Earth Day

We love the Earth!

Such a fun writing activity!  The children wrote why they love the Earth and made heart shaped Earths.   I love all of the reasons they love the Earth.   So sweet.  :)

Dinosaur Reports

Dinosaur Reports

Today we started writing reports about dinosaurs.  After reading and discussing several kinds of dinosaurs the kids got to choose the dinosaur they wanted to research and write about.  We discussed that we can research dinosaurs by reading books, watching informational videos, and searching websites about dinosaurs. We used ZOOM DINOSAURS on ENCHANTED LEARNING to get a printouts with information on dinosaurs. The children recorded the information learned on the dinosaur report forms.

Click on the report form below to download a free two page dinosaur report form. Please check out my other dinosaur products.  THANKS!!

Synonymsaurus - Fun with synonyms!

We have been having fun learning synonyms!

How the Dinosaur Got to the Museum by Jessie
Hartland and Thesaurus Rex by Laya Steinberg
and Bobbie Harter are two good books to help teach
synonyms.

After reading the books that use synonyms, we brainstormed synonyms and recorded them on an anchor chart.  The kids then completed the synonym worksheets.  They did a fantastic job using the synonyms in sentences.

Dinosaurs-Synonyms-Writing-First-Grade

Dinousaur Fossils

Today we made dinosaur fossils!  We used model magic clay from crayola and small dinosaur skeletons to make imprints.  One large container is enough to make 20 fossils.  So easy and not messy at all!

What is a Paleontologist?

The kiddos were junior paleontologists today!  We read several books about paleontologists and completed a tree map describing what a paleontologist uses, makes, and finds.  Tomorrow the kids will complete an individual map and make a paleontologist. 
 So much fun!

What is a Paleontologist?

We also excavated chocolate chips using a tooth pick.  YUMMY

Spring Poems using nouns, verbs, and adjectives.

Springtime!   The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day to write about Spring.  :-)

Poetry using nouns, verbs, and adjectives.

We brainstormed nouns, verbs, and adjectives relating to Spring and recorded them on flower anchor charts.

We then wrote two poems; one about rain and the other an acrostic poem using the word SPRING.

Chalkboard Wall

I just love the chalkboard wall in my kitchen!
I wrote spring words on the wall this morning. So much fun!!

If the Dinosaurs Came Back

What would it be like if the dinosaurs came back?  How useful would they be?  

We will be starting our dinosaur study after spring break.   Bernard Most's story, "If the Dinosaurs Came Back,"  is a fun way to start the unit.  After reading the story, the children will illustrate and write how the dinosaurs would be useful if they came back.

Space/Moon/Planets

Moon Mania
Ideas from First Grade Parade

Paper Mache Planets

Funtastic Space Day!

Paper Mache Planets

After spending a week learning about the moon and the sun we were ready to start our research on the planets.  We started the week by watching The Magic School Bus Gets Lost in Space.  We then read books and visited websites to find information about each of the planets.  Each child chose a planet to research.  They wrote notes on sticky notes, filled in a web to organize their notes, and wrote a report about their planet.  After the planet research the children created a paper mache model of their planet.

Paper Mache Planet Instructions:

Materials

Bulletin board paper

Glue

Paint brushes

Punch balloons

Preparation

Tear up pieces of bulletin board paper in a variety of colors

Mix two parts glue with one part water

Color suggestions:

Sun – red, orange, and yellow

Mercury – orange, yellow, black

Venus – yellow, white

Earth – blue, green

Mars – red

Jupiter – brown, tan, red, white

Saturn – yellow

Uranus- green and light blue

Neptune – light blue and purple

Pluto – gray or black, purple

Divide the class into 10 groups.  One group will create the sun; the other groups will create the planets.  Have one child apply glue on the inflated balloon and then have the other members apply the torn paper.  Have them apply another layer of glue when the balloon is completely covered with paper.  Allow to dry.  Hang the sun in the center of the room. The planets can be hung in the order in which they orbit the sun

The Lorax

We had so much fun today making the Lorax and Truffala Trees!
The children wrote what they would do to help save the Truffala trees. 
Thanks to www.learncreatelove.com for the printouts and ideas!

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It's not.”
- Dr. Seuss - The Lorax 

After reading the Lorax,  we completed a Truffala Story Map Forest.  On the trees, we wrote the problem, solution, characters, setting, and the main idea.  We also watched the Lorax movie.  We will compare the movie and book soon. 

Froot Loop Word Work

Today we had fun writing our oo words with the help of Froot Loops!

Thanks First Grade Wow for the great idea!

http://firstgradewow.blogspot.com/2012/03/froot-loops-oo-word-work.html

Cat in the Hat

This week we are celebrating Dr. Seuss.  During word work the kids made the Cat in the Hat and wrote rhyming words on his hat. 

Dr. Seuss quote of the day!

Look at me! Look at me! Look at me NOW!
It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how.
-Dr. Seuss - The Cat in the Hat

Two Great Presidents

We had a fun week learning about presidents!  We started out by completing a presidents tree map; presidents are, can, and have.  The children then wrote facts about two great presidents; George Washington and Abe Lincoln. 

Interactive Learning Sites

I  created a page with a lot of links to interactive learning sites for reading, word work, math, and teacher resources.  Some of my favorites and my students include spin and spell, number eaters, storyline online, and switch zoo.  Have fun!

http://www.kllynch2000.com/internetgames.html

Letters From Felix-Geography Unit

                  Check out this great geography unit!

The ideas came from a teaching convention I attended several years ago.
Thank you to teachers Susan McIver, Pat Smith and Lynne Poyer the creators of the Felix unit.  It's been a great success!


The story, LETTERS FROM FELIX: A LITTLE RABBIT ON A WORLD TOUR, is the book I use to teach the unit. The story is about an adorable rabbit that gets lost in the airport and ends up traveling all over the world.

Make a paper Felix for each child to send with a letter from Felix to a relative
out of state or even out of the country. In the letter, explain that the children
are learning about geography and would like for them to send a postcard of
their state or country. Include your school's address for the postcards to be
sent back to.

We have a large map of the United States and the World hung in the hallway.  As we receive postcards, we will display them around the maps. 


















First, Felix travels to London, England.  

After reading the first part of the story, including the first letter from Felix, the children made a crown and also cut out a double-decker bus with the places Felix visited in London.



Additional Activities:

Passports:
Each child makes a passport. After studying each country Felix
visits, the children write or draw a picture of that country in their passports.

Suitcase Travel Journal:
The children each have a travel journal and their passport. After studying each country the children write and/or draw important facts about the country in their travel journals, color the country flag and tape a sticker of the country to the outside of their travel journals.

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