Dear Santa

This week we read stories about Santa and talked about how Santa delivers gifts to children who have been good. We learned how to write a friendly letter and wrote three reasons why we have been good this year. We also told Santa what we wished for this year. We tried our best to sound out our letters and we remembered to use spaces between our words!

Click here to read our Dear Santa letters!

First Day of Winter

This week in computer lab, we illustrated our December poem called, "First Day of Winter." Here are the words of the poem:


First Day of Winter
Fall has fallen
Winter rises.
Now's the time
For cold surprises.
Icicles' long pointed noses,
Flakes like daisies, diamonds, roses,
Snow up to the windowill
And everything so very still.

Click here to see our First Day of Winter pictures!

Here is a Turkey

Here are our November drawings in computer lab. We used Kidpix to illustrate a November poem that we memorized in class. In one session, we learned how to draw the turkey and its colorful feathers. In the next session, we drew a barnyard background and learned how to show layers or depth. Here is the poem we illustrated:

Here is a Turkey

Here is a turkey,
With his tail spread wide.
He sees the farmer coming,
So he's trying to hide.
He runs across the barnyard,
Wobble, wobble, wobble.
Talking turkey talk,
Gobble, gobble, gobble.

Click here to see our Turkey pictures.

V is for...

Click here to see our V pictures!

N is for...

Click here to see our N pictures.

Pumpkin

Here is our October Kidpix project, illustrating the poem, "Pumpkin."  We spent two computer lab sessions on this project.  The first session was to use the circle tool for the pumpkin, the rectangle tool for the stem, the pencil tool for the lines on the pumpkin and for the Jack O Lantern face.  The second session was spent on the background, such as adding grass, a night sky, a moon, and stars.  Here is the poem:

Pumpkin

A pumpkin is orange

A pumpkin is round

A pumpkin grows big

On a vine on the ground.

But a Halloween pumpkin

With a smile and a light

Is a glad Jack O' Lantern

On Halloween Night!

Click here to see our Pumpkins.

B is for...

B is for BACKGROUND!  I've been reminding students to add details to the background of their drawings.  Our pictures don't just float in the sky, or have one color behind them... we need details to show the setting of our object.  We've been practicing using the question word, "where?" and answering with a place.  This was a challenge for many students.  Please practice this at home!

Click here to see our B pictures.

T is for...

This week, I started using the Literacy Center checklist.  Every student really tried to finish their pictures so that they could get "3 stars."  Some of the students are really improving in their drawing skills, and I love the creativity!

Click here to see our T pictures.

R is for...

This was the week where a lot of us caught the flu, so unfortunately only several students finished their R pictures.  

Click here to see our R pictures.

M is for...

This week, our letter of the week was M. Here are the students' different illustrations of "Something that begins with the letter M." I am really trying to emphasize large pictures that have at least 5 colors, a nice background, and no white space.

Click here to see our M pictures.

Patterns

This week, we tried a new software program called Kidspiration. First, we learned to type our names using a capital letter in the beginning (using the shift key). Next, we finished different fruit and vegetable patterns. The last box at the bottom was a pattern of their own choice. This was a good activity to show students' understanding of building and extending different patterns.

Click here to see our Patterns.

Apple Trees

Here is our first completed Kidpix project, illustrating the poem, "The Apple Tree." We spent two computer lab sessions on this project. Most students completed the project.

Here is the tree with leaves so green.
Here are the apples that hang between.
When the wind blows, the apples fall.
Here is the basket to gather them all.



Click here to see our Apple Trees.

S is for...

Every week during literacy centers, we have computer center. During this center, students use a Mac laptop to illustrate a picture of their choice that starts with the letter of the week. This week was S. Here are some great pictures!

Click here to see our S pictures.

Star of the Week

We began our Star of the Week program today. Our first star was chosen randomly, and it was Sahithi! She got to wear a crown (like a queen) and I took a picture of her. Then the class learned to write her name and interviewed her with 10 questions. We each made a page for her book and we learned how to illustrate pictures with lots of colors and background. You can click on this link each week to see our newest Star! Everyone will get a turn sometime during the school year.

Click here to see our Star of the Week link

Have fun! Remember when your child is the Star of the Week, he/she brings home Beebear, Beebear's journals, and a poster to complete over the weekend. Beebear is due on Monday, and the poster is due by Wednesday. Thank you for your help!

Mrs. Yu

Kindness Journals

Click here to see our kindness journals:  kindness.pbworks.com

Click here to purchase our kindness book:This book is a collection of journal entries from our Kindness website: kindness.pbworks.com. Each week, we learn about a new way to show kindness to ourselves, others, or the Earth. Students keep a personal journal in class, as well as type their journal entries on our online blog. About twice a month, students illustrate some of the pictures using the Kidpix software.