Star Light, Star Bright...

As part of our study on space, first graders have been learning about stars. Our most recent lesson focused on why we can't see the stars during the day.  Students wondered where they go and why do they disappear?  So, we did some investigating. 

First, each student got to make their own Big Dipper constellation on the bottom of a paper cup.  Using a pattern and a push pin, students poked holes in the cup to create their stars. 

Next, we turned off the lights and used our flashlights to project our stars onto the table top.  Pretty cool!!

Finally onto the day and night question.  Using a picture of a landscape, students projected their stars onto the paper to simulate the nighttime sky.  Their partner then used a second flashlight to act as the sun light.  They made the sun light rise and set.  This was a wonderful way to see why we can't usually see the stars during the day - they are still there but it is just too bright to see them.  

Our Town

Mrs. Rankin has been teaching the first graders all about community throughout the year.  One of their culminating projects was to create a model of the town of Richmond out of wood.  They did an amazing job!!  It is currently on display right in front of our school, on the front porch area. Please stop by and check it out!

Ones, Tens, Hundreds, Oh My!

First graders are really digging into place value this week!  Today they played a game called "Race for a Flat". To play this game, you need Base 10 blocks, a mat to collect your blocks on, and a die. Partners take turns rolling a die and collecting that amount of single cubes.  After each turn players must count up their total blocks and determine if they can trade in 10 singles for a stick of 10. The end of the game comes when you can trade in ten sticks of 10 for a flat of 100!!  Lots of great counting happened in our room today!!!

Kindness Donuts?!

In first grade today we read a book called The Jelly Donut Difference, Sharing Kindness with The World. After listening to and discussing this sweet story about treating others kindly and doing acts of kindness, we made our own (paper) donuts to share different ways that we can sprinkle kindness around to others. 

Stop by and check out our classroom door to see even more wonderful donuts!

Green Up Day at RES!

First graders joined the kindergarten classes this afternoon and went on a walk around the school grounds picking up garbage to help celebrate Earth Day as well as Green Up Day!  Armed with gloves and bags our students covered different areas of the school property and cleaned up a fair amount of trash.  Kudos to them for all of,their hard work and effort!  This was a huge act of kindness to their school community and the earth!

Ready to head outside!

And of course we had to cool off with a popsicle afterward!!