Thursday, January 26, 2017

What we've been learning...


Look what we have been working on and learning this week!



Phonics:  I can rhyme one word with another.  I can identify rhyming words.  
We played a lot of rhyming games this week and the kids loved them!


Reading: I can ask and answer questions from literary texts and I can retell the story. 
We have been working really hard on retelling stories that we read.  This has been modeled during shared reading and the students have been practicing it in class during independent reading, literacy centers and guided reading. 


Independent reading 

Sharing after independent reading                                                                                         
                                                                                
                         


Listening center during literacy centers


                 














Retelling during library center


Writing: I can listen to a story and share my opinion.
This week during writer's workshop we read mentor texts, which are books that can show us examples for how to write opinion writing pieces.  We start with mentor texts so that students get an idea of what kind of writing they will be doing.  It also gives them ideas for what to add in their own stories.  Here are some mentor texts that we read together and wrote our opinions about.

           
Mentor texts for opinion writing 


Interactive Writing: I can share something with the class and write it down with help from my friends and teacher.  
















We always reread our writing to make sure it 
makes sense.



















                                           
                                                                                                After we write we draw a picture that matches our words.




Math: I can use objects to subtract. 
We started a new chapter in math on subtraction.  We introduced new math tub games where students can practice subtracting, we did some problem solving in our math journals and started to learn more about what subtracting is. 
















We start math with a "number of the day".  We choose a number and the kids come up with different ways to show this number.


   














Working on a problem solving question that required subtraction



Examples from math journals


















Social Studies: I can identify American symbols.
This week we have been learning about American symbols.  We have learned about the American Flag, Bald Eagle, Liberty Bell, Statue of Liberty and the White House.  We used PebbleGo to learn a lot!  After listening and watching PebbleGo we took notes on what we learned.


Taking notes


Note taking sheet

Literacy Centers: I can work with people in my center to grow as a writer, reader, and as a mathematician. 
The major focus in literacy centers is to get students engaged with reading and writing.  We learn to read and write by reading and writing.  Everything that goes into literacy centers have been learned together during other times of the day.


                                               














Reading big books with friends

 














Using highlighter tape to find known words in books



Rolling letters to build words and then reading the word to see if it is real or nonsense

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Reading

We want our kids to see reading as enjoyable and as a way to learn new things.  One way to make sure students understand that reading is about making meaning and understanding what the book is about is by engaging them in conversations about books.  These conversations should take place after they read books to you and you read books to them.  This week I added a retelling sheet in your child's guided reading bag.  I put this sheet in their bag in hopes that parents would use this to help start conversations with their children.  The more natural the conversation the better, so do not use this sheet and read each question word for word.  Let the conversation flow!  In class we have really been focusing on retelling the story so your kids are used to doing this.  If you aren't sure how to start conversations such as these with your child please refer to that sheet.  Happy reading!

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Ice Experiments

This week during science we have continued to learn about seasons and weather.  We have also been engaging in experiments with ice.  We have learned so much about insulation and good insulators, why salt is used on roads during icy weather, and different things that freeze and do not freeze.  Here are some pictures from this week!





Wednesday, January 4, 2017

New Friend

It is the week back from winter break and it has been great so far!  The first day back, Tuesday, we were surprised to have our new friend Gaven join us!  We are so excited to have a new friend!  Most of the kids have been great at remembering our rules and expectations at school and have been trying their best to set a good example for Gaven.  The best part is how kind everyone has been and all the kids want to include and play with him!