TGIF! and more...

Oh how the days go by...and today was no exception. During our math period we worked on an activity that each year children seem to enjoy. We are using pennies to find all the combinations of sums from 6 to 20. Each child begins with six pennies and places some in the right hand and some in the left. They record their responses on a simple graph. When all the number combinations are recorded they add a penny to work on the next sum. So when working with six pennies the child records 3 and 3, 6 and 0, 0 and 6, 5 and 1, 1 and 5, 2 and 4, and 4 and 2. Some children can do the calculations in the heads to begin with but as the numbers get busy it gets a little more of a challenge.
Later we recorded two more postcards we received on our United States maps. One from Ohio and the other from Indiana.
As we left the room for home we sang our infamous "Happy Trails to You" and headed for home. See you Monday!

Chinese New Year and the Dragon Parade!

Today was our annual First Grade Dragon Parade. In honor of the Chinese New Year all the first grades classes parade around campus singing, playing instruments, and become part of a dragon. It was wonderful seeing everyone along the parade route chanting and singing along with us. It made for quite an fun-filled morning...and for a Monday no less! We continued the celebration with an ancient Chinese secret...donuts from Krispy Kream. During math we worked on using our bodies to measure items from the classroom and noticed that our 100 piece puzzle we began on the first day of school is near completion. Just before lunch we practiced with Mrs. Shelton for the sing and then were serenaded in lunch by a fourth grader who plays classical guitar. During science lab they worked with Mrs. Reynolds to discover how to get an egg into a bottle! It's been a great learning day...and now let's take a moment and relax...