First Grade On A Rainy Day

Going On An Adventure In The Rain:

At UC Davis for student teaching we have a great opportunity to have a temporary placement in a grade different than the one we are in for the rest of the school year. For me that means leaving the 5th grade that feels like home, and venturing into a 1st grade at a different school site. Today was my first day in a first grade classroom. It was so different than the fifth grade! I was finally the tallest one in the room! Besides feeling like I was 10 feet tall, I really enjoyed listening to student explanations about how they would define a slug and what the word "then" really means. As the question of what a slug is hung in the air, I began thinking of all the complicated ways that one might explain it. Just as I was thinking how hard this question is, one student said "it's a snail with no shell." Why didn't I think of that? These 1st graders are pretty sharp. I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring.
Learning about cats

Reading Is Valued In This Room:

 My resident teacher is so wonderful! She graciously welcomed us (my team student teacher and I) into her classroom. I watched her lead student focused lessons and encourage students to read. They were so happy to write and to read to their partners or to the adults. Her classroom tells the stories of all the learning that happens here, and of all the fun they have as they learn. I can tell that reading has been shown to be a valuable thing in this classroom and that's a wonderful thing.
There is a schoolwide reading goal 



Everything is organized!







Vowels get their own color flair
Happy December!

Standards and Expectations:


Expectations are clearly posted in the classroom, as well as on each student's desk. These 1st graders know what it means to listen and have the tools to refer to if they need to be reminded."There is a Star-Bear for the day that gets to wear a special paper hat, and do the calendar"one student informed me with a giant grin. She was so thrilled that today was her chance to run the calendar that for the entire morning she had a smile on her face.

Students have a reminder right on their desks to listen 

It is clear what listening looks like
Common Core in Kid-friendly language
Community Building
Close-up on on "We Are Leaders" tree
 What a great idea to write the common core standards in student friendly language! Students knew their purpose, and worked really hard to meet those goals.

Pictures And Labels Support Learning:

Students really took pride in showing me around their classroom and pointing out all the amazing work that they had done. One student said that he "loved to write." Everywhere I looked, there was student work in an organized and beautiful display.


Visual reminders were helpful to show how students could make observations or think about numbers. With a large number of bilingual students (English Language Learners), the images paired with the words are so helpful and really setting them up for success. 
A poll about Jelly Bean flavors




Where The Wild Things Are And Other Adventures:

My favorite corner of the room showed the depth that they had explored with the book Where The Wild Things Are. At the ceiling there is a poll where students expressed whether or not they would sail away with Max. This completely fits with the common core standard of expressing an opinion in writing, and it was amazing to see how this lesson expanded. There are drawings of wild things, choices of which creature was a favorite, and writing that uses descriptive language. I wondered what these standards would look like in a classroom and I am so impressed by the rigor and creative touches that the teacher had infused in each lesson.

Spelling Words 














Wrapping Up:

Before School

At the beginning of recess
 It is amazing how much work can be produced in one morning! This is the turn in box at the beginning of first recess. The feeling of community at this school site was clear from the moment I stepped out of my car. The staff is very united, and this has carried over to the students. They worked together and celebrated when their neighbor was able to answer a question correctly. When their classmate was unsure of an answer, they helped without having to be asked.






Hallway
 What a clever idea to have student walking lanes painted on the sidewalk!
Table group points

Brainstorming before writing a paragraph


Organized books ready to be read

Display that continues to be added to as the year goes

Universal Access

Giant foam dice for math time

Teaching strategy used in this class

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