Don't forget to turn in your box tops!!! When we get to 500 we earn $25 to spend on our classroom! We have 90 so far.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Tuesday, January 29
This week we will be finishing up our author study on Jan Brett and finishing our unit on polar animals. We have been working hard in centers and guided reading groups and writing lots in our journals. Other writing activities this week include writing about our colorful snowmen and writing about our 100th day of school! We have started chapter 7 in math. This chapter includes skip counting and even/odd numbers. We continue to review other math concepts like numbers through 30, patterns, 3D shapes, and problem solving!
Reminders this week:
Rollerblading will start this week on Thursday. Please send a helmet for your child (if you have one) and rollerblades if you wish! The kids LOVE this unit! They are excited to start.
RCC Dance - Friday from 6:30-8:30 at the High School Fieldhouse!!!! Parents must accompany their children. Water, chips, and glowsticks will be sold!
100th day of school - Next week on Tuesday. Please send 100 snack items for a snack mix and 100 items to be glued onto a poster. We will be comparing the sizes and weights of all our 100 collections. Some teachers will be dressing as if they are 100 YEARS OLD!!! Your child is welcome to participate as well! :)
Reading books and logs - Your child has brought home a book from his/her reading group to practice with you at home. See the reading tips printed on the back of the reading log. Please have your child read the book at least once and then sign the log. Your child will bring home another book when that one is returned. Please keep the reading books/bags in your child's folder.
That's all for now! Have a great week!
Reminders this week:
Rollerblading will start this week on Thursday. Please send a helmet for your child (if you have one) and rollerblades if you wish! The kids LOVE this unit! They are excited to start.
RCC Dance - Friday from 6:30-8:30 at the High School Fieldhouse!!!! Parents must accompany their children. Water, chips, and glowsticks will be sold!
100th day of school - Next week on Tuesday. Please send 100 snack items for a snack mix and 100 items to be glued onto a poster. We will be comparing the sizes and weights of all our 100 collections. Some teachers will be dressing as if they are 100 YEARS OLD!!! Your child is welcome to participate as well! :)
Reading books and logs - Your child has brought home a book from his/her reading group to practice with you at home. See the reading tips printed on the back of the reading log. Please have your child read the book at least once and then sign the log. Your child will bring home another book when that one is returned. Please keep the reading books/bags in your child's folder.
That's all for now! Have a great week!
Monday, January 21, 2013
Martin Luther King Jr.
Today we learned about the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We learned that he stood up for his beliefs and wanted peace for all. We talked about times that we stood up for ourselves or our friends and wrote about these experiences. I was impressed with what kind and compassionate children we have and they great things they do for each other!
Polar Animals
We have been working on a science journal and learning lots about different polar animals. We have talked about the north and south poles, type of animals that live in those regions, ways the animals stay warm, and ways they stay safe from their predators. Our class has really enjoyed learning about these animals and watching clips of real animals on the smartboard. We are making a set of posters for different polar animals and have spent time labeling the animal's parts and writing facts that we have learned about the animal. On our class map, we have labeled the arctic region, Antarctica, the equator, and areas that certain polar animals live. What a fun unit!
Snowmen
"If snow came down in colors,
How splendid it would be,
To make bright and jolly snowmen,
For everyone to see!"
We made pictures with cray pas to go with a story called Snowmen At Night. The kids wrote what they think snowmen do at night. There are displayed outside our classroom. Stop down and take a peek!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
January 8, 2013
I hope you all had a nice holiday and New Year with your families and friends!
We have started January with a review of the rules and routines of the classroom and a slightly different Reader's Workshop format! Each morning the children pick the three centers they want to visit during morning work time. Their choices include the listening center, writing center, word work center, and independent reading center. We will also be adding a poetry center shortly where students will have the option of reading and highlighting the large chart poems that we have been reading all year.
After the mini-lesson in the morning, we have our 45 minutes of center time. While students are busy at these centers, I am working with a reading group of around 4 students (guided reading). In the reading group, each child gets their own copy of a book that I have chosen. We do a picture walk, talk about sight words that we will find in the book, read a page or two together, and then each student tries to read the rest of the book quietly to him/herself. I am right there listening to everyone and am able to help if a child gets stuck. Some of the strategies that we have been working on include looking at the picture for help, trying to "sound out" the word, and trying to figure out what would make sense with the story. After reading, we talk about the story to develop better comprehension. We might discuss important events or try and retell the story, we talk about setting, characters, problems, and solutions, or we may talk about something else. We also do a short word building, rhyming,or writing activity. We are still getting used to this new routine, but so far the kids seem very excited about it!
