Measuring with Kid Steps

This morning we measured strips of tape with our very own feet!  We discovered that we all have different sized feet which resulted in different answers.  We learned that we can only compare lengths of things that are measured with the same size units.

Writing 1/28/14

Today we learned about the writing trait: conventions.  Students listened to sentences read out loud and had to hold up a card with either a period, question mark or an exclamation point on it show what kind of punctuation they thought the sentence should end with.  Next, they got with a partner and wrote questions and answers to each other, practicing using the various punctuation marks.  Finally, they went through their own stories "proof reading" for conventions in their own writing.  

Questioning

This week we began learning about a new strategy that readers use to help them understand what they are reading.  They ask questions!  We learned that readers ask questions at three different times: before, during, and after reading a book.  We started reading The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg.  We are only part way through the story, but you can see on our chart that we asked questions before we started the book, and are now asking questions during the reading of the book.  We wonder if we will still have any questions when we have finished the book?!

Class Look Alike Day

Looking good in our pjs!!!

Measuring Fish

We started a new unit in math this week - measurement!  Today we had to measure different sized fish to determine whether or not they were keepers.  Students used inch rods for their unit of measurement and carefully lined them up "even Steven" to try and be as accurate as possible as they measured their fish.  

Martin Luther King, Jr.

This week we having been learning about MLK,Jr and his dream.  First graders were very intrigued by this amazing man and the work that he did.  On Thursday we read We Dream of a World... and we thought about a dream of our own, and how to make the world a better place.  We will hang them in the hallway when they are all complete.  Stop by to see them!!  They did such a great job!

Four Winds for January

Today we had our wonderful Four Winds parent volunteers come into the classroom to teach us about snowflakes!!  We learned many interesting facts about snowflakes, made snowflakes with our bodies (in groups of 6 - ask your child why 6!!), as well as out of coffee filters.