Barnya Russian Dancers

One person is in that costume posing as two dancers

The students enjoyed the dancing and cultural enrichment provided by TESPTO,  Thank you!

A Russian  Vintage Wedding Dress

It may be getting dark outside, but we're shining in our reading skills

Fundations

In Fundations (phonics), we are learning about digraphs.

Social Studies

I'm thankful for family and friends

This month we have been learning about American Symbols and Holidays celebrated in the USA. Happy Thanksgiving!   

Writer's Workshop

Rating Our Writing

Writer's Workshop

First Graders are working on writing Personal Narratives.  Students are encouraged to focus on a small moment in their life to write a story.  They need to write a beginning, middle, and end using the transition words of: First, Next, Then, and Last.  Students describe people, places, and things and explain how they felt at that moment. The Star Rating Chart is used by students to self assess their own writing.  Students are asked to write independently.  Writing conferences with the teacher are on-going throughout our writing block.  As students finish they compare their writing to Star Writing Chart and rate themselves.  

Fact Families

Our November Bulletin Board

Facts about Families 

• There are 3 numbers
• Use the same number in a different order
• 2 addition sentences
• 2 subtraction sentences
• One family has 4 problems

Math Workshop

Math Workshop Students are hard at work and are learning new math skills. 

Meet with the teacher

Pattern work

BUMP numbers game

Calendar skills

What does WIN time look like?

 

Our playground rules!

Bringing the Outdoors to our First Grade Classroom

Organisms

How are living things different from non-living things? What are the similarities and differences between plants found in the forest? How are woodland plants and freshwater plants alike and different? These are some of the questions that the children will be trying to answer during our Science times, as we begin our Science unit on Organisms.

Children have a natural curiosity about both animals and plants. In this Organism unit, the children will have many opportunities to observe and discover how plants and animals are alike and different, and to think about themselves as organisms too!

beetle

During this hands-on Science unit, your child will be observing and learning about a variety of living things such as snails, guppies, pill bugs, millipedes or best beetles, which will then be added to our classroom aquarium and terrarium. In addition, we will be growing our very own plants!

snail

guppy

As we investigate a variety of organisms, we will discover that organisms have certain basic needs, such as food and water. In addition, we will learn that organisms have certain specific needs- needs specific to the type of organism, such as type of water, range of temperature, and type of food. While observing and taking care of a number of different plants and animals, the children will hopefully develop positive attitudes and sensitivity toward living things- even towards those creepy crawly millipedes (which are a favorite of the first grade teachers). :-)

We are so excited to welcome Andrew Prazar, who will be working with our class several times throughout this unit. Mr. Prazar will be joining our class outside for several hands-on activities to foster a greater understanding of our environment and the living things that are all around us. Andrew Prazar is an environmental educator who spent 7 years working for Mass Audubon, most recently as the education coordinator at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary and obtained a Master's degree in Environmental Education from UNH. He is committed to helping students of all ages understand the natural world through hands-on programming that integrates with current school curricula. Mr. Prazar's enthusiasm, experience, and expertise will be invaluable throughout this unit, as he provides the children with so many wonderful outdoor learning experiences!

a sprouting plant

I can't wait to begin exploring and learning with our first graders!

OREO chatterpix

Our class has learned to use the OREO strategy (O;opinion R: reason E: explain/example O: opinion re-stated) to write their opinions. Before making the video,  I read the class the story of The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt. In the story, the crayons write a letter to their owner begging to be used properly.  Take a look at our video we created regarding our school supplies.

School Supplies from Mrs. Truhart on Vimeo.

Celebrating Dr. Seuss

Look at our door!  

Welcome READ ACROSS AMERICA!  Horton Hears A Who was the theme of our classroom door at Steward features a book by Dr. Seuss. 

Our favorite Dr. Seuss books

Reading Dr. Seuss's books has been a blast!  A class graph was generated to chart our favorite books! This activity was a great tie to our Math Unit on Graphing.  

The Royals of the Mountain!

Snow much fun!

Outside after a two foot snow storm the day before. We're having snow much fun! 

Field Trip to Newburyport

Field Trip to Newburyport

On Wednesday, thanks to the generosity of TESPTO, our first graders had a wonderful field trip to the Fire House Center for the Arts to see the Tanglewood Marionette's presentation of Sleeping Beauty. In this retelling of this classic fairy tale, a painted story book opened to reveal each scene.  Beautifully crafted and hand-carved marionette's were brought to life by a master puppeteer.

  

Sleeping Beauty

Common Core

Reading: Literature

Key Ideas and Details

1. Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.

Corresponding College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standard

2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

Happy 2015

We've been busy since 2014.  Here we are adding numbers to 20.  On this day, the kids learned the strategy of making 10 and counting on.

When we need a break.  Here is one of our songs.