100's Day Fun!

Some of you may have already celebrated your 100th day of school (lucky), but ours is coming up on Monday and we are READY!  We love celebrating all our students have learned in the 100 days they have been in first grade.  Bonus that you can make it all about numbers and writing (we're all about the multitasking). If you haven't celebrated your 100th day or you love planning ahead for next year, head on over to our Teachers Pay Teachers store and get a copy of our unit with A TON of fun activities for your kiddos on their big day!

Common Core "I Can" Statements for 1st grade, Unit 4

Our team just started our 4th unit for the Common Core.  I think that teachers are life long learners and I am really enjoying all of the 'new' ways we are having to think/learn/teach.  Teaching a whole new core has been a lot of work, but also a lot of fun.  Luckily, we have found the way we've been able to adapt a lot of the things we have taught in the past, but I know that I have stepped it up quite a bit.  I feel like I have always had high expectations for my students, but this year I expect just that tiny pinch more.  They can do it and so can I!  I love thinking of standards in the "I can" form.  Here are the I can statements for unit four.  We would love to hear what you are doing with the Common Core!

Hello Mr. Groundhog

It is almost February, which in our world means one special/crazy holiday or event to teach and celebrate each week.  Groundhog's Day, Chinese New Year, 100's Day, Valentine's, and  President's Day!  Phew, February is a busy month, but we love it!  To kick it off, here are a couple of our favorite Groundhog's Day read alouds and a Groundhog's Day unit for only a buck!!! 

 

 

Click on the picture below to get your copy from our TPT store!  

Brrrr...and a freebie!

We may not have any snow, but…

(I saw this on Pinterest, if this is your idea
let me know!!  I cannot find the pin and would
love to give credit where credit is due!)

Some days I throw up my hands and say, “let’s do some art!”  Seriously, don’t you ever have those days where you feel like the majority of the class quite possibly hasn’t heard a single word you have said AND it’s almost lunch?  On those days, well some of them anyway, I figure we need a little fun and a whole lot of creativity.  Inspired by THIS amazing art blog we embarked on creating snowmen from different perspectives with crayon pastels. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how they turned out!

Turns out we weren’t the only ones in the school feeling the need for some snowmen.  Our 5^th grade friends in Miss Barnhurst's class created these chilly guys with chalk pastels.  FUN!

 Apparently, the lack of snow in our neck of the woods has us all craving a little of the white stuff.  We created a “Making Words with Snowflake” freebie just in case you are wanting a snowflake or two yourselves!  Enjoy! Click on the picture to get your own FREE copy!

The Moral of the Story is...

We have been up to our chins in fables!  Boy has it been fun.  We have been talking about so many story elements, including: characters, setting, beginning/middle/end.  My students favorite part? "The moral of the story is..." (this must be announced, not said, in a WWF announcer voice, "In this corner we have...")!  I love how much growth I've seen in my students ability to retell a story.  It's fun to watch that light in their eyes when they realized they've used one of our transitional words or when they get to the ending and they prepare their "moral of the story is..." Haha, they crack me up!  We created these units to help incorporate the common core standards and objectives into our teaching.  They have definitely been a labor of love.  We hope you love them as much as we do! Click on each unit to check them out in our TPT store!

  

Martin Luther King Jr.

I love teaching about Martin Luther King Jr.! I love that my kiddos are always so shocked at the injustice and can't fathom that people were treated so cruelly because of the color of their skin.  If only the rest of the world shared first graders views about loving everyone.  Here are a couple of Martin Luther King Jr. writing activities we'll be doing this week.  Click on them to get your free copies and enjoy your day off on Monday!

 


 

 A big thanks to