Good Evening,
I hope you all have had a great week. We had quite a packed week in the classroom. I hope this week in review catches you up on everything and gives you specifics to talk to your child about their week. So with out further ado I give you the week in review.
We have rules! Well, I like to call them norms, not because I liked Cheers as a kid but rather because they represent the normal expectations for all of the students and teachers in our classroom. We started with a conversation about what each student would need in order to accomplish their Hope and Dream (their goal) that they set to start the year. The class came up with over 50 rules that they wanted. I asked them if they thought they could remember 50 rules or if there was a better way to do it where we still kept everyone's needs in place. A first grader suggested that we combined them and another child added that we should put all of the similar ones together. After doing that we came up with 5 Classroom Norms. Then the students each signed a sticky note and fastened it to the poster. By signing, they agreed to follow these norms to allow everyone to learn and achieve their academic goals. This week we will introduce logical consequences. Look for more on Friday's post.
Grade 1 Math: This past week the 1st graders worked on the skill of counting on, using known facts and using known facts to solve two digit addition. The counting on skill is something that I hope all of the kids are efficiently using by the end of November. The students also took our districts Star 360 assessment. The results of this assessment help me determine for instruction and to design booster support for those that need it.
Grade 2 Math: It has been a busy week in second grade math. This week we took the star 360 screening test during math. This assessment is a short diagnostic test that is given to all students at WES. The goal is to help teachers drive their instruction to support students' needs. In addition, we have been working on using equations to show mathematical thinking, solving problems with unknown factors, and have been developing strategies for solving problems more efficiently. -Miss Figdor
On Wednesday we read the book Not A Box by Antoinette Portis. "A box is just a box . . . unless it's not a box. From mountain to rocket ship, a small rabbit shows that a box will go as far as the imagination allows. When pretend feels so real that it actually becomes real—when the imagination takes over and inside a cardboard box, a child is transported to a world where anything is possible."
After we read the story, the students were each given a white cut out of a box and a piece of construction paper. Their job was simple, Use these two items and their coloring tools to create what he/she would turn the box into. The students were really creative and created some beautiful pieces of art. They are hung up on the bulletin board at the end of the hall, by our classroom. I will try and remember to take a picture of it and put it on next week.
This week we also started our first science unit. The first unit will focus on what a scientist is, learning about the scientific process and the term inquiry, and to learn to record and write like a scientist. This unit will go through the month of October and then we will switch to a social studies unit on geography. We will then jump back to a science unit in December that focuses on coding. Mr. Mongeon will join us for that.
Did you hear about Cheez Its this past week? On Monday the students started a piece of writing about their summer. I wanted the students to describe an event that was just spectacular for them. We talked about the writing process of sketching pictures on each page, then writing about the sketches and then editing. On Tuesday, I introduced the idea of Spicy Cheez It words (a.k.a. adjectives). I explained that their words they wrote on Monday were like Regular Cheez Its. They did the job and created a story. I had each student then try a handful of Cheez Its. Then I had them try Spicy Cheez Its. I asked them to describe the difference and it was AWESOME! The words the kids used got to my goal. I explained that in writing, you have to use Spicy Cheez It words to capture your audience, make your writing more interesting and to paint a picture in the readers mind. The students then helped me add words to my writing and then went off an added to their own.
NOTES:
*Last week to order from the book orders.
*Please pack your child's bag and book each night.
*As a reminder, your child should be at school by 7:40.
*This weeks residency special is Music with Mr. Hill
That is all for now. I am sorry I din;t get this out Friday. I had a couple of meetings during my prep times and then my daughter had a game Friday night. I hope nobody spent the weekend waiting by their computer for this post to come through. 😀
Have a great weekend.
Peace,
