First Grade Memories

We made it through our year in first grade! We have learned a lot and are ready for second grade! Before we leave, we want to share our memories of first grade. These are the things we will always remember about our year together!

* Jose: I will never forget the ice cream on Friday.
* Bella: I will always remember that we planted some plants.
* Austin: I will never forget the math videos because they teach us math like addition number sentences and subtraction sentences.

* Olivia: I will miss learning how to count to 100 and I will miss doing "a safe a", "e Pete e", "i pine i", "o home o", and "u mule u". Also, I will miss doing syllables and I will miss ice cream on Friday.

* Daymon: I will always remember dance parties. I will remember dance parties because everyone had fun.
* Yoselyn: I will always remember first grade because of the dance parties. Do you know why? Because we got to dance a lot. We got to play Duck Duck Goose. It was a lot of fun. Finally, we got a sip of water.
* Jobell: I will never forget learning about math. I will remember about Fast Facts.
* Osmar: I will remember we played basketball.
* Berlynn: I will always remember when we got to do the ABC cards. It was fun. Some had base ten blocks and some had ones, too. Some had money.
* Clara: I will remember doing a dance party because it gets all our energy out. Of course it was fun.
* Tristan: I will always remember the ice cream.
* Sydney: I remember learning in first grade. What I remember learning about in first grade is when Ms. Kristin told us about two syllables.
* Kevin: My favorite part of first grade is water day. We had fun with water balloons.
* Gavin: I will remember reading trick words.
* Jennifer: I will never forget doing the dance party. I enjoy it because I like dancing.
* Carter: I will never forget ice cream because it tastes good.
* Kirra: I will remember doing all the writing we did all year. Yes, maybe other people won't. It's sad.

* Mia: The thing I will always remember is the dance party because it was fun. My favorite thing about the dance party was when we get to dance.
* Tommy: My favorite thing was the plants. I liked seeing them change every day.
* Ayden: I will not forget about when we grew plants.

Plants

We are presently exploring the world of plants. Yesterday we watched a short video about the plant life cycle. In class we have grown grass, planted marigolds for Mother's Day, and are now watching what happens when we rest a potato in a cup with water. We are practicing our scientific writing skills by preparing observation pieces. We tried to watch lima beans sprout with Miss Jenny, but unfortunately they grew mold and had to be thrown out. That's the fun of science! We never know when an experiment is going to work or not work. We just observe what happens and look for solutions!

To learn more about plants with your child, check out the Plants web quest. This site proposes a challenge while teaching about the basics of plant structure. Complete the task and bring in the field journal for a special prize. This will not only serve as a fantastic scientific family project, it will also help develop reading skills; encourage your child to read as much of the text as possible while supporting him/her to prevent frustration. Although the instructions tell the students they will be creating the original plant on a program called Pixie (which we do not have), my students may create the original plant using any method they would like and bring in the completed project. I know time is limited before we release for the summer; you may want to save this activity for a rainy summer day. If you complete this challenge during the summer vacation, you may bring the completed project to me within the first week of school for your prize. :-)

Have fun learning about plants!

Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month and we are certainly excited! Our school will be celebrating throughout the month and will showcase our love for poetry on April 12 at 6:30. Students, teachers, families, and community members are invited to join in the festivities by sharing self-written works or a favorite poem written by someone else. Costumes and props are welcome, but not required. Don't feel like sharing? That's fine! Come and enjoy the poetry reading and the other activities. See you there!

In our class we have been writing cinquains! We have written partner poems about characters from Julius the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes. To finalize our fairy tale unit, students are writing individual poems about a fairy tale character of their choice. Come check out our display in the hall! To write your own cinquains at home, you can use the graphic organizer that we used in class. It's the second page.

The students especially like humorous poems. They like to find the rhyming words and giggle when they hear something absolutely crazy. Some popular poets that the students will enjoy are Kenn Nesbitt, Jack Prelutsky, and Shel Silverstein. You will enjoy visiting any of these sites and sharing the fun side of poetry.

To enjoy some other fun poems and even learn how to write your own poems with advice from poet Bruce Lansky, visit Giggle Poetry. There you will find games, poet interviews, and suggestions for how to present poems (suggestions for props, etc. - super ideas for our upcoming Poetry Night).

For students who want to write poetry, but need a more concrete format, check out the Poetry Idea Engine. There, students select words to create limericks, haiku, cinquains, and free verse poems. This is a great springboard for creating self-written poems.

So, now we come to the part where I issue your challenge: visit some of these sites and receive a prize for completing any or all of the following activities:

* present a poem of your own or one of your choosing at Poetry Night
* post a poem you have authored as a comment
* bring a poem you have authored to school
* perform a poem for the class using props
* find another fun poetry site not suggested here and post it as a comment
* bring an art project to school based on a poem you like
* CHOICE: come up with a poetry activity on your own and share it as a comment or bring it to school

Enjoy National Poetry Month!!!

The Parade of Legs

Yes, it's been a bit since I have posted. Between the Science Festival and the wicked cold I have had, I have not taken the time to post. However, now that the Fest is over and I am feeling better, I have a new post! :-)

First, I would like to know what you liked best about the Science Fest this year. Which activities were your favorite? Why? Also, to help me plan next year, what activities did you like least? Why? How could it be better? Leave your comment in the comment box (remember you can comment using ANONYMOUS and sign your name). There will be a classroom reward for posting.

Next, I would like to offer you a challenge! Go to The Parade of Legs and follow the directions. This is a parent/student activity that will help your child see that there are many ways to solve a problem. Please allow your student to attempt to solve the problem on his/her own before stepping in to help. I am constantly amazed by what incredible thinking skills these students have at such a young age...I bet you will be, too! At the bottom of the screen (on The Parade of Legs page), there are links to pages that explore different strategies for solving this problem. Bring in a solution for a PRIZE!!! Have fun learning! Can you write your own problem like this? Write one in the comment box for your classmates to solve. Yes, I will offer a prize for this challenge, too! Excited to read your posts!

Fairy Tales

Once upon a time there was a first grade that loved fairy tales....

Presently, we are examining a genre of literature that most children adore: fairy tales. We have listed the elements of fairy tales (once upon a time, magic, love, princes, princesses, talking animals, happily ever after, etc.) and have read two so far: The Frog Prince (by Edith Tarcov) and Jack and the Beanstalk (retold by Stella Williams Nathan). Soon we will be reading other versions of the stories and compare and contrast them using a Venn diagram (you can print this one out to compare two stories). We will also explore author's message: What was the author trying to teach us or tell us about by writing this story. This is sometimes difficult for students to grasp. Often, they want to describe an actual event from the story rather than a "general message" or "moral". For instance, in The Frog Prince, a student may say that the author wanted to tell us not to drop a ball in the well or that the king wanted her to keep her promise. Sometimes when asked why the author wrote the story, a child will say that the author just wanted to tell a story or s/he wanted to teach us about frogs (in the case of The Frog Prince). When asking your child a question about the author's message, delve deeper. Discuss (as in The Frog Prince) that the author was teaching that it was not good to lie or that promises should be kept by asking questions about what the characters learned (i.e. What do you think the princess learned in this story?). Then relate that to the author writing the story to teach others about lying and keeping promises. This is a higher order thinking skill and will take some practice. This skill is something we are going to begin next week. If you would like to begin working on 'author's message', read this online version of The Frog Prince. Ask how it is like the version we read in school and how it is different. Then gradually move to the questions about what the characters learned and ultimately to the questions about why the author wrote the story (linking the character's learning to the author's message). This online version also comes with print outs so you can create your own book or have your child retell the story (there are character print outs as well). For a prize in class, have your child post a comment about the author's message in The Frog Prince or examine another fairy tale of your choice (there are several online versions as well as books that you have in your personal collection). Have fun learning with your child!

