Waste-free Celebration

We had fun, we ate good food, we cleaned up, we emptied the recycle bin twice, but there was very little in the trash can when we finished. By using our plastic plates and cloth napkins, we didn't have much trash at all. We did fill ourselves on pizza, fruit, pretzels, and cupcakes. We made a snowman picture frame ornament. We listened to holiday carols and played games...Christmas Bingo, Mancala in honor of Kwanzaa, and the dreidel game in honor of Hanukkah. We even exchanged books as gifts. Books are gifts that keep on giving. It was a celebration I won't soon forget. My favorite part was watching all the smiling faces. What did you like best?

Holidays Around the World

Do you know where your holiday traditions come from? We are exploring holidays around the world to find out just where some of our traditions come from and how people around the world celebrate. We may not be exactly the same, but we all have similarities around the world. Most holiday celebrations include lights, foods, symbols in our clothing and decorations, music, and thoughts of friends and family. To enjoy your holidays more, think about how we are all the same and embrace the differences. My favorite food tradition is the gingerbread cookie which originated in Germany. It is a great treat during the holidays. What is your favorite tradition? Do you know where it originated?

Persuasive Writers

We have been writing persuasive letters to practice convincing people to believe what we believe. We started by writing to Mr. Davenport. We want to convince him to help us with composting and our 1st grade garden because we believe these 2 things are important for conservation. Now, we are writing to Santa Claus to convince him to bring us what we really want because we really deserve it for all our kindness this year. Do you think it would help if we say some kind things to Santa in our letters?

Map Experts Extraordinaire

We finished the basic map study. We covered the difference between maps and globes. We explored and created various maps. We had fun with symbols found on the map legend which we found out is the "key" to understanding maps. The students thought it was histerical when I told them that they should "Never Eat Soggy Worms." But you know what, they all remembered how to label the compass rose with the cardinal directions because of that saying. I wish I had know that when I was young. I was always confused on East and West. We will continue exploring maps as we look at the outlines and locations of Virginia and the USA, as well as, Richmond and Washington, D.C. Before we go on winter holiday, we will be looking at Christmas around the world and referencing our world map. So if you need help with a map, ask a 1st Grader.

Literature Feast

We had a marvelous time at our literature feast today. The students enjoyed reading a food book and sharing it with their friends. Then we ate foods related to our stories. We had chicken tenders, hot dogs, spagetti, pizza bagels, vegetables, and dip. And of course, lots of desserts like cookies, cupcakes, and pumpkin pie. We used cloth napkins and plastic reusable plates so when we finished, we only had 2 classroom size bags of trash, not the usual extra large bag like the ones used in the lunchroom. It was a satisfying feeling knowing that we hadn't created lots of trash. What do you think will be the long-term effect if we always use cloth napkins, plastic reusable plates, and real silverware that can be washed and reused? I am thinking that it is a great green step toward a brighter, litterfree future.

Autumn Traditions

The students have been exploring seasonal changes and writing about their favorite things about fall. A definite theme evolved in that 1st graders love to observe, pile up, and jump in the leaves. They like carving pumpkins, collecting Halloween candy, and watching for squirrels as they collect nuts. Now, we are sharing our Thanksgiving traditions in our writing and preparing for our Literature Feast. Looking at the stories the students are reading, I think it is going to be delicious. Also, we are having a fantastic time reading fairy tales. The fractured versions get us laughing out loud. Ask the students about the big bad wolf and the house of flowers. See if they can keep a straight face when they tell you about his attitude adjustment. What is your favorite fairy tale? Have you ever wondered what happened after the "happily ever after"? How would the story be different if the main characters traded places or were different? The imagination just never stops if you think about it.

Pumpkin Exploration

Friday was pumpkin exploration and it was fantastic. We compared, sorted, sequenced, weighed, measured, and tasted pumpkins. Well, we tasted pumpkin seeds and pumpkin bread. It was Crazy Hat and Hair Day, too. Boy, we looked silly, but we had fun. What was your favorite pumpkin exploration activity?

