The latest...

Here is a brief update through photos about a few recent happenings in first grade...

Students enjoyed having hot cocoa and cinnamon rolls to celebrate St. Lucia Day. This holiday is primarily celebrated in Sweden and Norway and is the kick-off to the Christmas celebrations. Traditionally, children bring coffee and cinnamon buns to their parents in the early morning...we changed that around a little bit. :-) This is one of the holidays children learned about as part of our 'Holidays around the World' unit.

Students gobbled up these treats so quickly I almost didn't get any photos!

Our latest writing unit is about writing for many purposes. So far, students have written lists and cards. Card writing was very popular today! I was very impressed with students' careful work and sweet messages!

We also recently changed table spots. I allowed students to choose their new spots, with the stipulation that it should be a mix of boys and girls. They are doing very well in their new spots!

These two boys decided to make cards for each other. :-)

Look at this excellent work!

In math today, we started Unit 5 which focuses largely on place value. Students did very well counting base-10 blocks to figure out what number was represented. The next step is for students to show how numbers can be represented using base-10 blocks. These are a wonderful tool for helping children develop number sense and place value.

With the holidays just around the corner, the energy level in the classroom is quite high. Having at least 20 minutes of free choice time every day has been a positive way for children to use their energy in a creative, productive way.

These students worked cooperatively and imaginatively to create this  structure.