We wrapped up our first week in Grade 1. The children were able to explore the materials and through free-play they were able to show me their strengths in the areas of literacy and numeracy. I was also able to observe their strengths in problem solving, social skills and the ability to transition from one activity to another.

Schedule

During our first weeks in grade 1, I will keep our schedule very consistent so that routines and procedures can be practiced and also to provide children with a sense of security as they will know what to expect as the day progresses. I incorporate a balance of whole group time, task time and free-choice time.

Whole Group Time

Whole group meetings were short and sweet. We practiced listening behaviours while I shared some of my favourite books and songs. I start the year with books that have a participatory element to them and we revisit them through the day. Here are some of the books we used this week (apologies for the slight glare on the photos – I will need to work on my photography skills!).

Some of the books are those available at your local bookstore or library, others are books that I have made. These made books give us a chance to work on concepts of print with repetitive text and simple illustrations.

Next week we will include this book Tip Toe Joe – Written by Ginger Foglesong Gibson and Illustrated by Laura Rankin

Joe tells his animals friends that he has a secret.  He leads them on a journey where he instructs the animals to walk in particular ways.  And of course, we learn the secret at the end.  On the first read, we practiced making predictions about what the secret could be and on the second read we “walked” along with the animals following Joe’s directions for the journey.

Learning Through Play

Our first week in grade 1 had many opportunities during the day for children to engage in playful activities. Some activities had a literacy or numeracy focus and others had a fine motor or problem solving focus. Children are free to work in any areas as long as there is space. Here are some photos of our first week in grade 1 playful learning moments.

Happy Learning,

Lynda