Fall Festival Sightings

Did you see the Green Queen or Raggedy Anne and Andy at the Fall Festival? That was Mrs. Marx and Mr. Andy with his girlfriend, Anne. I am happy to say that 13 students from our class attended the Fall Festival. It is always a great time. I get to see current students and students from the past. I enjoy talking to parents and seeing everyone having a good time. This year my daughter, Amber, brought a friend with her and showed off the Frog Bog. In addition, this year was memorable because I won 2 prizes in the basket raffles. The only disappointment was that when I passed by the recycle bins, I saw styrofoam and food instead of recyclable items and in the trash can I saw recyclable bottles and cans and Capri Sun pouches. It made me think about how much further we have to go to educate our community about conservation. Do you think we can have everyone recycling by next Fall Festival?

Diligence

We are studying the 1st grade biographies and we have found a characteristic that is common among all of the famous Americans we have studied. What is that characteristic you may ask? Well, it is quite coincidental that it is the characteristic of the month that Mrs. Lehman is teaching...diligence. Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Christopher Columbus are all known for sticking with whatever it was that they were focused on be it a sail across the Atlantic, freedom for all, the study of the elements, or a job well done. We still have George Washington Carver, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King to discuss. Do you think we will find that they are diligent, too?

Farm Days at the Farmers' Market

What a wonderful day we had at the Farmers' Market. The weather was perfect, the livestock interesting, and the sponsors knowledgable. The children had a fantastic time. They couldn't decide on a "favorite" they had so much fun, but some of their favorites were the hayride and pumpkin patch, the magic show, and the animals. What was one thing you learned on our field trip?

What a Great Start

We have had a great start to the year. We were amazed by comparisons with long ago and today and the possibilities of the future. "Being a Scientist" was exciting and we discovered that we use our "scientist" skills in other areas like reading and math. We are almost always observing, comparing, sequencing, predicting, measuring, inferring, and communicating in one way or another. Now, we are learning all about important people in history who have done spectacular things. We are using a timeline to follow them through history in sequence of their birth. I wonder if one of you will one day be displayed on a timeline for some outstanding accomplishment you have made.

It's August!

Who would have known that the summer would fly by so quickly? In July, I went to Key West with my family. It was fun. I tried conch fritters and sampled their key lime pie (Mrs. Jones' pie is just as good.) Eventhough it is an tropical island, there weren't alot of beaches like we are familiar with here. They are mostly shallow far out in the water and rocky and covered with seaweed. It was interesting. They have recycle bins almost everywhere that they have trash cans on the street.
I have also done a bit of yard work at my house including helping my husband take down a dead tree so that we can prepare the soil for a new tree next spring. In the process, we accidently knocked the birds out of a nearby tree. I put the babies back in the nest and the mama joined them later after closely observing the rest of our work. From a distance, I watched her feed them later. We also saw a black widow spider at the trunk where it meets the ground. I am all for leaving nature be, but I did say it was a BLACK WIDOW SPIDER. I didn't want to run into later. You know I'm allergic to insect bites and black widow bites are poisonous. I just didn't see any good coming from letting that spider live. Sorry.
So I have heard from Liam and Judy. What are the rest of you up to this summer?

Summer

OK! I know it has been over a week, but it was a busy week. I spend Monday and Tuesday packing up the room. In the process, I filled the big hallway recycling container twice and the trash can only once. Wednesday and Thursday, I had classes to take to help prepare me to lead you to become 21st century learners. Don't worry, it is ALL good. Friday and Saturday, I prepared for and had a yard sale, so as to give some things that I was done with a second chance (reusing) to be useful. Sunday, I relaxed by the pool. What about you? Have you done anything exciting? How have you been keeping cool during this heat wave? Have you been to the CESgreenDream blog to see what new conservation efforts are taking place? Have you read any good books? I'd love to hear about it. Please comment.

A Fabulous Field Day

Smiles all around. We may have started off with a drenching rain, but we ended with wide smiles and great memories. We were flexible and forgiving, and we were rewarded with a fantastic day of fun and water mayhem. It was nice to watch the students participate in events with a friendly, competitive attitude. Sportsmanship was everpresent thanks to their training by the PE department. We owe the trio a great big THANK YOU, so the next time you see Mrs. Payne, Mrs. Martin, or Mrs. Simpson remember to show your appreciation. Also, our generous PTA and Creeds volunteers deserve your appreciation as events like this cannot happen without their support. So as you are thinking about all the fun you had, remember the generosity of our volunteers. Seeing the volunteers and the children's smiles are what I like best about field day. What do you like best?

