairie is a habitat.
by Nathan

Water and Soil
Plants and Animals
Filled with trees and flowers.
Home to squirrels, eagles, and wolves.
The forest is a home.
by Sawyer

For the last part of the inquiry project, we teched it up a notch!  The students added animals to the murals.  They had to research their animal and discover some of the adaptations that animal has to live in it's habitat.  Then, the students each made a short video clip stating one of the animal's adaptations.  We borrowed the green screen from the Eagle Cliffs Student News Crew.  Our Billings Schools technology integration specialist, Mr. Harvey, came in and helped us use the green screen to make it look like we were in the habitat we were talking about.  Check out a couple of our clips!

We wanted our videos to be published on our murals.  We used augmented reality with an app called Arasma.  The students used the animals they made and turned them into a trigger image.  When the students hold their ipads over the animal, the video appears like magic!  Even more impressive, the students could take you step by step through how connect a video to an image in the Arasma app.  The techie murals are up in the hallway!  Feel free to stop by and an amazing first grader can show you all our hard work.

Field Day!

It was a perfect day for field day.  We had wonderful weather, great sportsmanship, and super fun games!  The children had a blast.  Here are a quick video of some of the highlights!

Surprise!

Group hug! Our special twins got a big surprise today from the Montana Hope Project. In a surprise assembly, the Montana Highway Patrol presented the boys and their family with an 11 day vacation to Florida. The class was so excited. We couldn't be happier for them. Andrew and Brandon, we can't wait to hear about your adventures!  Check out the KULR 8 and Billings Gazette articles in the links below.
Montana Hope Project Grants Wish for Twins With Same Illness
Disney World, deep-sea fishing await energetic Billings twins

It's About Time

Clock Shop

On Time

Stop the Clock 1

Stop the Clock 2

Clock Shoot

Tell Time

Time Match

First graders need to be able to tell time to the hour and half hour on both analog and digital clocks. Those analog clocks are tricky, especially that hour hand! These are some great online games to practice at home. Telling time takes time! The students are doing great but, as always, extra practice can only help.

Money, Money, Money

We are continuing to practice, practice, practice counting coins.  This week we used the Chromebook lab and this list on the blog to practice with online interactive games.   The students worked very hard.  You can access any of these learning games from home by clicking on the links.  The children already know their favorites!
 

1. Money Bingo

2. Enough Money

3. Tell the Amount

4. Feed the Dolphin

Not only do we use computers and ipads to practice counting coins, we also use manipulatives.  One example of a game the students love is called race to a quarter.  This is a game students can play at home.  To play, you will need a di and many pennies, nickels, and dimes.  Players take turns rolling the di and taking that many pennies.  When students have enough pennies to trade for a nickel, they can make the exchange.  Further, when a player has two nickels,  he/she exchanges for a dime.  Play continues until a player gets a quarter.  The game can be extended to race to a dollar. 

Of course, the best way to practice counting coins...is to practice counting coins.  The students love to use real money!  First graders should be able to identify pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters and count amounts up to 25 cents.  However, I find these students love a challenge.  We have been counting MUCH higher than 25 cents.  

Another activity we did to was making words with a coin code.  We used this coin code to show coins that represent each letter.  Then we would spell words, match the coins, and count the amount. Students even found the worth of their first and last names. Check out your child's page in their envelope to see his/her hard work.  Try out this activity at home.  Who's name is worth the most in your family?

A couple students went the extra mile with this activity and made a video to explain their thinking.  Check this out!