Tuesday Learning from Home

A daffodil ready to wake up to spring

Purple crocuses - a first sign of spring

Spring is in the air and signs of spring are all around us- tiny shoots and colorful flowers are popping up amidst the dry leaves, robins have migrated back, the air is a bit warmer, and the peepers are out every night singing their song. An important part of spring is rain! Today you will read about how rain is formed in clouds, how it helps by filling up rivers and lakes, and how all living things need rain to survive. In the fiction book you will imagine how delightful it feels to run outside in the rain on a sweltering hot day. I think you will especially enjoy the video with this lesson. We all had rain around here yesterday, and that's a good thing for all growing things, especially in spring! I assigned books about spring for you in Epic. Happy reading!

Your math links today include activities with printable pages from our math program reviewing 3D shapes. An assigned video on Epic is the 3 D song we have sung and practiced in school- I am sure you can belt it out at home! Check out this picture of a few shapes. Can you play, Which Does Not Belong? 

Which doesn't belong?

Maybe the circle doesn't belong since it is the only one with curved sides. Or could it be the triangle, the only one with 3 points? Can you think of a reason the rectangle at the top doesn't belong? 



Here is another math thinking game. It's called How Many? Look at the next photo. I will tell you that I see 29 of something. Hmmm what do you think I counted? Or I see 31 of something. What did I count? What can you count? Tell someone your mystery number and let them figure it out!

How Many?

Finally today, you will read an inspiring story about a true American gymnast who showed perseverance to become the best gymnast she could be. I bet you are showing perseverance at home when you do your school work even though we are not in school! There are many people showing perseverance lately- that is one trait that is very important to nurture.

Have a wonderful day,
Mrs. Dagley

Monday Remote learning- Which is Different?

Which one doesn't belong?

A great (and fun!) math activity is closely observing similar items and determining which one does not belong with the others. There are several choices and answers and often someone could make a case for any one of the choices. Take a look at the potato heads- I see several reasons the nurse is not the same, a reason the first one does not belong, a reason the last one doesn't belong.... If you want to email the choices your child came up with, I will include them on the next blog!

Here is one more:

Which one does not belong and why?

Brought to you from our huge collection of Pez containers. I can make a case for each one of these not to belong- can you?! All I know is, my boys may be grown, but saving their toys has now been validated!

I saw one of these last week!

When you go on a nature walk after watching the Mystery Doug Mystery, look for birds and listen for some rat-a-tat-tats! I was lucky to spot this woodpecker tapping loudly on a dead tree. His beak is perfect for getting those insects out of dead trees or pecking to make a nest- it's long, sharp, and strong!

Chickadees also have a distinctive call- I see them at the bird feeder all the time. Their beak is tiny and just right for collecting seeds (did you know they get 80,000 seeds in fall and store them for winter?!).
The duck has wide, flat, long beak, perfect for dipping into the water for a snack! Have fun being a scientist today noticing their beaks                                                                                               when you go on your walk. 

Our state bird!

Ducks have a very different beak!

Meanwhile here are a few activities the kids have been up to:
Alvin has been drawing, and someone saved a itty bit of snow!

Nice artistic work!

Look at that teeny, tiny snowman!

Looks like he was loving the Zoom time!

Look who wrote a personal narrative about an eye infection!

 James H. typed a personal narrative too, about his visit to the beach! Nice work, James! He also answered the questions on the Friday blog about the Continent link on Epic. I know you all have been working so hard! I am completely impressed by all the work on Epic and Freckle too! I hope you are enjoying the other links in the daily assignments. 

Be sure to check the tabs at the top- I added the new sight words of the week and the word work words too that used to go home with your homework.

Thank you for all your hard work!!
Mrs. Dagley

Personal narrative: by James H.

Intro: last sonday my family went to a far beach

Details:

The first beach was freezing and my hands felt like they were two blocks of ice and we stayed for two minutes! Then we drove to a difrint beach because the first beach was to cold .I tried to throw a rock as far as my brother but I didn’t succeed and my sister an my brother raced on a huge rockwall an I won. Winer winer chikin diner! I found a huge rock in the ground! the rock was ten inches! I tried and tried and tried to pull out the ten inch rock to bring home  but I didn’t succeed!

Closing: it was  a fun day!I hope that we go back to the same exact beach so I can get that rock!

Friday Home learning

Atlantic ocean

Aren't we lucky to live within driving distance to an ocean? Such a vast body of water teaming with a huge variety of sea life and so much fun to swim, fish, go boating and body surf in! Today in social studies you will read an assigned book in Epic! called Counting Continents. There is also a mini video on Epic! called Seven Continents. You might be surprised to hear Australia being called Oceania - that's because the islands near Australia are considered part of that region. 