Wordle Wonders

We had lots of fun making Wordles for our resource teachers this week. All the students wrote 5 words to describe each teacher or something that they learned from the teachers. We used all those words to make a word puzzle picture to describe each person. The more the word was repeated the larger the letter size on the wordle. They look amazing and we hope everyone likes them. If you had to describe yourself in 5 words, what words would you choose? I like the words diligent, dependable, kind, funny, and helpful.

Afternoon With Dad

The weather was perfectly sunny, the children were excited, and the dad's were plentiful. Friday's 1st grade "Afternoon with Dad" was wonderful. We played tug-o-war, and modified kickball; we guided Dad through the Frog Bog; and enjoyed ice cream sandwiches, popscicles, and cold water. Miss Stolle's dad and Mrs. Marx's dad were in attendance, too. Mr. Davenport even gave the dads an aluminum water bottle that they can use all summer and be reminded of this wonder day. And most of the students got to go home early to spend more one-on-one time with dad. It was great. What was your favorite part of sharing the hour with dad?

Outstanding Science Scores

Way to go! I'm really impressed with how much you have learned this year in science. Your city-wide science test scores were calculated today on those bubble sheets tests. We had an average class score of 90%. Two thirds of the class had 91%correct or higher. Five students had PERFECT 100% tests. I'll say it again. Way to go! What was your favorite science unit?

Remembering the Patriot Heroes

As we finish up our unit on patriotic symbols and holidays, I am pleased to say that we have some very patriotic students. They have become very knowledgable about American symbols and holidays. They were diverse in their favorites, but the theme of freedom being represented by the symbols was evident in the students discussions. Also evident in their discussions was their appreciation for the freedom they enjoy which so many people have fought for and given their lives to ensure. Remember to say thank you in your prayers as you remember why we celebrate Memorial Day every year and enjoy the priviledge of FREEDOM protected by so many lives. What did you do special over the holiday weekend? I'm spending it with family and friends.

Poets Amoung Us

Who would have know that first graders are such wonderful poets? We have been listening to poets that use descriptive action words and sound words that help us to visualize what a poet is thinking. We have tried our hand at writing our own descriptive poems in poetic form. It is nothing like writing a story with complete sentences. The students came up with a wide range of topics for their first poems and I must admit, I was definitely impressed with the details they incorporated. They really used their imaginations and their senses in their writing. What would you call an exciting topic for a poem?

A Celebration of Mom

What a superb job the 1st graders did reciting their poems, singing their songs, and remembering their lines for the momisms. Most of the moms commented on how impressed they were that the students remembered some many songs and poems in addition to the movements. Well, there is no denying that they did a awe-inspiring job, but I think it is the movements that helped the students to remember the words. Keep that in mind when you are trying to remember or learn something...add some movement to really get your brain ignited. I think it also helped that the students thought it was fun and they could connect to the performance because it was for their special moms. But it wasn't just a performance for the students, they created flowers and vases by reusing common things found around the house, wrote their own poems and stories about mom, and did some amazing artwork. It was absolutely a fantastic, fabulous, fun-filled Friday! What did you do for mom at home to celebrate her love and caring for you?

Mother's Day Preparations

We know ourselves best, but we know MOM pretty well, too. The students have been working on poems and stories for their mothers. I must say they have wonderful stories to share and their poems show great insights into their mothers' influences over them. They are doing an amazing job learning the songs for their Friday performance. My favorite thing about my mom is that she stands behind me in support of all my endeavors. What do you like best about your mom? You should tell her.

