Monday 4/28

Sounds like everyone had a great week!  I was amazed at the perfect behavior today... Second Grade behavior and work!

Today the kids worked on three birthday compliment pages!!  Vine


Our focus for Math is subtraction.

After listening to Tacky the Penguin, we are in love with Tacky!!  We'll continue to listen to stories this week about Tacky and his companions.  Ask your child why Tacky is so odd.

The kids worked on a Hello/Goodbye poem.  Hello spring.... Goodbye winter (finally!)  

They will be hung up by our classroom door for you to see soon..

Spelling words this week are a review of the first 24 of the 91 First Grade sight words.

Week of 4/14

Hope you all have a wonderful spring break week!  I'm looking forward to visiting my family and friends in CT this weekend :)
Many kids are excited to go shopping to get some donations for our Mothers Day gift bags.

Here's a bit of what we did this week... 

Putting stories in order with Mrs. Cummings

Beginning a new type of opinion writing- reviews

The kids have some great (and funny) reasons why you should/shouldn't do/buy something.  For example, the ice cream at one place is too expensive or the ice cream at another has too many cherries.  We'll spend the next few weeks writing reviews and giving a star rating.

Here's our class review on the best park at Thompson.  Check out all of the editing we did together too!

 

The first graders were so lucky to have Greg Tang led a presentation on math thinking.  He taught us to always try to make a ten.  He shared his website with us- Check out Greg Tang Math http://gregtangmath.com/

This week during math, the kids have been exploring his online games. 

Our read-aloud on Monday was Math Fables Too.

Some examples of what we did during Math Centers this week:

Vine: Math Centers- Telling Time- 4/15 Keep practicing time to the hour! 

Vine: Math Centers 4/16

Vine: Community Service- Bag decorating

I became aware of a Mother's Day project through the Lowell Wish Project that I thought our kids could participate in.   Gift bags are given out to Moms that are struggling with homelessness, poverty or abuse.  The kids are so excited to put a smile on some Moms faces! 

Today the kids each decorated the outside of a bag.  Over the next few weeks, we'll be collecting donations for contents of the bag. Below are the required as well as optional contents.  We would greatly appreciate any donations you could make.  A printed list is in your child's folder.   The kids are hoping to fill all 23 bags!

video of today's community service project

Thank you for your support, 

Nicole 

Mother’s Day Gift Bags- Donations due May 2^nd

To benefit moms struggling with homelessness, poverty or abuse

Bag contents:

Flip Flops

Full Sized Shampoo and Conditioner

Toothpaste (any size)

Toothbrush

Lotion, body wash or soap

Deodorant-any size

White socks (1 pr) or slipper socks

Hairbrush (dollar store)

Feminine products

Candy- small box or candy bar

Day planner (dollar store)

Pen

OPTIONAL:

Bath salts

Ladies shaving cream

Brag book-plastic photo holders

Small picture frames

Costume jewelry

Novels-new or used

Makeup (samples are fine)

Lib balm

Blank note cards or note pads

Disposable cameras

Gift cards $5 for Dunkin or CVS

Nail polish

Friday, 4/11

Friday was Mr. Olson's last day in First Grade!  The kids threw a surprise party for him... confetti, handmade cards, sweets, and listening to some great read alouds.
David will be spending the next month in Kindergarten and we're so happy we'll still get to see him in the hallways at Thompson.
David's email is: dolson3@lesley.edu

We ended our day outside with our fifth grade buddies. 

Thursday, 4/10

Over the last few days the kids have been researching all about penguins and creating a book on Book Creator. They have been using books, fact cards and a Google Site with photographs, videos and facts.  Text to speech is getting used often!

The kids worked on some activities today about compound words.  Check out the HUGE list of compound words we thought of in this video- Vine: Compound Words  If you click on the movie, it will pause for you :)  Let me know what you think of these Vines!

Wed. 4/9

Thanks to everyone that came to the concert/art show this morning!

Math Centers: One group practiced counting coins while the other group was introduced to telling time.  Tomorrow we'll switch.
Sorry for the sideways video!!

Vine: Math Centers Time & Money

Tuesday, 4/8

Vine: How Many Pennies Can Your Boat Hold?

Note from Nurse Tami & Events this week

Smile Dental will be coming back to Thompson on May 21st. Information will be sent home in the next few days in your child's folder.  If you would like your child to see the dentist at school, please send back the permission slip.

Student Attendance During Illness 

 

There are times when a student should remain at home for his/her own welfare 

and the protection of other students. Your child should remain at home if he/she 

has: 

Uncontrollable and/or productive cough 

Fever over 100.4 degrees within past 24 hours 

Vomiting or diarrhea within past 24 hours 

Sore throat and swollen glands 

Undiagnosed, suspicious rash or skin eruptions 

Earache, severe headache or drainage from eyes 

Students should remain home for 24 hours after an acute illness or after starting 

antibiotics for a diagnosed infection 

When the School nurse has to dismiss a child who is ill

When a child becomes ill at school, a parent or guardian will be notified and are 

expected to come for the child immediately. A child should never be left at school for more than an hour when ill, while waiting for a parent to come and bring him or her home.  If a parent can not pick up his or her ill child, then the alternate emergency contact person will need to come and get the student.

Tuesday

1:00pm- Early Release

Wednesday 

9:00am- School wide Concert & Art Show 

6:30-8:30pm Parent Forum: Meet the principal candidates

Monday 4/7

This morning the kids wrote words with 2 syllables, both with short vowels. For example, napkin, batman and catnip.
What a group of engineers we have!!!  Using the engineering design process, the first graders built a marshmallow and toothpick tower.





Vine: Marshmallow Tower

Friday 4/4

Everyone had fun at Friday Fun today!  Creation Station was a huge hit!  We have a very creative group of kids. 

Check Kidblog for your child's favorite memory of the week. 

The kids had free time with their fifth grade buddies.  Some of 1st graders taught their 5th grade buddies how to use Scratch Jr.  Some played out on our patio.

 I'm so happy we are finally able to spend time in our outside classroom!! 

Thursday 4/3

Mr. Olson led a fun lesson relating to penguins.  First the students shared some facts they have learned about penguins.  Then they used a QR code to visit a penguin website.  Many students tried using text to speech today to listen to the website since it had some very tricky words.  Finally, the kids began making a penguin book on Book Creator.

The kids worked really hard during math centers.  Most of the stations focused on practicing your working number.    Vine: Math Centers

Wednesday 4/2

Think like a mechanical engineer video

Tuesday April 1st

Quite a few funny April Fools jokes were said in our class today!

We started a mini science unit on penguins.  The kids came up with a huge list of wonders.  Over the next few days, we'll read Penguins by Gail Gibbons. They are SO excited to learn about penguins!
Here are the kids working on some penguin activities.... Writing a wonder,  filling in a map about where penguins live- only in the Southern Hemisphere- and making a book of different types of penguins.

Here are some math activities where the kids are practicing their working number.

A new five tower game.   Nice job working together boys!