All About Owls

The first graders are busy today wrapping up their first big nonfiction writing project today, All About Owls. Each one of their books includes a cover, a table of contents, an introduction, a diagram, and facts about owls, including their special adaptations. In looking for resources to help answer their questions, I came across this full-length (53 minute) video on PBS, The Magic of the Snowy Owl. Follow the link to watch! The kids really thought it was neat. Keep your eyes out for young Snowy Owls to show up in Wisconsin!

Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel...

Yesterday during the holiday concert practice, many of the first graders were asking questions about Hannukah. To help answer some of their questions today, we watched some videos, read some books, sang some songs, and made dreidels! A dreidel is a spinning top that is used to play a traditional game.
Our dreidels are drying now, but as the song goes... "and when [they're] dry and ready, our dreidels we will play." Tomorrow we'll decorate our dreidels, learn the symbols, and play the game! The kids are very excited!

Symmetry and "Symme-Trees"

The first graders have been learning about Symmetry in math. To help make a "math-to-self" connection, we practiced finding the lines of symmetry of all kinds of classroom objects, including each other! Here is a picture of Haydon modeling his symmetry with a ribbon "line." 

Haydon's Line of Symmetry 

Next, we practiced folding a rectangular sheet of paper in half to make two symmetrical sides. Cutting along the folded side in a zig zag shape, we ended up with Christmas Tree shapes! The kids traced the fold to mark their tree's line of symmetry, and decorated them as symmetrically as they could. Our forest of "Symme-Trees" is hanging in our hallway and on our door!

Our "Symme-Trees"

A closer look

And another...

And another!

The first graders are having fun finding the lines of symmetry in all kinds of objects!