Adding Strategies With Mrs. Roberge

Our first grade mathematicians are working on learning adding strategies.  Today, Mrs. Roberge joined our class for a Math Talk on strategies.  We discussed counting all, counting on, quick doubles, quick doubles plus 1, and skip counting.  Sound like a lot?  Well our learners were up to the challenge.  We discussed why some strategies work well for some problems, and not as well for others.   First Graders love to solve problems. Asking your child to solve facts is a great thing to do while you wait in  line at a store or in the car.  This extra practice is fantastic for their brains and keeps them busy!

Writng Stories With Code

This week we are welcoming back our first graders with a brand new writng project! The Hour of Code class was so successful for our first graders that we decided to try doing a new project with it! Students are working in teams to create a code clip with a story to match. The teams will present their stories to our class next week! 

Warm Winter? No Problem! 1st Graders Make Their Own Snow!

Winter seems to be running at little late. So, first graders at RES decided to take matters into their own hands and make their own snow.  We called upon our good friend Professor Snow to help us create our own snow with a super absorbent polymer!  It was a blast bringing a bit of winter into our classroom.

What's the pattern?

First Graders are learning all about numbers and the patterns they make when you count.  Today, learners created counting strips.  They noticed that the one's column repeats 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and then back to O.  Then 10’s column does the same thing but repeats the same number 10 times.  Many students are wondering what will happen when they reach 100. Ask your first grader what number comes after 100 to find out!

Hour of Code in 1st Grade

Ever wonder how a video game works or how your computer knows how to do stuff? Today our first graders got a glimpse of how code works. Code is simply instructions for your computer. We tried out Scratch Jr. for our Hour of Code. Learners got a chance to code character design, movements, sounds and backgrounds to create mini scenes. It was amazing to watch our learners experiment and problem solve together. Scratch Jr. Is a free app that can be downloaded to use at home. We will continue to practice with it here at school too!

Bon Voyage!

Our first graders have packed their bags and boarded their first flight bound for Israel.  Upon arrival, our passports were stamped as we entered the country. During our visit, we are learning a bit about the geography.  Many of our first graders would like to take a dip in the Dead Sea.  Ask your child why it's called the Dead Sea!  After a refreshing swim, we are going to learn all about Hanukkah.  Kept checking our blog for updates to our intinerary.  Here a few pictures of our plan ride, including the in flight movie!

What Does Literacy Look Like?

Literacy in first grade can look like many things. Ask one of our first graders what literacy is and they will tell you many things, but the most important is learning to read and write well! 

As I looked around our room today, I had a moment of true joy! Every learner was engaged and working hard to improve their literacy skills. Some students were working in a small group, some were working on spelling, some were reading independently, while others were playing literacy games on our new iPad!

It is so exciting to see our learners gaining independence and taking responsibility for their learning. Ask your first grader what they like best about literacy!