Dodecagons

 First grade has been studying the solar system, and we used a very creative way to display our research - DODECAGONS.  Students were give specific things to research:  The sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, the Earth's moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and the dwarf planet Pluto.  Using non-fiction books and online searches to find information, students filled out 12 sides to the dodecagon and folded and taped it together to form the shape.  Students learned about the etymology of the word dodecagon and compared it to words like hexagon, pentagon, and decagon.  Check out some pictures of various student's dodecagon.

 Sorry, I couldn't get this one to rotate.  :-(

All students chose their own facts to share.  This student found some very interesting information out about Uranus during his discovery research.

I found that the students absorbed so much more information when they had to discover it for themselves.  It was difficult at times to not offer too much assistance and instead, simply scaffold the research process.

Jupiter was a class favorite.  Students had to take turns researching this planet throughout the various activities that we have done so that everyone would get a chance to study it.

Students were given a rubric on how this activity would be assessed.  Guidelines were clearly expressed prior to beginning the task so that students would know what the expectations were to complete this project correctly.   Keep in mind this work was done by 1st graders! I am very proud.

Show Me!

Recently, I began taking part in twitter chats for professional development.  I have to say that if you are a teacher and you are not utilizing this totally free resource for ideas and continued professional growth, you are missing out!  One of my new favorites is a Sunday night chat under the hashtag #1stchat.  It makes it possible to network and collaborate with educators all over the world with a focus on the 1st grade.  The other night, I was really inspired by a program that was shared by another teacher.  The program, or app, is called ShowMe.  It allows students to make a recording of their voice while illustrating or writing whatever they want.  I found this a great tool for assessing students abilities and understanding while also activating higher order thinking skills.  I am now experimenting with how this app can be best used in my classroom to advance my 1st graders. Here is an example of one activity that I have already used this great app to do. The possibilities are endless.