All- About Books

Our current writing unit has given students the opportunity to combine several types of writing practiced throughout the year to write "All-About Books" on topics they are experts in. Students used their knowledge of nonfiction features to create labeled diagrams, tables of contents, and picture glossaries for their books. They wrote lists, "how-tos" (procedures), and "snazzy introductions" that grab the attention of their reader at the beginning of the book. Students combined all of these sections with a personal "About the Author" page to create "All-About Books" on topics such as hockey, baseball, dogs, recess, and more! Today all students in our class had the opportunity to share their finished book with groups of classmates. Their books came out very well and will lead into the creation of "All About Chicks" books which we will create over the course of our Chick Life Cycle Unit. Below are a few photos of our "Publishing Party" for the books today.

Our Chick Unit Begins!

Today was a very exciting day as it marked the beginning of our first grade "Chick Life Cycle" Unit! This morning students in our class watched as Nurse Kelly and I cleaned and labeled 13 fertilized chicken eggs to set in an incubator in our classroom. Starting tomorrow students will begin to help turning the eggs in the incubator three times each day as the embryos inside grow into chicks! Throughout the month of May first graders will learn all about chick development and hatching becoming "chick experts." Around May 21 we will expect to see our eggs hatch! Below are photos of our very first day. Stay tuned for many more photos throughout the month!

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Art Show

Below is the information for the upcoming school art show, where you can see some of your child's work!

 

 

Colchester School District Art Show

Tuesday, May 7-Friday, May 10

Open 8AM-4PM

Reception Thursday, May 9

6-8 PM

Refreshments will be served

Weather

First Graders have been studying weather as a science theme throughout the month of April. Our class has learned all about the water cycle, the different types of clouds, what meteorologists do, how weather can change daily and is different depending where in the world you live, and so much more! Ask your child to explain the steps of the water cycle, to name the most common types of clouds, or to explain what words like "evaporation," "precipitation," and "condensation" mean. Most recently students in our class have become fascinated by thunder, lightening, tornadoes, and hurricanes! Below is a voicethread where I asked each student to record one important thing they learned about weather in the last few weeks. A few students have not had a chance to record yet and we can't currently access voicethread online so the rest of the class will be added the day we return from break.

Mrs. Kelly Turns 30

Today was my 30th birthday and several people suggested the photo below from today! We had cupcakes and when the kids sang the "are you 1, are you 2, are you 3" part of the birthday song I had them count by 5s to get to 30 (they don't need to count past 7 when singing the song on other class birthdays!). I received flower and balloon deliveries and it was a very exciting day!

Leading the School-wide Meeting

Today Ms. Barnett's class and our class lead this month's school-wide meeting together! We lead the school in a greeting, and a song with movements that we have been practicing as part of our unit on solids and liquids. Then we did a share of two Voicethreads, one created by each of our classes, showing some of our learning about solids and liquids! Below are some photos and the Voicethread.

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Food Shelf

The Colchester Food Shelf and Union Memorial School have the good fortune of being neighbors! Throughout the school year each class at UMS has taken one week to collect items to donate to the food shelf. Last week our class collected non-perishible items and on Friday we walked to the food shelf as a group to donate them and learn a little about what the food shelf does in our community! This tied in beautifully to our first grade fall theme unit of "Community Helpers," where we learned about different jobs and how people work together in a community.

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