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.

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.

 

 

Beluga Whale Research

After learning about the two types of whales, baleen and toothed, the students focused more specifically on researching Beluga Whales. Ms. Willemin, our student teacher, facilitated the students in researching what Belugas look like, what they eat, where they live, and other interesting facts. As they learned new facts, they recorded it to a Circle Map. They then used the Circle Map to write a shared writing research paper. In shared writing, every child gets an opportunity to write and the students help one another with spelling and sentence structure.

Ocean Animal Research

In reading we have been learning about author's purpose, informational texts, and using text evidence. As a part of these lessons, the students worked in small groups with our Instructional Media Specialist, Ms. Hollingsworth, to research various ocean animals. The students took notes about the appearance of the animal, where they live, what they eat, and other interesting facts. They then used those notes to write a research paper. Their research papers were displayed with scuba divers in the hallway for Open House.

Space Facts

As a part of our space research, the students wrote and illustrated at least one fact they found independently from an informational text.

Space Research Papers

After researching space from various informational texts, the students used their Circle Maps to independently write research papers. Before beginning, we had a mini-lesson on how authors often use a "hook" or something catchy to get a reader's attention. One of the ways we discussed is that author's sometimes ask a question to actually state a fact about their topic. The students all started their papers by ask a "Did you know?" question by stating their most interesting fact. They then wrote at least four more related facts about their topic. They glued their Circle Map and final draft (we always edit writing together) on a black piece of construction paper.

Space Research

In reading we have been learning about informational texts. As a part of those lessons, the students have been using various non-fiction sources to research space. The students were divided into groups. In their groups they chose a specific topic about space: astronauts, space shutttles, stars, the sun, or the solar system as a whole. They worked in small groups with me to research using PebbleGo. They recorded important information on a Circle Map. They then worked together to find book sources to record addtional important information.

KidBlog: Space Art

Today in the computer lab the students began using their KidBlog.They were very excited. In reading we have been learning how to research using informational texts. Since they have been researching space in reading and learning about day and night in science, the drew a picture using Pixie 2 software of a few key facts about space. In their pictures they had to include the sun as the center with eight planets orbitting around. They also had to include stars as a part of the Milky Way Galaxy. The technology skills that we worked on were "click, hold, and drag" as well as how to resize and fill shape objects. Afte they created their pictures, they exported them (with my assistance). I then taught them how to login to their blog and upload their pictures. They were so excited and thought it was "magic!"

Ch-Ch-Chocolate Chip Cookies!

To help the students learn about the purpose of informational versus entertainment texts and to make a real world connection to the digraph /ch/, all of the first grade teachers and classes joined together to make chocolate chip cookies. We read the recipe, in both English and Spanish to the students. As we read, the students took turns following the steps. As we made the cookies we discussed that recipes are meant to inform or teach you something. Then while the cookies baked, we read The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins and Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar by Viviana Garofoli. As we read these books we discussed their purpose: entertainment. And, of course, the students then enjoyed eating the cookies.

 

 

Entertainment vs. Informational Texts

We have been studying Author's Purpose through a variety of texts. To assess the students' understanding, they worked in groups to sort pictures of books on a t-chart. The pictures of books came from Scholastic Book Club mail outs. The students could cut out as many books as they wanted to sort.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last week we learned about the sounds /sh/ and /ch/. To help the students remember /ch/, all of the first grade teachers taught a collaborative lesson in how to make chocolate chip cookies. Along with our phonics connection, we reviewed the purpose of entertainment texts and informative texts. We first read the recipe for chocolate chip cookies and discussed that it was meant for information because it teaches you how to make the cookies. We then followed the directions step-by-step. While the cookies were baking, we read Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar by Vivana Garofoli and  The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins. The students discussed why these stories were for entertainment. And, as perfect timing, right at the end of the reading of The Doorbell Rang, the oven timer rang and the cookies were ready. The students then enjoyed their sweet treat!

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How Do Apples Grow?

Over the last two weeks we have been talking about different types of media and their purposes. Two of the main purposes we talked about last week were reading for entertainment and information. One of the books we read to learn more about the purpose of reading for information was How Do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maesto. After reading and discussing the book, the students wrote about what the topic of the book was and then identified whether the text was for entertainment or information. And, of course, they created an apple to go along with their writing!