Telling Time

In math we are learning how to tell time to the hour and half hour on digital and analog clocks. Telling time to the half hour is difficult for some children because the hour hand is not directly on the hour when the minute hand has traveled from the top of the hour to the half hour. What Time Is It? allows students to match a digital clock to the time shown on the analog clock. For practice with writing time, you can create worksheets at The Math Worksheet Site. Please make sure your child clearly shows the difference in length between the hour and minute hands. Likewise, please make sure that when drawing the hands for the half hour your child shows that the hand is BETWEEN the present hour and the next hour. For instance, if it is 4:30, the hour hand should be halfway between the 4 and 5. Have fun!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. SEUSS!!!!!!!!

This is one of my favorite days of the school year...Read Across America celebrated on Dr. Seuss's birthday! Not only do we focus on timeless classics, but we excitedly celebrate literature (getting to wear my Cat in the Hat t-shirt is pretty awesome, too!). For some background and ideas for this "holiday", check out Read Across America Day. For online links to LOTS of Seuss ideas and online games, check out Dr. Seuss Games. Your child will adore Seussville! This site is whimsical and will put a smile on your face! Visit old friends and discover new ones! While checking out another possibly good link, I discovered that there are several videos on YouTube of people reading Dr. Seuss stories (such as Dr. Seuss's ABC)! When using YouTube, PLEASE accompany your child as it is EASY to find videos that are NOT child-friendly. If you have an iPod Touch or iPhone, there is an app where you can download Dr. Seuss books. However, I do no think that this is a free app. Let us know what you do to celebrate this magnificent author on this very special day!

Accelerated Reader

Some of you may remember that we once had Accelerated Reader at our school. I am thrilled that it is now back! For those of you who don't know what it is, it is a reading incentive program that promotes reading and comprehension. How does it work? Simply, there is a test bank. Students read the specific books that are on their level. Students can read independently, with someone, or even have books read to them. Then, without the assistance of the book, the student must answer anywhere from 5 to 10 questions about the story. Typically, there are only 5 questions on the tests for 1st graders. Mrs. Couch, Mrs. Brown, and Miss Meredith announced yesterday that there would be a competition beginning next month to recognize classes making progress in Accelerated reader. I have shown the program to the class and some students have already begun taking the tests. You may want to help your child by helping her/him read books from the Accelerated Reader test list. I will send home some suggested books soon, but thought I would suggest a few here if you were eager to begin. I am adding these from memory (I am unable to access the school's list from home) so some titles may not be completely exact (but they will steer you in the right direction. If you want to practice for your test, write a retell of the book in the comments box. :-)

Days With Frog and Toad, Frog and Toad Together, Where the Wild Things Are, Runaway Bunny, Goodnight Moon, Little Bear, Little Bear's Visit, The Frog Prince, Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble, Henry and Mudge-Mr. Hopper's House, Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under Her Bed, Junie B. Jones-Sneaky Peeky Spying.

New Online Activities

Presently, we are working on place value with tens and ones. When organizing blocks to show how many tens and how many ones in a two-digit number, some of the students are having difficulty differentiating between how many groups of ten they have created and the number of blocks all together. When doing the assigned homework, ask how many groups of ten they have for each number. Shark Numbers will give your child practice counting tens and ones. Be sure to ask your child how many groups of ten are in each number. Base Ten Blocks gives your child base 10 blocks and asks him/her to build numbers. The only confusing thing is that the instructions tell you to 'make x =' and then gives the number. Explain to your child that all s/he has to do is build the number. Your child can also practice showing numbers three ways in this quick game. You may need to review this with them at first, but then they will quickly master it on their own. :-)

Another skill we practice daily is reading number words. Students should be able to read the number words for numbers up to 99. Place Value Shoot-Out is a fun way to practice reading number words.

Our phonics unit is focusing on "silent e". Some of the terms we use to explain "silent e" are "bossy e" (because he makes the first vowel say its name), "busy e" (he has a busy job...making the first vowel say its name), "sneaky e". At Starfall, students can practice making short vowel words and turning them into long vowel words by adding 'e'.

Hearing the long vowel sounds and differentiating between them is equally important. Sort pictures by their vowel sounds in this fun activity. Be sure to select 'long vowels' (although practice on the other two listed topics is fine as well).

For practicing inference (using clues to decipher what is not explicitly stated while reading), play What's in the Bag. Students are given 3 words to describe what is in the bag and then they are given three choices of what could be in the bag. While playing, ask your child why they selected the answer they chose. Although it may seem simplistic, explaining their answers helps hone higher order thinking skills.

Have fun playing! Let me know which games you like best and if you find any games you like that practice what we are learning in class.

Valentines Day Box Project

In honor of Valentines Day, we are going to have a We Love Books book party! Projects will be completed at home and shared with the class on Monday, February 14.

Assignment: make a box for collecting valentine cards using one of the project ideas from the list. The box must fit above the cubbies. Each child will present his/her box to the class on Valentines Day. This project will be graded. The book selected for the project should be one of your child’s favorite books to keep the theme: We Love Books! The front face of the box should have the following information: the title of the book and the author. There should be a slot at the top for collecting cards. Your child’s name should also appear on the top of the box.

The presentation to the class should include the following information:
* title of book
* author
* brief retell of the story (using the box for help, but NOT reading from a script-the students do verbal retells in class often without the aid of text) OR (if the story is non-fiction) s/he should share facts learned
* why the student likes the book

PROJECT IDEAS

SETTING DESIGNER: Decorate your box to represent the setting of the story. For instance, if you choose a fairytale that takes place in a castle, make your box look like a castle.

COLLECTION BOX: Create a box with a removable lid. Fill the box with items that will help you retell the story. For example, if I selected the story The Mitten, I would put in some fluff (to represent the snow), white yarn (to represent the yarn that Baba used to make the mittens), a pair of mittens, toy animals of the characters, etc. Make sure the outside of the box is decorated to match the story, too.

COLLAGE CRAFTER: Using your knowledge of the story characters, dedicate one side of the box to each character. Neatly glue pictures that represent each character to each side of the box. You can use pictures from magazines, the Internet, clip art, etc. For more information on making a collage, visit Make-a-Collage.

STORYTELLER: Retell the entire story. After putting the title/author information on the front of the box, use the other sides of the box to retell the story: one side of the box should depict the beginning of the story, the back of the box should depict the middle of the story, the other side of the box should depict the end. Each side can use a combination of words and pictures, but should not be a complete script to be read.

PROJECT DESIGNER: In keeping with the theme of We Love Books and the requirement of making and presenting a valentine box, you are free to come up with your own idea! If you want to do something a bit different, contact us to explain the idea. This option requires prior approval. If your child selects a non-fiction book, this will probably be the option you choose. For non-fiction, you may also adapt one of the previously describes ideas.

