Grade 1: Bird Research and Reports
First graders practiced important writing skills when they wrote research reports on birds they’ve studied. To prepare for their bird reports, they read books and wrote “dash facts” before organizing those facts into categories. The next step was making the dash facts into sentences.
On a recent afternoon, Mrs. Malyszko led her students through a writing exercise using bald eagles as an example to help them formulate their sentences. First, she reminded them that a paragraph has a topic sentence that is supported by additional, detailed sentences.
Next, they looked at their fact categories for details about the topic; for example, as a bird of prey, the eagle has physical features that make it a good hunter - its talons, eyes and beak.
Mrs. Malyszko reminded students that they will have a chance to revise their sentences before the reports are written into their final, polished versions. “Get your dash facts down on paper and then you can go back and edit your work,” she instructed.
For their research, students were allowed to submit their top three bird choices, according to Rahm Selinger. “I have goldfinches,” he shared. “American goldfinches, to be exact.” From his research, Rahm learned that these birds make their nests in the summer, they sing a “cheery” song and they grow fast, among other fascinating facts.
We can’t wait to see the finished reports! Good work, Grade 1!
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
