BATS!

I have had such a great week at school! We have been doing so much work - but the kids are loving it! We have been learning all about bats. We have also completed bats vs. birds!
I have taken several ideas from The First Grade Parade.

Here was our timeline:

Monday - We started our KWL Chart. We completed our K/W. We also read Stellaluna to work on summarizing and story mapping.

Tuesday - Children were divided into groups by DRA Level. Each group had a BAT nonfiction book - (because we are also studying nonfiction vs. fiction) all week long - we have been reading a book club books and gathering facts in our book club journals. Each time we gather a fact the kids can add it to the "L" part of our chart.

We also did our story map for StellaLuna. After we story mapped, children had to tell the three main events in the story and were placed on a bat!

Wednesday - We shared facts and read in partners. I read a nonfiction book about bats and we added a few more facts.

Thursday - We went to one of the fourth grade classrooms and they were paired with a fourth grader and had to read their book club book and share facts. With a fourth grader they researched one more fact.

We also read a story about birds and gathered facts.

Friday - Tomorrow we will be completing a Venn Diagram of birds and bats. Also, in their book clubs and with three very helpful mommies - we will be doing a bat project! They will either make a bat mobile, bat poster, or a bat diorama and use the facts they gathered in their journal.

Also in our writing center they had to write three facts about bats. In the art center we created a bat. The bat is holding the facts. These will be put in the hallway!




Stay tuned for pictures of all our work tomorrow!




Happy Reading! Amy C!

Field Trip!

Wow! What an amazing day. The first grade had their field trip today all over the Lexington Community. I was so proud with our AHHHHMAAAZING behavior, great questions and their little minds going a million miles a minute with learning.

I am so proud to be a teacher! I am so proud of my kiddos!

With any field trip - the teacher is exhausted! I don't know how many times I counted heads, but let me tell ya - I have counting to 28 down to a fine science! :)

Tomorrow - I will try to post pictures!


Happy Reading! Amy C!

I promise to be better...

Hi everyone! I know I haven't been blogging much lately... but I promise I will get better. I am going to be honest - I want to try to update everyday about what we are doing in 1A at Christ the King in Lexington! I think it will be a great thing if my parents want to read too - we shall see how it works!

I am really excited because the past three weeks of school we have really been working hard on our Community Unit and Map directions. We have learned how to use a compass and our directions of North, South, East, and West.

We have also learned how to write a friendly letter this week! Wow... what a task! My little munchkins have really put so much effort forth and worked so hard in our classroom.

Tomorrow is our culminating activity.... our FIELD TRIP! The kids are so excited - since we have talked about important places in our community - the other 1st grade teacher and I plan one of the best field trips around Lexington, KY! Tomorrow we get to go visit:

1. Henry Clay Estate - Ashland - We get to tour the grounds and the inside - one of my most favorite
places in Lexington, KY!! The kids L-O-V-E it!

2. Fire Station
This is not our fire station - but we get to meet real firemen and see where they live while at the
Fire Station. They show us their trucks, all their tools and how high the ladder can go... one year Mrs. Coates even climbed the ladder! :) 

3. We get to eat McDonald's for Lunch. 

4. We eat our McDonald's at one of the best parks in Lexington... Shilito - this is not
Shilito Park - but it has a huge playground and is AMAZING!

5. We also get to visit one of our Post Offices. Here we see how the mail is sorted, where special packages go and how to mail a letter... in fact - we might even get to mail something special! 

This is a super busy day but so much fun for the kids! What do you do with your class to study communities?!


Happy Reading! Amy C!

Noun Sort

Here is a noun sort I made! Feel free to take it - if you want the editable version - let me know so you can change the words!

All graphics came from Scrappin Doodles!
Enjoy!

Noun Sort


Happy Reading! Amy C!

Coupon!

I know I haven't posted lately... so to make up for it - I used the discount code September2011 at Scrappin Doodles! and it saved 15% - GO SHOP!

Happy Reading! Amy C!

tired.....

I haven't blogged in about 20 days... that makes me super sad.. but I have been super busy - school started on the 17th! Since about the 8th of August I have been in my room or in in-services for school. I finally met all 28 of my kiddos on the 17th and love them! They are so super cute but I always forget when they come into first grade how young they are and what they are capable of doing! It takes me a moment to remember to go S.L.O.W!!!

I have one little boy from Sweden. He speaks NO (very little - try lunch count in the morning...it's fun!)  English; but has a smile on his face and is adjusting well with the other kiddos - he loves high fives!  I have a little girl who has been in Hong Kong for the past three years. She speaks and understands English but it's a little rusty in a few places... and finally - I haven't had air conditioning since we started school. Therefore, it's been super-duper hot in the words of my first graders.

We have already completed one round of MAP Assessments and tomorrow starts my DRA Testing. This weekend I promise pictures, hopefully some freebies and some good laughs! :)


Hope everyone's school year is off to a great start!


Happy Reading! Amy C!

Phonics... EWWWWW!

So today I had the awesome privilege to attend the Phonics Dance workshop with Ginny Dowd. If you ever get a chance to go - GO!

I have had a very hectic evening - head over to Sweet Expectations to see why- in short - I am worn out and have so many thoughts and ideas to write about  it. I am going to gather my thoughts and post about it either tomorrow or Friday! Stay tuned!!

Have you gone to "The Phonics Dance!?"

Happy Reading! Amy C!