Our Blog: 2016

Monday, May 30, 2016

It's Epic!

Learning about EPIC!

CC getting her lesson

We are in love with Epic! An app that is chuck full of books. Once the children set their profile they are able to choose books from an endless cyber space supply. As they read books, Epic makes suggestions for other books they may like to read. I briefly introduced it to our class. The next day Miss Klipfel's class came to our room to guide us and make suggestions! We have loved it ever since!

Anna showing Jana and Gianna the ropes

Chase and his tutor

The ladies engrossed in a story

CC trying out a feature

Take a look at a book cover on EPIC!

Shay, Taylor, and Eva near the end of the tutorial with Miss Klipfel's children

Here is the ICON

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Weather Alert: Tornados hit school

Riddle: What is as loud as a train? Moves as fast as 300 miles per hour? Can be 1 mile wide? And fit in a jar?
Answer: A tornado

Mrs. Hoffman overseeing the tornados in our classroom

As part of our weather unit, we are making a learning stop at tornados. We have learned about their sounds, their possible size, and where they have touched down. We were happy to learn that they don't like to visit New England or Middleton often. Mrs. Hoffman checked the internet to see when the last tornado or tornado like storm stopped or better yet.....passed through Middleton. The answer was there hasn't been one in Middleton but there was one nearby in 1970. Of course to a First Grader that was around the same time as the dinosaurs. HA!

Mara, Myla, and Andrea making the tornados swirl!

A great video to learn about tornados. We were spell bound as we watched and learned more about tornados. Please take a look.

We also learned to make a tornado in a jar. Some of our class members have already tried it at home. Give it a try if you haven't made one yet. Check out this science project. Super easy and fun!!!
Remember it's okay to TRY THIS AT HOME!!

An upclose look

CC joins in the watching the swirling effect!

Essential Question: What else do scientists need to learn to assist them in gaining greater understanding about the functions of nature?

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

If our walls could talk....

They would tell you about 1st graders working in partners to make a piece of art that shows the weather word they randomly chose. They would tell you about the collaboration and excitement of sharing ideas and creating something better together than they could have created alone.

Books and Art

They would whisper to you about the weather pictures and weather facts we marvel at and share after snack. They would tell you about all the weather words we add to the weather word cloud after we read books or have an excited discussion after a weather presentation.

Weather Words, Weather Art, Weather Books

They would tell you who gazes at words to help them write or read.

Word Wall

They would tell you who is having the crispy chicken, bagel or who brought lunch from home.

Lunch choice cups

They would tell you what time special is and lunch and recess. You would learn who is the messenger or the trash helper or the assistant and who has the week off.

Months, Daily Schedule, and Job Chart

They would tell you who looks at the visuals and follows the steps as we practice regrouping in both addition and subtraction.

They would tell you who lost a tooth this month or last or in October. You would know whose birthday is in June or July or all the other months.

Birthdays, Lost Teeth, and Calendar

If these walls could talk......

Essential Question: How does the learning environment effect the learning experience?

How to.....

How to do how to writing....

Step 1 - Decide on a topic you know how to do
Step 2 - Write an opening sentence that informs the reader
Step 3- Write 4 steps to teach the reader
Step 4 - Write a closing sentence that wraps up your writing
Step 5 - Illustrate your book
Step 6 - Make a cover

A writer at work! Using their planning page to write their book.
Another writer preparing the cover.

Domenic adding details to his cover

Andrea and Chase working on their books.
That's Mara in the background .She created a quiet space to write.

Owen's hands hard at work adding details to his cover of How to do a Reverse Roll.

Our How to Library!!

Essential Question: Where do writers get their ideas for procedural writing?

Common Core - Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Pleeaaasseeee!!!!!

We just finished working on opinion and persuasive writing. We learned that writers have an opening and closing sentence and give reasons to persuade someone to believe what they believe.

We started learning about persuasive writing by reading "I Wanna Iguana" by Karen Kaufman Orloff and illustrated by David Catrow.

Enjoy Karen Kaufman Orloff's website.

To practice our craft of writing, the children were asked to write their teachers a letter to persuade us to get a class pet. As you can imagine, there was great sadness when they learned we weren't persuaded to get a class pet. To soften the blow, each child made and named their very own class pet.

Take a look at some of our writing and class pets.

Penguins

We learned lots about penguins this winter! To top off our learning we made penguins in an icy environment.
Besides reading, we learned a lot from Penguin videos.
Here are a few......Penguin Cam, King Penguins, Penguin Dance.

Mrs. Hoffman showing the penguin makers how to...

Take a look at a still shot of the Penguin Cam we checked out!
That's our Penguin Bulletin Board with writing and our icy penguin landscape!

Take a closer look at our list of penguin facts and reading area.
That is Jana and Taylor crafting their penguins.

More displayed penguin art and Mrs. Hoffman guiding the artists as they make the background,

A close up of Domenic and Mara painting while the others are listening to the directions.
You can also see one of our many penguin reports!

Essential Question: What generalizations can be made about all penguins?

Going Places

Read Across America Day!

First thing in the morning we got online to submit questions to the author and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds. At 1pm from Dedham, MA he read his newest book "Going Places". From Dedham, we, and all of America got to listen to him tell us about himself, read Going Places, and answer questions. He didn't answer any of our questions but many children in our class asked the same ones we wanted answered. Ask your child what they remember about what he said.

"Make Your Mark"- Peter H. Reynolds website. Click here

Here we are watching and listening to the author!

We really enjoyed it! It was very exciting!

Common Core Standard: Comprehension and Collaboration
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.

Sunday, February 28, 2016

All You Need Is Love, Room Parents, and Valentine's Day

(Love, love, love)

There's nothing you can do that can't be done

Nothing you can sing that can't be sung

Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game

It's easy

There's nothing you can make that can't be made

No one you can save that can't be saved

Nothing you can do but you can learn to be you in time

It's easy

All you need is love

All you need is love, love

Love is all you need

(Love, love, love)

All you need is love

All you need is love, love

Love is all you need

There's nothing you can know that isn't known

Nothing you can see that isn't shown

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be

It's easy

All you need is love

All you need is love, love

Love is all you need

All you need is love, all together now

All you need is love, everybody

All you need is love, love

Love is all you need

Lyrics from the Beatles

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Aren't We Fancy

Well, it only took a few snowstorms to pass for us to have our fancy day....We did it in style!
We wore fancy chinos, tiaras, bows, dresses, ties, skirts, boots, and sweaters. Take a look at us while the entire grade shares Fancy Nancy stories. We had a glorious (that's fancy for good) time!

Before you enjoy the fancy pictures, you may love to peruse (that's a fancy word for look) Fancy Nancy's website!! Click here .