Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Hello Everyone,
I hope you are all off to a great start this year!
I have been on complete overload. My 26 first graders are busy with one to one Chromebooks, while I, the teacher am busy every day learning about Google Apps for Educators and ways to get going with technology. It is a complete shift in how I do business having students using Chromebooks daily. I have been going to "teacher school" on Mondays where teachers on special assignment have been helping me navigate through Google Classroom, Google Forms, etc. It truly has so many possibilities and I can see the shift in the tools that we will be using. My students are also hooked up to over a dozen educational websites on their little Chromebooks. I love that they keep them in their desks and use them throughout the day.
On top of all that, I have been involved in piloting for language arts. We started with National Geographic and now we are using Houghton Mifflin's Journeys. Learning two entire new sets of curriculum and all that they have to offer has been a bit much, but I love trying new things. Every day is an adventure! Right?
I hope you are all off to a great start this year!
I have been on complete overload. My 26 first graders are busy with one to one Chromebooks, while I, the teacher am busy every day learning about Google Apps for Educators and ways to get going with technology. It is a complete shift in how I do business having students using Chromebooks daily. I have been going to "teacher school" on Mondays where teachers on special assignment have been helping me navigate through Google Classroom, Google Forms, etc. It truly has so many possibilities and I can see the shift in the tools that we will be using. My students are also hooked up to over a dozen educational websites on their little Chromebooks. I love that they keep them in their desks and use them throughout the day.
On top of all that, I have been involved in piloting for language arts. We started with National Geographic and now we are using Houghton Mifflin's Journeys. Learning two entire new sets of curriculum and all that they have to offer has been a bit much, but I love trying new things. Every day is an adventure! Right?
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Gena's First Grade Gems
Let's try this again.....I started a blog and then BAM! I was given a combo class and I jumped into survival mode.
Friday, September 18, 2015
So happy to have made in through the 5th week of school. I am beginning to get a grasp of the Kindergarten/First Grade combination class. 3 days a week I am using Daily 5 to help me with small group interactions for Language Arts. 2 days a week I am using the B.U.I.L.D. model for mathematics. I have these groups by ability, which is great because the Kindergarten and First Graders are mixed together during these times. It allows me to differentiate instruction.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Rekenreks for Math Lessons
I am so excited to use these during mathematics. I used Biggie Beads from a craft store. To practice facts to 10 I used 10 beads on tongue depressors. I was able to punch the holes with a hole puncher. Next I made a set of Rekenreks for facts to 20. I used paint stir sticks from Home Depot. The wood was thicker than the tongue depressors, so I used a drill with a small bit. The pipe cleaners went through easily.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Jumpin' Jenga!
I found 2 sets of Jenga at our neighborhood garage sale. I am so excited to add these games to my Daily 5 Word Work. I just wrote sight words on the sides of the blocks with a Sharpie. Students have to be able to read the word before they may pull the block out. I popped the blocks into cheap plastic boxes so they would hold up nicely.
Minion Math Books
I wanted to make little math books for my students. They will use them for interactive math activities, number of the day, a place for their vocabulary cards, etc. First I took the composition books to a local lumber yard. They cut them in half for me for free. I added some yellow duct tape and the Minion masks (found at the Dollar Tree or Party City). Next I drew a smile and colored in the eyes. Finally I taped the mask in place, I covered the mask with clear packing tape.
Ready to Go!
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Surprise!
It is time for a new adventure! With the help of 9 family members and friends, I was able to get all of my belongings moved from my classroom of 5 years to my new room. I am so thankful for the 3 1/2 hours that they all spent with me on a Saturday morning moving all my belongings. My husband has now given me the title of "Teacher Hoarder". What he doesn't know is that this is just my first grade collection of things. I have already given away all of my 2nd, 4th, and 5th grade materials. My 26th year of teaching is going to be a fantastic one.
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