Reading - This week our word work focus is contraction words.  We have multiple centers for the students to work on.  We have six different reading groups - each reading stories at their level.

Writing - This week we had a few students publish their stories.  It was very exciting!  Our writing process is 1.  Idea - make a web  2.  Rough Draft  3.  Edit  4.  Rewrite  5.  Publish and Illustrate.  We also continue to work on handwriting - forming letters the correct way and putting the letters in the correct spaces.  This week we focused on the letter Rr.

Samuel with his book about rainbows

David sharing his story

Math - We have four different math groups - each working at their own level.  We have been working very hard at building stamina!  We are working in our centers at a voice volume 0 or 1, working on cleaning up the centers to switch, and working on transitioning quickly and quietly - tough work for first graders - and we're getting it!  Yesterday the yellow group had a lesson on partners of 5, the green group had a lesson on how tow write out numbers with balls and sticks (place value), the red group had a lesson on greater than, less than, and equal to, and the blue group had a lesson on subtracting by making a ten and showing the equation using pictures.

Religion - We have been learning about different types of prayer.  Prayers of thanks, prayers of asking, prayers of forgiveness, and prayers of praise.

Science - In solids and liquids this week we tested if our solids were attracted to a magnet.  We predicted which solids would be magnetic and then we tested.  We had two surprises.  Number one - the pipe cleaner was magnetic.  We found out there is a strip of metal in the middle of the pipe cleaner.  Number two  - the steel washer was magnetic, yet the brass washer was not magnetic.  The students thought every metal was magnetic.  They found out that brass is not magnetic.

A few groups testing their solids

STREAM - Our last project was building a cart for Moses.  The cart had to have a handle or a way to push or pull it, it had to be able to support a deck of cards, and it had to be able to roll at least one meter.  (A yard stick plus a few inches)  Figuring out how to get the carts to roll proved to be a challenge to some groups.  Watching the ideas roll was fun to see.  

Our final project will be done next Friday.  After reading the story of David and Goliath, the task is to build a device that will launch pom poms a distance of at least one meter.  :)

Osprey Point - Our last two Osprey Point dates are February 28th and April 25th.

Mass - We have two more masses this year.  The dates are February 22nd and April 19th.

ART - First graders have been working on pastel snowmen drawings. We are learning how to shade using a light source. For this drawing, the moonlight was our light source. We realized the side of the snowman and land the moonlight shines on is lighter, and the opposite side of the snowman is darker. We also learned that a shadow is cast on the opposite side of land from the light source. It was fun to blend with our fingers and add our creative details. These drawings are currently displayed on the bulletin board in the art room. They just make me smile! Thank you for all the Christmas gifts. Happy New Year 2018 to you all. 

With appreciation, Mrs. Jeanne Ihlenfeldt