I can't wait to see your creative creations! :-)

Math Skills

We are presently exploring the world of place value...tens and ones to be exact. We are also practicing many other skills each day. In order to keep skills sharp, you may want to periodically check out the following topics (clicking on them will take you to an online practice activity):
tens and ones, 3D shapes, 2D shapes, counting coins, calendar, fact families, addition and subtraction to 10

Geography

The class has been learning about the continents and oceans of the world! Did you know that there are actually five oceans? The Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and...you'll have to ask your child what the fifth ocean is. If s/he doesn't know, look it up together! Although the fifth ocean is not on this game, your child can practice locating the 7 continents and 4 of the oceans by playing World Geography. You can check out the tutorial first and then go to the quiz. Can you find any other great geography games? Post them if you do! Have fun!

More Addition Practice

Overall the first Fast Facts test went well! I am so impressed with how well the students are doing! Parents, thank you for all your work with the children! One site I like to use is Math Fact Cafe. At this site you can make your own worksheets, if that method works best for your child. Also, there is a Flashcards section that will flash traditional-looking flashcards and allow the student to answer. If your child is doing well with the +0 and +1 number sentences, you may want to begin working on the next test set: +2 and +3. If your child is doing well with all the addition facts to 10, you may also want to begin focusing on subtraction. Ultimately, each student should memorize the addition and subtraction facts to 10. Thanks, again, for all you do to make your child successful in school. :-)

Fast Facts

Since Fast Facts are part of your daily routine, I am searching for new ways to keep you entertained while learning. Sheppard Software states that they make learning fun and they definitely live up to their claim. They offer a variety of games that give you the option of choosing what type of fast facts you want to practice (addition/subtraction/multiplication/division). The only drawback I see is that they are not specifically focusing on the facts we are presently studying (the +0 and +1 facts). Still, there is no harm in exposing your child to the other facts they will encounter this year. One nifty feature on this site is that you can email your teacher your score! If you need my email address, write me a note at school. Since this is public, I am not comfortable posting my address here.

As you check out the site, you will find other topics besides addition facts. This quarter we will be exploring place value (tens and ones), time (hour and half hour), and measurement.

Check out the other subject areas at the top of the page for more exciting activities. If you have older students, there is even practice for the SAT! Have fun exploring!

If you come across any sites that you particularly like, please post them in the comments so that other families can check them out!

Absolutely Whootie

It's sometimes amazing how I can stumble upon sites when I least expect it! This morning I was checking to see if our library system carried ebooks (for my personal reading) when I stumbled upon a link on their site called Start Squad. It is from the North Carolina Library System and contains LOTS of links. Please check some of them out and let me know what you think! :-)

The one that I was immediately drawn to was Absolutely Whootie (if you follow the links in Start Squad, it is under the Reading category). It has a large selection of multicultural stories from around the world that are read to aloud. For those of you on Facebook, you can become a fan and receive updates from the site. I cannot wait to explore this one when I have more time!

OK, kids, here's your challenge...listen to some of the stories, then choose one you want others to read. Here's an example of an entry (based on The Mitten):

I read The Mitten by Jan Brett. In this story Nicki loses a mitten and all sorts of animals decide to climb inside. I think you should read this book because it is amazing how many animals can fit inside.

When you post, I will reward you at school. HAPPY READING!!!

Jan Brett Author Study

First grade is presently engaged in an author study of Jan Brett. The first book we are sharing is The Mitten. We are discussing and creating good questions about the story, a practice that all good readers share. For instance, BEFORE reading, we look at the title and the cover and ask questions that lead us to wonder what may happen in the book. For The Mitten, we asked if all the animals were actually characters in the story. We also asked why there was just one mitten (since we usually talk about 'mittens'). DURING the reading we stopped after every few pages and developed new questions based on what was going on and then formed new questions. A few of the questions we asked were....Will all the animals fit? Is Nicki going to realize that he lost a mitten? AFTER reading we asked why the author wrote the story and if there was a lesson to learn. To practice this skill, students were given other books and asked to write their own questions about those books. Help your child with this skill when you are reading books together. :-)

Online, check out Hedgie Loves to Read. It is available for download and even has audio so you and your child can listen to it.

Also, if you are on Facebook, check out the Jan Brett fan page. You can help our school win a free visit from Jan Brett by becoming a fan of hers. Make sure you hit the tab that says CONTEST and then enter our school library as your library of choice (Cape Hatteras Elementary, Buxton, NC, 27920). Please help spread the word! :-)

Letter to Santa

It's not too late to write to Santa! Use your technology skills and shoot him an email! Hope all your wishes come true!
PS. Remember to tap out your words, use proper punctuation, and use capitals where they belong. :-)

Family Reading Night

On Monday we will be sending home a notice about our upcoming K-2 family reading night. It is going to be Thursday, December 2. The doors open at 5:45 and the event will begin promptly at 6. There will be two stations. One will be a "make and take" area where you will make an activity to help your child learn sight words. Knowing sight words automatically is a vital component of successful reading. The other station will be a grade-specific session about our phonics program, Fundations. Babysitting will be available for younger children. After the sessions, there will be snacks. The CHES Literacy Committee hopes to see you there!

To practice reading and spelling sight words, try HANGMAN. :0)

Thanksgiving

In class we have been learning about Thanksgiving. One of the books we read was Thanksgiving is... by Gail Gibbons. Do you remember what kind of text it is? Remember, the question is not asking for you to make a connection (text to text, text to self, or text to world). Think about this...is the book a "character/problem/solution"? Ready for the answer? If you answered expository to the first question, you are RIGHT! :-)

Want to see an interview with Gail Gibbons? Click on her name. You can also visit her official website to learn more about her and find a list of all her books. Try one of these activities:

* In the comment box, tell about your favorite Gail Gibbons book.

* After looking at the list of Gail Gibbons books, tell about one you would like to read.

To learn more about Thanksgiving, check out National Geographic for Kids and try one or all of these activities:

* Read First Thanksgiving by Lyssa Walker. Post your 3-2-1 chart in the comment box (remember: 3 things you learned or discovered/2 things you found interesting/1 question you still have or want to find out).

* Read Thanksgiving Traditions by Sara Zeglin. In the comment box, tell us if you celebrate the holiday. Tell us what your family traditions are on Thanksgiving day.

* Check out the other Thanksgiving activities on the site. In the comment box, tell what you did. Some of those crafts look like a lot of fun! Those mini turkey pies look delicious!

* Look for other sites with Thanksgiving information and share them in the comment box so others can enjoy them.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! KEEP CHECKING BACK FOR NEWER POSTS!

AFRICA

We have been learning about the continent of Africa in preparation for our study of Anansi the Spider. This week we explored this incredible place by helping Anansi find the missing pieces of the calabash on PBS Kids' Africa! After reading about it, we used the 3-2-1 strategy to help us remember what we learned, what we found interesting, and what we still wanted to know. Post YOUR 3-2-1 ideas (remember: 3 things you learned; 2 things you found interesting; 1 question you have). Posting will earn you a prize!!

Ordering Numbers

Numeration skills are essential for building a solid mathematical base for future math learning. Here are some fun games that will practice and/or extend skills we have been working on since the beginning of the year.

Counting Caterpillar asks the student to order five numbers from least to greatest. What is especially nice about this game is that the range of numbers can be set individually. The goal for first graders is to be able to compare and order numbers from 1-99.

Oldsmobile Cars asks students to order four numbers. The directions change throughout this game. Sometimes students are asked to order the numbers from least to greatest, other times they are asked to order the numbers from greatest to least.

Penny Prizes asks students to compare two numbers and choose the one that is either the greater or lesser number for numbers up to 99.