After watching the Brainpop Jr. video on continents and oceans see if you know the answers to these questions: What is the largest continent and what is the smallest? 
                  Which continent are glaciers in?
                  Which continent has the longest river in the world and the largest desert?
                  Which continent is the Amazon Rain Forest in?
                   Do you know what the equator is and what temperatures are like near the equator?


Today when you write a personal narrative, remember to include an introduction, details, and a closing. Here is an example of something that happened this week to me: 

The owl I did not see

    
Intro: One early spring day, I heard a whoo, whoo, whoo, whoo out my window. 

Details: I looked high into the trees to see if I could spot where the sound was coming from. It sounded exactly the way I thought an owl should sound, and I really wanted to get a glimpse. I hear that owl every single morning and it sounds so close! Why can't I see it? Finally I gave up and went about my day. When I checked my phone I saw an app that lets you hear the sound of whatever bird you click on. I immediately clicked on the owl pictures, but their sounds were much more screechy. Then I tried other birds just to listen to their bird songs. Unbelievably the Mourning Dove bird made the EXACT same sound that I hear every morning! I do see Mourning Doves beneath my bird feeder so I know what they look like. Could that whoo, whoo really be a Mourning dove? Later when I talked to my friend, she confirmed that the sound I hear in the morning really isn't an owl- it's a Mourning Dove! 

Closing: Wow, I really learned something new today! I guess I'll have to wait a little longer to spot an owl!
  

The Mourning Dove I heard

So that's my whole story - I know you have something to tell too! I'd love to read it when you finish! Please save any writing from now on.

Happy writing,
Mrs. Dagley

Thursday home learning

Land forms

Good morning! Today in social studies you will watch a video on Brainpop Jr. about land forms. Mountains, valleys, canyons, and oceans are a few examples you will learn about. After the video you can choose to make your own map or do the Draw About It activity. What land forms do we have nearby and what land forms have you visited before?  We have such a big, beautiful world with so many different kinds of environments to explore!

Niagara Falls

 Here are a few places I have traveled to- the mighty Niagara Falls and majestic mountains in Yosemite and Grand Tetons. In the south west, I visited Monument Valley and a couple of my boys were lucky enough to trek among a very cool rock formation area known as the Wave!

Perhaps your family has pictures from places in the country or in the world that are examples of different land forms. It would be fun to look at those together or even at online photos of those places. How about using Google Earth?

Grand Tetons

El Capitan Yosemite

Monument Valley

The Wave

The assigned book today is called Charlie's Boat. You will read many words such as sail, stream, and boat that are examples of words with vowel teams. Remember, when two vowels 'go walking' the first one does the 'talking' and the second is silent. The related phonics video will show you more examples of words with vowel teams. Can you become a word detective and find those words in this book and other books that have a vowel team? Can you think of a few words that might break this rule? How about 'said'? That's a rule breaker- we just have to memorize that word by sight- it does not follow the phonics rule!

Don't forget to click on the tabs at the top of this page- your weekly words are there along with word work words. 

Happy learning,
Mrs. Dagley

Wednesday work is here

3 D shapes all around

Good morning everyone! I hope you are continuing to practice identifying and naming 3 D shapes, which we began a few weeks ago. Here in my house I found cubes, cones, rectangular prisms, cylinders, spheres, and even a pyramid (I was surprised to find that!). Can you name each one in the picture?

Cone earrings?

The roof is a pyramid!

An eyeball sphere!

I've also been thinking about math- remember our doubles rap? (It's the doubles baby, let's go, let's go...). It is always helpful to have math facts memorized, and doubles facts can help so much. They even help in a doubles plus 1 problem. I have 2 sets of nesting dolls. They should each have 5 dolls but my cat took off with the tiniest one in the gold set. So now I have a set of 5 and a set of 4. I could use doubles when I say 4+4=8 so 4+5 = 9 dolls in all. 

5 dolls all accounted for

One is missing!

 Do you know 6 + 6, 7 + 7, 8 + 8, and 9 + 9? Practice them! 

I am sure you have all been getting outdoors- I've seen so many families out walking or on bikes and scooters. Look where our friend went one day!

Lovin' the beach - even in the cold!

Have fun exploring the links sent via email today. You will have the chance to do some How-To writing and even some drawing! I've noticed lots of you have been reading on Epic! and Freckle- good job! What hard workers you are!

Happy learning,
Mrs. Dagley

Tuesday Tips learning from home

Today's links include another non fiction book to read- this time it's about spiders! Notice the vocabulary words of predator, prey, and pounce. Be sure to be on the lookout for our non fiction features of text too. Try some  of the activities on the page - the fact or fiction activity and the quiz are fun. 


In our science link, you can watch a video about spiders- you will be amazed at some of the ingenious webs some spiders make. The net web, dropped on prey, and the trap door one are really amazing! Animals all have their unique abilities and body parts that help them survive. 

Clicking on the Brainpop jr link in today's email will lead you to an episode about How-To writing. You might like writing your own as well, being sure to use our transitional words of First, Next, Then, and Last.

