Lollipop Moment

A few weeks ago, Mr. Steele was asking us to pull gold out of a coal mine, or so we thought. The week before Fall Break was so busy. #stressed For our first graders, they had to practice for the Turkey Performance and get everything ready for Pioneer Day (hats, bags, collars, headbands, etc.). Then we actually had Pioneer Day-big hit #1- and our annual Thanksgiving Turkey Performance-big hit #2. You would think Friday would be an easy day, but turns out we had to present for the Engineering Expo. Give your kid a high-five!

As a teacher, this can be very stressful. I was leaving right after our staff meeting to go get married, and did not want to deal with all of this stuff laid on us. It was a lot on my plate, and I did not know where to start. I have been teaching first grade for four years, and I still did not know how everything would turn out this week. Teachers have to find inspiration.

Check out this video if you have a chance. He's a funny dude.

This guy asks, "What is your lollipop moment?"
When this was presented at the staff meeting, my thought was......."I don't know."
It did not feel great. I thought I should have some grand explanation to this, but was baffled. I love my kids and I know that my past and present kids love me, but did I make an impact in anyone's life? I don't know.

The Tuesday from the week of complete chaos, I had Anthony, a student from 2 years ago, ask me if he could borrow a book called Sophie's Choice. I read that to him and our class during snack time. He didn't know the name of it, but he could tell me the story line and wanted to read it on his own. I set my alarm to remember to bring the book the next morning. Anthony was there the next morning coming to borrow it.

That was my lollipop moment. Why?

Think back (way back for some of you). When was your first literary memory? When did you first remember a book, a story, or your mom and dad reading to you when you were a kid. Mine was Mrs. Williams in first grade reading to the class everyday after recess. She read Number the Stars by Lois Lowry in her rocking chair. I read that book 3 times in fourth grade. I read it to my first class in first grade.

Anthony remembered a story I read to him as a first grade teacher just like I remembered my first grade teacher's story time. Now that he is old enough, he wants to read it on his own. Wow! It may not be a big impact- or huge rainbow swirl lollipop-but it gave me the little inspiration and drive to get through that week. To top it off, Jessica, a kid from my first year in this grade, asked me during the Engineering Expo what was the book I read to her. I gladly wrote down Number the Stars by Lois Lowry on a bright sticky note.

Lollipop number #2

My question of hope is if one story can make a small impact, how could all the other crazy activities we do in first grade impact your child?

Stephanie

There's an App for That!

A parent asked me the other day what would her child do with an electronic device in my class. I usually let students bring electronic devices to use when they are done with their work. However, I like to use devices as something that challenges students, instead of playing. Unfortunately, I cannot download apps to your child's device. I did find many apps that you can download at home for your child to bring to class. Some are not free #boo.

Math
Brainz: math app that shows different equations with different difficulties. There are challenges that are for primary students all the way up to high school.

Kakooma: helps students build number sense, fluency, and computation in an interactive way. Mrs. Jensby's favorite!

Motion Math Pizza: an interactive game with a pizza store showing profits and expenses for pizza ingredients. Costumers create fast past addition to make more money. Miss Christie's favorite math game!

Lola’s Math Train

Math in Space Free

Kid's Patterns
 

Language Arts
Princess Fairy Tale Maker: Here’s a storytelling workshop fit for a fairy princess! This imaginative app combines storytelling, speaking skills and art in one clever package.

Build a Word

Word Magic

Story Wheel

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Mad Libs

Grammar Fun

Magnetic Letters

Science & Social Studies

Barefoot World Atlas: Take a trip around the world with this interactive 3D globe!

Beginning readers can use the voice narration feature to follow along as the narrator reads. Don't forget to check out a real-life photograph of each item after you've read about it.

Animal Kingdom Science for Kids 

Sid's Science Fair

Coaster Physics

Spacecraft 3D 

Where's My Water?

Weird but True

Logic- My favorite apps!

I SPY Spooky Mansion

Bumpling Free

Flow Free

Montezuma Puzzle 3

4 in a Row

Unblock Me

KenKen 

The OSMO is an interactive device I bought for my classroom. There are 5 different games that students can play. It was something worth buying to see how much they enjoy working on it. Watch this video to see what it is all about.