As always, let me know which games you like best and if you find any others that you think are fun. :-)

Word Family Practice

Working with word families allows students to explore spelling patterns so they can discover how English works. Understanding how words "work" leads to a deeper understanding and enables students to read and write well. To practice several of our phonics skills, check out Sadlier-Oxford Phonics. Scroll through the activities on the site. To practice identifying the digraphs we have been studying, use the games under the heading for second grade entitled Beginning Consonant Digraphs and Final Consonant Digraphs. The Word Drop games in both the K and Grade 1 sections will help your child improve their skills with sight words/high frequency words (typically what we refer to as "trick words" in Fundations). Quia also provides word family practice for some of the word families we have studied. Students will read a sentence and spell the word that correctly completes the sentence. Not only will they practice creating words, but they will use context clues to select the correct word. While playing with your child, ask how s/he knew what word was correct. Encourage him/her to tell you the words that helped determine the answer. Have fun learning!

Writing With Elaborative Detail

The first graders had a blast writing with elaborative detail with Mrs. Carolyn! They created scarecrows with all sorts of scraps and doodads, described them in a graphic organizer, and then created descriptive sentences about their creations! Excellent work!

Go Fish

Practice the word families we have studied (-at, -an, -ack, -in, -ug, -ad, -ap) or trick words using the game Go Fish!

We have been studying about animals in science and have been learning about expository text (ask your child to tell you that expository text is non-fiction text that is designed to teach/inform) during writing. The students have been creating their own expository writing after reading about various animals. Check out the National Wildlife Federation with your child and read about a variety of animals. What is your favorite thing about this site? Share your ideas in the comments section. :)

Coins for Cancer

The Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation is presently sponsoring its Coins for Cancer fundraiser. Our class set an all-time 1st day record by collecting $241!!!! Way to go! Keep up your generous spirit and earn the ice cream buffet!! Special thanks to Emily for organizing her lemonade stand over the weekend to earn donations for this worthy cause.

Addition Game

This week we will be learning how to write addition number sentences. While looking for some math activities, I found this cute addition game called Farmer Fred's Pumpkin Patch. You may need to explain number sentences to your child (what the + sign and = sign mean), but once they get the hang of it, I think they will enjoy growing pumpkins. Have you found any online games your child enjoys? If so, share them in the comments so others can benefit. :0)

Animals

During the 1st quarter of the school year we study animals. We learn about living vs. non-living (ask your child about the experiment we did with the rock and the goldfish). We then learn about what animals need to live (food, shelter, water, air, and sometimes care from humans). We have learned that a habitat is a place where something lives. Soon we will be exploring what lives in our local habitat. National Geographic has some really wonderful articles about animals and excellent photos. Share these with your child, discussing each animal's needs and its habitat. Post something that you and your child learn about the animals you read about. Be looking for upcoming information about our field trip to Wildfest on October 29 (after linking to this site, scroll down to read the info on Wildfest). So exciting!!

Math Game

We have begun rudimentary addition. Next week we will actually begin writing number sentences to match adding one group to another. If you want to get a "jump start", check out ABCya! You will need to show your child how to make a group to represent the first addend and then another group to represent the other addend to find the sum. I like this one since there are manipulatives for the students to use. Let me know what you think!

First 1st Grade Blog!

Now that I am "settled in", it's time to start making this blog part of my weekly routine! This year's first graders are FABULOUS! We have already studied quite a few word families, met with reading groups, been to literacy workstations, ordered numbers, created and written about scarecrows using elaborative detail (be sure to check out the display case as you enter the school as well as the displays outside each classroom), learned about families, and are now beginning to learn about animals. We are very busy each day! I will use this blog to keep you up to date on what we are doing. This will not take the place of the weekly letter (which is posted on the CHES site each week). This is merely a supplement to the information you receive in the homework folder. I will provide links to online activities for you and your child. I will also share student work on here. I hope you will take part in this blog by leaving feedback. You do not have to have an account to do so. You can write a comment, sign it, and submit it using "anonymous". Please remember that this is a public forum and that it is designed to be a positive place for us all to share and support the students. Any negative comments will be deleted. I invite you to share any nifty links you find as well. Thanks for supporting our class!

We have already studied the following word families: -an, -at, -ap, -ug, -in (and are introducing -ad this week). To practice these families, try The Word Family Game. After your child has come up with the sentence, write the sentence down. Cut apart each word (make the period in the sentence separate from the words). Have your child read each word. Give your child the words in the sentence making sure they are not in order. Have him/her put the sentence back together in order and read it to you. You may want to do this on index cards and write each sentence with a different color so you can tell which words go with each sentence. You may also want to keep track of what each sentence says on a "master" list or by writing the sentence on the back of one of the cards so the activity can be used again later (you can store the cards in a baggie for safe keeping). Let your child choose his/her favorite sentence to share as a comment on this blog entry. When you check this site again, see if there are any comments and have your child read the sentences for practice.

August

Can you believe it is already August? I certainly cannot! I hope all of you have been working on your summer packets. They are due the first day back to school. If you are ready to begin buying school supplies, go to the school website. For those of you who want to compete in the Fiction Diggers competition, you can find the list of books that you will need to read this year. Enjoy your last weeks of summer! Remember school begins on August 25.

Your Own Blog

In addition to this blog, I have maintained a personal blog documenting my life in a journal-like way. I make sure I change people's names to respect their identity. To practice your writing skills and to keep a digital journal, begin your own blog using this site. In addition to writing, you can personalize it by adding cool backgrounds and changing the fonts. Let me know when you have made one so I can check it out. :0)

More Online Fun

It is very hot outside! If you are inside escaping the heat, practice addition fast facts by playing Math Line. Pair up numbered balls before the line of balls starts falling through the hole! Also, brush up on your Spanish! :0)

Digital Drama Station

Students loved expressing themselves in the Drama Station this year! Students put their 21st century skills to use, collaborating to write scripts retelling stories and then creating puppets and backgrounds (using Power Point), to perform their dramatic creations. This article, Make Your Own Animation, will give you and your child ideas for using technology to create your own digital presentations. Most of the students are already familiar with Pivot (one of the suggested FREE programs available for a project like this). Pair this program with some script writing and you will have a fantastic and educational rainy day (or any day) activity!

More Sites....

These two sites should keep the children academically entertained for quite a bit!

Gamequarium Language Arts lets the children practice spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary! Lots of links to a wide array of games. You can also go to a more general area of Gamequarium for links to other educational activities.

Another fabulous site is Mr. Nussbaum. WOW! LOTS of links to an amazing number of games! I can't wait to share this one with my children! It has activities for students in grades K-8!

As always, have fun and let me know what you think!!

Summer Packet

I have noticed that the summer packet for rising 3rd graders asks the students to use Education City. CHES did not renew the "at home" portion of this site. The 3rd grade teachers created the packet and most certainly did not realize that Education City would no longer be available. I will look for sites that would be helpful to maintain skills and post them on this blog throughout the summer. Focus on finishing the paperwork and use whatever educational sites you find to supplement. As the parent of a rising 3rd grader, I plan to document my child's use of the computer although it will not necessarily be Education City. I haven't checked it out recently, but I know at one time there was a free trial available to Education City. You also may want to check out Study Island and take advantage of the "Try Us Out" section. Study Island is what the students in grades 3-5 use (and even what they use at the secondary school).

Having recommended those sites, I have found one called Carrot Sticks. It is a math program that provides practice with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division (all are free until the end of June - addition is free all the time). Students create an avatar and can compete with other students to quickly solve math problems. If competition is not your child's style, there is PLENTY of practice. The program assesses skill and moves your child to different levels based upon his/her ability and is for students in grades 1-5. Check it out!

