We are famous!

Did you see that our nonfiction features iMovie was published on the district blog? If not, you can check it out through this link. While you're there, subscribe on the right-had sidebar to receive email updates from the CSD Spotlight. It's a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of the Colchester School District! Please visit the blog and share the link with others! It was also shared on our district's Facebook page.

Valentines

Students will exchange Valentines this year in the classroom before our "We LOVE to Read and Write" Celebration at 2:00. Your child should bring Valentines for every child in the class. I will send a class list home tomorrow for this purpose. Thank you!

100th Day Digital Learning Day Project

Tomorrow is the 100th day of first grade, and it is also national Digital Learning Day! We will celebrate in many ways, one of which is a special project with the iPads. Students will work with a partner, choose a material, count 100 of that material, and then create something with it. They will choose an app with which to share their work. I did an example using Educreations, but Pic Collage, Kid Blog, and iMovie are other apps the class knows and may choose to use for this project.

Here is my example, which I plan to show the class tomorrow. I have a feeling they will create much more impressive presentations! :-)

Immersion in a new genre

One of the best ways to get ready for writing in a new genre is to study books of that genre first. In this case, students are studying procedural texts (how-to) to get ready to write their own how-to books. Yesterday, students were given the task of perusing through books at their tables and simply seeing what they noticed. They noticed a lot. Here are some of their observations: these books all teach how to do something, the directions are written step-by-step (sequentially), sometimes the steps are numbered, there are often photographs and illustrations to accompany the text, and many of the nonfiction features we've studied are in how-to books. Wow! Great thinking, first graders!

 

 

 

 

 

Making salsa!

Our study of Mexico has taken a turn towards the culinary side! Yesterday afternoon, we made salsa! We have a great how-to book, How to Make Salsa, which I used as the basis for the recipe (with a couple of changes). As I told the class, our cooking projects this week are a great connection between our study of Mexico in Social Studies and our study of procedural writing (how-to) in Reading/Writing Workshop. Recipes are a great example of procedural writing. We will be making guacamole later this week. Yum!

Students passed around a sprig of cilantro to smell and touch. This was a new ingredient for many students. And yes, that is Miss Dube! She is now visiting/helping out on Monday afternoons. Hooray!

This time, I did the chopping. Our document camera has many uses. I felt like Rachael Ray! :-)

Students squeezed the limes and helped get the chopped ingredients into the bowl.

 

 

Stir, stir, PASS! Everyone helped with the mixing!

 

 

The class voted to make our salsa a little less chunky with a spin in my mini food processor.  

The salsa was a hit! Everyone tried it and many asked for seconds. :-)

100th Day of School!

It's REALLY hard to believe, but our 100th day of first grade is this coming Wednesday, February 6th. Wow! Time has really flown by! We will be doing lots of special activities both inside and outside of our classroom on this day. Students will visit all four first grade classrooms for a special 100th day activity--something different in each room. Our math time will be all about the number 100, we will have a special 100th day snack, and we will do a special 100th day technology project with iPads. Wednesday, February 6th is Digital Learning Day too. :-) Wow--what a day!

I do have a favor to ask, and I am hoping that some of you (like me) have not done your weekend trek to the grocery store. We could use some contributions to our 100th day snack...I have posted a Sign-Up Genius form for this purpose. I know it's last minute, but if you are able to grab one of these items when you're at the store, it'd be very much appreciated. I will fill in the blanks. Thank you!!!

Mexican clothing

Students tried on a poncho and sombrero for a photograph to put in their lapbook about Mexico. I thought it would be fun to share them via an Animoto video.

Mr. Antonicci's special share

Mr. Antonicci visited our room on Friday afternoon to share some pictures of his trip to Africa a couple years ago. Ask your child to tell you more! Mr. Antonicci offered to come back for a longer presentation of his trip, specifically pertaining to African animals. This will be a perfect kick-off for our "All About Books" unit of study in Writing Workshop.

 

Flynn Theater Trip=A Success!

Do to the "no technology" rule at the Flynn Theater, I do not have many pictures from our FANTASTIC field trip last Wednesday. Although we got off to a late start due to some bus confusion, we made it just in time and had great seats for the production of Skippyjon Jones. I have been to many student matinees at the Flynn, and I think this was my favorite. The books are hilarious (in my opinion) and the play was equally, if not more, funny. The setting of this book in Mexico was such a great connection to our current social studies unit of study, and the infusion of Spanish words (some real, some not) was fun too. Most first graders gave the play rave reviews, although a few didn't like that the play deviated from the story line of the book. We discussed how this is sometimes necessary for a variety of reasons. In this case, nothing was taken away from the story, but a lot of material was added to add depth to the characters and their emotions. I did take a few photos after the show as we waited for our group to be dismissed.

Oops! I used the flash for this one!

 

 

 

Our seats were so close! It was a packed house during the performance.

A new favorite Morning Meeting activity!

I took out my Mexican blanket for what has now become a favorite Morning Meeting activity in our classroom! I call it "Guess Who's Behind the Blanket!"...not the most inventive name, but it works. :-) Students divide in half, with each group on opposite sides of the blanket. Two students sit quietly on the chairs next to the blanket. At the count of three, the two blanket holders drop the blanket, the students in the chairs turn around, and they say the other person's name as quickly as possible Whoever says the other name faster gets to bring that person to his/her side. This is harder than you may think! We did this at a staff development training several years ago, and it was challenging (and a great laugh) for the adults, and it is the same way for children. Ask your child to describe this activity in more detail. (And pardon the fuzzy photos...)