Jingle

Look where Jingle was this morning.  He knocked the markers and rag onto the floor!  We forgave him, though since he left us a note.  (It said that Santa was very impressed with his report from yesterday.  He also said he was very proud of us and if he gets another good report tonight, he might send us a treat!)

Gingerbread Man Day

We read so many versions of the Gingerbread Man today.  It was a great way for us to discuss characters, settings, and do a lot of comparing and contrasting. But here is the best part.....we did math and science with gingerbread men!!!  In Math Miss Gilbert gave us each a gingerbread man and only let us take only ONE bite.  We were a little annoyed she only let us take ONE bite, but we quickly figured out why.  We did a pictograph and then a bar graph to show which part we ate first.  Here are some pictures.  Can you tell which part most of us ate first?

Head..................Arm...............Leg.................

                                     

In all of the versions of The Gingerbread Man, the fox "helped" him across the river.  We wondered what would have happened if the Gingerbread Man would have swam across the river himself.  What better way to find out than to do a Science Investigation?!?!?!  So that is what we did!!!  We asked a question, made a hypothesis, then conducted an experiment.   Here is a picture of a dry gingerbread man and a gingerbread man after he had been in the water for 30 minutes.  Yikes!  We concluded that gingerbread men should NOT swim!

And YES, we at the rest of our gingerbread men after Math!

Grinch Day 2011

We survived Grinch Day without anyone being a grinch...even though the First Grade Teachers looked extra "Grinchy" today!  

When we got to school this morning, the Grinch had licked all of our candy canes and turned them GREEN!  Can you believe he did that???

And look where Jingle was this morning! He took Miss Gilbert's green marker and pen.

 We made a character characteristic poster for the Grinch at the beginning of the story...........

And at the end of the story!

 We learned about similies,

The Grinch is as green as a tree.  His heart is as small as a bug.

The Grinch is as green as a leaf.  His heart is as small as a bug.

And we wrote how we would make the Grinch grin.....if we ever happened to meet him!

 I would.....tell him a funny joke.

 I would.....ask him to be my friend.

In Math we figured out Grinch story problems and made patterns with manipulative cards. I was so impressed with the problem solving and team work that was going on that I didn't take any pictures!

I say Grinch Day was a success!
I hope you had as much fun as I did!!

Grinch Day Album

| Learn About Mixbook Photo Books | Create your own Photo Book

Santa's Stuck

In Reading Group we read Santa's Stuck and then wrote our own versions.  We also created the "topper" to our writing at the Skills Center last week.  (We thought it was arts and crafts, but Miss Gilbert said we were not only having fun but actually practicing the first grade skill of "Following Written Directions.")  All of the final products were super cute, but here are 2 of them. (They are typed just like they were written!)

 When Santa was on his first house.  He did not get stuck like last Christmas.  Then on house two he had a party.  Then Santa got stuck.  Then he called for help.  Then a dog came to help.  But Santa was still stuck.  Then he called for more help.   Then a other dog came to help.  But he was still stuck.  Then a other dog came to help and it worked!  Santa was going back to the North pole.  But he did not get stuck again.
By Joseph

It was the night before Christmas.  Santa got rede.  Santa fell out the skie.  The reindeers were trying to catch Santa.  Santa fell in the chimney  Santa is stuck.  The reindeers pulld Santa.  Santa was still stuck.  The pets wocke up.  They pusht vare hard. The kids wocke up.  They pusht and pusht.  He flew but the reindeers cot Santa!
By Zachary

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

But not feel like Christmas!  After 8 years I am still not used to wearing flip-flops while there are Christmas lights up.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE wearing flip-flops year round, it just doesn't "feel" like the holidays.  Anyway.....

Next week is going to be very busy, but VERY fun!  Monday is Grinch day.  Be sure to wear GREEN.  We will be doing How the Grinch Stole Christmas activities all day.  Tuesday will be gingerbread day.  We will read different versions of the Gingerbread Man.  We have lots activities to go with gingerbread....including a very exciting science investigation.  Wednesday will be Christmas Around First Grade.  Each class gets to visit every first grade teacher for an activity.  Then finally, finally, finally we will have our much anticipated Annual First Grade Polar Express PJ Party on Thursday!  Remember to wear your pajamas and bring your favorite stuffed animal!  A letter is coming (came, depending on when you are reading this) home Friday with details.
I promise to post pictures and videos from next week....it just might be a few days later.  Probably from the airport again on my way to Indiana....where I will be complaining that I do not get to wear my flip-flops for two weeks.  (But hey, it will FEEL like Christmas, right?!?!?!)

Saturday night is the Ormond Beach Christmas parade.  I have never been, but Osceola will be IN it this year.  Very cool, right?!  I will be walking with our dance team, principal, and Teacher of the Year.  I am  handing out candy.  All people and floats have to be lit up, so it should be very pretty.  Hope to see you there!

Christmas Countdown Bells

We made our Christmas Countdown Bells last week.  Don't forget to take a chain off every night.  When you reach the bell, it will FINALLY be time for Santa!!!

We had a lot of fun making the bells and even sang along to the Chipmunks Christmas CD while we were working hard creating our paper chains.  Making paper chains can be a little tricky for first grade fingers but it is a great way to help our fine motor skills!

Here are a few pictures!