Jack Hartmann 2014

 Jack Hartmann is just fab-u-lous! I just love to see the firsties dance and sing and have the best time ever!

 Jack makes songs to help with reading, math, and even science.  We even exercise to his music. WOW he is so good on his guitar!

The best is the Tootie Ta!  Check out these faces.

Jack was such a sport to pose for a picture with our class and me! Thank you Jack for being you! The kids just love you, can't you see it on their faces.

Joshua's Heart

A small Act of Kindness can go a long way...

~Joshua

 While attending Miami Device I had the pleasure of listening to one of the closing keynote from Joshua.  This inspirational 13 year old totally had me in awe throughout his message. He started a foundation at the age of 4 with $20 from his grandma.  He doesn't want anyone to be hungry.  Seems so simple right.  Please take a moment to meet this inspirational young man.

His website can be found here: http://joshuasheart.org

Sharon Davison teaches K/1 in Vermont and they issued a challenge.  How can we help People that are Hungry? Watch their video here then we tweeted out how we helped @vermontkkids123


The stars aligned and the Wright's Rippers rose to the challenge.  Actually we challenged our first neighbors, Ms. Clutter's class-who can bring in the most can foods in 1 week.  Here we are with our cans.  Good looking group of firsties right...

Well we didn't win since Ms. Clutter's class collected over 150 cans.  Really the winners are all the families we helped with our joint donation.  What a valuable lesson that I hope they take with them as they grow up.  What passion is locked inside these kids as they go into 2015?  I hope I get to be a part of finding out...

Amazing Mathematicians at Work…

We have used ten frames from day 1 and 70 days later I wanted to see if it would transfer over into larger numbers so why not use those DigiBlocks… 

I had my daughter empty out over 500 ones into a copy box lid and you should have seen the firstie’s eyes while I was telling my story. I asked for a guess and one friend said 100 so I asked how many thought less than 100, 100, or more than 100 and thankfully most chose more than 100.  We will have to get some estimating and guessing going but that will be another blog post.

 I asked them to find a way to count them and let me know how many.  There was some talk counting and then a friend said that would take too long.  Put them in groups of ten came up next so I showed them how the DigiBlocks will only close when there are 10 units enclosed.  They quickly found a way to put 10 ones into a ten and then someone figured out putting the tens in the hundred to fill it up.  This time lapse took less than 3 minutes to film and I wish I recorded the ah-ha moments.  It was amazing!  I did record the discourse after so you could hear some magic.

There was a follow up to this lesson the next day.  In the past 64 was 6 tens and 4 ones.  Today we walk through other ways to see 64.  64 doesn’t have to be 64 it could be 54+10, 44+20, etc. depending on what you need to make the math work for you. Let me explain. 

I asked the firsties to make 64 and most made it with 6 tens and 4 ones.  Noah decided to use 5 tens and then count out 14 ones to make 64.  We checked that and counted it and sure enough it made 64.  We talked about other ways to see the same number and most thought let’s turn the numbers around like 14+50=64.  I was hoping for something else and then one friend chirped up “Wait just open the ten and take out the ones.” YES!! 

  We did it and then counted.  64 and I didn’t take anything away or add any more.  We continued the pattern and I recorded for later reference to notice patterns.

One very important ah-ha I found was Victoria counting the tens and ones.  At one point she counted the ten ones-arranged like a ten frame as tens and we had to stop and talk about when they are separated they are no longer a ten even though they are 10 ones.  It was an ah-ha for a few other students and then one friend explained the difference between tens and ones-and what they loo like.  It was a beautiful moment. We made some great discoveries today and I am proud of these firsties.  Can’t wait to see what comes next…

Turkey Cooking Show 2014

Happy Thanksgiving!  I cannot believe we are at the end of November already.  Our firsties spent some time watching Kid Snippets Cooking Show and talked about how to cook a turkey.  Thanks to the moms helping-Ms. Kathleen and Ms. Amanda for getting us started.  We wrote how to directions and practiced reading them so many times just in time for the big day filming.  I put them all together for the Wright's Rippers Turkey Cooking Show 2014.  I hope you enjoy the hard work these amazing kids put forth for the premiere of this video.  I will sit down with my family today and count my many blessings.  Teaching 1st grade and these firsties top my list.  I hope each of you enjoy the day and share your love.  You can always make a comment and I will share with the kids.  Happy Thanksgiving. See you on Monday.

