On Monday, first graders learned all kinds of interesting facts about a very neat animal – bats! We used this subject to help us learn about and practice some helpful tools for organizing information. Last week, we learned about Venn diagrams when comparing the Lyle, Lyle Crocodile movie to the book. This week, we practiced using that tool to compare birds and bats. Before creating our Venn diagrams, we watched a video all about bats and learned some super interesting things about them. Did you know the reason bats are able to hang upside down is because, unlike humans, their blood flow is not affected by gravity? Their small size means their heart is able to distribute blood evenly, even when upside down. Check out some of the differences and similarities we discovered!
Next, we practiced a picture diagram. We talked about where you might see a picture diagram (poster, book, etc.) and how to use one. Then, we learned about the use of a word bank and labels. Students used what they had learned about bats to label the different parts of the bat, using their best handwriting and using the word bank to help with spelling. Since school started, we have been practicing using proper letter formation and all lowercase letters except where a capital is needed. They have made such great improvements on their handwriting already!
