It has been a busy semester. Here's some of the highlights of first grade so far!
Let's flashback to the 50's!
On the fiftieth day of school, the students chose to dress up in 1950's style. We learned how to do the Twist. The kids played Sock Hop Pop- each student picked a popsicle stick with a word on it. If the stick had POP they had to all do the twist to the legend, Sam Cooke. We also compared trends from the 2010's and the 1950's decades. The played math games racing to 50.
With all the compliments, the class won a popcorn party! The students voted on the popcorn they preferred. The winner was....GHOSTBUSTER POPCORN! It was the easiest thing to make. Some kids did not want to try it due to all the green gooeyness, but it turned out tasting awesome if you like rice crispies.
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| Eliana making silly faces. |
Just before the break, we had our traditional Pioneer Day. All the kids in first grade learned about what it was like to come to America as a pioneer, having nothing here. We compared the lifestyles for children that lived in the 1600's compared to now. The students went in rotations to each room learning and creating new activites. Thank you to all the wonderful parents that made this day possible. We could not have done it without them. (Thank you Mrs. Evans for twisting off and on all those baby food jars. You were a trooper!)
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| Marian, Mrs. Lujan, Sarah, and Mrs. Evans celebrating Pioneer Day |
Top and Bottom Left: Carly and Lilou showing off their work from quill writing. Jackson creating a picture which was not the easiest task. They used a feather and black ink to write. Top Right: Ryen learned how to make soap. Bottom Right: Dominic and Braylon played a game with their new toy. The goal was to get the washer in the cup.
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Top and Bottom Left: Jordan, Mace and Sarah working on more quill writing. Top Right: Jacob was creating a necklace out of dyed noodles and string. Bottom Right: The best station! Madi made her homemade butter. They tasted it with crackers. Overall, it was yummy!
After all the fun activities, we had a lunch together in class. All students brought something to contribute to our soup and fruit salad. There was none left! They gobbled it all up.
Learning Commons
We have taken trips to the Learning Commons a few times this year. My favorite time we went to the Learning Commons was when the students created buildings in the community. First write, then build.
The kids could have spent hours in there building. I was impressed by the collaboration between Mace and Braylon. Together, they created the Texas Union Bank. Braylon started on the "layout" while Mace created the fence around the bank. They created cameras around the bank with facial recognition. There was room with a chair so the security guard could watch all the cameras. If the guard saw something wrong, he had an alarm button and an escape route. Such detail!
Last but not least...The Engineering Expo
During science, we have been learning about wind energy. Our essential question was "Why is wind energy important to us in everyday life?" During the same time in LA, we have been comparing different stories to the folktale The Three Little Pigs. Integration, viola.
The students had to find a way to keep the second pig's stick home stabile from the wind energy from the Big Bad Wolf. Ask your child why we didn't focus on the first pig.
We tested what objects moved and stayed by blowing our wind energy on them through a straw. We recorded that heavier objects stayed, which means we needed to find objects for our pig homes that were heavier than the sticks.
Red group added gummy bears and many more sticks on the roof.
Blue group added heavy dominoes to their Pig House 2.0. They even created a hole on the top that only the pig could fit through. They made a latter out of sticks to get to the top.
Green group's first home was heavy, but top heavy. They moved all their weight down to the bottom with erasers and gumdrops.
Yellow group used marbles to keep the home stable. However, the first home was stable on one side where the marbles were, but would move on the other side. Pig House 2.0 had marbles distributed on all parts of the house.
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During the Engineering Expo, Makaela did a wonderful job explaining to the older students the steps of process. She tested out the pig home by using the blow-dryer. As a class we learned about the Fujita Tornado Scale. We decided that the wolf blew the stick home down on a scale of F2, hard enough for wood, but not brick.
It has been a great semester so far. We have done so much! Only a few more days to another glorious break! Thank you for all the support you have been giving your first grader at home!
