QR Code Work Choice

Students in Grade 1 are becoming extremely independent learners with their ipads in our 1:1 program.  For this lesson, students are exposed to three different stations and they can choose one to complete.  The goal is for them to scan the QR code at the station, watch the directions, and then follow the directions from the video to create their project.

Station 1
Students apply their knowledge of cloud types learned in science class to make a clouds iMovie.

Station 2
Students apply their mathematical thinking skills to make a screencast of how they solve a math problem.

Station 3
Students create a drawing of their NF research animal in its natural habitat as a background.  They then make the animal 'talk' and share some of the new learning they discovered when researching the animal.

Below is a student sample from each station.

Visual Literacy in Grade 1

First graders are beginning to look at techniques to make posters that are easier to interpret.



During this lesson, we discuss the differences between images that the eye can make meaning of quicker and easier versus images that are confusing and make it difficult to gather meaning.  In order to create posters that encourage an awareness of visual literacy, students were taught about:

• bold, obvious titles
• choose only 1-2 fonts
• solid color backgrounds that are not distracting
• arrange images in a grid
• various colors can evoke certain emotions
• use complimentary colors

It was amazing to see how well even the youngest of learners quickly grasped the importance of making more visually appealing posters.  Their finished products were amazing.  Two examples are below.

Searching Online Digital Citizenship

This week, first graders were involved in a foundational Digital Citizenship lesson pertaining to ‘Searching Online’ with Mrs. Buxton, the first grade tech coach, and Mrs. Cuthbert, the first grade librarian.  Students learned that they should follow certain rules when searching online.  

Rule #1 - Use a Keyword Search

Rule #2 - Only use images without a Watermark

Rule #3 - When in Doubt, Close it Out

Mini Book Reviews

Students explored a fun way to share their favorite books in Reader's Workshop. Two apps were used in the process, Pic Collage and Yakit for kids. Here are a few samples.

Reflective Blogging

Grade 1 students have been doing a phenomenal job blogging so far this year.  For the most part, first graders post a photo of their work and then type a sentence about what they learned or give more information about the image.  Mrs. Hellgeth decided that her students were ready to extend the types of sentences they included in their blog post.  So, her class explored and practiced making reflective blog posts.  They were exposed to ways you could be a reflective thinker by asking themselves one of the three questions below:

1.  How has my thinking changed?
2.  What do I know, but what am I still unsure about?
3.  Why is this new learning important?

Here is the lesson

Student Samples

How has my thinking changed?

What do I know, but what am I still unsure about?

 Why is this new learning important?

Festival of Stories

Grade 1 students are participating in the lower elementary school's Festival of Stories. In order to get ready to celebrate reading and authors like Todd Parr, students made READ posters.  The idea was for first graders to use the style of Todd Parr, bold solid colors with a black outline, when creating their posters. They also had the opportunity to consolidate several functions in both the Drawing Pad and Pic Collage apps.

Authentic Foreign Language Practice with Green Screen by DoInk

Students in Grade 1 used the app Green Screen by DoInk to recreate an authentic restaurant visit in order to practice their new unit vocabulary.  This 'app'tivity not only helped students apply their language skills, but it engaged them in a new way which made presenting their skits even better.

Check out one of the finished products below.