Student Made Community Maps

To culminate our study of geography and map reading, each student created their own community map. They used the first letter of their first name to create the shape of their community. Each added a compass rose and a map key/legend with symbols represented on the map.

The students had a lot of fun creating these maps. Students added pools, airports, hospitals, water parks, mall, restaurants, homes/neighborhoods, beaches, forests, mountains, and much, much more!

Muliplication Game - Toss the Factor

Our new math curriculum (Math Expressions) covers the entire multiplication chart facts (0-10) within the first month and a half of school. Because of this, my students have been practicing their facts like crazy since the first day of school. Seriously: our first lesson of this curriculum was to introduce the 5s multiplication/ division tables.

To practice this, my students played a bean bag toss game. I whipped up these (lovely!) game boards for my the students to use. They toss two bean bags and multiply the two factors to find a product. The other students they are playing the toss game with check to make sure the product is correct. They LOVED this way of practicing their multiplication facts!

Timeline of Our Community

One of our Social Studies standards is to learn the history of the community we live in. After researching major events in our little town, we came up with a timeline. To jazz up the lesson, the students depicted each of the events in our timeline with their own art. I printed out each event and glued them to cardstock, partnered up the students, and let them get creative!

Clip Chart: Hall of Fame

Ladies & Gentlemen!

Our class had our first Clip Chart Hall of Fame inductee! My little girl was so excited about getting her jeweled clip "retired" to the Hall of Fame. In order to achieve the Hall of Fame, the students have to fill their clip up with jewels. To get a jewel, they have to clip off the chart, onto me, and then to the principal. Each principal clip is worth one jewel.

I created a certificate for the Hall of Fame clipper and a label to be attached to a lanyard for the student to wear all day. It's great to bring positive recognition to the students' great behavior!

Rearranged Art

I saw this pin and loved the idea!

Friday Art: Cursive Insects

Our first unit in Science is the life cycle and description of insects. The students LOVE this unit and learning more about the insects we see around us at all the time. So we brought insects into our art instruction!

Because the students have not mastered their cursive handwriting (we're working on it, though!), we had a parent volunteer write each student's name beforehand. The names were written on a folded piece of paper and the students went over their name in black oil pastel. Then the papers were refolded with their name on the inside. The students used a marker to roll over the oil pastel to transfer their name and go over the transfer with their oil pastel.

Then comes the tough part: the cutting. Students need to cut their name out, but their insect will consist of both names (the "normal" one and the reflection). Some students are more skilled than others at how fancy they can get with their cutting. Many can get close to their outline, while others do more swooping cuts for a general shape.

Then comes the decorating time! Make that name into an insect!! I gave my students complete freedom on how to transform their name into an insect. My only requirements were two eyes and six legs. When they were done, the students attached their insects to a green (paper) leaf.

 

Updated Writing Bulletin Board & Writing Area

I posted about creating an "I Can Write..." writing bulletin board. I have updated it now with some writing examples as well as a writing resource area for my students.