Penguins

Book Report #3

This next set of activities ended up being my favorite! Last week the class took a field trip to the zoo and we decided that as a class, our favorite zoo animal is a penguin. They are so cute! So for our reading lesson I decided to add in some penguin reading from National Geographic. We read as a class National Geographic Kids: Penguins! by Anne Schreiber. 

This was a great book to read because it involved many pictures and they were able to learn even more about the animal that we enjoyed so much while we were at the zoo. 

The next activity was to play an interactive learning game online (that of course involved penguins!) from the National Geographic Kids site online. The children learned even more about penguins and were able to see more pictures and even watch videos. They were also able to explore the site for other creatures that they were interested in learning about.

After we were all finished exploring the creatures, it was time for "Book Report 3". I wanted to make this more of an art project but I also wanted to involve the reading, so the students took torn pieces of paper and made them into the shape of the penguin and the penguins were standing in water. Then underneath the penguin, I told them to write 3 facts that they learned about penguins. These projects turned out so cute!

I Need

Book Report #2

The second activity that I introduced to my first graders was a lesson on plants. We began with the story I Need  by Clark Ness, and read along as a class. 

This story involves many pictures that help the students read along and aid in visualization. This activity was a little bit different because the symbols resembled one word and it was great because I was reading aloud and every time the students saw the symbols they said it out loud together!

After reading the story, the class once again went to the computers with a partner and took turns with this interactive game on FunBrain.com. This is a reading game that deals with grammar in the present and if they are advanced enough, grammar in the past. 

I tried to stick with a theme, but it was tough to find an interactive game that dealt with plants! But this ended up being a great activity because the children loved to play it. It was tough to get them off of the computers!

For their "Book Report #2" I had the students draw their favorite flower with colored pencils. Then they had to tell me why this flower was their favorite!

Clifford the Big Red Dog

Book Report #1

Today we began our lesson with a short reading warm up. Then I introduced the class with the assignments! The first assignment is Clifford's Birthday Party by Norman Bridwell. 

We then watched a YouTube video that read the text aloud which helped the class follow along. 

After we watched the video as a class, it was time for our first activity! The class went to a computer in the room with a partner and took turns to play "Clifford's Big Dig" which became so much fun. The interactive learning game involved Clifford (which is what we were reading) and it allowed the children to be read the instructions if needed. 

After everyone got the chance to play the interactive learning game with Clifford, I had the class get out a piece of paper for "Book Report #1" and write down one thing that they would have given Clifford at his birthday party. The answers were very creative and a great laugh!