Amazing Story Responses

What a wonderful job the students did today on their reading responses to the Frog and Toad story The Garden. Monday we did "I wonder..." questions as we listened to the story, but didn't look at the illustrations. They had some amazing "wondering" questions. Tuesday, we did visualizations where the students discribed what they could see, hear, smell, touch, and feel in the picture in their heads when we listened to the story again. They had some awesome answers. Today, we listened to the story again and looked at the illustrations. They discovered that the seeds grew because they recieved rain and sun, not because Toad read or sang to them. It is amazing what you can discover in the pictures. I still want to know what book Toad read and what song he sang to the seeds. What still has you puzzled in The Garden?

Earth Day Extravaganza

What an outstanding day. The students did a fantastic job with their Earth Day commercials for the school-wide program. They had extremely insightful things to say about out marigold and tomato planting. They enjoyed their green Jello jiggler palm tree treat while watching the Lorax video. Power Day was fun without paper, too. I'm excited, also, because I don't have any more papers to add to my pile to be check. I loved the program most today. What do you think was the most thrilling part of the day?

Natural Resources

We have been readying ourselves for Earth Day as we studied natural resources. It has been lots of fun and I think the students are ready to save the world one piece of reusable or recyclable trash at a time. You can hear their excitement in their voices as they talk about making a birdfeeder from a Starbuck's cup or a birdhouse from an orange juice carton. They are an extremely consciencious group and they are ready to take on the world of conservation. What do you think everyone needs to know about keeping the earth green and healthy?

Wild Things

Mr. Lightheart and Wild Thing vistited us at Creeds ES. It was exciting and energetic. Mr. Lightheart is a wonderful storyteller. I wonder if he was anything like Max when he was little. What do you think your mom would do if you told her you were going to eat her up?

I Wonder...?

I wonder how this mouse got in the glass and what it is thinking. With our reading this week, we have been doing lots of wondering. I have enjoyed the questions accompanying our Leo Lionni stories and our Eric Carle stories, too. The students have a very inquistive and creative way of looking at things. Ask them what they are wondering about the next time you sit down to read a book.

Spring Break

Our spring celebration included a coconut (fur) covered bunny cake as our sweet treat. We made flowers and put special messeges in decorated eggs. It was all fun.
I hope your Spring Break was special and fun, too. Did you get out in the sun this week? It was a great week for playing or working outside. The weather was awesome. I was outside weeding with my daughter, Amber, and mulching with my husband, Rich. Also, I did some roof repair, stump removal, and built a new flowerbed for my oversized sago palm tree. Yes, I did enjoy some down time reading a book in the sun and seeing "Alice in Wonderland" at the theater with my family. What did you do for fun this past week?

Spring Hair Cuts

Our little eggheads received a fresh haircut from their student parents before going home from the weekend. They looked so adorable. AND the students did really well on their "Season: Spring" assessment. We are getting so ready for 2nd grade. What do you think your egghead needs to keep its "hair" growing? Will it last long enough to need another trimming?

Plant a Seed of Cooperation

How exciting! One first grade reading group performed a readers' theater skit they helped to write for the 3rd grade today. It is all about the parts of the plant, their functions, and how they must cooperate in order to grow healthy and strong to reach their full potential (a flower that produces seeds for future plants). I had a great time working with this group and I'm proud of their growth and performance. If you saw it or performed in it, "What do you think?"

Growing Eggheads

What wonderful news! The eggheads in the window growing grass-hair are not the only ones in room 104. You all did a wonderful job on your plant studies assessment. I am very proud of you. Almost everyone had 100% on their test of the plant parts, needs, functions, and contributions. What do you think was the most helpful or exciting part of our study? Was it the plant part tasting party? Could it be the experiments and the hands-on-activities? Was it the personal commitment and investment that drove your interest as you prepared the Readers' Theater script and rehearse? Now the trick is to remember it for the 3rd grade SOL test so Mrs. Hardin will see that you know your stuff. Congratulations! (Now, I'm going to go have a coffee ice cream milkshake made from the coffee bean grown on a plant.)

Leprechaun Stories

Those tricky, little leprechauns have been up to no good again. What wonderful stories you all have told this week. Here are some of my favorites leprechaun tricks from your writing: stealing shoes, riding the dog, eating a hole in the chocolate cake, and putting mom's wallet in the mailbox. I must say you were diligent in your pursuit of the leprechaun's gold. I have never heard so many traps go "SNAP" in first grade papers. It is ashame it was just and story so that nobody came away with a pot of shiny gold. If you caught a leprechaun, what would you do with it? Do you really think you could trick it into giving you its gold? They are very tricky creatures.

