4th Grade Reading Buddies

As we enter the 2nd half of the school year and have built much more confidence as independent readers, we our showcasing our great reading to the WE 4th graders!  Every day 5, we will be heading to the 4th grade rooms to pair up with a 4th grade reader and enjoy some story time together.  We are looking forward to the many more opportunities we will have sharing with one another!

Natural Resource Learning

During the last couple of weeks, the first grade students have discovered more about why our home state of Iowa is so special to our world.  Students have learned more about Iowa's natural resources such as soil, gravel, sand, soybeans, corn and sheep.  To help us understand even more about our state and how we can help take care of it, Pam Holz, Washington County Conservationist came to visit earlier this week and share ways that we can be kind to Iowa's natural resources.  Pam also shared how everyday products that we may use are made using Iowa's natural resources.  Here are some of the products Iowa's natural resources are used for : Soybeans are used in candles and plastic objects while corn is used in batteries, corn syrup and toothpaste.  Cows also help provide tennis racket strings and pigs offer valves for hearts in humans!

Trying to guess what natural resources give us these products!!

Pam sharing about Iowa's Natural Resources!

We are 'hands-on' working with Iowa's Natural Resources.

Explorations with Balls

Our first grade scientists have recently begun exploring how different balls move when they are blown on, rolled, and bounced. Students were challenged to move or knock over different items using a straw paired with their own wind power and a variety of balls. Each student is also responsible for recording their test results in their own science journals before sharing their data with classmates.

We will continue our learning with balls over the next several weeks, and expand our explorations to include ramp building! Students love this fun, hands on science unit and it provides great early encounters with physical science!

Pick A Better Snack

Wellman Elementary first and second graders are very excited to take part in a healthy living curriculum, Pick a Better Snack. This initiative is organized by the Washington County Extension Office and funded by the local Wellman ALC club. The purpose of this program is to motivate students to eat more fruits and vegetables and to be more physically active.  A huge thank you to Laura Huber for her time and energy as a Wellman Elementary parent and volunteer to bring this awesome program to us for 9 weeks! Following are the "rules" of the Pick a Better snack program. They may come in handy at the dinner table as well;)

1. Be Brave

2. It's ok if you don't like it, but try it

3. Never say yuck

Laura sharing the 'rule' of the snack program :)

Our recording books for each visit!

 

1st healthy snack we learned about was an apple-this was a hit!!

Here We Come A-Caroling!

Yesterday, the first graders joined both 5th grade classes at Parkview Nursing Home to offer a time of singing Christmas carols to celebrate the holiday season!  Residents, staff and students were connected from generation to generation as all ages shared common favorites from their songbooks!  Ask your little one which carol he/she enjoys most and if he/she can sing it for you!:)  Here are some pics and links to videos of this wonderful experience!  Merry Christmas!

Parkview Caroling

Parkview Caroling 2

Holiday Data!!

First graders enjoyed a Christmas themed data day this week! Our mathematicians worked as partners to survey their classmates about their family Christmas trees and then recorded their information on a tally chart. They were then challenged to transfer that information to a bar graph before analyzing their data with a set of questions. It was great practice in...

• asking and answering questions 
• active listening
• tally marks
• representing data
• analyzing data

Plus it was fun to hear kiddos talk about how you are preparing for the holidays at home;)

Measurement in Math

This week first graders have spent several days working on their measuring skills. In one of our lessons, students measured objects around the classroom using nonstandard units, including digits (finger widths), hands, fathoms (arm spans), and hand spans. One of our discoveries was that we got different measurements for the same object if different people do the measuring using these units. We then introduced standard units, including feet and inches.  Students were challenged to use the standard ruler to measure seasonal ribbon!  Check out the photos of this hard work below...

Native American Games

Pam Holz, our Washington County Conservationist visited our classroom yesterday to show students that you can have lots of fun without much equipment during the Thanksgiving season.  Students enjoyed playing 3 different Native American games: Wood Gatherers, Pebble Drop and One Pebble Game.  Students were challenged in their patience and cleverness to win these games.  These fun games tied in well with our Social Studies work as first graders have been learning about the First Thanksgiving and how young pilgrim and Native American boys and girls were creative in making up games.

Pebble Drop proved to be much harder than what was anticipated!:)

Students trying to 'trick' the eye using one pebble.

Oh.....watch out.....someone is trying to gather wood!!