Reading Workshop

During our mini-lessons for reading workshop we have recently been focusing on comprehension strategies.  It is important for students to understand that we don't just read words, but that we read them for a purpose.  We have been working on asking relevant questions and making meaningful text-to-self connections.  

Holiday Art

Over the next few days we will be discussing Christmas, Hanukkah  Los Posadas, and St. Lucia Day.  Students will have the opportunity to listen to stories, create art, work on a holiday 'scrapbook', and even eat some treats that represent different countries or holidays.  Below you will see students working on their poinsettia project and Christmas tree art (one of my new favorite projects)!

Mapping

For the past few weeks students in first grade have been learning about mapping.  We've compared globes to maps, discussed what the compass rose is and how it can be used, have begun to learn terms such as city, state, country, continent, and are now working on creating keys for maps.  We will be taking a small break from this theme so that we can explore different holiday celebrations over the coming week.  When we return from vacation we will finish our mapping unit before beginning a study of Mexico.  

Measurement

Students really seemed to enjoy learning about measurement...especially when they had the opportunity to measure each other.  They practiced measuring length (used arms and hand spans) and circumference (around wrists and heads).  The expectation is that by the end of the year first graders will be able to measure objects to the nearest inch.  They also need to be able to distinguish between centimeters and inches.

Writing Celebration

We had a writing celebration on Friday last week with Mrs. Sorenson's class. We met in their room for the first celebration, so we gathered in our classroom for this one. Students shared their stories with two people from the other class. At the end of the celebration, every writer received a star necklace for being super star writers! Great writing, everyone!

Holidays Around the World

Our holiday celebration will be on Friday, December 21st at the end of the day--2:00-3:00 p.m. I have created a Sign-Up Genius online form for those who wish to contribute food/other items for this celebration. You can follow this link or see the left-hand sidebar on the main blog page to access the Sign-Up Genius at any time.

UMS T-Shirts on Friday

UMS!!!!

                                                                          

This Friday, December 7th, all students and faculty will be photographed by grade level for the cover of our UMS 2012-13 yearbook.  Please have your child wear his/her UMS Champ shirt that they were given a few weeks ago.  It will be so fun to see all that blue and green spirit!

Paper Towel Tubes

As a piece of our first grade math curriculum students have begun to create number scrolls.  These scrolls will be kept at school until the end of the year (it takes a long time to write to 1,000).  In the meantime, I am collecting paper towel tubes to use for our scrolls.  If you have any and are able to send them to school that would be great!  Thanks!
                                                    

Looking for Maps

Do you have any maps around the house or in your car that you do not need anymore? We have officially started our social studies unit about mapping/our place in the world. We have several great map books in the classroom. However, having a variety of maps for students to explore in the classroom would be WONDERFUL! So, if you do have some extra maps, please send them in. Also, if you're out and about and see a display of free maps, please take some for us! Finally, any geography-related books, games, puzzles, activities would be excellent to have in the classroom--either for loan or to keep if you are not using them.