Weekly Wrap-Up -> Jan. 21-25 ... Animals in winter and number fun

This week we stayed indoors ALL DAY!  So you can just imagine how my students (and I!) were feeling by Friday!  The weather was cold and icy outdoors, so we brought lots of fun materials indoors!

Exploring Animal Tracks
We started reading lots of books and learning about animals in winter.  I can't wait to show you how amazing our inquiry is turning out!  Will post about that once it's complete (students are working hard at researching and creating!).
This provocation invited students to use the plastic animals to stamp their footprints in the "snow" (white Plasticine).  I also printed these cards from Montessori for Everyone, where there are so many fabulous printables for free!

Slime and Ice
We continued to explore ice (how does ice melt?) and use ice cubes to build different structures (i.e. igloo).  Mrs. Petrone (RECE) also made slime with the students!

Draw a snowflake
Students were invited to follow the directions and draw a snowflake.  They used salt on top and watched it transform!

Exploring Weight
I like to include various math provocations each week and here students compared objects that were heavier and those that were lighter.  They sorted them out and drew their findings.

Light table small world play
We set up a "Winter Wonderland" small world play at the light table.

Build a Snowman - Pocket Chart Centre
This is our pocket chart activity this week.  Students read the predictable text and matched the object to the sentence.  They could also write the missing sight word on the worksheet (I keep those on clipboards hung up on the closet door behind the pocket chart stand).
You can find this in my All Year Long - Pocket Chart Fun pack on TpT.

Roll-a-Number
Some of our Year 1 students are working on identifying numbers on the dot die instantaneously (subitizing).  We played Roll-a-Number to identify and graph the number.

Representing Numbers
We are learning that numbers can be represented in various ways (numeral, tally mark, dot dice, etc.).  After reviewing skip counting and playing games to identify and write tally marks, students were invited to sort these cards.
They are a FREE download in my TpT store.  Click the picture below to download.


Here are my weekly plans if you'd like to take a closer look:

You can download the Week-at-a-Glance PDF version{here}.  
If you would like the editable version to modify this for your own class click {here}.  
You will need Power Point to edit.
I used the following fonts if you wish to keep it the same (free to download):


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Weekly Wrap-Up -> Jan. 14-18 ... It's a Winter Wonderland!

Our classroom has been transformed into a Winter Wonderland this week!
Many of our centres and provocations focused on winter!

Winter Wonderland Dramatic Play
We turned our Dramatic Centre into a Winter Wonderland!  Here our students had fun making hot chocolate, ice skating, building a snowman, shovelling snow, sitting by the fire, ice fishing and more!











***TIP:***  I made these fish magnetic for the ice fishing activity by adding staples!  I used to use a paper clip but I found it would sometimes come off.  Now I just staple all around the fish so it's easier to catch!
You can find all of these activities in my Winter Wonderland Dramatic Play Center pack on TpT.

Exploring Magnets and Ice
Last week we invited the students to take a closer look at magnets.  They loved them!  So we decided to combine both ice and magnets.  We explored the properties of ice and froze items inside that were magnetic and were not to see the childrens' reaction.


Can you match the snowflakes?
Snowflakes were printed on 2 different sized cards (small and large) and students used the magnifying glass to look closely and match them.

Snowy Sight Words
Students searched for sight words in the "snow" (cotton balls) and wrote the ones they found.

Winter Patterns
We worked in a small group to have students create winter patterns and label them.

Sorting winter clothes by colour
Students could sort the coloured winter picture cards onto the various mats.

You can find all the activities you see above (and so much more!) in my 

Can you build a snowflake?
Students used loose parts to build a snowflake.  The book you see in the background is fabulous!  It has real up-close photos taken of snowflakes!
 


Winter Bingo
We played Winter Bingo with the students!  I couldn't find a bingo game online so I made one! Download this game for FREE below!


Here are my weekly plans if you'd like to take a closer look:

You can download the Week-at-a-Glance PDF version{here}.  
If you would like the editable version to modify this for your own class click {here}.  
You will need Power Point to edit.

I used the following fonts if you wish to keep it the same (free to download):








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Weekly Wrap-Up -> Jan. 7-11 ... Winter Provocations

Happy new year!  We welcomed 2019 in a fun way!

Happy New Year Craft
I saw this idea for creating fireworks from Learning4Kids a few years ago and always wanted to try it!  I added a simple writing piece after brainstorming with the children some new year's resolutions.




I love this story, Shante Keys and the New Year's Peas, as it shares what traditions different cultures do for New Year's Eve.  I loved sharing that in our family we eat grapes on NYE!

Winter Graphing
Students surveyed their peers using various winter graphs.

Clap and Sort Syllables
Students clapped and sorted the winter words by syllable.

I see snowflakes....Math Book
Our Year 1 students worked on the "I See Snowflakes" book - where they traced the number and glued on that many snowflakes.

Winter Stories - Writing Centre
In small groups we introduced a variety of winter words and invited students to draw winter pictures using fun writing paper.  We also left out different paper at our Writing Centre to encourage daily independent writing.


Cover the Pictures
Students covered the pictures that matched the beginning sound.

Roll-and-Cover the Snowman
Roll the die and cover the matching numeral.

You can find all of the above activities (and lots more!) in my *NEW* pack ->


Can you tell a winter story?
Students used loose parts to create a winter story.  The 2 books you see in the background are amazing reads about animals in winter!



What is a magnet?
At our Science and Discovery Centre I set out this provocation to explore magnets.






What can you build?
We set out the Bristle Blocks for students to build and create.


Scoop-a-Bug Fine Motor Activity
For our fine motor activity this week I set out these Scoop-a-Bugs with tongs for students to pick up and sort.

Can you build a snowman?
The book Snowballs is one of my favourites and I've always been doing activities around it each year.  Students were encouraged to build a snowman using loose parts.




Comparing and Contrasting Books
We read the stories The Mitten and Move Over, Rover this week and used this Venn diagram to compare and contrast the texts.  I originally saw this idea years ago from Julie Lee.

Marbles, Spoons and Ramps - Sensory Bin
Before the break, our students spent much time building ramps at the block centre.  I wanted to continue with that interest so I set out marbles, spoons and these large cardboard pieces that work like ramps in our sensory bin.

Winter Action Dice
During the break I stumbled upon this fabulous freebie.  Students roll the die (I bought a 2-pack from Amazon) and roll-play.
You can download the dice for free from LifeOverC's blog.

Race to the Top
As a whole group, we played Race to the Top, where students roll the dice (those are the same pocket dice as the picture above from Amazon) and either add or take away that many counters.

Roll-and-Build-a-Snowman
Roll the dot die and build the snowman piece by piece.  I printed this activity on transparencies and left it out at the light table, although this would make a fun table-top activity too!
You can find the above activity in my Fun With Dice pack on TpT.

Here are my weekly plans if you'd like to take a closer look:

You can download the Week-at-a-Glance PDF version{here}.  
If you would like the editable version to modify this for your own class click {here}.  
You will need Power Point to edit.

I used the following fonts if you wish to keep it the same (free to download):


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