If you find any cool sites, let me know so we can all take advantage. :0)

Olympics 2010

We have had a super time keeping track of our medals, writing poems about Winter Olympic sports, and finding participating countries on the globe! We have also read Hour of the Olympics by Mary Pope Osbourne to find out about ancient Greece and the first Olympic games. Wow! Have they changed since then!

To find out about the latest Olympic news you can visit the NBC Olympics site. This is the one we have used to chart the medals. What's new today? Post any information you find in the comment section. You can learn about the mascots for the Vancouver Olympics and play games with them. This page will take you to many places so you can find out more about the Olympics, both the modern games and the ancient games.

Are you interested in learning more about where countries are located? If so, check out Geography Games. Have fun learning more about our world! Let me know what you think by leaving a comment. :0)

Finally, you can check out all of the Magic Tree House books by visiting the official site. I've ordered you a surprise that is arriving when our book order comes. :0)

New Math Activities

Hey, guys and gals! These are the activities I showed you during class today! At the IXL site you can count models of numbers and write them in standard form; write the value of the underlined digit in a number written in standard form; write a number in standard form; and identify the digit in the ones, tens, hundreds place. You can also guess the number being described using clues. If you want to practice counting money, there are lots of coin activities. Just choose from the topics in the green box on the left side of the screen. The one about shapes looks cool, too! Remember that the site will only let you play for a little bit before they want you to pay to join. I believe you can play a few games each day. Have fun learning! Leave me a comment to let me know what games you try and which ones you really like. If you find something else that you think a classmate might like, let me know! :0)

Fast Facts Strategy

This post is mostly for parents....I was searching for a few games to post when I came across this strategy for practicing/memorizing addition and subtraction facts. It is a second grade objective to memorize the addition and subtraction facts to 18. Some of you use aaamath.com as well as other sites for practice. This seemed like a good method, too. By "ticks", I believe they mean tallies or some other type of mark that reminds you that they have repeated the fact fluently. Give it a try and let me know if it works for you.

Congruent Shapes

We have learned that congruent shapes are the same size and the same shape. Check out this game I found that lets you match congruent shapes! It's called Ice Blocker. Let me know what you think! Can you find other games that let you practice shapes?

MONEY!!

In honor of Black Friday, count some money! Here is a site where you can match money cards. Have fun!!

Professor Garfield

Thanks to some other teachers at school, I checked out a new website called Professor Garfield. It uses the funny comic cat to practice lots of skills. There is even a place where you can create your own comics! Make a comic of your own and bring it back to school on Monday, November 30th for a prize!! Have fun! Let me know what you like best about this site. I liked playing the trivia game against other people and watching the videos in Knowledge Box (check out the topics in other grade levels, too).

Happy Thanksgiving Break!!

Hi, second graders! We have not used this site this year, but I think you are really going to enjoy it! I use this spot to share cool websites with you and share information about our class. I even use it to post stories that you have written so others can see your incredible writing. You can use it to link to the sites I suggest or sites we have visited (like the R.L. Stine site). You can also leave comments. If you want to leave a comment, you do not have to be a member. You can select to submit it anonymously, but sign your name. Please remember to respect the feelings of your classmates by writing positive comments. I would love for you to suggest websites for me to post or share anything interesting about the topics we are studying. You can see older posts and use those to link to other sites on the web. I will leave a new post this week with some online information that I think you may enjoy. Since I know how much you liked the R.L. Stine site, I will include that one here. All you have to do is "click" on his name and it should take you there. Can you find any sites for other author's we have read like Gail Gibbons, Dan Gutman, or Mary Pope Osborne? If you do, let me know!

Rain by Ronaldo

Rain
Wet, splashy
Raining, splashing, wetting
Wet days
Raindrops

Thunder by Trafton

Thunder
Hot
Unneeded
Nature
Destroying
Electric
Roaring

Rain by Jazmine

Rain

Drippy, wet

Falling, dripping, watering

Rain, rain, go away

Water

Rain by Betty

Rain
Watery, wet
Dripping, watering, dipping
The rain is dripping on the roof.
Weather

Cloud by Henry

Cloud
Fluffy, big
Flying, soaring, hovering
Cool to look at
Weather

Sun by Samantha

Sun
Hot, bright
Warming, tanning, burning
On fire
Star

Rain by Morgan

Rain
Drip, drop
Splashing, playing, running
Go inside
Water

Poetry

Many of you have been excitedly writing cinquain poems. I am thrilled with your work! I would love for you to post some on here in the comment boxes. Click here to get to the worksheet we use to plan and write our cinquains.

We have also talked about acrostic poems. Those are the ones where you take the topic word and write it vertically down the left side of your paper. Each line you write must be about the topic and begin with the letter from the word. Here are some examples. Please post your poems.

Try out some others we discussed: free verse, concrete, rhyming! Write and post and have fun! Feel free to leave positive comments about another person's poem, too! Get your parents to write some also!!!

Disappointed

I have had this blog for two school years and I must admit that I was truly disappointed this morning when I saw that someone had left an unkind comment about another classmate. Many times this year we have quoted the phrase, "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all." Just to make it clear, that goes for writing, too. Before you write or say something, think about how you would feel if another person was saying or writing the same thing about you. If you would not like it, then please keep it to yourself. We are a class and our job is to support each other and celebrate our successes. Please do not leave hurtful comments.

So you know how this works, I get an email whenever something is posted. Since this is my blog, I have the authority to delete comments. I will delete unkind remarks. I can also choose to turn off the 'comment' option, but I like the idea of you being able to add your thoughts about activities on here.

Make a Mummy

Today we read about mummification. It was mentioned in our read aloud book Clementine's Letter. We were curious about how mummies were made so we did some research. We made our own mummy! Give it a try on Discovery Kids!

Science Fest

We are presently seeking volunteers to assist second grade with the experiment portion of the Fest. If you can help on June 4, please let us know. Mrs. Kee's class needs help from 9-10:30 am and I need help from 12:45-2:15. The task is easier than it sounds and we will be there to help! THANKS!

Landforms

As the year winds down we are learning about landforms and bodies of water. We are creating expository text by making a booklet that tells about 6 landforms/bodies of water of choice. The booklet must be illustrated and include examples of each. The students are using their textbooks and computerized material to do their research. On the National Geographic for Kids site students can play a game that teaches them about the Grand Canyon. They can also learn about Mount Everest by playing a similar game. To create some interest about other geographic topics, try the GeoQuiz. Try it until you get 100! Take the opportunity to explore the other wonderful articles and videos on the National Geographic site. Visit often as the site changes regularly.

Have some fun researching sites on your own. Post what you find so we can share it with others!!

Venn Diagrams

We have been using Venn diagrams to show how all of the students are a like and different. We have also been using them to compare stories. After reading non-fiction text, we have used Venn diagrams to compare and contrast the topics of the books (eg. spiders vs. insects). We are using Venn diagrams with two and three overlapping circles. Zoo Logic will help students sort animals into the correct pens using the concept of a two-circled Venn diagram. The site does not specifically say that the zoo pens are Venn diagrams, so you will want to ask your child what the pens remind him/her of (guide them to the answer: Venn diagram). I am still searching for other games/activities to practice this skill online. If you find one of your own, please send it to me or post it in the comment section.

