Apples, Apples, Apples

First Graders are continuing to learn all about farms in Vermont.  This week we learned about apple farms.  Students learned how farmers care for their trees and harvest their fruit.  We also learned how and why farmers sell the fruit and apple products to earn money.  One product many farms sell is applesauce. Today our first graders had a chance to make our very own applesauce. Each student got the chance to core, peel, and chop their own apple. We put all the apples in the crock pot with a little maple syrup, apple juice and cinnamon.  Four hours later, we all enjoyed our applesauce. 

Milk and More

Our First Graders are learning all about farms in Vermont. This week we are learning all about dairy farms.  Learners worked as a group to create a picture map of the dairy cycle.  Then they made small versions of the cycle on their own.  Today we read a funny book about a city boy learning to get milk from a cow.  The children loved No Milk by Jennifer Ericsson.  Then we made cow puppets to complete the story.

Raz-Kids, Reading Challenge, and More!

First Graders had a busy day reading! First we learned all about our new reading at home program.  We are asking kids to read for 15 minutes, 4 nights a week. For every 15 minute chunk they read,your child can  color in an apple on the reading log.  When they have 4 apples colored in,they can bring in their sheet and add a sticker to our classroom reading hour chart.  When we have read 60 hours, we will have a celebration!

Raz-Kids-

Reading Raz-Kids books at home on the computer also counts towards reading minutes. Today we practiced using them in the computer lab.  Learners could choose between Tumblebooks and Raz-Kids. Reading Raz-Kids books lets you earn stars to spend in the star lab.  At school , children read for 30 minutes and then spent their stars for 10 minutes.  We had such a fun time.

To log in at home go to   Www.razkids.com   Teacher Name: bhackettd 

Students know their picture password.

Friday Letters

Today our first graders wrote their first Friday Letters to their families.  These letters tell a little snippet about our week.  They are a great way for families to learn more about our week and watch learners progress as writers throughout the year.  Sometimes our Friday Letters might be a bit tough to read. If you can't read your child's letter, just ask them to tell you about their week.  Please write a note back to them, they love to read your letters! Help your learner remember to return the notebook by next Friday so they can write back to you. 

Dot Addition

First Graders are adding it up! Today learners used our new double dice to play an adding game! They loved looking through the large dice to find the small one inside! Learners are working on  the Counting On strategy to solve their addition problems. 

Crazy Hair Day- Tuesday, Sept. 22nd

Shelburne Farms Trip

Our class got the unique opportunity to visit Shelburne Farms on Thursday for a Farm to Table Workshop. We will be starting a new unit next month on the economic cycle of farms. This unit will focus on the buy, produce, sell cycle that farmers of all types use. In collaboration with the Play 60 Dairy in the Classroom Grant, we will learn about many types of farms around Vermont and how farms can be sustainable.

Shelburne Farms offered our learners an introduction to where our foods come from. Students learned and participated in gathering, preparing and eating a farm fresh pizza. Thank you to all the families that chaperoned and made our trip possible.