Eric Carle & la nourriture

Hungry Caterpillar Book (printable french and english)
Writing assessment (we used grade 1, first page)

Hungry caterpillar vocabulary strips in French (printable)
"La nourriture" visual dictionary (print back to back with "la cochonerie")
"La nourriture" word strips (printable) - this file has been updated

"La cochonerie" visual dictionary (printable)

sonorisation de l'album de Eric Carle avec des élèves francophones

l'histoire en anglais

A writing piece to create during an integrated food unit including health and science outcomes (the 5 senses).  Piggy back books based on a familiar, original story format supports new story writers, in this case the story is "La chenille qui fait des trous" by Eric Carle.

Follow the sequence of the story and begin writing on Monday, a page for each day of the week.  Take it slow, this may be a major writing piece for many grade 1s.  Students decide what the caterpillar will eat using their visual dictionaries, word strips or the reliable method of "Madame comment est-ce qu'on dit 'cauliflower' en français?"  The sentence structures in the booklet require varying degrees of writing depending on student skill.

An extra long hole punch helps to prepare the booklet but isn't necessary- a parent volunteer to print and staple is.  Beaded caterpillars made retelling extra engaging, be sure to make two - one to keep and one to give away to those kindergarten learning buddies we read our stories to!


Can students who are able move beyond the structured pattern sentences of the story to enrich their writing?  Can those who struggle with fine motor use the pages that offer a sentence stem to trace and generate only one or two words where they are able?  Could videos of students reading their stories be shared with parents at Student Showcase Night?  Could students use their caterpillars and plastic food borrowed from kindergarten to present a puppet show of their story (does that sound like differentiation?).  Does the critter in the story have to be a caterpillar?!

janvier - bricolage de math

January Mitten Grade 1 Math Journal (printable)

Jazzy Journals originated (for me) with Kinder by Kim.  I use the provincial resource and follow their suggested scope an sequence.  I've only taught grade 1 in Alberta for one year so I find it easier to start from somewhere so that I know that I am getting to all (most!) of those outcomes.  Student math journals are bound together in a book at the end of the year.  A student-made document they can read.


This one was tricky.  We used the cut out mittens first to show the double, put your four pairs (for example)  in front of you, how many left handed mittens do you have?  How many right?  Write the double math sentence on your white board.  This was the culminating doubles lesson.

une affiche des cinq sens

Five Senses Student Poster Labels

Poster Sillouette

Teacher Poster Labels (this link has been refreshed and will load properly)

We made posters to illustrate the five senses and gradually added to them as we learned about each new sense.  The posters were up for Student-Led Conferences and students were asked to present and explain them to parents.

I made a teacher poster and the students created their own.  A bonus is that I had a parent trace the silhouettes before hand.  What's missing from these examples are the 3D examples next to each sense.

To each finger we glued a different texture (a cotton ball, sandpaper, foil, a button and fake fur).  To the mouth we added a piece of gum, a bell hung by the ear, and we dabbed essential oil on the nose.  Sight? I can't remember what we did there . . . 

This project once again begin with labeling ("bits and pieces" or "les petits morceaux").

Our next project is about Nicki et les animaux d'hiver by Jan Brett.  We get to revisit the "texture" vocabulary introduced in our sense of touch portion of this unit.

During this unit, as students were coming into class I played a youtube song and video about the five senses.  It's English but is catchy and introduces many of the concepts we plan to cover.  It was an upbeat way to begin the day with some learning attached!

Teacher and student posters

les cinq sens

The five senses Grade 1 Journal (printable to 8x14)

Each page describes one of the five senses and which organ is used.  Students draw or collage things for each page.  Student who are able are asked to label their drawings.  For my science units I follow the Edmonton Public Science Resource.  It has fabulous hands on experiments and is already in both French and English.  I supplement it with my own more integrated projects when I can.

décembre - bricolage de math

December gingerbread grade 1 math journal (printable)

This month's math journal reviews tens and ones in a 2 digit number.  These journals can be a centre with the materials and a sample laid out.  Here the hole-punched bits that are used to decorate the gingerbread man are represented in a 10 frame and a math sentence.  Student math journals are bound together in a book at the end of the year.  A student-made document they can read.

  

les cinq sens à noël

Christmas Five Senses Book

I introduce the senses all at once at the end of November and beginning of December.  We complete our study of the sense of taste in November with our food unit.  Once we return to school in January we study the last 4 senses.  This booklet is part of the introduction and also serves as a catalyst for Christmas and Holiday vocabulary.  The booklet page I photographed should read "Je touche la barbe de père noël", it's kinda funny that the one I choose didn't quite get it right.  There is more than one printing option, one requiring more writing, one less.  Each page engages a different sense, we sprinkled cinnamon on the gingerbread man, glued a bell to the bells and a small candy cane the the "taste" page.

  

Blogging for Kids

Summer is here and my teaching energy turns to my smallest classroom, my boys.  As we travel this summer I dream of ways to encourage both to read and write.  My 8 year old has started a blog and I am delighted to find a setting that allows viewers by invitation only!  We will fearlessly post photos and details of our adventures.  I hope they will continue to post in September en français.  Maybe temps libre will be spent writing, posting, sharing, and reflecting when school begins again?

7 Reasons Why Teachers Should Blog