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?