Researching & Storytelling with 1st Graders

One of the skills we work on in first grade is reading nonfiction and taking notes about that reading. Using animals as our topics, students accessed PebbleGO using a QR code to make the process smoother.

Once at PebbleGO, students learned how to search for their animals and read about them using the different tabs across the tops of the pages. These tabs corresponded directly with the handout they used to take notes about their animals.

You can access the notes page HERE.

Once students had gathered the facts related to their animals, they used the app Toontastic to create and illustrate a story that featured their animals.

Intentionally we selected animals that were featured in both PebbleGO and Toontastic so students could easily create their stories. The app explains how to use and complete a story arc--even including mood when students are able to add music to their work. 

Students were able to select a setting and characters to tell their stories and work up to a climax, all the while recording their own voices to tell their stories.

One Cool (Iowa Goldfinch!) Friend

Another of the Iowa Goldfinch nominated books for the year is One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo and David Small.

After picture-walking a few pages of the story, we moved to the digital story that was available to use through our AEA's digital library.

As a follow-up activity, we went to PebbleGO to read and listen to some nonfiction texts about penguins.

Students then completed exit tickets to place on our classroom penguin. Their task was to write a fact they learned from the reading or to share one thing they thought was interesting about penguins.

Our classroom penguin has quite a lot of information on him--check it out!