More From Sweden

While visiting Sweden this week, first graders also learned about the the tradition of gingerbread cookies and houses, as well as the Northern Lights, and the limited day light hours there this time of year.  They listened to a story called The Fiddler of the Northern Lights by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock, and then painted their own version of the lights while watching them dance across the sky with soft music playing (thanks to YouTube!). 

Students also got to create some gingerbread houses our of paper. 

Author Celebration

To celebrate all of our hard work and wonderful writing during our "How To" unit, all first graders got together to share their books with each other. Not only did we hear some great books from one another, we all learned some new things, too!!

Practicing reading our books!

Sharing them with friends. 

On to Sweden!

We embarked on the third flight of our trip this afternoon and ended up in Sweden!!  While watching our inflight videos we learned about traditions and holidays celebrated by Swedish people this time of year.  One of their biggest and most well-known celebrations is St. Lucia's Day on December 13. St. Lucia is known for having helped those in need, secretly bringing them food.  She would wear candles on her head so that she had both hands free to carry things. Today it is customary for the oldest daughter to dress in a white dress with a red sash, wear a crown of Lingonberry branches with candles, and deliver special buns or ginger snap biscuits to others. 

We mad our own crowns to remember this tradition.  

Counting Strips

During math today first graders were challenged with making counting strips, which involved counting and writing their numbers as high as they could go!  Not only were they practicing their counting skills, but they were working to make sure they corrected any reversals they may have made, wrote the numbers correctly, caught any numbers they may have omitted, and got some great practice writing numbers in the hundreds!!

How To Make a ...

First graders got to test out my book today, How To Make A Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich. I told them I had finished it and wanted to share it with them.  I had brought along the necessary items to make the sandwich, so we read the book and followed the steps.  We quickly realized that I had not included nearly enough details in my writing to successfully make a PB&J sandwich!  With the help of the students, I revised my book and made a delicious sandwich.  Which, of course, they all wanted to taste!!