Skip Counting Puzzles

The students worked in small groups to create skip counting puzzles. Each group was given a sentence strip, a beginning number, and a rule card for what number they would be skipping by. On their sentence strip, they wrote their skip counting pattern down. They then covered three of the numbers with Post-It Notes. Each group them presented their puzzle to the class for their friends to solve the missing numbers.

Candy Corn Place Value

To assess the students' ability to represent numbers in various forms, they created candy corn place value art. Each student was given a different number. They wrote the number in the top portion of the candy corn. In the second portion, they had to draw a pictorial model of the number. In the bottom portion, they had to write the expanded notation of the same number. The kids loved it and had no idea I was assessing their understanding.

Pumpkin Descriptive Writing

The students used Thinking Maps to organize their ideas of how to describe a pumpkin. They then wrote three sentences using those Maps. Each week I model for the students how to use Thinking Maps to help them with their writing. Then they write independently for the first three days. On the fourth day, I sit down with each student individually to do one-on-one editing. When I see an area that needs to be corrected, I ask the students a guiding question such as "What goes at the beginning of the sentences?" and they answer. I think this helps them take more ownership and leads to better writing the next time. After we edit together, they go back and rewrite a final draft which is what is displayed in the hallway. While I work with students one-on-one, the other students are  working in Daily 5. Occasionally I will have an independent art project that they can do to go along with their writing.

Pumpkin Shapes

While learning about the attributes of shapes, we discussed that the attributes stay the same no matter how large or small you make that shape. The students explored this concept by making larger squares, square rectangles, and triangles out of smaller pattern blocks. They then used paper pattern blocks to make a pumpkin shape. As they worked we discussed how many sides and vertices each shaped had.

Apple Descriptive Writing

The students brainstormed ways to describe an apple on a Circle Map. They then used those ideas to build a Tree Map. The Tree Map was used to write sentences to describe the apple. We use Thinking Maps to help the students organize their thoughts in logical and detailed sentences.

Baking Cookies: Fiction or Non-Fiction?

We made cookies to assess the students' understanding of fiction and non-fiction with all of the first grade teachers team teaching. We chose to make chocolate chip cookies because we were also learning the /ch/ sound in word work. First we read and followed the recipe for making the cookies in both English and Spanish. The students identified that the author's purpose for writing the recipe was for information. The recipe was non-fiction. While waiting for the cookies to bake, we read The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins. The students identified that this book is for entertainment. Then, the cookies were enjoyed by all.

The Shape of Things

We read The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodds to introduce the attributes of shapes. After reading the students were each given a random shape that they had to turn into a real life object, just as in the book. They then told me about their shape which I typed following the style of the book. The pictures were bound together in a class book for them to read during Daily 5 and Math Tubbing. I believe it is important for students to be exposed to math vocabulary in all subjects.

Taking a Break...

I have been taking a break from blogging this month. Although I love sharing ideas and gathering ideas from other bloggers, sometimes you just need to relax. With that said, I have a backlog of pictures that needed to be uploaded. So, new posts are coming soon.

Spinning Spiders

As a part of our fluency and phonics practice focusing in s-blends, the students learned the poem "Spinning Spiders" which we recorded today. I use the iPad app Hokusai to record the students. You can hear them reading their poem here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/e9r4hgdrefx7ail/Spinning%20Spider.m4a. 

I'm a Little Teapot

In reading we have been working on s-blends. We practiced identifying them in text by reading and singing "I'm a Little Teapot." You can listen to a recording of the students singing here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/h5i6jbdwdk7j19i/I%27m%20A%20Little%20Teapot.m4a. I typically record the students on our class iPad each week so they can hear themselves. Recording gives them a sense of purpose knowing they will have an audience and helps them identify ways they can read more fluently.

Place Value Depictions to 120 Download

Fellow teachers, I just created a new place value download, Place Value Depiction to 120, for my Teachers Pay Teachers store. These printable posters allow students to depict numbers through pictorial models, expanded notation, written form, and on a tens/ones chart. Students can compare numbers using the various number depictions. The posters can be completed individually or in small groups to reinforce place value skills. The posters can be bound together as a book once completed to use as review. The posters can also be used to assess students' understanding of the place value concept.

Rachel's Challenge Rally

Our district emphasizes acts of kindness among the students and staff through Rachel's Challenge. Rachel's Challenge was started by the family of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine shooting. As a part of their challenge, students recognize acts of kindness by recording them on paper chains. The paper chains are all linked together. Our district recently had a Rachel's Challenge Rally where all schools brought their chains. The football field was full of chains. It was a sight to see!

Poetry: My Dog, Tag

The students recorded their weekly poem "My Dog, Tag" on the class IPad. We learned this poem to practice the sounds for short /a/ and short /o/. Each week in addition to reading the poems for fluency, we highlight the phonics features we are working on. Recording the poems lets the students hear themselves and lets them know what areas to work on for oral fluency. You can listen to their recording here.

Poetry: My Cat

Click here to listen to the students read one of their weekly poems "My Cat." The students learned this poem as we studied the sound for short /a/. Our weekly poems are typically tied to our weekly phonics focus.

Poetry: I Like Jam

To listen to the students reading one of their weekly poems, "I Like Jam", click here. They love recording their poems each week and listening to themselves. They often rerecord because they want to get better. This helps them understand that fluency, or reading like we talk, is important.

Poetry: Friends

Each week the students learn one or two new poems. The poems are typically based on our phonics focus of the week. At the end of the week, the students record themselves reading. Knowing that they have an audience sets a purpose for their reading and encourages them to be more fluent. To listen to them read "Friends" click here.

Lisa's Daddy and Daughter Day

We read Lisa's Daddy and Daughter Day to practice making predictions and retelling a story. Before reading, we took a picture walk and charted the students' predictions. After reading, we checked off the predictions that were true and wrote down the text evidence that supported the prediction. We then retold the story on a Flow Map. The students individually created a foldable to retell the beginning, middle, and end in their own words.

Fiction vs. Non-Fiction

In reading we have been learning about author's purpose. We have been sorting books into fiction and non-fiction categories, or entertainment and informational categories. After sorting real books for several days, the students worked in small groups to sort pictures of books from a Scholastic Book Fair brochure. They cut out the pictures and glued them onto a construction paper t-chart. This was a quick and engaging way to assess their understanding of the concept.