SNOW, Snow, SNOW

Are you enjoying

our snowy vacation?

The following link is a wonderful book that really fits with our weather. If you are hunting for something to do inside, listen to this small girl's struggles with the nasty, stormy weather. Hopefully, you all stay safer than she was.

http://www.storylineonline.net/brave/fullscreen_xl.html

Polar Express Day

Wow! We made it!

In addition to all the activities in the video, we also had time to study some of the vocabulary from the Polar Express. The students found out what barren, prance, nougat, roam, lurch, and many other words meant.

Enjoy your break. I will see you all on the 8th of January. Be SAFE.

You may use this link to listen to the book Polar Express. Polar Express

Joy, Joy, Joy

What an exciting experience is to hear a struggling reader take a huge leap into enjoying what they are reading.

Congratulations! You did it! Keep up the hard work... You gave me a wonderful Christmas gift...your reading!

Happy Holidays

Math

AAA Math

We just started a new math unit called Shapes, Halves, and Symmetry. during this unit the students will investigate geometry and fractions.

They will:

• Build new designs by covering a large design with smaller shapes.
• Look for shapes in our environment
• Look for arrays-for example, in ceiling tile, windows, and the calendar
• Make the connection between arrays and fractions and multiplication
• Look for patterns
• Look for symmetrical designs

Other than our number of the day, they will not be focused on number sense. I added the AAA Math link so they can continue to learn number facts and while working at their own level.

Enjoy the web site and math practice. We worked on the site today in class so they would know how to use it.

The before school reading class has been studying syllable rules and how to use those rules to decode new words. The short video clips show some of the students working on the SMART board and on interactive web site. BBC Syllables

They have learned six rules:

1. Words with double consonants are broken between the consonants. (hop-ping)
2. Words with two consonants are broken between the consonants. (bas-ket)
3. Every syllable has one vowel sound.
4. The number of vowel sounds in a word equals the number of syllables.
5. When a word ends in sion, tion, and ture those word endings are a syllable. (nature)
6. When a word has a VCV pattern it will be divided based on the sound of the first vowel. (decide)

Letters to Santa

Today we studied friendly letters and started our letters to Santa. Formatting, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling were essential for completed letters because students had to be sure Santa could read their letters quickly. To enable accuracy each child had three editors and each editor had to find something that needed checked. I also limited what they could ask for: no live pets, not more than 3 things.

All of the students were very busy getting their wishes ready to send to Santa.

Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving...

Enjoy the SNOW and cold!

Our Adopted Tree

Tree
My pretty beautiful leaves are as bright as the sun.
All my disappearing leaves go flying down the street.
All my leaves are flying through the air with a soft sweet noise.

Flying through the air
Bright yellow and green leaves make my eyes twinkle.
By A.S.

Tree
Brown carved stem
Gold, yellow, and green leaves on tree branches
Blue sky with a yellow sun
Still quiet stream
Leaves falling down to the ground
Right out my window
By P.H.

Tree
I’m beautiful.
I have light.
My leaves are colorful.
Not fastened
Not dead
Not growing
Not stuck
Not frozen
Not down
Not straight
Not sideways
Not wet
Not white
Not ugly
Not surfing
I’m beautiful.

By K.S.

Tree
I felt the cold breeze on my branches.
My leaves fall as they get blown off my branches.
I see my leaves…
By J . T.

Tree
I see green and yellow like a big yellow and green chicken.
The tree branches look like sharp needles.
By J.P.

Tree

The tree is like the sun.

The tree is the blazing sun.

Green and yellow

It is a shaking monster.

As the leaves fall, the ground awakens.

It's blowing in the breeze.

The wind tickles the branches.

It is like a yellow fan.

By K. S.

COGAT

We finished the COGAT testing today.

The students exerted great effort to do their best.

I only read "Fill in the circle under the correct answer," to them about 100 times.

Great Job, Kids!

"When witches go riding,and black cats are seen,the moon laughs and whispers,‘tis Halloween."~Author Unknown

Place value was the big idea today in math. Students were combining 21+14. Several of the students decided to use count-on for a strategy. In response to use of that strategy, we again spent time talking about ones, tens, and hundreds. A better understanding of place value is an essential concept necessary for working with larger numbers. Using 10's, 1's and known facts are much more efficient strategies.

Pumpkin Carving Day

Our pumpkin day was made so much more effective because of the parents, other adults, and sixth graders that facilitated the weighing, measuring, carving, and cleaning up afterward. Thank you!

Learning to use the "Fix-up" strategy to improve comprehension was our focus of study in reading this week. I introduced the strategy by reading about 15 seconds from an adult text book to model my use, then I read from a picture book to give the students practice in a large group setting. During their independent reading they used sticky notes to indicated when they used a strategy. The picture is an example of a question one of the boys wrote to fix his comprehension while reading about volcanoes.

When your child reads to you, try stopping them to check on their comprehension and use of strategies. When you read to them model your thinking.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

Have you ever wondered how to make a tasty peanut butter sandwich? Try following this recipe... When I asked the students to write "How To" instructions this child chose to write how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I told all of the students that they could make a movie of themselves demonstrating their "How To" writing but he is the only one that brought supplies to complete the project. I hope you enjoy his and his photographer's production.

Reading Strategies

After watching this video, we brainstormed strategies employed to decode unknown words. With the use of the Smart Video Player, we captured frames from the video and recorded our thinking about the strategies used by the reader.

Phonics Links

BBC Blender and Blends are exciting phonics games that support our learning about consonant blends this week. Encourage your student to try out the games at home.