Language Arts Sites

We have been working on using periods, capitals, commas, exlamation points, question marks, and apostrophes correctly in our own writing. The students are really improving this skill. For fun practice with editing, we have been using the Power Proofreading site. With its game format, it is a fun way to practice. Have fun!

For children needing extra work with sight words, Professor Garfield is a wonderful place to begin. You can select stories rich with sight words, print them out, and let your child read away. There are Bingo cards, flash cards, etc. If you would like some of the stories, but do not have access to a printer, let me know. I can certainly provide you with what you need.

A fantastic way for "chapter book readers" to make their reading more meaningful and to get them to think about what they are reading is to have them make predictions every so often throughout the book. Scholastic Instructor gives detailed instructions for doing this. Encourage your child to follow these steps. Not only will it improve his/her reading skills, but it will also hone writing skills.

Inauguration Info

With our study of how our country elects a president, we talked about the Inauguration. I was hoping that we'd be able to watch it together on the 20th, but due to the work day, that will not be an option. I hope you will take the opportunity to view this event so you can see what takes place. You can read about Presidential Inaugurations by connecting to this link. Write about it and bring it in on Thursday (or post a comment here) for a prize. :D

Christmas Around the World

Ready for some educational fun? Check out this Scavenger Hunt! Answer the questions and bring in the answers on the first day back for a prize!

SORRY

I know I said I'd post something sooner than now. I've had some trouble accessing the blog, but think I have it solved now. I will definitely add some sites for the vacation. Have a great time! Remember, show proof of reading, writing, doing math on Jan. 5th and you get a prize! :D

Rainy Day Fun

We are studying sound in our classroom. What can you use from around your house to make a musical instrument? Can you make an instrument that makes more than one sound? How do you make the sound (do you tap on it, pluck it, shake it)? Tell us about your instrument in the comment section. Bring it to school to share it with the class. We will take your picture and post it here. :0)

THANK YOU!

I write this hoping that my students from last year still visit occasionally. I just wanted to take a moment to thank the families from last year for their assistance with my quest to become a National Board Certified teacher. By allowing your students to be video taped, you helped me produce a product that the assessors found to be worthy of certification. I found out last Friday that I have achieved my goal and am now a National Board Certified Teacher! I could not have done it without you and your children. THANK YOU!!! :D

Mayflower

Here is a link to a site where you can see a timeline of the Pilgrims' voyage as well as take a tour of the ship. What do you think it would be like to travel aboard the Mayflower?

Write a Math Story

Can you write a story to go along with the following number sentence? 8 + 7 = 15

Here is mine....

8 feathery birds sat on an old wooden fence. 7 more gently landed beside them. Now there are 15 chirping birds on the splintery fence.


Post your own to the blog. Click on comments, write your story, sign it, and post as anonymous. Remember, even though you are writing for math, you must use good writing skills: capitals, punctuation, spelling, adjectives, and grammar. I can't wait to see what you write!

Build Your Own Caterpillar

Put your knowledge of caterpillars and their adaptations to the test. Design your own caterpillar by choosing the best color, spikes, and "extras" that will help it survive the environment described. Let us know how you do with the task.

Congruent Shapes

This week we have begun exploring congruent shapes. Do you know what makes shapes congruent? If you said that shapes that are the same size and same shape, you are correct! I found a site that lets you explore congruent shapes. Pay special attention to the communication aspects in the instructions. Being aware of your thinking helps you remember the concept. After exploring, leave a comment explaining how you knew the shapes were congruent. Can you find any other activities that help you practice with congruent shapes? If so, let us know. :D

Welcome Class of '08-'09

Welcome to the class blog! I will use this site throughout the year to give you information about our class. If you peruse the previous entries, you will see that I provide links to sites that relate to our areas of study as well as feature special events. I also use this to showcase student work. Students and parents have the opportunity to comment on the posts as well. If you do not want to join, you can sign your message within the comment box and publish your comment as "anonymous". I ask you to be respectful of each other's feelings; please only publish positive comments.

The first site I would like to feature is CoolMath4Kids. This is a great site that offers a wide variety of activities and games. If your child is savvy with addition and subtraction facts to 18, there are areas where they can begin to work on multiplication. Subtraction Blast is a fun game that actually prepares students for multiplying. Another great area on this site is the addition area. It accommodates students still needing practice with simple facts, progressing to more advanced addition concepts. There are games to reinforce these skills. There is also a subtraction area that is set up similarly. I hope you have fun visiting this site. Please leave a comment to letting us know what you like.

PS: Last year's second graders are still welcome! There is plenty for you to do, too. :0)

Memories of 2007-2008

This year was fantastic! I hope you like the poem. Keep up with your Summer Packet so you will impress your 3rd grade teachers! Be sure to check the blog occasionally because I will post throughout the summer. Savannah has already been on today!! Thanks so much for such a great year!

Miss Kristin’s Second Grade 2007-2008

180 days have gone by too fast

I can’t believe that it’s really the last

I knew from the very start

You’d etch a special place in my heart.

Now that the year’s over and you have nothing due

Here’s a little poem about how I’ll remember you:

Reminding Jacob to “pinch and rest”

James proud of taking another AR test

Kayleeann wanting the markers for the board

Ethan counting numbers with a high-noted chord

Soaking Caroline G. being lots of fun

Reminding Tyler to walk and not to run

Maddie offering to tuck tissues in Edward Tulane

Writing on the carpet will NOT leave a stain

Reading funny stories that Savannah wrote

“Don’t chew on that…you are not a goat!”

Caroline P. and her love of Junie B.

Icy proudly showing fancy artwork to me

Hannah explaining her answer with the stick

Shae writing about a skateboard trick

Kendal reading another Magic Tree House

Chris listening, quiet as a mouse

Krystle prepping for the morning graph

Cam always able to make me laugh

Carley smiling radiantly, reading to me

Nathaniel looking for Miss Ruth and PE

Jasmine blogging on the Miss Kristin site

Grinning about the cinquains Kameron would write

Damon’s knowledge of critters being cool

Who could forget My Weird School?

Robots, elections, landforms, and skits

Presentations, weather, sound, and math kits

Now it’s official, but don’t think you’re off the hook

School is over, but enjoy your Summer book!

Love, Miss Kristin

To Infinity and Beyond!

Check out the NASA Kid's Club daily to find out about Buzz Lightyear's mission to the International Space Station! There are other nifty things to check out while you visit. You can even sign up to have your name sent to the moon.

Early Dismissal

It's a good thing we got out when we did! Here's what it looks like on my street!

Science Festival 2008

The annual Cape Hatteras Elementary School Science Festival took place May 17th and 18th. The students excitedly engaged in a number of hands-on learning experiences based on the North Carolina Science Curriculum. Our newest students (More-at-Four) loved the squishy slime they made while 5th graders manipulated items like chop sticks to get a feel for animal adaptations. Several staff members served as speakers throughout the event demonstrating their versatility and interest in the field of science. Students learned about electricity from Anne Swain and Kerry Hooper from the Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative. Brian VanDruten from U.S. Fish and Wildlife had the students "gobbling" up all sorts of information about wild turkeys. J.B. Rattles amazed the students with his wide variety of reptiles. Learning about red wolves with Diane Hendry, also from U.S Fish and Wildlife, was awesome. The event could not take place without the CHES parents who always dedicate their time and talents to the fest. They run the experiments as well as donate the delicious buffet items on which our volunteers feast. The support of the PTA is truly appreciated as they generously donate funds to purchase consumables. The Science Committee thanks all who participated and supported this event and looks forward to another fantastic event next year.

