Reflections

The first graders have been learning about the concept of "change".  We are studying Vincent Van Gogh's painting The Mulberry Tree.  Our first inquiry center began with a peek at our baby pictures.  We read, learned, and acted out how babies change as they grow and how first graders and babies are the same and different.  The first graders wrote a reflection first about this topic and then, they reflected about it on video.  Here's what they think about the similarities and differences of babies and first graders!

I hope to see all of my students and their families at Open House / Artful Learning night on Thursday at 6:00! 

It's getting a little "batty" in first grade!

Bat stories (both fiction and non-fiction), bat thinking-maps, bat stories, bat games, bat diagrams, and bat crafts....

We've gone batty in Mrs. Guinn's room!  Be sure to ask your little guy or gal to tell you some cool bat facts that they learned this week.  Here's a few of my personal favorites:
- There are 1000s of kinds of bats!
- The bumblebee bat is so small it is the size of a jelly bean!
- The flying fox bat has the wingspan the same size as an adult human!
- Bats are mammals.  This means humans and bats are similar in many ways!

Be sure to come by the school on Nov. 8 from 6-7:30 for Open House.  You'll be able to enjoy seeing some of our bat projects and take a tour of our classroom!

Autumn Greetings

Fall is officially here!  The first graders are busy learning new Essential Learning skills that began this week, along with the start of the second quarter.  (I'll be posting the list of these soon!)  The beautiful piece of art in the photograph was created by one of our very own student's in Mrs. Basgier's art class!

Knuffle Bunny

My family and I went to see Knuffle Bunny, A Cautionary Musical, by Mo Willems put on by Cardinal Stage Theater this morning.  It was so adorably delightful!  My favorite part was seeing some Fairview families there! 

Officer Friendly

Officer Friendly, a police officer from the Bloomington Police Department, visited our classroom today!  The children were enthralled with his conversation about all of the equipment he wears every day.  Officer Friendly spoke with the first graders about 5 things:   1) Never go anywhere with an adult you don't know  2) Never touch a gun if you see one  3)  Always buckle your seat belt              4) Never put things in your mouth that aren't food or drinks and 5) Never let anyone touch you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable, nervous, or scared.  Officer Friendly will return in the spring to talk more about safety! 

Pigeon Mania!

Okay, first grade parents.  Get ready!  Pigeon Mania is about to begin!  

This week will begin our unit on the always popular Mo Willems.  He is the author of many children's picture books such as Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Knuffle Bunny, and the Elephant and Piggie books.  If you have a reluctant reader, I highly suggest checking out his books from the Monroe County Public Library.  The stories are light-hearted and silly, and are always a hit with the first graders!

So, be prepared to see lots of pigeon drawings (we'll be learning the steps to draw one early in the week) and lots of pigeon writing too!  We'll even be using the stories to practice our other essential learnings such as making a graph!

Let the fun begin!