Updates from 1st grade

Whew, we've had another very busy week in 1st grade as we've been working to complete our state mandated PALS testing. This week we continued to work on building our stamina for reading independently and made it to 16 minutes! Our goal is to get to 20. We learned all about Listen to Reading, which is one of our Daily 5s, and how to use QR codes and the site BookFlix on our iPads during this time. 

We also learned about an app called, Chirp this week which allows me to send images/pictures to all of the students iPads without the use of email. Using this app, kiddos were able to import pictures of our calendar and weather graph into an app called Doodlecast Pro. Each morning, when we do our calendar on the smartboard together each student will also complete their own on their iPad. At the end of the month, we'll use the recording feature of Doodlecast Pro to analyze our weather graph and tell what we observe. For example, there are 5 more sunny days than rainy. When we are done, the Doodlecast app, will also allow us to share our finished projects with you too, so be on the lookout for those the beginning of November.

In addition to our checking our weather for the weather graph, we've also been sharing our weather via Twitter with our buddy class in Oshawa, Canada via the hashtag #whatstheweather14.  Feel free to check out our Twitter page to see what we've been tweeting. This month is about learning how to tweet and we've been doing it together. Next month, it is my hope that we will also graph their weather and then compare our graphs.

We are continuing to work through Module 2 in math and have been focusing on the counting on strategy. Using this strategy, we start with the larger number and then count on from that number. For example: 8+2... we would say 8 and then say 9, 10.  I will be sending more information about this strategy home this week along with some flash cards that you can use to have your child practice this strategy.

On last reminder... this Tuesday night is our PTO Family Fall reading event. Students will be able to decorate pumpkins in the cafeteria while parents have the ability to go to 2 different sessions geared towards reading and writing to get information for your use at home. The event starts at 6:00 and goes until 7:30. If you haven't signed up yet, please feel free to just show up. Hope to see you there!

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Which number is greater?

In math we have been working on understanding that numbers are made up of 10s and 1s. We have been building numbers and now are comparing numbers with our concrete models so we can visually see how 32 is larger than 17. This seems like a very basic concept for us, but for children, numbers are often very abstract and although they may know that the number is larger, they may not realize why.

We have been using base 10 blocks and cubes to show numbers but have also been using virtual base 10 blocks (Number Pieces Basic which is a free app) and also drawing representations of the blocks with a drawing app (MaxDoodle)  on the iPad. You can see representations of both in our pictures.

Today kiddos had to represent numbers and also prove how they knew one was larger than the other. They could choose how they wanted to show it. It was great to see them take ownership not only of their learning but of how they felt most comfortable showing what they knew. As we finished, kiddos had the opportunity to come up and explain their thinking. I am excited by the growth I am seeing not only with everyone's ability to show what they know and explain their thinking but also with their use of technology and choosing the right tool/app to do the job.

Number Stories Tech'd Out

This week in math one of our learning targets has been to create and solve number stories. We used an app called, DoodlecastPro to help us show our learning for this target. Doodlecast Pro  is an app which allows us to record ourselves while also recording our writing and drawings.

After learning about the 3 main parts of a number story (numbers, words (story), and a question), students were given 2 numbers and a bag of manipulatives. With their partner they had to show their numbers with their manipulatives and come up with a story to match. They then recorded themselves and also added the number sentence to match. The results were phenomenal and compared to the math journal version, this was sooooooo much more engaging. I can see where kiddos will definitely remember this vs. black and white, uninteresting page in our math journal. 
See below for most of the teams' Doodlecast Pro video

Timmy, the Elf

With Snowstorm Brianna  and our late-in Friday changing our weekly routine, our Holiday Sing-along is now scheduled for 1:15 pm Friday.  

I'm sure your child has mentioned, Timmy, our classroom elf to you. Timmy has been hanging out in our classroom for a couple of weeks now. He is keeping on eye on us and is heading back to the North Pole each night to let Santa know if we've been using expected behaviors at school.  Each morning when he returns, he is in a new location in our classroom. 

Each day when the kiddos come in they look to find Timmy and then with their iPads, take a picture of him. I love seeing the different ways the kiddos take their pictures! Some take their pics from far away, some zoom in, and some take theirs from interesting angles. Each one is definitely unique. I love the one on the right that shows a some of the other students taking their pictures as well.

This one is also interesting, as part way through the day, Timmy fell over. We think he must have had a long night and decided that he needed to take a nap. One of the students felt she needed to get a pic of this event as well. 

So all of this said, we are obviously having fun documenting Timmy's escapades in our classroom but the long-range goal of all our picture taking is going to be a technology project in which your child will take all of their daily pictures and turn them into an iMovie or PicCollage creation which we will then share with your via our blog and/or email. We will also be using these pictures as a springboard for a paragraph writing project as well.


Our Polar Express activities went well (I'm so glad that we opted to move our celebration to Wed). The kiddos rotated to 4 different classrooms and participated in several different activities ranging from re-enacting the story, to playing a Roll-a-train game and drinking hot cocoa, making an ornament, an d several other activities. The Pulaski News sent a photgrapher over, so be on the lookout for your child to possibly be in the paper as well.

Monster Squeeze

Today in math we played a game called Monster Squeeze which helps us to count on the number line and understand the concept of numbers that are smaller than/larger than. We also used the coordinating iPad app to play the game with a partner. You can find a the game here if you are interested in it for your own devices at home. The app is designed for both iPad and iPods.