It's Starting To Feel Like Fall!

Wow! What a glorious weekend this has been, with lower temperatures and a pleasant breeze. I enjoyed a Saturday soccer game and even smelled burning leaves in my neighborhood yesterday!

Does anyone know where the place below is? I'd like to go there for a couple of days!

Last week was lots of fun and very busy, even though it was only a four day week! We went to our Wonder Room (science lab) on Wednesday to learn about scientists and what they do. The students had a bast and signed a Science Safety Contract. We are going to be using our 5 senses this week at school! On Friday we will experiment with different tastes!

 We also read with our fourth grade buddy readers on Thursday, and we had such a good time sharing our favorite books of the week!

This Tuesday you are invited to attend our PTA meeting and Open House at 6:30 pm. You will be invited to come into the classroom to see what your children have been up to!

 Also on Tuesday, our first graders are looking forward to sharing "goodies" with their grandparents for breakfast. Grandparents are invited to come between 7:00-7:30 am to enjoy a muffin, juice, coffee, and precious moments with their grandchildren! I am looking forward to it!

So Much To Talk About!

Happy Labor Day to everyone! It's a quiet, sleep-in kind of morning at the Mac's house - EXCEPT for this crazy, die-hard teacher who can't seem to turn off her internal alarm clock! So I'm taking this moment of solitude to update my blog. We've been doing a lot in first grade at OES! 

In math, we have been exploring patterns in the world around us. Here is an anchor chart we began:

Some patterns we found in school:

We will have a Pattern Assessment this week. My students are ready!

****************************************************************************

We've also been learning a lot of new vocabulary words through our close study of author Kevin Henkes. We read Sheila Rae the Brave, Chrysanthemum, and Wemberly Worried. My students have enjoyed these books so much they've asked to borrow them to take home! This week we will explore another Henkes' book, Lily's Purple Plastic Purse. I encourage you to click on this link to learn more about this popular children's author: Meet Kevin Henkes

Groups of students worked together to create "Twitter Chats" about the rich vocabulary we discovered in the books of Kevin Henkes. Here are some pictures:

Vocabulary word = stole

Vocabulary word = giggled

Vocabulary word = bared

Vocabulary word = creature

Vocabulary word = whispered

Last week we partnered with a fourth grade class, and they are going to be our Buddy Readers this year! Thanks to Mrs. Burn's fourth grade girls! We can't wait to read with you again this week. 

Last week, we took our first real language test and first reading test. My students love their little "offices." It gives everyone their own private work space. 

************************************************************************

Finally, Friday was "College Colors" Day and students were encouraged to show their support of higher education by dressing in their favorite football team colors. Okay, I just have to say: we have a LOT of GAMECOCK fans! Woot, woot!

Go Gamecocks!

Clemson = #1


*********************************************************************************************

Okay, SNEAK PEEK at a special addition to our classroom: Look what Mrs. Mac brought home from the beach!




Meet Fripp and Folly, our newest classroom pets!

What A Great First Week of School!

Happy Saturday to all of my first grade students, their parents, my fellow teachers, and all educators who made it through Week #1! It was a busy five days of community building and exploration as we jumped right into learning.

 

 

 

My students have already been introduced to 8 different math stations, so we are ready to begin some guided math with work stations next week. We are moving into a pattern unit. Can any of my students find a pattern this weekend to bring in Monday to share with the class? I challenge you!

 

 

 



We also began building "stamina" during independent reading time, and I'm proud to say that by Friday my class was able to read for 5 full minutes without any interruptions or distractions! I was very proud of their perseverance! Developing reading fluency is so important for these first graders, and I encourage you to go to the links below (especially the first one!) for more information:

http://www.oess.org/uploaded/Race_Brook/Kelly_Michel/Oral-Reading-Fluency-Parent.pdf

http://www.nea.org/grants/facts-about-childrens-literacy.html

 

 

Next week we will continue to build stamina as I try to finish individual reading conferences. Students will have reading homework each night so be sure to record and sign the log sheets found in their Reading Notebooks. Remember: your child will bring home more than one book; however, you do not record every book. You only record one title per 15 minutes of reading time. So if your child reads for 15 minutes, record one book. If your child reads for 30 minutes, record two books. Most of my firsties will not be able to read much more than 15 - 30 minutes at this point in the year, but we are building up to 30 minutes of reading time each night!