Cinderella at Kellam

We really enjoyed Kellam HS's presentation of Cinderella. Our favorite character was Cinderella, of course. She was kind, polite, pretty, and she wore beautiful dresses. We liked the prince, the king, and the fairy godmother, too. The funniest parts were when the mean step sisters were pushed down by the stepmom as she tried to put her foot in the glass slipper and when the maiden kicked the prince's servant because the glass slipper didn't fit her foot. The special effects like the disco ball lights and the glow-in-the-dark floating dress were intriguing. The scenery was spectacular and the pumpkin coach was sweet. Connor would tell you that dancing with his sister during the intermission was the best part. If you haven't seen the Kellam production of Cinderella, it is playing this weekend and next. The fairy godmother said that dreaming and wishing aren't enough on their own, but magic isn't needed, just action. What do you think about that?

Thank You

I want to thank all of my students for helping me to prepare the Virginia State Reading Conference Readers' Theater presentation. Your videos of our readers' theater presentations in the classroom were adorable and helped us to show teachers from around the state that readers' theater can be a fun and successful tool for teaching young children to read fluently (smoothly) and with expression (emotion). I hope you all enjoyed the process so far as much as I have enjoyed watching you grow with it. We will be doing more readers' theater and trying new things. At the conference, I discovered a few interesting things that we can add to our presentations. What would you like to add to our readers theater presentations?

Worms at Work

We now have a vermicomposter in room 104 with worms at work composting food waste for our 1st grade garden. We are so excited we want to sneek a peek everyday at what those worms are up to, but we know we shouldn't so we don't. I bet it would make a great story, if we let our imaginations take over and visualize those worms at work. Can you picture them in you head at a all-you-can-eat buffet or a backyard family reunion? Give it a try and see what you come up with in your imagination.

Dr. Seuss's Birthday

There is nothing like the first week of March when we celebrate the contributes of Dr. Seuss. All those stories keep us busy, but in a creative way. This week, we are thinking about imaginary animals, making up rhyming words, and having fun in a world outside the ordinary. It is a good thing for us that Dr. Seuss was a diligent man. Why do you think Dr. Seuss wrote about such strange and amazing characters?

Dream Vacation

Now that we have finished studying different geographic areas, we are writing about our dream vacation to one of these areas. The assignment is to describe a vacation including the weather, clothing, transportation, shelter, and activities found in the area. Naturally found plants and animals should be described, too. My favorite part is the food found in the area. I am looking forward to the descriptions of the food. I want descriptions that will make my mouth water and my tummy rumble. I hope to hear about sweet, juicy raspberries; red, steamy crabs; and soft, hearthy wheat bread. Where would you go on your dream vacation and what food would make you drool? I am looking forward to reading these papers.

100 Days of School

It is official. We have completed 100 days of school this year and you are 100 days smarter. All of our 100s day activities wore me out. I loved the words you made with the letters "o-n-e-h-u-n-d-r-e-d". Judy and Sunny came up with the most real words. Way to go! All the different equivalent names for 100 were awesome, too. It is so obvious you have developed some fact power this year. Applauds to Jake for coming up with the most equivalent names for 100 in 100 seconds. You know I enjoy the 100 day math activites, but the stories were awesome, too. I was amazed at your visualizations and retellings for 100th Day Worries by Margery Cuyler. You were really able to recall a lot of details. 100 Days of School by Trudy Harris and The Wolf's Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza are always cute stories. Do you think the wolf learned a lesson in the story? And I am still amazed that we didn't have any duplicates on the 100 item collections that you brought in to share. It was great to act like a scientist to think of ways that we could sort the groups. Well, I've put away my vest with 100 buttons until next year. What was the best part of the day for you?

Imaginations Gone to the Birds

Well, maybe it isn't a bird. The imaginary creatures created this week are just outstanding, amazing, and unique. Reading about the flinggonsuris, the calumub, the flambooshoo, the bleep, and the graphus reminded me that we are all the same, but different just like the animals you created. All the animals may have a toucan beak, giraffe neck, and butterfly wings, but you have made them your own as you described their noises, habitat, and talents. I think even Dr. Seuss would be pleased with your work. What do you think it would be like to have a grufle for a pet?