 

 

 

2nd Annual Engineering Expo

Old Man Johnny Came to Town

Pumpkin Math

This was my fourth year to teach Pumpkin Math, and it was just as fun as the years before. Pumpkin Math is a great way to engage students in math and science during the Fall season. This year we had a few special guests. Jackson's mother, Mrs. Guzman, came to volunteer. Also volunteering was Mrs. Lujan, Marian's mother. Our wonderful counselor, Mrs. McGlamery, experienced Pumpkin Math for the first time as well! All you ladies were PROS! Thank you so much for spending your time with our students last Friday. They really enjoyed it. =]

A few things we did during Pumpkin Math:

1. Since the pumpkins were round, we had to use a string to measure the circumference. We used cubes to measure the string.

2. We predicted the weight of the pumpkin. Even though it felt like 100 pounds, most pumpkins were under 10 pounds. That surprised them!

3. The groups predicted whether the pumpkins would sink or float.

4. We estimated how many seeds were in the 

pumpkins. Mrs. Guzman's group had over three hundred seeds! We counted the pumpkin seeds by 10s.

5. BEST PART: Carving the pumpkins and giving them a face.

 Most of the pumpkins had a facial and ended up with bushy eyebrows, mustaches, and glasses. My group named our pumpkin Old Man Johnny. Too bad they can't stick around for 50's Day coming up this Tuesday. What a great way to finish up the week. =]

New Schedule

Change Can Be A Good Thing

Congrats to Marian for being
the first Cubtastic Winner!

Christie Elementary will be returning to the schedule from previous years. This means that the students will have specials for 50 minutes every single day now, including Friday. So here is what our day in Miss Christie's class will look like starting November 2nd...

8:00-9:45:     UBD (includes Science, Social Studies and L.A.)
9:45-10:35:   Specials
10:35-11:30: Snack and finishing up UBD
11:30-12:30: Recess/Lunch
12:30-1:00:   Integrated Enrichment
1:00-2:30:     Math
2:30-2:45:     Pack and Stack

Monday:       Fitness/Music
Tuesday:       P.E.
Wednesday:  Art
Thursday:     Music/Fitness
Friday:          P.E.

This week: Pumpkin Math and Field Day will be Friday.
We will also have Red Ribbon Week where the students can dress up. Here is what each day will be designated to...

Monday:       Wear Red Day
Tuesday:       Wear your favorite sport's team attire
Wednesday:  Wear your shirt backwards
Thursday:     Crazy Sock Day
Friday:          Christie Shirt

First Christie Challenge

Last Friday, our school had a challenge to design a pumpkin as one of their favorite story book character. Thankfully, many parents donated small pumpkins to our class. We were able to make groups and have the students research what character they would like.

The first day, the students chose what character they would like. That was probably the hardest part for them. Two groups were reading library chapter books with popular characters, so Amelia quickly thought about Harry Potter. The Lorax and Cat in the Hat were immediate choices once the groups thought of it.

The next day, they designed a pumpkin on paper and gave me the materials list they needed. They requested paint, googly eyes, felt, and many other materials.

Friday, we went outside and decorated the pumpkins. YAY! No paint on clothes. No big disasters. The students had fun. The biggest challenge was finding a hat that would stay up for the Cat in the Hat. Makaela and Madilynn found cardboard from the classroom. We cut it and made it into a cylinder to go on the top.

Many of our pumpkins will be presented at the assembly.

FALL FESTIVAL ASSEMBLY 

Friday October 23, 2015 @ 8AM

All parents and family 

are welcomed to join!!!

See you there =]

Music To Our Ears

In the past two weeks, we have been focusing on a certain energy that we cannot get away from: sound. The kids have been learning how sound travels, how it goes through solids, and how it can bounce back to make an echo.

The students have been able to explore different instruments and listen to the various pitches each one can make. 

Mrs. Massey let us check out her guitar.

Azar was making a megaphone to show how sound energy can travel over to Miss Stanford's room.

Eliana's group were listening to the different sounds made by Mrs. Reeves homemade maracas.

Braylon was recording the different parts that make the system we called an instrument. 

The rest of the week, we will finish up our unit by creating our own instruments. The students had to make a blue print and a list of materials. So far, we have made a kazoo with a paper roll, wax paper, and a rubber band. 

Thank you Mr. Berg for coming to help us as a Watch Dog Dad. The students and Amelia loved it! 

Brain breaks are the best, especially with a dad dancing!