| Our math unit this week was not only an introduction to measurement and comparisons but it was also a portal to Antarctica! Students made their own measuring tape and we measured them for their pretend snow suits that they would wear on their pretend trip to Antarctica. Bridges Math is a math program I can stand behind. It presents mathematical concepts in a way that makes learning fun and engaging. We not only learned about measurement and how a measuring tape works but we also learned about Antarctica, the scientists who work there, the meaning behind its name (Ant = opposite; Arctica = Arctic), that it’s a continent but not a country, and made comparisons between the size and characteristics of Rockhopper Penguins and King Penguins. Not only did we engage in math but we engaged in science and social studies! |
On top of our math fun, students also prepared their invitations to our lantern exhibit. Our current PBL project about lanterns has been a fun and beautiful way for students to learn about light waves. During student-led conferences yesterday, it was so rewarding to hear students talk to their parents about different materials and know how light does or doesn’t travel through particular objects. Over the past few weeks, we have moved through the stages of our PBL project and we are currently at the point of distributing invitations in order to share our project with the larger community. Although I am excited for first grade to share their hard work with the school, I am also excited for the critique phase and to hear about what students thought worked or didn’t work and how they could have improved their design or execution of the project. Sometimes PBL is messy, sometimes we try projects that don’t work, sometimes our PBL is gold standard and other times it’s not; however, what matters is that students learn from their mistakes, learn from the process, and continue to build up their confidence and feel the burn for inquiry!
Our week, full as it was, still had a bit of room to go to Grant Hall to see (and support) a fellow schoolmate in the Velveteen Rabbit on Thursday. Students have read the story in class and truly enjoyed the experience. What’s even better is that students were able to engage with the cast in a question and answer session after the play. PNA students were confident and ready with all sorts of questions! Thursday was an art-filled day as we returned from the Velveteen Rabbit and began working on our class auction project. Students hammered and strung thread to begin what will become a beautiful piece of authentic art in someone’s home! I am so excited to see the final product as our class continues this project over the next few weeks.
As you can see, our week is bursting with all sorts of activities, filled with math, theater, art, science, and PBL. One moment it is Monday morning and it seems as though I blink and the week is over due to all the fun activities going on at PNA. The best refrain a teacher can hear is her students lamenting the fact that it’s the weekend and we don’t have school for two whole days!
