In one of our science units, we are studying the seasons. The students have watched a number of videos, and been exposed to a number of books about fall. As part of their show and tell the students had to find fall scavenger hunt items. In discussing the items the students found, a number of them needed to be explained such as, what an acorn, winged seed or pine cone was. A number of students also found a number of walnuts that were discussed by Mrs. Beaudoin since she has a walnut tree in her yard at home. Some students were surprised by the condition of their leaves. This week we will discuss and write about the changes that occur in fall involving the clothes we wear, the temperature in nature, the activities students can do outside, the months of the year and the fall holidays.
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Last week the students worked on their pumpkins for Halloween art. The students explored mixing colours red and yellow so they could paint orange pumpkins. Then the pumpkins were cut out in order to create jack-o-lanterns. Each jack-o-lantern that the students created were unique. For math the students discussed some pumpkin centred math. After listening to the book, 'How Many Seeds Are In A Pumpkin", the students made predictions about how many seeds may be in our class pumpkin. The students also explored the number of lines on the pumpkin and measured the height and circumference with unifix cubes. In preparation for counting the number of seeds in the pumpkin, a few students helped with cleaning out our pumpkin. This past week Ms. Rita Raniwsky started volunteering in our class to help students with reading. She will be joining our class on Tuesdays and Thursdays to help our students with their guided reading. Ms. Raniwsky is a former teacher and principal with our school board. Congratulations to Christin for being named our Journey to Holiness winner for Knowledge. One of our daily practices is poetry reading each day. We choral read the poems of the week together. We also look at sight words and rhyming words in each of the poems. By the end of the week the students are eager to read the poems on their own. This past week we were also tasked with decorating a pumpkin for the Fall Fest. The students made suggestions on what to make our pumpkin into. They then voted of the choice they wanted. This year the students decided and decorated the pumpkin as a donut with whip cream and a cherry on top. Congratulations to the grade one class for coming in first place along with a Grinch pumpkin. As part of our living things science unit, the students helped Miss Nancy with planting tulips. The students had a great time on their field trip to Tillbilly Hayride on Friday. Thank you to our parent volunteers Mrs. Campbell, Mr Marion and Mrs Roy. The students enjoyed picking their own pumpkin, a tractor ride were they got up close to a windmill, various games and a haunted transport truck. During each school day a portion is set aside for centre work. Centre work in math and literacy allows the students to work on math and literacy activities with a partner. In math, centre work allows the students to review concepts of manipulating and recognizing numbers through games using dice. The students practice the basic number skills of counting, adding and subtracting. They may also work on graphing, patterning, measurement and sorting skills. In literacy the students work in centres while I am teaching guided reading groups. These centres involve read to self, listen to reading, writing, word work and literacy work on a iPad. In preparation for working on literacy centres we have had to practice reading to self for longer and longer periods of time without interruptions. At this point in time the students are able to extend their read to self time for about 17 minutes. Extended work at these centres, by students, will allow me uninterrupted guided reading time with a separate group of students. This past week the students worked with Mrs. Nancy on making apple crisp with the apples we picked at Thiessen's Apple Orchard. For writing the students have been working on a Turkey Booklet of things they are thankful for at school, home, outside and talents they may have. This week we will continue to work on this booklet. The students also did some painting to complete a turkey craft they took home. During our practice sessions for Read to Self, the students are now close to about 17 minutes of reading on their own. This is in preparation to work on literacy centres on their own while I am taking students for guided reading. Beside a Read to Self centre, the students will be working on a Listening Centre, Writing Centre, Word Work Centre and literacy work at an iPad Centre. The students continue to work on math centre activities that involve graphing, patterning, sorting, number and number word identification, Centre time usually lasts for about 10 minutes of our total 60 minute math time. We also spend about 10 minutes on basic number work and the rest of the time is spent on lessons and class work to explore the lesson taught using math manipulatives and some form of recording their thoughts from the Math Make Sense program. This past week the students were learning about apples. After reading a number of books about apples, the students took part in a taste testing experiment to see which kind of apple they likes. For math the students will graph their favourite type of apple, red delicious, granny smith or golden delicious. We also watched a number of videos about the apple orchard, learning about the apple life cycle. At our visit on Friday to Thiessen's Apple Orchard the students took part in a lesson about the life cycle of the apple in which they were well prepared to answer questions. We then took a tractor ride out to the orchard where the students could pick their own apples. We visited with some of the animals kept at the orchard. After our lunch, the students then played in the extensive play area. A thank you to our parent helpers! Great fun was had by all the students. In math the students have been busy working on two units of study: Number Sense and Numeration and a Sorting Unit. We have been slowly working on numbers 1-10 creating a number poster for each number that will show students the different ways they may see/draw each number. This past week we were working on the number 2 by discussing how you would see it as a number, word, picture, ten-frame, and on dice, domino, in tally marks, number line, and addition problems. The students also completed a unit on sorting using manipulatives and showing their understanding by completing cut and paste sorting tasks. The students also started work on weekly 10 minute math games/activities which the last two weeks were testing number recognition skills using 1 dice as well as co-operation skill when working with a partner. Welcome to all grade one students and their families to a new school year. The students have been busy getting to know one another and learning the rules and routines of the classroom and school. Welcome to Mrs. Beaudoin and Ms. Lowe our educational assistances working with a number of students in the classroom. Thank you to all the parents in sending back the Student Information Form, School Waiver for Field Trips Form and Blog Permission Form. There are still students that need to have indoor running shoes as well as headphones, for work in the computer lab and when using the CD players and iPads in the classroom. Also their are a number of students that need to bring in their change of clothes in case of any accidents. I would not have to call you to bring clothes because of a bathroom accident or your child falling in the mud at recess. Here are some photos of our first day activities. The students are creating a favourite item they created with Playdoh, as well as completing their first writing assignment on how they felt on the first day of school. For our science unit "Materials, Objects and Structures" the students worked on testing out the absorption of various materials. The students had to first make predictions on whether certain materials such as tin foil, wax paper, bread, cotton, plastic wrap, a feather, or napkins would absorb or repel drops of water. After their predictions were made the students then tested the materials. For music class on Friday the students explored using rhythm instruments. After playing each rhythm pattern the students exchanged instruments so they could experience playing each type. |
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June 2019
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