September 2018
Welcome to Grade One!
The first month of grade one has come and gone. It was been great getting to know all of our new students and families. We are so excited for the year ahead. Here is what we have been up to so far!
Our First Field Study - The Fragrant Garden
We visited a local, community garden to work on "sketching like a scientist" and finding a "quiet place". Both of these skills were worked on the first week in our classrooms and will be revisited throughout the entire year. Students are encouraged to look closely and sketch what they see, taking their time to add details and look for unique traits in objects. We started this in the classroom by describing various objects in a large group. Pinecones, leaves and sticks were placed in the middle of our circle and we took turns describing their differences and trying to guess which one was being talked about without saying what it was. We then spent time in our naturalization area sketching and looking for details. Our time at the Fragrant Garden also sparked an inquiry into crabapples; allowing us to do some exploring, sketching and tasting.
St. Patrick's Island - September 13, 2018
At St. Patrick's Island, all groups were given time to explore. They chose a spot (or two) with their groups and were given the freedom to touch, build, collect and play in nature. We plan on giving students this opportunity at each of our field study locations. Next, students went on a nature walk to look for items from a scavenger hunt. Earlier in the week, they were put into groups to create a scavenger hunt that included 'signs of summer' and 'signs of fall' that they thought they would be able to see at SPI. Upon our return to school we discussed the things we didn't see and created theories as to why. Lastly, students were again asked to find a quiet place and sketch one thing they could see from their spot.
The Jungle Farm - September 19, 2018
Our trip to the Jungle Farm has sparked a lot of interest in seasonal change and of course, PUMPKINS! Throughout the day, we were able to see where different fruits and vegetables were grown: onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries (and I'm probably forgetting a few more). We visited the farm's huge pumpkin patch, where we able to explore and play however we wished. Since there was a frost, all of the pumpkins that were required for the farm to sell had already been picked (1000's) and whatever was left we were free to move, smash and stack! Students also learned about different types of seeds and how all parts of the corn stalk are used on the farm to feed different animals.
In the classroom we have been busy celebrating books, working on our kid spelling and asking questions. We have developed a study of pumpkins based entirely on student voice and can't wait to continue in October. We look forward to celebrating our learning with you along the way.
The first month of grade one has come and gone. It was been great getting to know all of our new students and families. We are so excited for the year ahead. Here is what we have been up to so far!
Our First Field Study - The Fragrant Garden
We visited a local, community garden to work on "sketching like a scientist" and finding a "quiet place". Both of these skills were worked on the first week in our classrooms and will be revisited throughout the entire year. Students are encouraged to look closely and sketch what they see, taking their time to add details and look for unique traits in objects. We started this in the classroom by describing various objects in a large group. Pinecones, leaves and sticks were placed in the middle of our circle and we took turns describing their differences and trying to guess which one was being talked about without saying what it was. We then spent time in our naturalization area sketching and looking for details. Our time at the Fragrant Garden also sparked an inquiry into crabapples; allowing us to do some exploring, sketching and tasting.
St. Patrick's Island - September 13, 2018
At St. Patrick's Island, all groups were given time to explore. They chose a spot (or two) with their groups and were given the freedom to touch, build, collect and play in nature. We plan on giving students this opportunity at each of our field study locations. Next, students went on a nature walk to look for items from a scavenger hunt. Earlier in the week, they were put into groups to create a scavenger hunt that included 'signs of summer' and 'signs of fall' that they thought they would be able to see at SPI. Upon our return to school we discussed the things we didn't see and created theories as to why. Lastly, students were again asked to find a quiet place and sketch one thing they could see from their spot.
The Jungle Farm - September 19, 2018
Our trip to the Jungle Farm has sparked a lot of interest in seasonal change and of course, PUMPKINS! Throughout the day, we were able to see where different fruits and vegetables were grown: onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries (and I'm probably forgetting a few more). We visited the farm's huge pumpkin patch, where we able to explore and play however we wished. Since there was a frost, all of the pumpkins that were required for the farm to sell had already been picked (1000's) and whatever was left we were free to move, smash and stack! Students also learned about different types of seeds and how all parts of the corn stalk are used on the farm to feed different animals.
In the classroom we have been busy celebrating books, working on our kid spelling and asking questions. We have developed a study of pumpkins based entirely on student voice and can't wait to continue in October. We look forward to celebrating our learning with you along the way.
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