So, these first graders were putting some pressure on me to post this right away! They have been so excited to learn about the sun as the principal source of energy. Today we used solar ovens to cook S'mores! It was not only fun, but a great learning experience that I think will help them remember the power of the sun's energy. Students drew pictures and wrote about their experience after enjoying their treats. We have learned interesting facts about the sun as well as key concepts like the sun warms the Earth, gives us light, and some ways that people use solar energy like drying clothes on outside on a sunny day, solar powered lights, homes, and solar ovens. We also briefly discussed how the sun is responsible for the water cycle and winds. Next week we will continue to talk about the sun and its connection to the water cycle and wind as well as learn about photosynthesis and how the sun allows plants to make food. We will then learn about our dependence on those plants and the food chain. We hope you enjoy a few pictures of our solar oven cooking experience! I know they loved this because by the end of the day my desk was full of bucket filler slips from the students thanking me for cooking S'mores with them...so sweet! I sent home a paper copy of directions because many students want to try this at home with their families. I'm also including the link for a video of directions here. I know I will be making these this weekend with my own 3 kids!
3 Comments
We have had a terrific start to the school year and the students are getting very comfortable with all of the first grade routines. We spend a lot of time in small groups and centers and it takes a few weeks to learn the procedures and expectations for our literacy centers and math rotations. We have been slowly introducing these since day one of school. We were able to start both the MATH rotations and literacy centers last week and the class is doing an AMAZING job! We have 12 centers going during small group reading instruction. Two students are assigned to a center and they rotate each day. Prior going to the center, the student have a checklist they complete which includes 10 minutes of reading (one book title is recorded on their reading log), 10 minutes of journal writing (they choose a topic from a menu of ideas), and 5 minutes of math fact practice. Each student has a timer and a dry-erase checklist so they can manage independently while we work with small groups or individual students in reading. The students can choose any order in which they'd like to complete the reading, writing, and math. Then they head to their assigned center. Below are a few pictures of the centers in action with a brief description. ![]() This is my personal favorite center-the listening center! Students select a book and corresponding QR code card from the basket. They use an iPod Touch and scan the QR code which takes them to a site where the book is read aloud to them. They have a book report to complete after listening to the story. They love scanning the QR codes!
These 3 photos show the Red Words and Blending Center. Students will do various activities to practice their red words (words that don't follow the rules) such as using magnetic letters to spell them or dotting the letters in each word. The blending part of the center mimics a routine we do daily in our phonics instruction. Students have 3 piles of sounds we have learned so far. They tap each sound and blend them together. Most words are nonsense words, but if they get a real word, they give a thumbs up. When working with their partner, one can be the teacher and the other can practice blending. It's always fun to get to be the teacher for a few minutes! ![]() A definite favorite for the students-iPod Touch Center! Students can work on various apps. The current favorite is Teach Me First Grade. Students log in with their name and work on reading and math skills to earn coins. When they earn coins, they can shop for things like virtual pet fish and food etc. They love it!
![]() This is the fluency and poetry center. Here students are working on fluently reading word lists. They time each other (or themselves) and try 3-5 times to beat their time. They can choose how many word lists they would like to work on at a time depending on the level of challenge they would like. As the year progresses, students will work on phrases and short passages. The poetry portion of this center has students rereading poems from their poetry binders and completing activities to go along with the poems.
MATH ROTATIONS We find that one of the best ways to meet the wide variety of needs for math instruction is to do a lot of small group instruction. This way students are being provided with instruction right at their level so we can provide them with interventions and enrichment as needed. The small group reading centers have always been a favorite for students, but I think the MATH rotations probably top the list. The students are put into a group based on an assessment. This groups could change daily depending on the current skill we are working on and their progress. It is usually based on an assessment from the day prior or a few days prior at most. Students rotate through four centers: M stands for math facts. Students were assessed and given a set of addition flashcards. They follow the rainbow color order and students progress through the colors at their own pace. They have a rainbow in their student learning portfolios where they track their own progress. During this time, students can choose to work alone or with a partner on their flashcards. A stands for at your seat. Students are assigned various assignments to complete at their seat. These are typically review skills and done independently, but they can seek assistance from a peer if needed. Often we use the Everyday Math Journal during this time. T stands for teacher. This is the heart of these rotations. The students get instruction right at their level on whatever skill we are currently working on. For instance, we have been working on numbers 1-120. Some students have needed some interventions and extra practice as we have been working on more basic things like number formation and correctly writing numbers to 100. Some students needed some extra instruction with writing numbers 100-120. One group was working on counting objects within 120 and writing the number. And some students have already mastered this first grade standard and are working on the second grade standard of numbers into the thousands. It's a great way for us to meet the needs of all of our students on a daily basis. H stands for hands-on. The students eagerly await their turn for working on various apps on the iPod Touches. I was so happy to hear several students say this week that the teacher center was their favorite center of all. (I actually was shocked too!) We hope this gives you a good introduction to all of our centers. We are looking forward to lots of learning and fun during this time!!! |
Archives
May 2017
Categories |