After recess, we have been doing a shared reading activity. In shared reading, we read a big book together and then do a short literacy activity that focuses on reading strategies, concepts about print, phonemic awareness, or comprehension. All these things help us to become better readers!
After shared reading, we usually do an interactive writing lesson. During this lesson, we come up with a sentence and then write it together (the kids write on their marker boards and I write on the big board in front). We practice forming letters, making capital and lowercase letters, leaving spaces, and putting punctuation at the end. Today we finished writing our short story about what reindeer do when Christmas is over. Ask your child about this story!
After interactive writing, students are able to independently practice some of the things that we have talked about. They write a story in their journals or do another writing activity. I also work with small groups at this time to build on each child's writing abilities. I love to see the ideas that everyone comes up with, the great details in their pictures, and the writing that they are doing!
We finish our reader's workshop time with partner reading. At this time, students take their guided reading bags to the carpet and practice reading them with another child. They enjoy showing off their reading skills and are able to practice reading their new books more fluently.
After all this hard work, we finish off the morning with some play time! :)
In the afternoon, we have specials, math, and science. In math, we have been learning about symmetry, equal parts, and halves and fourths. We have also been doing some math games with numbers through 25. I like to review concepts that we have covered throughout the year so that the children are able to practice again and again. Our next chapter in math is all about numbers 10-30.
In science we are learning about polar animals. We learned where polar animals live and learned about the walrus today. We will be learning all about blubber tomorrow and will also talk about reindeer!
As you can see, we have been very busy! We also had our rescheduled Holiday Sing on Friday and I have posted new pictures in the slide show! Please check them out!
Thanks for reading,
Mrs. Skeels
We have started January with a review of the rules and routines of the classroom and a slightly different Reader's Workshop format! Each morning the children pick the three centers they want to visit during morning work time. Their choices include the listening center, writing center, word work center, and independent reading center. We will also be adding a poetry center shortly where students will have the option of reading and highlighting the large chart poems that we have been reading all year.
After the mini-lesson in the morning, we have our 45 minutes of center time. While students are busy at these centers, I am working with a reading group of around 4 students (guided reading). In the reading group, each child gets their own copy of a book that I have chosen. We do a picture walk, talk about sight words that we will find in the book, read a page or two together, and then each student tries to read the rest of the book quietly to him/herself. I am right there listening to everyone and am able to help if a child gets stuck. Some of the strategies that we have been working on include looking at the picture for help, trying to "sound out" the word, and trying to figure out what would make sense with the story. After reading, we talk about the story to develop better comprehension. We might discuss important events or try and retell the story, we talk about setting, characters, problems, and solutions, or we may talk about something else. We also do a short word building, rhyming,or writing activity. We are still getting used to this new routine, but so far the kids seem very excited about it!
After recess, we have been doing a shared reading activity. In shared reading, we read a big book together and then do a short literacy activity that focuses on reading strategies, concepts about print, phonemic awareness, or comprehension. All these things help us to become better readers!
After shared reading, we usually do an interactive writing lesson. During this lesson, we come up with a sentence and then write it together (the kids write on their marker boards and I write on the big board in front). We practice forming letters, making capital and lowercase letters, leaving spaces, and putting punctuation at the end. Today we finished writing our short story about what reindeer do when Christmas is over. Ask your child about this story!
After interactive writing, students are able to independently practice some of the things that we have talked about. They write a story in their journals or do another writing activity. I also work with small groups at this time to build on each child's writing abilities. I love to see the ideas that everyone comes up with, the great details in their pictures, and the writing that they are doing!
We finish our reader's workshop time with partner reading. At this time, students take their guided reading bags to the carpet and practice reading them with another child. They enjoy showing off their reading skills and are able to practice reading their new books more fluently.
After all this hard work, we finish off the morning with some play time! :)
In the afternoon, we have specials, math, and science. In math, we have been learning about symmetry, equal parts, and halves and fourths. We have also been doing some math games with numbers through 25. I like to review concepts that we have covered throughout the year so that the children are able to practice again and again. Our next chapter in math is all about numbers 10-30.
In science we are learning about polar animals. We learned where polar animals live and learned about the walrus today. We will be learning all about blubber tomorrow and will also talk about reindeer!
As you can see, we have been very busy! We also had our rescheduled Holiday Sing on Friday and I have posted new pictures in the slide show! Please check them out!
Thanks for reading,
Mrs. Skeels
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