Remember our sight word lists that we practice in school?  I am including the list for the last 100 words in first grade. Take a look and write down any you are unsure of. Let's see if you can find a way to practice them at home. I wrote down some words that I know some friends are practicing and I put them around my house. You could do that too! Put one in the frig.- every time you open it you will see your word to practice. Toss one on your pillow to see at night, tape one to your ipad or laptop, tuck one in a kitchen drawer. You can also make 2 copies and play memory match. If you know all the words by sight, choose some that are tricky to spell instead.

Here's the list- click to enlarge

Ooops- she woke up!

Good advice?!

Definitely can't!

I love maps, don't you?

We will definitely learn these words!

I made them...

Cute, right?!

OK, so where can you put words in your house? The challenge begins!!

Check the tabs at the top of this page- I am continuing to add our words of the week. I have also added our weekly word work words so you can see the new phonics patterns we are introducing.  This week we have words ending in /y/ that sounds like long /i/. 

Finally, here a few photos of our friends busy at home!

She has already been writing!

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day at home!

Painting? Why not!

Please clean my house too!!

She has a little pet hamster!

I don't know about you, but I see a few potential 'How-To' writing activities here!
How to paint a stool, wash a floor, care for a hamster...

Look who made a heart today!

Did you see the school email about making a heart and displaying it in your window? Our friend is all set here. I am going to make one too!!

Have fun today and keep learning!
Mrs. Dagley

Look who's hard at work!!

Happy Monday from Home

Good morning everyone! Today I sent an email with links for books and activities for you to explore. One link is to a non fiction book to read called Ponies. You will notice that non fiction books differ from fiction books in many ways. You may see fact boxes, Table of Contents, labels, diagrams, charts, and photos, and headings and captions that name what you are about to read. Here is a book I have at home. Let's see if we find some of these features.

Lots of non fiction features of text!

I see a fact box with a heading about monarchs heading to Mexico, and I love the color photo with a caption telling that they are resting on a fir tree. The map is very helpful so I can see where they start their migration (Canada) and where Mexico is- a very long flight! That must be why the cartoon illustration shows the monarch looking exhausted!

Stages in the life cycle

 Here I see colorful, bold, and larger letters in the heading and in the caption about size. That can make non fiction books fun to read and draw our attention to what they are saying. I like the close up circle at the top too. I always find it helpful when non fiction books do a size comparison. See the drawing of a hand and of a ruler? This shows us what the size of the smallest butterfly is compared to our hand (It's a Pygmy Blue which lives in the USA!). The biggest butterfly, the Queen Alexandra, has a wingspan the length of a ruler!

Labels everywhere!

Wow! Look at all the labels this non fiction has! It also has facts included about many of the parts that are labeled. (Who knew antennas can be used for touch and smell?). The fact box tells us moths are active at night and rest their wings by opening them.

So when you read Ponies today be sure and hunt for non fiction features like these. Try drawing a picture of any animal you want and include a fact box, labels, captions and closeups!

When you read Brainpop jr features of non fiction text, you will be an expert on what to look for!

Have fun today!
Mrs. Dagley

Learning at home...

Hi everyone! Miss you!

Hello to all my first graders- I can't believe we are all in our homes and not in school! Not to worry! We will be in touch by email beginning Monday, March 23. I will send you activities and links to books and learning that you can work on from home. It's important to keep your reading, writing, and math skills sharp!

We will be working on How-To writing, identifying features of text in non fiction books that you will read, telling time, solving addition and subtraction problems with unknowns in different positions, and identifying 3 D shapes in math. Geography will be a focus in social studies. I know you know the Continent song! Here is a closer look (and a sneak peek!) at science topics.
 
Animals. We will learn how their body structures (parts) are unique and specially suited to their survival needs. Take a look at this little toad that was on my house once. Those sticky pads on its toes are the reason it can climb and cling to all sorts of surfaces. It might even help him reach the little moth which was also on my house (I hope not!)

Super toes!!

Pretty little moth

I bet landing on a light gray house helped this moth blend in (camouflage!). We will learn about 
classifying animals too. Which animals
have fur, feathers, or scales? Which 
are mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, or amphibians?

Parents and their offspring and life cycles of animals will also be fun to explore.

 Take a look at these beaks- all very different from each other but perfectly suited for the kind of food they eat and for their habitats!

Short, sharp beak- watch out mice!

We loved Puffins!

A very long beak!

A beak for clams and fish

 Two of these birds are from a museum but the other two I saw outdoors. All four have feathers (that's the common feature to all birds), yet they live in very different places and have very different beaks, feet, and wings. 

Be sure to check in each day on the emails. Check out this blog too. We will continue to add our new words of the week. It's sad not having your pictures on here like we usually do, but who knows? Maybe you will take a picture of something these next weeks to share!

Have a great weekend,
Mrs. Dagley