Scientists in Room 123 will be observing these amazing creatures over the next few weeks. As they do so, they will be able to discover how insects grow and change over time.
[Psst! Families–especially older brothers and sisters–please keep what you know about the life cycle of insects a secret! That way first grade scientists will be able to make these discoveries on their own.]
It’s probably easy to imagine what a small-group reading lesson with the teacher looks like. It may be more difficult to envision what the rest of the class is doing during that time.
During Reader’s Workshop, students read “good fit” books that they have chosen from our classroom library. Some days, students read on their own. Other days, they can choose to read with a buddy. Some students prefer to read at their desks; others enjoy stretching out on the floor. Whatever their choices, readers in Room 123 are engaged with books during Workshop!
Learners in Room 123 added a great deal of schema about American history as they read biographies of American heroes. Now, they can use that schema in many ways. Here’s one:
Readers in Room 123 are in on a secret, one that not even all college students know: It’s not enough to just notice important information when reading nonfiction; readers have to think about the information in order to understand and remember it. They may make connections to new information, or visualize it, or ask questions about it.
Thinking is the velcro that helps important information stick in readers’ brains.
Readers have been practicing this as we continue our study of American heroes. This week, our focus is on the Wright Brothers. Check out some of their thinking:
On Wednesday, readers in Room 123 celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday!
Students first chose their favorite books by Dr. Seuss and then created a graph to determine which book was the most popular. Room 123 will share the results with Mrs. Roberts, our media specialist. Mrs. Roberts is polling the entire school to find out which of his books is the most beloved. We also solved some math problems which were based on the graph.
The clear winner was Green Eggs and Ham:
Then we read Green Eggs and Ham together, with great enthusiasm and expression!
Last Friday, first grade scientists used all they have learned about balance and motion to create miniature roller coasters! Of course, still photos don’t do justice to the energy and excitement (and noise!) during this experiment. But here is at least a glimpse into the process!
We’ve already shared how we celebrate lost teeth in our classroom. Now, we’re taking our show on the road!
Room 123 will be participating in the International Tooth Tally Project this year. In its tenth year, this project allows students from all over the world to share how many teeth they lose over the course of three months. Along the way, students can learn more about life in other countries as well as hone their math skills.
To insure the cyber-safety of students, this project is hosted on a private wiki via Wikispaces; only registered participants can access the wiki. I also will follow WFB guidelines with our postings.
The first activity Room 123 completed for this project was visualizing what the Tooth Fairy may look like. To do so, they had to listen to a possible description of the Tooth Fairy. Then, they used those details to create their own images. Here are their interpretations:
Watch for updates on the Tooth Tally Project over the next three months!
The Florentine Opera Company visited Richards School on Wednesday, performing a musical version of “The Billy Goats Gruff.” Their interpretation incorporated a strong anti-bullying message. Special thanks to the PTO for sponsoring this event!
First grade football fans celebrated the upcoming Super Bowl, along with the rest of Richards School! The festivities included a parade with classroom-created floats. Room 123 combined cooperation and creative problem-solving to turn this…