Our DonorsChoose.org Project

I have submitted a project to DonorsChoose for materials that we need for our classroom.  I have asked for a second listening center, a new table, bean bags, and books for our library.  The total project request is $996.00.  As of this posting, I have received $650.00 towards the cost from my friends, family, and some anonymous donors, which leaves a balance of $346.00.  If you would like to contribute, you may go to their website and search Project Number 1035391.  Thank you to all who have contributed!

Growing, Growing, Growing!

The sunflowers I planted at the end of June are now about five feet tall!

Some of them are starting to produce flowers.  They are going to be beautiful in about three to six weeks!

Here they are in full bloom:

Beautiful close up picture, I think!

Check out the bee on this one!

This sunflower was the only brown one and the children call it, "The King of the Sunflowers!"

Sunflowers For Back To School

I have been working a bit in the raised beds at Dike Newell this summer.   I have planted about 40 sunflowers that should bloom this fall.  There are many different varieties such as Peach Passion, Goldy Honey Bear, and Elves Blend.  Depending upon the variety, they should grow between 2 and 6 feet.  We will be using them during our study of plant life cycles at the beginning of the year.  Here are some pictures of what the raised beds look like right now.

Some Easter Lillies are also blooming!

There are also some Marigolds and Chrysanthemums.  

Field Trip to the L.O.C.A.L. Garden

Today we went to the LOCAL garden for a wonderful field trip.  The weather was perfect! We were very fortunate to have been able to team up with five terrific high school students from Morse High School and their chaperone, Mrs. Trundy, who is one of the guidance counselors at Morse.

This is the sign welcoming us to the garden.  

Thank you to Mrs. Trundy and her wonderful Morse High School volunteers

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Our first event was a tour of the garden, where we saw chives in bloom, strawberries in bloom, and garlic.  

These are some of the chives in bloom.

Here are the strawberries in bloom.  Look closely - you can find a bee!

This is the view of the garlic toward the greenhouse. 

Next, everyone was given two marigold seedlings to plant.  We used trowels to help us dig the holes.  We planted the marigold seedlings in raised beds.  We learned that insects don't like marigolds and so people plant marigolds in gardens to keep the insects away. 

These are the marigold seedlings.  Everyone planted two seedlings in two separate raised flower beds!

This is what marigolds look like when they are blossoming. 

First graders did a wonderful job listening to directions!

The high school students were such a big help!

Next, we had a chance to plant snap peas. The high school volunteers also helped with this. 

Everyone planted three seeds in each of two different vegetable beds.

This is what snap peas look like when they are ready to be picked. 

There were lots and lots of worms in the garden!  We know that worms eat dirt!

Some first graders wanted to wear gloves in the garden.  The Morse High School students helped us every step of the way.

We ate watermelon after we came back to Dike Newell. 

Look at how much we love watermelon!  Only the watermelon rinds are left!

Thank you again to the wonderful Morse students who volunteered to help us plant in the garden.  We could not have learned how to plant seeds and seedlings, all about plant life cycles, and what kind of herbs bloom in the spring without your help. 

Granted, It's Been a Good Year!

This year one of my goals was to acquire new materials for the classroom, particularly in the area of technology.   Although I have posted here and there throughout the year about what we have received, I thought a comprehensive post summarizing the year is in order.

iPads:  I wrote two grants to Donorschoose and one to the RSU 1 Educational Foundation.  We received three iPads and cases worth about $1600.00 total.

Interactive Whiteboards:  I wrote a grant to the Davenport Foundation for three interactive whiteboards valued at about $2500.00.   I distributed two of the interactive whiteboards to two teachers on my first grade team.   Two weeks ago the trustees from Davenport visited our classroom to watch us interact with them during a lesson.  I even managed to get the Trustees involved and had them share the interactive pen while they watched our lesson.

Deluxe Easel: In late September, I wrote a grant for a wonderful easel that we have been using all year in my classroom.  It is valued at about $400.00, has an attached magnetic whiteboard and four plastic containers to hold appropriate materials. It is so handy.

National Board Certification:  I wrote to the state of Maine and received $2500.00 so that I could pursue national board certification.

That totals $7000.00 in grants this year.  

Puzzle Poems

Creating puzzle poems is just the opportunity we need to help us learn and use descriptive words. First graders are very familiar with the writing process and the following are some samples of their published work.  Can you read the poem and figure out the answer?

Yellow and Black

by Libby

Buzzing in the morning

An insect

See-through wings

Yellow and black stripes

Sting

Ouch

Not fun!

Night Creatures

by Seamus

Afraid of owls

Live in house walls

Cats eat them

Squeal at night

Brown and white fur

Squeak, squeak!

Night Hunters

by Matthew

Sharp teeth

Hunts for deer at night

Do not bother or it will charge

Wild animal

Yells to the moon

Likes Bones

by Lana

Digs in dirt

Can be a pet

Fun to play fetch with 

Cats are scared of them

Woof, woof!

Colorful
by Elena 

    Pointy
    Wrapped in paper
    Made out of wax
    Comes in a box
    Stinky smell
    Color, color

Red and Black
by Julibel 

        Flies in the air
        Gives people good luck
        Munches on leaves
        Has six legs
        Loves people
        Fly, fly, fly away

Beanie Baby Strategies

Throughout the year, we have been focusing on learning the answer to the question, "What do readers do when they come to a word they do not know?"  We have been using beanie babies as mnemonics to help us answer this question.  For example, the beanie baby named, "Eagle Eye" helps us remember to "Look at the picture."  "Lips the Fish" helps us "Get our mouth ready." 

This is the bulletin board that is close to the table that we sit around when we receive small group reading instruction.  It helps us remember how to read.  We are finished learning all seven strategies that were taught to us by the beanie babies.