Digraph Show and Tell

Over the last several weeks our word work has been based on the digraphs /sh/, /ch/, /th/, and /wh/. We have sorted words beginning with these sounds, found them in word searches, wrote them in dictation sentences, put together word puzzles with them, and wrote sentences independently with them. To bring it all together, we held Digraph Show and Tell. Students could bring in one item that begin with one of the sounds.

Book Character Parade

As a part of our Red Ribbon Week festivities and in perfect timing for Halloween, our school held a Book Character Parade. It is an annual event that the students, parents, and staff look forward to each year. The students showed their "character" by saying "no to drugs" by dressing up as their favorite storybook character and parading through the school.

Red Ribbon Week - Door Decorations

Last week was Red Ribbon Week at our school. First grade decorated with the theme "First Graders 'Clothes' The Door on Drugs." Each class decorated their door with a different type of clothing and saying. Our class decorated with cowboy boots and our saying was "We give drugs the boot!"

Magnetic or Not Magnetic?

Last week the students went to the science lab to discover which items were magnetic and which were not. Thank you to my co-teacher, Mrs. Timms, for being so flexible and taking my class to the lab when I was out. The students then went back to class and illustrated objects that were magnetic and items that were not magnetic.

Franklin's Halloween

As a part of our study of making connections, we read Franklin's Halloween by Paulette Bourgeois. The students made text-to-text and text-to-self connections to the story.

Bats on Parade

To identify the features of a fantasy text, we read Bats on Parade by Kathi Appelt. The students brainstormed various reasons why the book was a fantasy:

• Bats do not wear hats.
• Bats do not drive cars.
• Bats do not play instruments.
• Bats cannot talk.
• Bats do not have parades.

The students wrote at least one reason they knew the story was a fantasy and illustrated that part of the story.

The Biggest Pumpkin Ever

Last week we were working extensively on making connections. After reading The Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Steven Kroll, the students wrote and illustrated at least one text-to-self connection they made.

Partitioning Numbers

To help your students build quick number recognition using ten rods and ones, have them play Partioning Numbers. The game flashes various numbers and gives three answer options. As soon as the students choose the correct number, it moves to another. You can also download a set of Place Value Flashcards that I made for FREE.

Dino Place Value

Here is another fun way to practice place value at home. In the game Dino Place Value, the students are given a number to build. They identify first how many tens there and need to mentally calculate its worth. They then identify how many ones there are. In class we practice counting how many tens and then calculating how much the tens are worth by counting them by tens. We use vocabulary and phrasing such as this: "There are 2 tens. 2 tens is worth 20. There are 4 ones. 4 ones is worth 4. 20 plus 4 equals 24."

Base Ten Block Game

To help your child with place value, have them visit Learning Box to play the Base Ten game. The students will build various numbers. We are currently working on building numbers to 50. You can also have your child practice at home with manipulatives you probably have around the house. You can use pretzel sticks, craft sticks, straws, toothpicks, pencils, etc. for tens. You can use marshmallows, candy, buttons, etc. for ones. A trick we use in class to signal when it is time to break a skip counting pattern between tens and ones is to clap in between the units. For example, if we are counting to 32, the students would say 10-20-30-(clap)-31-32.

The Memory String

As a way to analyze character's feelings and make connections, we read The Memory String by Eve Bunting. The story is about a little girl whose mother had passed away and reflects on the relationship between a daughter and step-mother during a conflict. After reading, the students verbally identified the characters, setting, problem, and solution in the story and made connections to the story. They then wrote the story elements on a four-part chart. You can download this story elements chart for FREE at my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Needs and Wants

Last week in Social Studies we studied the differences between needs and wants. The students read about, wrote about, and brainstormed various things that we need to live and things that we may want to make life easier or more pleasurable. One of the activities the students completed was to create a foldable to identify one need and one want.

Pumpkin Patch Place Value

Over the last several weeks we have been learning about place value. To practice identifying and counting tens and ones, we created pumpkin patches. Each student was given a bag of candy pumpkins. Each bag had a different number of pumpkins it in ranging from 20 to 50. The students placed the pumpkins on a ten rod mat starting at the top. As they placed the pumpkins, we discussed how there was not a need to count the pumpkins one-by-one because once a row was complete, we could count them by ten. A row that was not full had to be counted by ones. After building their numbers, we took a gallery walk to each table to count the various numbers of pumpkins. At each table the students discussed which number was the greatest and which was the least. We talked about first looking at the tens place and then at the ones place, if they tens were equal. The next day, the students chose a new bag and repeated the activity. This time instead of counting the numbers aloud, they drew sticks and dots to represent the nubmer. They wrote how many tens and ones were in their pumpkin patch and its expanded notation. Because we were having so much fun, we decided to extend the lesson to another day. The students chose another bag and built their number. This time, they used paint to create thumbprint pumpkins on a paper version of the ten rod mat to match their candy pumpkin representation. They students then wrote how many tens and ones were in their pumpkin patch and how much it was worth in expanded notation. Teachers, you may download the templates for the Pumpkin Patch Recording Sheet and the Pumpkin Patch Place Value Mat at my Teachers Pay Teachers store for FREE! Enjoy!

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Place Value Initials

***UPDATE: You can now download the templates on my TPT store.***

To practice place value, the students built the first letter of their name with paper Base Ten Blocks. They then counted how many tens and ones were needed for their letter. They then calculated how much those tens adn ones were worth. In small groups, the students discussed which letter was worth more and which was worth less as a way to review greater than and less than.