Questioning

This week we have been reading All I See  by Cynthia Rylant and working the comprehension skill of questioning. We have learned that readers ask questions Before, During and After reading a book. Sometimes the answers are found right in the text, sometimes we have to infer the answers, and sometimes we have to go to an outside source. After our book today we were left with one "burning" question. As a group we are inferring many possible answers. After we complete this, everyone will choose the idea that makes most sense to them as a reader. 

Investigations Unit 8

Students have been working in unit 8, which is a numeracy unit, for a couple of weeks now.  They have been doing lots of counting, adding, working with the 120 chart, counting up large amounts by making various groupings, as well as working on many problems involving things that come in groups of twos, threes, fours and fives.  Before break, first graders worked on an activity that had them counting up a large number of paper squares.  They needed to decide on a way to group the squares that would make it more efficient for them to count and find the total amount.  

When we return to school next week we will be doing a lot of work with the number ten, adding and subtracting ten, as well as digging further into place value.  

Scientific Method

As part of our Force and Motion unit first graders learned about the scientific method, what it is, and how they will be following it when performing experiments.

 

Force and Motion

We started our lesson yesterday with a discussion about some important vocabulary words and concepts pertaining to our unit: force, motion, and gravity.  We then walked through the scientific method (which we learned about earlier this week), and then completed an experiment!  The question that we investigated was "How does the size of a ball effect how it rolls?"  (Ask your child what their results were!!)

Students did a fantastic job with this and we will continue with more experiments after break! 

Jeh Kulu

First graders had the amazing opportunity to meet Jeh Kulu this afternoon!  They learned about the group members, where they are from in Africa, and about the types of drums they use.  And of course they learned some African dance moves!!

Flynn Workshop

This afternoon first graders had the fortunate opportunity to participate in a Flynn Theater Companion Workshop for the upcoming show that we will be seeing, African Children's Choir. They Flynn educator taught the students about the musical concept of call and response, as well as what to expect when we go to the show. It certainly is a great connection to our special visitors this week, Jeh Kulu!  

Library change!!!

Our schedule has changed back to normal for this week and we will be having library on Friday after all!!  Sorry for the confusion!!

Library this Wednesday!!

Due to scheduling conflicts this week with our Artists in Residence, Jeh Kulu, our class will have Library on Wednesday 4/15 instead of Friday.  Please help your child remember to bring back their books on Wednesday!!!

Thank you!

Comparing Balls

Today in science first graders worked with a variety of balls and compared various attributes such as bounciness, weight, ability to roll, and size. In upcoming lessons we will be doing experiments around these attributes. For example, students will investigate how a ball's weight effects its ability to roll.