Life Cycle of Beans

Our class has been studying and growing beans since the second week of school. This short digital story explains the life cycle of beans in child terms. In preparation for this project, we took pictures of the beans during the growing process and put those pictures into Windows Movie Maker. Then three students wrote the script and recorded themselves reading their scripts.

the life cycle of beans

How to Books

We are finishing our "how to" book. Students wrote about a wide variety of subjects and each child's "how to" instructions are original. The kids were very careful to use many of the things that we noticed while studying that genre. Several children noticed that there were ellipsis or colon after the materials title so they put the same in their writing. Most of the class noticed and used numbered instructions.

While typing their final products they have become very aware of the red and green lines used in Microsoft Word to indicate that something is incorrect. Editing up to Microsoft Word standards is a real learning process! We are all very proud of the end products.

Data Collection

Today in math we collect data about students that fit different rules. Students had to determine what the rule was by studying the students that did and did not fit the rule. Once they figured out the rule we put that data on a flip chart. Later, we used Excel to make graphs from our data.

Writing to 100 by 1's

All of the children were given a two foot piece of adding machine tape and asked to write to 100 or more. We had a great time and it was interesting to see what happened when they passed 100.

We are studying how to books. They are a unique genre. Yesterday the students noticed that the books are written to give us instructions so we can learn how to do something. As a further study, today we made a tornado in a bottle by following the step by step instructions. After our tornado activity each student wrote their own how to book. We will be putting some of those up on the Blog later this week.

writing conference

Writing Conference

Students are using mentor authors to improve their won writing. Yesterday and today the students noticed that published authors vary the length of their sentences. That authors use short sentences when they want you to read faster or something is happening quickly in the story. Authors use longer words and sentences when they want you to be thoughtful or to slow down your reading speed. They notice this was true in both fiction and nonfiction.

Using Connecting Cubes

During our math investigations we use connecting cubes to better understand the meaning of ten. Using cubes in guided math practice helps to connect the known with newly learned information. The understanding of ten builds the foundation for all future mathematical concepts. Hands-on activities are excellent for visual and kinetic learners. And it is FUN!

Thank You, Parents

It was so amazing to be able to share the many things your children are learning and how they are learning through the use of technology at Curriculum Night. Your understanding and excitement about their learning will be very helpful throughout this school year. Thank you for being invested in your child, our school, and our community of learners.

Punctuation Safari

We had a huge hunt for punctuation today. It all started when one child ask about the three dots that were in the story we were reading. The children went hunting through other books to find more places where ellipsis were used and how they were used. After five minutes the class came back to share. They found four dots (ellipsis and a period), ten dots (Dr. Seuss' use of ellipsis), three dots and a comma, long dashes, short dashes, quotation marks, question marks, and periods. Several of the students then tried out the ellipsis in their own writing. On our safari we came home with the BIG GAME of punctuation use. This is amazing work! How old were you when you started using ellipsis?

We also played a short vowel game on the Internet. This activity helps to develop quick recognition of short words and is the phonic foundation for longer multi syllable words. The following is the link: http://pbskids.org/lions/games/stacker2_e.html

The Meaning of a Question Mark

We were studying Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin as writers today. I asked the children what they noticed in the writing. The first thing they mentioned was that the story ended in a question mark after the words "the end." They explained that this meant that another animal on the farm might do the same thing the cows, chickens, and ducks had done. The story might not be done. This is a very unique way to use a question mark and they understood that use. I found that very exciting.

They also noticed the repeated lines, the circle story, that it was fiction, and they understood the meaning of several large words from context clues. The kids were really stretching their thinking beyond the way readers are used to interacting with text.

The goal of studies like this is that the children will discover ways to use the skills professional writers use in their own writing. I am excited to see how the students use what they are learning about writing.

Two Terriffic Days of Learning!

A classroom without desks is working. Only one children said he wanted to sit at a desk. He tried out my teacher desk and decided to sit somewhere else. We all worked at the tables doing math activities this afternoon. I was interesting to watch. Every child decided to sit on a chair, not stand like they said they would.

During writing and reading time the couch and the floor have been the favorite spots.

The children are impressing me with their wise choices, and wonderful discoveries. Today in math one child came to ask help with a problem she was working on. (49+52=) I ask her what 4+5 was. She told me the answer, then she told me that 40+50=90 and quickly added the other two number. That is fantastic thinking! Another child discovered that there are 10 tens in 100. Wow! Another child did not know she could read and surprised herself by reading a whole book. I am impressed.

Classroom

Summer is over. My classroom is ready for students to begin their second grade adventure. I painted the walls peach because the research I read said that was the best color for an aggressive learning environment. I bought two tables and asked several children how they felt about the height of the tables. All of the children I asked wanted the tables to stay full height. I did not cut off the legs to make them the usual 25 inches. My orange couch invites both children and adults to come in and stay. Most of the adults that come in comment that it feels like home. That is what I wanted because that is a more natural learning environment. I am excited about the classroom but more excited about the learning that will take place this school year because of the classroom preparation.

Georgetown

Our family took a trip to Georgetown and rode the narrow gage railroad. It was a very pleasant day. It was fun to watch the two little boys learn about trains.

Blackboards

Did you know that blackboards were first introduced in American schools in 1801? My classroom still has two of them. How much change is that?

Changes

Have standards for classroom environment in public education changed? Recently I saw pictures of an 1881 classroom with students sitting in rows of desks. I attended a one-room school house and sat in the same desks my Dad had used. The desks were attached to wood so we all sat in neat rows. I started teaching in 1968. Then, the children sat at desks for independent work. Last school year (2006-2007) my students sat at similar desks for much of their independent work time. I did group and regroup the desks for vary work assignment but.... Aren't there more learner friendly environments? In the out-of-school community, most learning occurs in much different settings. Why haven't schools changed their furniture to create a more comfortable learning environment? What can I do to make my classroom a inviting energizing work space?