Syllables are parts of words, parts of words, parts of words...

Hello Everyone!

Just an ultra quick post today!  My sweet youngest son is moving back home to save money. Must go get that U-Haul!! Can't wait!

I wanted to share a quick lesson we did this week on syllables.  I wrote a little song to help because I know kids learn beautifully through rhyme and rhythm.  We sang the song together several times, worked on how many syllables we have in our names, and other fun words, and then to help things sink in a little more, the kids helped decorate the butterfly section of the poster with butterflies while singing!

Here's a printable if you want it! :) Click Here!

The kids put this poem in their Poetry folders.

How many syllables are in YOUR name?? :)

Have a great weekend!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Good Readers...

Hello Everyone!

What does it mean to be a good reader as far as first graders are concerned?  Well, let's let first graders tell us!  This week we created a new anchor chart for what we thought good readers do.  After almost three weeks of building these kids up as far as what we will work on this year, I think they came up with a pretty good list!  We added their ideas to a cute chart that will hang in our room.  We have extra flowers to add later as we dig into and grow our reading. Great job, kids!! 

I made a smaller version of the poster for kids to take home, or put in their Reader's Response journals...I haven't decided yet. 

 For your free printable version of our poster, click here! :)
  Happy Reading!!
Joyfully!
Nancy

I have to sneak in a sweet picture of one of my sweeties enjoying "practicing reading" with Stripes the Bibliobear in our reading tub!

:)

Life size ten frame

Hello Everyone!

Our math objectives for the first couple of weeks of school are to have students recognize quantities without counting, recognizing structured quantities up to 10, and applying mathematical process standards to represent and compare whole numbers.  We are using a lot of dice, dominoes and ten frames to build our number sense.  Today we practiced using a ten frame. The fun part was that it was life size!  I saw a cute idea about using tape on the carpet to map out a ten frame, but I wanted one that I could pick up and move, use in a math tub, etc.  So, for about a dollar, I made two frames out of a shower curtain liner and some painter's tape! The markers or counters were the kids!! We practiced showing different quantities together, and then I broke the kids up into two groups and called out numbers.  they had to work together to be the first group to show that amount on their ten frames. Any time I can incorporate a kinesthetic approach to learning, I am going for it!!  We had so much fun!  I am sure this will be one the kids will ask to do over and over!

Cut a shower curtain liner in half so you have two rectangles.

Tape off the ten frame

 A life size visual of quantifying and subitizing!

 Give it a try!!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Think Outside the Box Thursday

Howdy!

Thanks for stopping by!  One of my favorite Morning Warm Up activities is my "Think Outside the Box Thursday!" activity.  I developed this unit to help my kiddos stretch the creative side of their brains. The goal is for them to make the shape into something no one else will think of.  This week's shape brought out some fabulous ideas!  Way to go kids!

 for this printable, click here :)

for your own copy of my 39 page Think Outside the Box Thursday pack, click here


Stay tuned for another peek into the creative minds of first graders!!
Joyfully!
Nancy

It's Hard to Fix a Wrinkled Heart

Howdy!
Welcome back! 
Today we read one of my favorite beginning of the year books, Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes.  It has become a fav of the kids too. Many of them said they have the book at home or their kindergarten teacher read it to them. I told them that's why books are so special. No matter how many times you read a book, each time is like opening a gift.  This time we were going to really think about the main character's feelings and the author's message.  As we read the book, I passed around a large paper heart.  Each time Chrysanthemum was teased because of her name, we crumpled up the heart.  Every time someone did something nice to her, we tried our best to smooth it out. By the end of the story, the heart was a wrinkled mess that could not be smoothed out perfectly. 
The kids got the connection that our own hearts feel wrinkled and crumpled sometimes when we don't like what someone says.  Words do hurt. We then tried to put bandaids on the heart as a way to show that we can own our mistakes and apologize.  The heart will probably still be wrinkled, but it is healing.

I, then had the kids do a mini version of this in their Reader's Response Journal.

 

Always Use Kind Words!

You can find this activity along with a few other things to do with this amazing book if you click here!

Including the little heart poem in the center:

Before you speak,

Think and be smart.

It's hard to fix

a wrinkled heart.

Here's to Happy Hearts!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Put a Cap On it!!

