We are now in week 4 of school and really starting to get into the groove of First Grade. We’ve been reviewing our phonics, sounding out words, working on blending, and writing up a storm!
We introduced our Cool Blue Capital Pens *click the link to read more* the other day, and wouldn’t you know it ~
they’re getting it we’re learning!
We are noticing that a few of our friends are sprinkling capitals in the miDdle of a woRd or Writing their entire sentence in blue. We get it. They’re super cool pens! It’s hard to contain your excitement!
But, put the pen down and back away slowly little friends because you are in serious cool blue violation ~ Don’t make us revoke your cool perks!
Except this one.
This little can keep their pen just for using the word “cosday” (translation=’because they’) in their writing.
That is awesome! We love First Grade inventive spelling!
The pens were controlling them, not the other way around. So we had our little lecture chat about being in control of when and where the Cool Blues should be used.
We also noticed some were capitalizing the first word of e.v.e.r.y line in their journals and quickly remembered that they have no self-control they do that!
They think “Capitals are at the beginning of a sentence.” but their pen says, “The first word of every line gets a Cool Blue. Let’s DO this!“
So we learned a little lesson on the difference between the beginning of a Sentence
and the beginning of a Line.
(A very tricky concept for a 6 year old, apparently!
Our brains hurt, so we can only imagine.)
We took a roll of Adding Machine Tape and wrote out the same sentence that our friend did on their paper onto the tape. We then asked our students where the Cool Blues should go.
We took scissors and cut the adding tape so the words matched the words that were
on each writing line of their paper.
We pointed out where the Cool Blues were now and they immediately noticed that the first words of the lines were not capitalized. It was a great visual lesson for those friends who are still learning how to be cool the proper use of capitals.
We finished up by making them raise their
right hands and repeat after us…Because really, if we pledge it, it
will happen. It’s teachers rights or class law or something like that. Right? And, frankly we
cannot carve it in stone or write it in blood at school, so the good old fashioned
raise your right hand and repeat after me is the best we can do…and
they do it, no questions or eye rolls!
Ah, the joys of first grade…
Raise your Cool Blue Capital Pens and Repeat After Me…
I promise…I promise
To act my coolest…To act my coolest
when using my cool blue capital pen…when using my cool blue capital pen
I will save it…I will save it
for the coolest letters…for the coolest letters
of them all…of them all
THE CAPITALS!
THE CAPITALS!
Someone squeaks out an Amen…From their mouth to God’s ears!
So, we’re going to keep begging our local cashiers for any extra rolls of adding tape and keep praying that us teachers can keep our cool “COSDAY” really can handle their Cool Blues!
