We continued our focus with weather connecting it to our seasons. Ask your child if s/he remembers how the sun plays into our season changes. We created a role playing model of the earth and sun. Ask which one moves? Do they remember that it moves in two ways? Students have shared their seasonal photos and they are being displayed on a large chart in our classroom.
Word Study:
• Studying the days of the week. Finding and matching two sets of the 7 days.
• Finding common words in text such as days of the week.
Reader’s and Writer’s Workshops:
Readers continued learning about the non-fiction genre. We’ve been adding to a chart that compares non-fiction with fiction. We looked closely at how non-fiction books are laid out usually beginning with a table of contents and ending with an index. We looked too at illustrations and how we often see real photographs, charts, captions and diagrams. We also discussed that there are different kinds of non-fiction texts. We made a list of them and I was pleasantly surprised with the ideas that they came up with (you can view it below). One of the types we looked at was called “how to”. We started by reviewing our morning routine poster on our door which tells us how to get ready in the morning. We ended with sharing a book about how to make a cat and a mouse. Oh were we surprised at how much they enjoyed this! It’s such reward for me to see them completely enjoy authentic learning. These same concepts have been a part of our writing workshops. Students have been practicing writing “how to” pieces as well as factual writing. In our “how to” pieces we emphasized steps with numbers or transitional words such as first, next, then etc. We looked at the words “can, have & are” and how we can relate facts on a given topic using these words in our sentences. For instance many students wrote about cats. They may have written “Cats can climb. They have claws and tails. Cats are usually quiet.” We brought attention to using usually or sometimes in our sentences to keep it factual vs. opinion. Keeping our opinions out of our writing is difficult for children as it is for us as adults.
Math
Students continue to work with money both new and review concepts. By now most students should be able to recognize the four basic coins and their values. Check to see if your child knows them. Understanding the trade values of coins is still a difficult concept for young children. We used Popsicle sticks to help them relate to bundling sets of ten as in 10 pennies equal 1 dime. We related this idea to the work we do daily at calendar with counting straws in bundles of 10’s and 100. We also had practice lessons with tallies. After 2 days of direct instruction with tallies students had the experiences of collecting classroom data using tallies. They had a good time going from classmate to classmate asking and tallying answers to questions.
Work stations: photos below
It has been delightful to teach this week with Ms. Mossoain . She is an eager, enthusiastic, young teacher! She has brought wonderful, positive changes to our classroom. Your child has likely shared with you about our “Mystery Walkers” and “Mystery Workers”. She secretly chooses children to watch while they work or walk in the halls and later rewards them if they met expectations set for them. The students are responding with these techniques and I am seeing more on task more often.
Presently Ms. Mossoain and I stay in the evenings to plan each day carefully together. We share how lessons went and prepare for next lessons during our prep times. She is now teaching our word study and math lessons. Once she has taught the lesson both of us work with children for the practice or implementation parts of the lesson. This coming week she will tackle our writing workshop and would like to write next week’s blog. I am thrilled to partner with this very capable teacher.
Thanks to Claire's mom and sister for coming as guest readers this week. Students enjoyed her singing story!
Dublin had a visiting author this past week. He shared a lot of the content he uses in his book in support of Michigan's ecology.
This week will finish our March is reading month activities. Please don’t forget to have a costume ready Friday for our “Character Parade”. It will take place at 3pm.
I hope you all enjoy the upcoming spring break April 2nd –April 6th
