Good Morning,
This week we continued focusing on writing
like scientists and making detailed observations. The students used hand
lenses and colored pencils to record their observations of flowers that we had
grown in our school garden. Each science class ended with a "science
circle." This is a format where the kids use proof from their
notebooks to take part in a whole class conversation about their learning.
We have also introduced four of our five
Daily 5 routines. Yesterday, I introduced the routine of Listening to
Reading. This is a time where kids can listen to a story being read to
them and then have to answer questions about the book. I use the online
source of RAZ Kids for this. RAZ-Kids is an interactive reading tool for
our students to practice reading fluency and comprehension. The students
have a log in and a password to get into their reading account. I am able
to monitor the students' progress and change their reading level. These
levels are all individually based on each child's reading level and are
adjusted to reflect their abilities. The students can listen to a story
and then take a comprehension quiz.
Today also marks the 1st PBIS All
School celebration for the year. The students of the
school have been working hard to earn rocks (rewards for positive
behavior). We truly are fortunate to be able to take our students on
a hike, through the woods of Vermont, and bask in the beauty of the
foliage.
Here is this weeks video:
Notes:
*Since we left school at 11:30 today,
the students did not have an opportunity to write in their Weekly News
Journals. We will write in them again next week.
*I am out of the building on Wednesday. Mr.
Greenleaf and I are part of the District's Math Leadership Team and have a
meeting all day.
*I will also be out of the room on Monday, October
6th and Friday, October 10th. I am taking a personal day on the 6th.
This year, my wife asked me to train for and run a half marathon
with her for her birthday. The race is in NH (because I found the
flattest race possible!) and is on the 5th. We will be traveling
back on the 6th. On October 10th, I will be in DC for a
meeting regarding the Next Generation Science Standards and the work the
class and I are doing with those this year.
*The classroom volunteers will start October 20th.
Below is the schedule:
Mondays:
Abby Scharges: Math 8:30-9:45,
Marya Dungan: Daily 5 12:30-1:40
Tuesdays:
Abby Scharges: Math 8:30-9:45
Beth
Stern: Daily 5 12:15-1:40
Wednesdays:
Abby
Scharges: Math 8:30-9:45
Natasha Brandenberg: Math 8:30-9:45 (Every Other Week)
Thursdays:
Abby Scharges: Math 8:30-9:45
Fridays:
Abby Scharges: Math 8:30-9:45
Leslie Badger: Daily 5 12:45-1:45
Andrea Cox: Writing 1:45-2:15
The following parents will be typing stories from
home:
*Erika
Graham *Sharon
Parks *Carla Ryley
*Barclay Rappeport *Sarah Ibson
Have a great weekend!
Peace,
Tommy