Maps!

We began our day with a Raider of the Month assembly in the gym. We sang Oh Canada with the entire school body. Then the students celebrated Bus Driver Appreciation Day by offering cards (signed by the whole school) to the bus drivers, along with an enthusiastic "Thank You". The Grade 1 and 2 class planned their assembly activities around the bus driver theme. They sang "The Wheels on the Bus" for the school. Never, everyone was broken up into four groups to perform a relay race. Students had to complete a puzzle by running one piece of the puzzle at a time to the opposite end of the gym. We also announced the Raiders of the Month and sang Happy Birthday to the people who will be celebrating their birthdays in February. We had a little bit of time left over after the assembly was finished, so we had a short Phys.Ed. class in the gym.

During our calendar meeting, we learnt a new sound, song, and action: /d/. We had snack, followed by math. I introduced the concept of representing a number with a ten frame. Students then played a game where they took turns tossing a bean bag onto a snowman that had the numbers 1 - 10 written on him. They had to say what number they landed on (or closest to) and then represent that number in a large ten frame.

Afterwards, students had an opportunity for individual practice representing numbers in ten frames with a holiday themed sheet.

 

 

As students finished, they had the choice of looking at different types of maps or colouring maps. They collectively decided that the most exciting option was to use the treasure maps to find treasure!

X marks the spot!

Looking for treasures...

We found treasure!

 

Next, we opened up our latest package from Little Passports. The characters Sam and Sophia wrote to us from Egypt! I showed them the stamp on the envelope and students guessed a dessert, then a pyramid, and then ancient Egypt! As promised, I also showed them photographs of when I travelled to Paris and went up the Eiffel Tower. My hope was that it would get them excited to share their own travel stories/photos on Thursday.

We also brainstormed what we know about maps (what we use them for, information on them). The students then each drew a map. Most of them chose to draw a map of how to get from the school to their house.

 

At the end of the day, we began a chapter book called My Fathers Dragon. There is a map in the book, which I have printed out, that helps us follow along with the main character's adventures. In Chapter One, we were introduced to a boy who is telling a story about his father. When his father was a boy, he befriended a cat that told him he had a way for the father to fly. He also told him of a trip that he had taken to the Island of Tangerina and Wild Island, where he saw something that made him want to cry! That's where the chapter left off, so we will have to see what happens next. We did take a peek at Chapter Two, which is titled "My Father Runs Away". Students predicted from the picture that the father leaves on a ship. We will have to see what really happens in Chapter 2 on Thursday!