Teacher on the Trail » grade 1

Dog Bone Tally

Cathy (2009) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:27:33 +0000

Summary: In this lesson students will learn to skip count by fives using tally marks and dog bones.

Download Lesson Plan: Dog Bone Tally

Download Lesson Plan Supplement: Tally Sheet

Readers Theater

Cathy (2009) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 01:01:51 +0000

Summary: Readers Theater is the reading of a text in a play-like fashion. I have written two scripts. The first script is geared towards pre-readers. The teacher reads the portion of the script that moves the story, and students respond with a refrain or simple lines that are repetitive and easy to learn. The second script is for written for first and second grade students. Although props and costumes can be involved in an elaborate Readers Theater, most involve the children simply reading the text with good fluency. By performing a Readers Theater, students are given an excellent reason to read, reread, and reread a text; they are practicing for a performance.

Download Lesson Plan: Readers Theater (PDF)
Download Lesson Supplement: Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Script (PDF)
Download Lesson Supplement: First and Second Grade Script (PDF)

Alaska’s Arctic Animals

Cathy (2009) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:49:29 +0000

Summary: During the study of Alaska’s Arctic animals and where they live students will be able to tell the teacher one cold fact about each animal. A cold fact is anything that tells how these animals survive in such a harsh environment. Two facts, for example, that help the willow ptarmigan survive are that he turns white in the winter (his camouflage) and that he grows extra feathers in the winter, even on his feet (for warmth). This information is reviewed and reinforced by playing the Arctic Animal Memory Game and Arctic Animal Bingo.

Download Lesson Plan: Alaska’s Arctic Animals (PDF)

Toothpick Experiment

Cathy (2009) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:47:46 +0000

Summary: Students will look for red, yellow, blue and green toothpicks distributed in a grassy area and discover that the green toothpicks are more difficult to find because they are the color of their surroundings.

Download Lesson Plan: Toothpick Experiment (PDF)

Willow Ptarmigan — Master of Disguise

Cathy (2009) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:45:09 +0000

Summary: After conducting the toothpick experiment and reading Gone Again Ptarmigan students will see in this art activity how important camouflage is to Alaska’s state bird, the willow ptarmigan and other Arctic animals. (Other Arctic animals that change their coats or feathers with the season are the Arctic fox, the short-tailed weasel (known as ermine in their winter coats), the snowy owl, and the snowshoe hare. Polar bears keep their camouflage all year long!)

Download Lesson Plan: Willow Ptarmigan – Master of Disguise (PDF)
Download Lesson Supplement: Ptarmigan Stencil (PDF)

Iditarod in Rhyme and Song

Cathy (2009) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:41:00 +0000

Summary: Students will learn about the Iditarod by singing and learning a finger play that can also be dramatized.

Download Lesson Plan: Iditarod in Rhyme and Song (PDF)
Download Lesson Supplement: Iditarod Song Sheet (PDF)
Download Lesson Supplement: Iditarod Song Chart (PDF)
Download Lesson Supplement: Five Little Huskies Poem (PDF)
Download Lesson Supplement: Iditarod, Iditarod, A Dog Sled Race Song Sheet (PDF)

Literacy and Fluency Instruction

Cathy (2009) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:36:34 +0000

Summary: Students demonstrate understanding of an area that you are emphasizing in your instruction by circling or underlining on the “Five Little Huskies” handout. For example, students can circle all the capital letters in the poem.

Download Lesson Plan: Literacy and Fluency Instruction (PDF)
Download Lesson Supplement: Five Little Huskies Poem (PDF)

Sing to Read

Cathy (2009) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:29:41 +0000

Summary: Students will learn strategies to decode the word “Iditarod.” They will identify all letters by name and sound, place the letters in the correct order and orally read “Iditarod” as a sight word.

Download Lesson Plan: Sing to Read (PDF)
Download Lesson Supplement: Iditer-cise Song Sheet (PDF)
Download Lesson Supplement: Iditarod Puzzle (PDF)
Download Lesson Supplement: Photo of Student in Action (PDF)

Mush! Art Lesson

Cathy (2009) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:17:05 +0000

Summary: Students will observe Jon Van Zyle’s Iditarod art as well as some of his other work showing the beauty of Alaska. They will learn a song about Jon and then draw their own Mush! Art following a step-by-step format.