Bizzare Week

What a strange week we have had this week. I enjoyed my unexpected time at home playing games and reading Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the Lightening Theif. Did I tell you I earned 13 points on the AR test? It was fun, though weird, to have 2 early release days after the snowy break. It was rewarding to get Mr. Andy as an official "teacher-in-training" for his practicum experience. I know he is excited, too. But I must say your imaginary animals were the highlight of the week. I cannot wait hear what you write about them this week. Will your animal help you do homework, eat metal cans, or swim through the air? The possibilities are endless. What was your favorite part of the week?

Snow! Snow! Snow!

Did you get out in the snow to make a snowman? have a snowball fight? make snowangels? Our snow wasn't the best for packing, but filling a bucket with slushy snow allowed us to make a snowman like you would a sandcastle. He did turn out a bit square-looking from the street, but he will be there in the yard long after the rest of the snow melts. Amber and her friends made a snowman mound that looked like he'd had a hard night. It sure was beautiful, but...COLD! We drank lots of hot chocolate. What did you do?

Stone Soup

We had bowls of fun today making our stone soup and performing readers' theaters for the story, too. Who would have guessed that magic could come from a soup made with stones? Well, as I hope you have learned this week, the magic comes from sharing with others and trying new things. Which version of Stone Soup was your favorite?

Animals, Animals Everywhere

Can you think of an animal that is covered with fur, walks on 4 legs, and eats eucalyptus leaves? Of course you can because we have been studying animals for 3 weeks now. The students have really enjoyed discussing and exploring animals. They have learned about scientist classifying them by their unique characteristics: coverings, movement, habitat, appendages, enemies, and eating habits. Next week before our test, we will get to share our animal clue flipbooks, feel some actual coverings, and explore our favorite animals more indepth. I am looking forward to it. Can you guess what animal I like?

Special Guest Reader

Did you enjoy the stories my dad, Principal Portis, read? They are 2 of my favorite stories. I love stories about the joy of reading and about the blessings of being different. Every time you turn the page of a story book, it is an adventure just waiting to happen. Books will take you to far away lands, long ago times, or to meet amazing characters. What adventures have books taken you on lately?

Reading Month Tradition Continued

What do you think of the Black Lagoon stories by Mike Thaler? We have heard the stories from the class, the teacher, the art teacher, the music teacher, the new kid, and today, the custodian. Still to come, we have the nurse, the secretary, the cafeteria lady, the librarian, substitute teacher, the bully, and the principal. It's it great that these people in our school will take time out of their day to read these stories to us? I think it makes our Reading Month tradition very special. Remember to thank them. Now go sit down with a nice, cozy blanket and a good book! Enjoy!

Winter Stories to Warm Readers

I have truly enjoyed reading the winter stories written in the last week. Your snowball fights, snowangels, and snowmen took me back to my childhood. Sitting by the cozy fire with a snuggly blanket and frothy cup of hot cocoa made me yearn for a good book. Thanks for making me feel like I was there as I read your stories. Keep it up with your next stories. Remember the excitement for your readers is in the details you share. Make our mouths water, our hearts pitter-patter, and our ears hear the songs that you hear. What will your next story be about?

Reading Month

I am thrilled that Sheriff Stolle kicked off "Reading Month" for us this year. It was nice of him to make us his first official duty as the new Virginia Beach Sheriff. Did you like the story about the wolf learning to read? It is one of my favorites. Sherman Crunch was a pretty cool story, too.

Exciting Times

Welcome to 2010! I hope you have all had a great winter break. I have enjoyed spending time with my family and friends, eating delicious treats, and reading a book about being "gorgeously green". I was tickled to find that my daughter, Heather, wrapped my presents in brown paper bags with paper ribbons. One of the things she gave me was a basket made with rolled up newspaper. I will bring it to school to show you, but this is a picture of it. It is the neatest thing...and an example of creatively reusing resources. So what have you been up to during the break?