Busy little hands!

The thing about Grade One is that almost everything is new learning.

It seems like the students are always learning....new ideas, new ways to accomplish

things, new words....

The word that they learned last week was OPINION.

Each student got to have a Hersey Kiss and a Hersey Hug.

We thought about the five senses (another tie in to science)

and wrote what we could see, smell, taste, and feel.

Each student used a graphic organizer and wrote an opening sentence

that shared their opinion, wrote three reasons for that opinion, and

ended with a conclusion.

It was all very 'one step at a time' with lots and lots of help,

but they worked through the process and had a lovely finished

piece of writing.

Sometimes the 'added extra' seems like child's play

BUT really...

it is a way for the students to work (very hard in some cases)

on their fine motor skills.

The students were given a piece of aluminum foil and

then asked to cover their cardboard cut out so that it looked

like a Hersey Kiss.

For us as adults, sometimes we just want to do it for the kiddos.

It's easier, it's quicker and it's often less messy.

Truth is, we don't need the practice or the experience.

Their little hands do!  Think of the things that they might

be able to do for you at home that work those fingers and wrists.

It pays off in the end!

The games that the students do in the morning again, looks like a 

lot of fun!  They are but they are always given to help the students 

practice their new learning.

They were using these cool dice (one inside another).

They rolled it and added the pips on the two dice and then

coloured the matching number on the page.  Looks like a game,

but they are really practicing their addition skills (Shh! Don't tell

them....they just think they are having fun!!)

This activity was today.  I could have made it easier, and the final

product would have looked a whole lot neater, but at this time of

year, I like to be a bit less prescriptive.  I wonder who is able to

handle the 'hard work'!

The students cut out two card stock mittens.  They were to put 

one on top of the other and then, using a hole punch, put holes

around the mitten shape.  The bottom needed to stay open.

Once done, I tied on a piece of yarn and then the students were to go

up and over, pushing the string through the top to the bottom,

then continuing, so that the sides of the mittens were 'sewn' up.

It showed me a whole lot:

-able to make the holes match in both mittens (some did one mitten at a time- OOPS)

-able to go from the first hole to the second to the third

-able to go to the top and down

-able to persevere

There were a few who just wanted to give up, telling me "This is too hard!"

My answer of "Oh well, keep trying" might sound like I am not willing to help,

but really, it's their opportunity to be proud of being able to do their best.

It may not look as neat and nice as if I had helped, but I could not take away

their pride when they finally finished and exclaimed "I DID IT!"

It's like that little train going up the hill....."I think I can, I think I can!"

(and me thinking "I know you can...I know you can!)

The students are really working on absolutely knowing the double facts.

Lots of games to play and practise, because they are going to be working

on another math strategy soon.

That is "doubles plus one or doubles minus one"

It goes like this:  3+4.....I know 3+3 is 6 so 4 is one more, that means it will be 7!

Students are using those strategies to KNOW their facts, which is a requirement of 

the Grade One curriculum.  Knowing the facts will really pay off in the end!

They work so well together!