Happy Groundhog Day!

Spring coming, or winter staying?

It's always fun to make predictions and our class was almost evenly split on predicting what Phil the Groundhog would see today. Despite only being correct 40% of the time, it is still good news to hear that he did not see a shadow and spring will therefore come early! (But that was in PA and the sun is shining here in MA so I don't know if our groundhogs would agree...)

Great reading, guys!

Will it still feel cold?

Blubber is great protection!

In any case we are still in winter themed books and activities in room 115. This week boys from the Middle School Basketball team came over to read to the first graders (this week also had a National Read Aloud Day). Two of the boys were in our class and read a fiction and non fiction book about polar bears. We followed up by making a polar bear paper bag puppet with facts written on the back. Then we had a first hand chance to see how blubber really does protect against the cold arctic air and icy seas- we put on a blubber 'mitten' (crisco in a bag within a bag) and submerged our hand in snowy water. Didn't feel a thing! Putting our other unprotected hand in the icy water was a shock though! 

Wow! Warm as toast!

                                                        

Do I dare?!

Icy water!

The boys also helped the kids spell and sound out words for the bear facts they wrote on the back of the puppets. 

Can't wait to try it!

Polar Bear puppets!

Grrr!

Our Blubber Mitten and polar puppets!

Having the basketball boys over was so much fun for the kids, and they were  terrific role models too! On the way out they gave out basketball pencils and stickers- thanks!



We had a lot going on this week with it also being Kindness Week. We did get to the kindness craft stations during recess on Friday after missing the Wednesday slot. We had kids decked out in various kindness themed clothing each day, and we had to get the Patriots fans in too!

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GO PATS!

crazy sock day

In the midst of all this activity, we took the 2nd math benchmark test, and the writing prompt for persuasive writing was also given. Phew- what a week! 

One of the books we read this week was Library Mouse. We followed up with another adventure of Library Mouse when we read Library Mouse, A Friend's Tale. Then we used our persuasive powers to write to the librarian in school and ask if she could read a 3rd book in the series that she has. She was persuaded by our reasons and wrote her own letter back to say that she will be reading it to us very soon!

Inspiring mouse!

Our own mini stories like Library Mouse

In science we are identifying and comparing parts of plants - such a variety of leaves, flowers or blooms, roots, and seeds. We are carefully tending our own growing collection of plants too. One plant everyone has been captivated by is the Venus Fly Trap - pretty cool videos of that plant 'catching' its prey.

Fundations Phonics finds us working with 'glued sounds' pronounced as one 'chunk' such as ing, ang, ung, ong, ink, ank, unk, onk. We have generated word lists under each and decoded words containing these spelling patterns. Since 'saw' was on the spelling test we also had fun with a furry bear claw to pull out words from and put on the board to read.

Our plant collection

Can you read the /aw/ words?!

I am sure next week will be just as busy. I will send home a class Valentine's list in advance in case anyone gets an early start on Valentine's Day cards. We will be decorating bags I have in class as holders for the cards next Friday so they will be ready for the following week. Box Tops are being collected this week as well - send them in!

Supposedly we are getting warmer temps this weekend and next week- enjoy!

Mrs. Dagley