RAIN Acrostic Poems

Rainbow after the rain
A bigger puddle
I do not like the rain
Not so excited
~ Caroline P.

Round and fat
Annoying
I don't care about rain
Not good at aiming into a water bottle
~ Krystle

Radiant
Always boring
In the way of the day
Not bad for plants
~ Maddie

Rain is very cool to study
And rain tastes very good
It helps the flowers grow
Never get to go outside when it rains
~ Caroline G.

Really rainy
As awesome as a shark
Incredible
Not much fun
~ Cam

Rapid water
A very strong thing
It falls from the sky
Not big
~ Jacob

Really boring
And wet
It helps plants grow
Nothing can defeat rain
~ Kameron

Rushes to the ground
All of the raindrops go the same way
It is made by water vapor
Never hits very hard
~ Chris

Really wet
Awesome after rain
It ruins my day
Never go outside in a rain storm
~ Shae

Ruins the day
As bad as a shock of lightning
It does help plants though
Never colorful
~ Jasmine

Runs down a hill when it hits the ground
As smooth as a bed
It is cold
Not pretty
~ Nathaniel

Rough when falls
Always wet
It makes mud
Never dry when it falls from the sky
~ Icy

Rivers roar
All living things need it
It rains for flowers
New plants drink it
~ Ethan

Real wet
And cold
It is a good thing
No animal will live without water because it helps the animal
~ James

Racket in the house
All the time bugs are on your skin
It's always gloomy
Not cool because it's wet and you can't play
~ Kayleeann

Really cool
Awesome
I like to play in it
Not so cool
~ Carley

Rainbows come
April showers bring May flowers
I like to hear the sounds
Nice and refreshing
~ Tyler

Really wet and cold
A bad time to play outside
It makes puddles
Not a nice day
~ Hannah

Rain and sun make a rainbow
Always comes from clouds
It can sometimes be very loud
Not very fun because you can't go outside to play
~ Savannah

Ruins my day
A bad time of the week
It makes me real sad
No fun outside
~ Kendall

Rain is cold
Always makes rainbows
It will make ice
Needs water in the desert
~ Damon

I Know....

I know what 2 little girls are up to this afternoon! My mailbox is full of comments. Thanks for using the blog and posting messages to your classmates. I will post more this weekend. What do you think I should add? Our visit from Bailey? The new spinner address? RAIN poems? Earth Day? The landform diorama project? Science Fest? Let me know what you think should be next!

PS...If you write the article at home or during FREE WRITE, I just may let you post it yourself! :0)

Probability

We are working on probability experiments. Today we had a super time experimenting with a spinner online. Change the spinner and see what happens. Report your results in a comment. Tell what you expected and what surprised you and WHY. :0)

I'm Still Here in the Bathtub

On Thursday Caroline and Carley shared I'm Still Here in the Bathtub from the book I'm Still Here in the Bathtub: Brand New Silly Dilly Songs by Alan Katz. It is a sequel to Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs. They did a fantastic job of turning a one person poem into a two person poem! Way to go! This week we will be writing acrostic poems. I know you will love it! What is your favorite poem from this book? Let us know by adding a comment. :0)

Baby Owl

Miss Susan and Caroline found an article about a baby owl on the Island Free Press (where Hannah's mom works!). Hope you all enjoy it!

National Poetry Month

To celebrate National Poetry Month we are adding a daily poem share to our calendar time. This morning Cam and Jacob shared Water Striders by Paul Fleischman from his book Joyful Noise Poems for Two Voices. Yesterday Kayleeann shared Oh Have You Heard (click on the poem for the link & then scroll down) by Shel Silverstein in honor of April Fool's Day.

Througout the month we will be reading and composing our own poems! Keep checking for poetry updates. :0)

Map Sites

I found this map game at FunBrain. I hope you like it!

This site will tell you how you and a family member can make a map puzzle using clay!

iKnowthat.com offers puzzle games for many areas of the world. You do not have to register. You can select the 'maybe later' option and still play the games.

After you play the games, add a comment to let your classmates (and me) know what you think. If you click on comments, you can add one anonymously (just sign your first name at the end of your comment - you can check out the one about the field trip to see how Caroline G. & her mom signed theirs).

Miss Kristin

The Leprechaun Story by Kameron

“Ahhhh!!!” I screamed as I saw a leprechaun in Target in Virginia. I told him to hide behind the bookshelf but he didn’t do it. So I told my mom, “There’s a small person near the bookshelf!”

My mom said, “He’s probably just a midget.”

“He’s smaller than a midget. He’s a leprechaun.”

My mom said, “I don’t believe you.” We left Target and guess who was in the car. The leprechaun! We had to deal with him the whole way home. When I got home I kicked him out the window of my mom’s car. We never saw him again.

The Tricky Leprehaun by Savannah

“Wow!” I yelled, “That’s a small house.” Then ……..a Leprechaun came out! “Give me your gold or I’ll step on you and your house!” I said. The Leprechaun gave me gold all right. Chocolate, that was wrapped in gold paper. The very next day I went back to that Leprechaun’s house and he was not there. I saw that his beautiful flowers had died. The air smelled terrible. Also, everything in the garden had rotted. Then I noticed a small sign on the door and it said, “Went to Hawaii for summer so I can go surfing on my small surf board, dudes”. So I had to wait until winter. That Winter I got my gold.

The Greedy Old Leprechaun by Jasmine

“WOW!’’ I screamed, as I walked to a huge oak tree in the middle of the woods. I heard giggling sounds by the tree but there was nothing there so I looked in the big hole in the middle of the tree. There was a leprechaun about an inch tall! He had my ten dollar bill! I grabbed the dollar and he tried pulling it harder. It felt as if I was playing tug-of-war. So I ran and got my dad because he is very strong. He got my money and he told the leprechaun, “Get lost!” Then the greedy old leprechaun stomped his feet as he went back to the oak tree. I heard him whispering, “I was going to use that money for a new home because my house stinks.” I just ignored him and went inside to read a story about a monkey that found a pot of gold.

March Terrific Kids!

Congratulations to our awesome Terrific Kids for the month of March: Hannah, Caroline P., and Kameron! All three are very deserving of this honor! Hannah has worked hard to become the best student she can be. She is very attentive to the needs of others. :0) Caroline does nothing less than her absolute best at all times! She is a super student and is always eager to learn new things. :0) Kameron is always ready for our next project. I can always count on him to set a good example for other students. :0) KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!

Telling Time

OK, kids, here are some of the telling time sites we've used in class. Check them out and let me know what you think. If you find any others, let me know.

Time Clock: We haven't played this, yet, but we will. You can practice moving the hands for different times at 5 minute intervals.

Teaching Time: This is the one with the big clock. :-)

Willy the Watchdog: Have fun!

Digital Clock: This is the one we played with the lever and the apple clock. You can practice hour and half hour.

Dr. Seuss

Sorry I was not there for your celebration. Mrs. Kee told me that you all had a fantastic day! Write a post telling me what you thought was awesome! I also can't wait to hear about Maddie's WCHE appearance on Thursday or the Book Talks on Friday. What books are you sharing?

Have you been to Seussville? Play games and write your own story!!!!

I miss all of you a lot!!

Primary Games

Here's another new site I found! You can engage in all sorts of fun activities: telling time, spelling, puzzles, etc. Tell me what you like best about the Primary Games site!

