MLK, Living and Nonliving, and Writing Expository Text

Hello Everyone!
Friday was one of our favorite days!  We finished up learning about Martin Luther King, Jr., and living and nonliving things. I love the passion the kids have for learning about important people from our nation's history.  Making it relevant to them can sometimes be a challenge. Our class is so diverse as far as ethnicity goes, the kids can't even begin to imagine what life was like in the 60's. For the past 9 or 10 years, I've been able to use this object lesson to bring home the lesson learned through MLK. Get as many different kinds of apples as you can find, or even have kids bring in their favs.  Talk about how different each apple looks in color, shape, size, texture. Then begin slicing the apples in half horizontally. The kids will be amazed at the formation of a star on the inside of each and every one.  Just like people- We all look different on the outside and are beautiful stars on the inside!! I am so thankful these sweet kids really understand and that they are the future!!

Friendship comes in all colors!

For my MLK unit CLICK HERE!

Next up was a culminating Sci. Fri lesson on living and nonliving.  Kids had the opportunity to compare a gummy worm, a live earth worm, and a rubber worm. Did you hear them all screaming at the sight of a real earth worm???  They were so engaged!!! You can't teach this with pencil and paper.

Found these at Dollar Tree

Sweet team mate picked these up at WalMart

Proud of all these brave learners!!!

For a printable living vs. nonliving unit,

CLICK HERE!!

This coming week we will begin focusing on other important men and women from history, and we will begin writing expository text.  That may sound like a daunting task to ask of first graders, but if you take it step by step and show lots of examples, they can do it!!!

I have posted my "Write to Teach" unit before, but I've gone through and refurbished to break down the steps even further including starting with having the kids write an expository on the person they know best...themselves!! 

We will start the process with a bubble thinking map, move to a rough draft, revise, edit, and publish with lots of guidance along the way.

When the kids are finished they will have a book about themselves!!

For you own 20 page expository writing unit CLICK HERE!!

I know that I promised you a unit about hot chocolate, and that is still on deck.  I'll post it as soon as it is ready!! Thanks for your patience!!

Till then, thanks for stopping by to take a peek through our little window!! 

We are learning and laughing!!

Joyfully!

Nancy