Look what I made...

Can I just tell you how amazing our art teachers are at Cypress Creek!  Mrs. Hanna is one of the dynamic duo and lucky for us we have her this year.  The firsties came back with these projects and I just had to take pictures and share them with you!  They are amazing.  Here we have Frogs...

 Here we have Giraffes...

Aren't they fabulous? Our class is full of the bestest artists around. You can always leave a comment and I will make sure to share with the firsties.

50s DAY!!

The 49^th day was like every one before and then came the 50^th day of school…  The firsties walked in to the music playing and there were jeans, poodle skirts, and pony tails as far as the eyes could see. It was such a cute sight with giggles and skirts twirling and boys with gelled hair.  Every room in 1^st grade had a different 50s activities.  We hula hooped, did the twist, made greater than/less than records, drank root beer floats, counted how many things we could do with 50 seconds, and built towers with 50 cups.  It was so much fun seeing all the kids in 1^st grade pass through my room. 

I tried a new rotation this year.  I made a flipchart with various activities and the kids had 50 seconds along with keeping their count.  Have you tried jumping jacks for 50 seconds, then standing on 1 foot, then switching to the other foot?  It is tougher than it sounds.  Here are just a few of the pictures I took because I was participating too.  My highlight was Ms. Kathleen, an intern at our school.  She is exceptional.  She has lead a full life of family, children, working as a paraprofessional, a nurse, and still at 68 wants to learn so she of course went back to school.  She was right in there with those 6 year olds hopping, counting, and having just as much fun. 

Here is our crew of Pink Ladies and Greasers.  

Thanks to these brave ladies.  We had a firstie vs mom paddleball competition.  Too fun!

50s day you might ask why do we do it? We never did those things when I was in school. Funny you should ask. Here is my take.  At Cypress Creek we are creating experiences for these children.  They won’t know what the 50s were like, what they wore, or how they survived without electronics.  The 50s are fading, so for a few hours we could let them experience the music, the laughter, and the simplicity of life in the 50s.  The best part, my favorite part, is the math we shared that day.  We counted over and over again and it was fun.  Math was fun.  Imagine that a world where 50 doesn’t have to be 50 but a 25+25, or 10+40, or 30+20 depending on what would make it easier to work with.  If you ask the kids they will say it was fun because they didn’t have to do any work.  Little do they know how much energy went into making the 49 days of learning before 50 come to life.

Please remember to Thank a Veteran

Veteran's Day 2014-did you remember to thank a veteran? I did!  Here is my favorite Veteran-my daddy!

Yes I know I am probably too old to be calling him my daddy but well...he is just the bestest daddy in the whole wide world! Did you know there are over 100 restaurants that offered something special to a veteran today!?! Wowie, wow, WOW!  I thought that was incredible.  Here we are at Olive Garden and he had one amazing looking dish.  Thank you to all the restaurants.  Just watch this video, there aren't any words but I don't think there need to be any...

We don't have a Food City where I live but if we did I would walk right up to that manager and say"Way to go! Great commercial!"

In my #100happydays tweet I thanked the families of those that serve because they sacrifice as well.  My dad went to Korea for a year so we wouldn't have to move and that year was hard.  He made a sacrifice not being there while my brothers and I were growing a year older but the one who made just as big a sacrifice was my mom.  She had to be mom and dad for that year.  She had to put on a brave face and tell us everything was going to be alright.  She was the one that made sure we wrote letters so my dad could be a part of our every day. She made sure we did well in school and did our chores.  I don't remember her crying for missing him because she was too busy taking care of the 3 of us.  To her I say thank you and you deserve meals just like our veterans because nobody knows how hard the families have to give right alongside their veteran. Thank you mom and dad.  Thank you for all that you have done so I can be me living in America, land of the free.

My firsties have a message to all the Veterans.  Theya re too cute for words.  Please share with a Veteran you might know.