Top of the morning to you!

Leprechaun windsocks!

We were having some fun with gold, leprechauns, rainbows, and green on Friday for St. Pat's Day! We looked up Ireland on the map, read Leprechaun on the Loose, and had fun making our windsocks.

This week we read about 3 famous Americans - Lewis, Clark, and Sacajawea. We followed their adventure as they were sent out west by Thomas Jefferson to explore waterways to the Pacific Ocean, trade with native Americans, and discover new plants & animals. Their successful journey of 2 years blazed a trail for the pioneers that would one day follow their trails. Learning about the bravery of Sacajawea as she joined them along the way and her contributions to the trip was also exciting. I hope you have fun reading their 'journal' page from a day on the journey with Lewis & Clark! So many adventures, hardships, and discoveries to choose from. 

Our western library display

Covered wagons, teepees...

 We even painted a gold rock in shiny gold paint (it is drying in school), and that activity also worked into our focus on the west. Everyone was thrilled to hear that gold was discovered in what is now California back in 1848/49! The story behind the Gold Rush prompted us to write our own 'newspapers' about James Marshall finding gold in the American River. We will complete that next week. In any case gold led to a huge influx of people racing to and settling in CA, resulting in it becoming a state in 1850. The kids love reading all the new books with western themes - take a look:

So many to choose from!

Lots of series too!

Having fun with the gold miner figures!

Checking out the wooden fort and tiny people!

Working on our newspaper report

 Our new poems are also tied into the west. Here are some friends holding up Home, Home, on the Range.

Poetry center

In phonics we have learned some rules to help us remember when to use /ou/ vs. /ow. We continue to work with vowel teams as well.

'O' says it's name, 'a' is silent!

'e' says it's name, 'a' is silent!

 We congratulated Maggie this week when her name was announced as the first grade winner in the book mark coloring contest! We also welcomed Wesley's sister and friend from 5th grade when they came down to read to us.

We are finishing up our math topic on subtracting tens and ones. The kids have had fun regrouping with tens and ones rods and cubes. We move into Measurement next.

Report cards went home yesterday - terrific job everyone! They are truly like little sponges in first grade!

Have a wonderful and warmer weekend,
Mrs. Dagley