 

 

 

Last, I want to share some fun pictures from the week, including some from the Back to School Bash.

 

 

We used a hula hoop to show how cooperation and collaboration are very important skills! Students had to move the hula hoop around the circle without letting go of each others hands! It was a lot of fun, and they really want to do that game again!

 



 

 

Having some fun at the Back to School Bash on Thursday night! If you weren't able to join us for this event, be sure to mark your calendars for the Fall Festival in October! (Date to come later.)

 

 

Enjoy your weekend sweet students and tired parents and get ready for another adventurous week at OES. Ahoy Maties!



The First Day Of First!

We did it! We all survived and enjoyed the first day of first grade! What a great time we had building community while having fun. We played "Get to Know You" games, read books, enjoyed Jitter Juice, made a Community Web and created a list of Classroom Rules. I even revealed some secret "Mrs. Mac" Numbers to my sweeties! (Notice: I don't have 80 pairs of shoes, just 80 shoes!) Please take a minute to look at some of our pictures posted below.

 

That's a lot of numbers!

 

 

 

Our classroom pet, a chinchilla named Oliver Button.

 

 

 

We created a "Community Web" out of a ball of yarn in order to demonstrate how we are all connected and have to cooperate and collaborate as a team!

 

We read this funny book about a teacher who has the first day jitters, and then we enjoyed

"Jitter Juice" to chase away our own butterflies.

 

Next, we graphed our own first day feelings on a chart:

 

What a fantastic first day! Can't wait to see these baby chicks again tomorrow!

 

 

 

Welcome to First Grade at OES, room #109, member of the special group known as "Mrs. Mac's Baby Chicks!"

School supplies, backpacks, lunchboxes, new shoes ... it must be that time of the summer that inevitably comes around every year: We're heading Back to School! I'm ready to meet my new group of first graders and looking forward to an exciting year of exploration and discovery. We're going to have a WONDER-ful adventure!

Here is a little bit about me: I graduated from Converse College (a LONG time ago) with a Master's Degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. I've been teaching in District 2 for 22 years, and everyone calls me "Mrs. Mac." My family includes an Irish husband, two amazing daughters, one cat, and a chinchilla named Oliver Button. (Ollie comes to school with me everyday to entertain my class!) I love, love, love to read, and my favorite color is blue. I got to spend three days in Seattle, Washington this summer at a teacher convening, and it was amazing to connect and share with educators across our nation. My church family is The United Methodist Church of the Covenant where I teach Sunday school to 3rd through 5th grades. Most importantly, I am so blessed to be a teacher! Children are precious gifts, and I treasure my time spent guiding each new group of students through the wonders of first grade.

I can't wait to meet everyone! See you soon!

Great start to the new year!

Our first week back from the Christmas holidays - we made it! There were some unexpected glitches ( see picture below) but overall, we had a productive, engaging week. We just started a new PBL unit, focusing on WATER! Our driving question is: If most of the earth is covered with water, why is only a tiny portion used for drinking water?

My students have been thinking and talking about water with great enthusiasm. On Wednesday, we went to the Wonder Room for some water exploration. My students were deep in discussion, using words like "volume," "transparency," and "reflection."

This week, we are going to pretend to be a tribe in Kenya, collecting a days worth of water. It will be a challenge the students will never forget! 

Monday morning, 9:00 am - uh oh! Houston, we have a problem!

Now some pictures of our Water Exploration:

Stay tuned for more...