Friday Fun

Watching the otters playfully swimming in their habitat.....excitedly gazing into the 17 feet deep tank as Olivia and Winn floated among the sharks, barracuda, and other local fish......leaning over the ledge of the touch tank to pet a stingray.......gently stroking a blue-tongued skink (congrats to Damon & Jacob for impressing all the second grades in the county by identifying this critter!!).....WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF OUR LEAP DAY TRIP TO THE AQUARIUM? Leave your comment!

In the spirit of Leap Day, did you read about Beelzebufo? Find out all about this large frog fossil and find links to other frog-related sites! Post a comment about what you've read to earn Caught Being Good coupons.

BubbleShare: Share photos - Powered by BubbleShare

Leap Day

Get ready for a day of field trip fun! We are heading to the NC Aquarium to take part in Leap Day: a celebration of leap day and life cycles! Students will board the bus at 8:15. We are not "forbidding" iPods, video games, etc., but we will not be responsible for them. When we arrive at the aquarium we will have a small snack before venturing into the aquarium at 10. After we finish at the aquarium, it's on to McDonald's for lunch! We will arrive back at school in time for dismissal. Be sure you get your permission slip and lunch order to school by Wednesday. Parents are welcome to drive separately and meet us at the aquarium. Students may ride home with their parents, but me must present a note to us upon leaving.

Congratulations!

Today at the Terrific Kids Assembly we honored our student of the month: Carley! She eagerly enters the classroom each day ready to work hard and learn as much as she can! She is friendly and always tries her best!

We also honored our February Terrific Kids: Jasmine & Shae! They are both fantastic members of our class! Jasmine is always ready to help anyone: adults and students alike. She constantly tries her best! Shae is a super friend and works hard all the time! He is well-behaved and sets a good example for others! WAY TO GO, TERRIFIC KIDS!

National Geographic Kids

Do you want to try some fascinating experiments at home? Do you want to read some awesome expository writing about topics like penguins? How about trying some cool, educational games? If you answered YES to any of these questions, then National Geographic Kids is the site for you! Bright, vivid pictures greet you when you visit this site. Test your geography skills by playing one of the Geospy games! Make a kaleidoscope with common items! There are all sorts of boredom-busters on this site! Check it out and let me know what you think!

Cool Website

To encourage reading at home visit Book Adventure sponsored by Sylvan Learning Center. There are plenty of book titles to interest a wide range of readers. It is similar to Accelerated Reader in that students select a book, read it, and then take a test to earn points. There is a parent section where you can go to set the awards for your child; each book is worth 100 points. When your child/children sign up, you can link them to your account so you can monitor their progress. I have set this up for my children: a kindergartener and a 6th grader. You can search by titles, authors, interests, and grade levels. If it's too much to juggle now, keep it in mind for the summer! Check it out and let me know what you think!

Revolutionary War on Wednesday

Chapter Two test

Chalotte's Web

We are reading Charlotte's Web during our read aloud time this month. We are also going to do several activities based on this exemplary piece of literature. There may even be a special surprise, too! Check out these games!

Character Hangman play Hangman to name characters from the story
Say What? who said that quote?

Have fun!

Skimboarding by Nicholas

Yesterday I went to the beach with my cousin. When I was there I found a bone. It was stinky. It was a walrus tooth.

Then I went skim boarding. When I was skim boarding my
uncle went surfing on some really big waves. Then I almost got
caught in the current. Then I landed a trick. I twisted my legs a little bit. Then my skim board swayed back and forth. Then
I learned that skim boards do not work in deep water. When I
did it once again it turned on me. Then I fell off. Then when I
tried again I made it and I told my cousin.

My Birthday by Cassidy

On September 17 it was my birthday. I had a great time. It was fun. After my birthday when I had two people at my party there was a
waterslide. I had lots of friends after my party with my mom and K.T. and Grandma and Grandpa and my sister and I had one friend. Her name was Kylee. She was in my little pool. We climbed up my
waterslide. We had a great time.

The Beach by Jahfar

I went to the beach with my dad. The waves were huge. I got barreled. I had fun. Little John got there. Levi was excited.

Levi had to go to the store. He got sad. We stayed. A lot of other people left too. We had fun. After the beach Ayden came over. We rode scooters and caught air.

We had a slumber party. We woke up again. Then we went back to the beach. We surfed again. Levi kept on falling. We had fun. He didn’t go all the way out.

We got back from the beach. We went skateboarding.

My Pool by Ethan

I got a new pool. I like to dive off the diving board. Sometimes I do flips off the diving board. I really like to hold on to the diving board and hang so half of my body is in the water.

My mom ordered it. I like it a lot. It is ten feet deep. It is the most fun ten foot pool ever. One time I did five summersaults in a row.

It was really awesome. Anthony and Hannah had a
competition. It was so cool. Anthony started to win but then Hannah won and Anthony said, “I want a rematch.” Hannah said, “OK.” I was going say the same thing. I had a plan! I'm going to put so much soap inside the pool and then I'm going to mix it up with the wheel pumper. It was a really good idea.
Anthony won! At last it’s a tie I said.

My Birthday by Jasmine

This is my birthday party. They are my friends. All the people are my
best friends. I have many more friends though. My birthday was the 23 of August. The party was at my home. My party was in butterflies. My mom’s friend let us use one of their tents. We had one, too. Ours is blue. Theirs was green and white.

When I got there I played with one toy I got for my birthday. It was two of my Barbies. There was a little one and a big one. It was a school set. I like it. It is fun.

I like all my other presents. I had a lot of presents. I like my outfit that I wore yesterday. My Uncle Dale and his girlfriend got me that. The top was blue the bottom was brown. I had a bet it was brown. It had flowers. The flowers were all different colors like purple and pink. It was very beautiful. There were squiggles. The squiggles were a light brown.

There were a lot of people. Some were in my family. Four of them came except the two that live with me and my sisters, Julie and Jackie. My cake was chocolate. The icing was vanilla. The cake was good. I had ice cream. The ice cream was chocolate and vanilla and strawberry. The ice cream was good. Very good. I think everyone liked it. All the chocolate ice cream was all gone. The strawberry was almost gone. The vanilla was not gone but it was almost gone. I liked all the ice cream, but I just had chocolate.


I had three kinds of drink. One was green and one was orange and one was red. The drink was very good. I only had the green one. My mom and I went to Dollar Tree and when you walked in the drink was right there. The cake was from Food Lion up in Avon. I like the drink. I think that everyone liked the drink. All of the green was gone.

My cousin came. She did not play with us that much because none of my friends would pass my big beach ball.

Bad Dog by Olivia

My dog dropped the lamp then he got in his bed. When he got out of his bed he got water and he got food too. Then we took him outside to play ball. Then we took him inside.

Then I took him outside and we jumped on my trampoline together. Then we took turns. Then we went to get a drink. Then I went back outside to play in the water hose.

My Cousins by Jordan

My cousins are coming on October 11. My cousins are staying for one week. We are going to have fun. We are skateboarding and my cousins are going to skateboard too. One is 11. One is eight. One is seven.

Last time they were here we went to skateboard. When we went I went first down the half pipe. Then all of them went down the half pipe. It was the first time they had ever done it before. We went down the half pipe.

Then we went back home and we played my new game on my Game Cube. It is called Need For Speed Underground 2. It was a fun game. My cousins and I played my Game Cube. I let my cousins play it.

Then we went to ride my bike. I did a wheelie. It was cool. Then they all did it.