Hello First Grade Families!

Can you believe we have so few weeks left of school?  I think the students are amazed, excited, unsure, emotional and happy.  And probably so much more!  This is a time of so many feelings.  Each day we are talking about so many things, what we did this year, how to finish up the work we have planned, interesting things in our lives, cool end of the year projects...  It is understandable for the students to be feeling all these feelings at a time of transition.  Please let me know if there is anything I can do to support you if your child is having extra feelings at this time.

This week has been about celebrating our amazingness!  I know that's not a word, but maybe it should be.  :)  The POL planning and practice has been so special because the students have been able to share things they have learned, to reflect on themselves as learners and express what they are proud of.  This is so beautiful.  

Today, Silas was brave to volunteer to practice in front of the class.  We had watched Joey and Peyton's POL from last semester, last week, but seeing Silas' today showed how much we are trying to add to these,-especially in the introduction area.  The students are each deciding how much to say in order to explain their work, their thinking and their feelings.  After, friends gave feedback about what they were impressed with, and what they suggested he keep working on.  Such rewarding experiences!  

Another exciting thing that's coming along are the descriptive word lists for our setting work.  It can be hard to think up words, but these lists will help us all in the future when we are trying to make a story feel more realistic. 

When you read a story, what makes you feel like you are there?  

What helps you see it in your head?

The students decided that painting would be the media that everyone would try to use for their setting.  These are coming along.  They are using all their adjectives to help them think of what should be in an image to depict this place.  The results are pretty thought-out.  Here are many examples of the steps of the work in progress:  Adjective lists, drawing the painting plan, paintings in progress and finished products.

Soon I will share more work, but I wanted to get a post up today.  Have a nice night!  Love, Jennifer

P.S. Ask your child what is in the first image there at the top of this blog entry.  Hint: it has something to do with one of this month's songs and poems...