first graders

I love first graders. So much. They are just learning what it means to be human. They also say funny things and do funny things. This week's round up of phrasesare fantastic.
We are learning musical opposites. High/Low, Forte(loud)/Piano(quiet), Presto(fast)/Largo(slow), and Solo(alone)/Tutti (together).
I have a little boy in my class who is smart. Very smart. But also a little naughty. I think he is funny and I can't let him know that I think that his slightly naughty comments and actions are funny. Twice today he got me. We were all asked to move closer to read a book together he yells out "SCUTTI" I asked later about something to do with the floor and he yells "FLORTE." I reminded him that the floor does not make sounds and cannot be forte because it makes no sound. His response? Well if we all stomp it is florte!

Once we were playing freeze dance. We often play this as a reward for lots of good behavior. I was explaining the rules to a new crop of 6 year olds and how when the music stops we all freeze. A hand attached to a girl with a very concerned face shot up. "What if you are itchy?"

I wish that there were no creepers out there and I could post hours of videos of my students doing funny things. I think they would win me some awards on AFV.


Today we also read Rattlebone Rock. This is a great Halloween book with lots of words and wonderful pictures. It named several spooky characters and we all go to make the sounds that they make. My students LOVE it and request to read it over and over. A wonderful little boy who has more energy than road runner told me that his favorite was the banshee. That happened also to be the one where we all went EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!