Howdy!
This week we are working hard on knowing when to use upper and lowercase letters in our writing.  Many first graders start off using upper case letters randomly and inconsistently. Most know the difference in the letters but are unsure of when to use them. Most do know that when we write I speaking about ourselves, we use uppercase. I thought I would tackle the other inconsistencies in a fun way by "putting a cap on it!" We literally put "a cap" on it!  I wrote a quick little chant/rap (whatever you want to call it) , put some labels on some caps, and tah-dah! "The beginning of a sentence, names and I!"  The kids caught on so quickly!  We didn't want to stop! 

We read the chant several times...You can put your own spin on it,

 but it turned out to sound like a mini rap.

(Don't worry, I changed the it's to its already! Thanks for catching that, friend!!)

 

 

Then the kids made their own caps. Colored the cap, cut it out,

 wrote the three times to use uppercase on the back,

and then we fit them to our heads! :)

Sorry, the pics didn't turn out very well.

The kids loved them though and wore them all day!

Click here for the corrected version of the lesson.

(its, not it's)

Have fun with learning and Put a Cap On It! :)

Joyfully!

Nancy

 

 

David Goes To School

Howdy!
Welcome to another fun peek into the wonder-filled world of First Grade!  Today we began our mini unit on "Me and My School."  It is important that kids realize that there are leadership positions in all aspects of our day.  They also need to understand that we can learn from those leaders. For us to be our best we have to learn what choices are best for us. Using "David Goes to School" as a character analysis text is a great way to bring respect and responsibility into a conversation about choices and leadership.  I recently shared my unit about "Me and my School" but I wanted to share a few of the David craft and writing connections the kids did today.  After reading the story we analyzed little David's antics. We charted his "do's" and "do nots" and then the kids created their own David.I love how each one turned out differently and that the kids wrote the what was important to them. 

 To see my initial post about the unit click here.

 

For the free 18 page "Me and My School" unit click here

The unit contains ideas for this book, anchor charts and a simple pattern. 

The kids did most of the work themselves on this little cutie! David is a great motivator!! :)

 

Hope you enjoyed this very quick peek!  Stop by again soon!  Now, off to get ready for tomorrow!!

Joyfully!

Nancy

 

 

My Promise to My Students

Howdy!
Tomorrow evening we are going to be busy talking with all of our first grade parents about our year at our "Curriculum Night."  Not only do parents want to hear about what their children will be learning, but I think they also want to be sure that their children are happy, safe, and valued. I want them to be assured that I will treat these kids as if they were my own. I have two wonderful sons who have grown up to be confident, loving, hard working young men. Sometimes it was very hard work!  I will work hard to help my students become confident, loving, and hard working as well. I have this little reminder hanging in my room as an inspiration as I strive to be the best I can be for these little sweeties.
If you are a parent reading this, thank you so much for entrusting your child to me!

 

For a free printable of this promise click here :)

 

(available in color and black and white

if color ink is in short supply)

 

I am looking forward to a year of fulfilled promises!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Bubblegum Beginning!

Howdy Everyone!
WOW!!  What a great first week we had!  I love my new class so much already.  They are so anxious to learn.  We had so much fun beginning the year with our Bubble gum theme!  And can you believe it? One of the last things we did this week was a science experiment with bubble gum.  Yes! I let the kids chew and chew and chew. they couldn't believe they were chewing gum at school.
We started the week off with taking each first grader's (120 of the little cuties) picture with a cute frame we created to go with our theme.  A huge thank you to my team mate's awesome hubby for coming to do this!  And a huge thank you to our amazing room mom who developed the pictures! We added the pics to our door decor.
We continued the week with lots of fun bubblegum adventures. I added a couple of things to my Bubble Gun, Bubble Gum Unit, so click on the link below if you wan the new unit.  Enjoy the pictures!

 

Kids drew and colored their favorite thing from the first day. The drawings went on the gumballs in the hallway!

Our first "data" gathering.

"Roll a Gumball Machine" activity.

 Learning how to "tally count" activity

You can get a copy of this tally mark chant if you click here!

Even our drawing of what a scientist looks like

 ended up on gumballs!

You should have heard some of the responses!! :)

 

Making our own gumball machines and analyzing data.

 

Science activity. Learning about investigating, observing, and recording as scientists.

All these activities and more are included in my unit!

 

For your free Bubble Gum unit click here!

 

Stop by again soon for another peek into our first grade wonderful world!

 

Joyfully!

Nancy