Friday Fun!

What a busy day! We went to our 1st rotation in art. We integrate with Mrs. Fishkin's ELL 1/2 multiage. Her first graders come to our room and I teach all 1st grade students enrichment acivities. The 2nd graders in both classes are in art. After 45 minutes, all 1st graders go to art, and all 2nd graders go with Mrs. Fishkin for enrichment activities. After 45 minutes, we all return to our own classes. What a great way to have enrichment, meet new friends, and expand our horizons.

We also had our first PBIS assembly. For all the great work students did last year following the 4C's, we now have a climbing wall in the gym!!!! Coach S. will be teaching kids how to safely climb the wall during P.E.

We worked some more on what readers' workshop looks like and sounds like. We learned that it is quiet, we are thinking, our faces show our interest in the books we are reading, and more. You'll see our chart at Open House Wednesday. We also worked on building our stamina for reading.

We ran out of time for writing with the assembly and specials, but we did have time to practice our handwriting. We use handwriting without tears which was created by an Occupational Therapist. We learned about the magic C today and how it can help us make other letters.

In math, we reviewed the calendar activites and we worked together on our calendar challenge. Soon, the child of the day will complete the calendar, while others work independently on the calendar challenge.

Have a GREAT weekend!

Thursday Thrills!

Today I could see kids starting to settle into our classroom routines. We reviewed and practiced what we learned yesterday, then worked on some routines. In readers' workshop we are working on what it looks like and what it sounds like. We discoverd that there are three ways to read a book: read the words, read the pictures, retell the story. Then we began building our stamina for reading.

We also learned about three more cool tools: pick up/arrival for students driven to school, hallway procedures, and bathroom procedures. Good Job, students!!!!

We began our calendar activities. This is an activity the child of the day will eventually be responsible for each day. Tomorrow, we will learn about our own calendar activities that we need to do independently before math workshop begins.

We began our social studies unit on laws and rules. We read the book We the People and learned about how our school and classroom rules compare with laws and rules in our community.

We also had a brief introduction to our Writers' Notebook. They each have one now and tomorrow morning, I will review it again, and then give them a chance to write.

The First Day of School!

What a hectic day!!!! But, it was exciting. I'll have pictures for everyone as soon as I have permission from everyone to post pictures.

We learned about classroom routines today: how to transition from tables to carpet...bathroom procedures....and more. We also had 3 Cool Tool Rotations for PBIS: how to eat in the lunchroom, playground behavior, and bus arrival and dismissal.

We worked on our classroom promise and signed it as a promise to each other. I'll post it on the blog when we finish working on it. We also put together a puzzle, a piece from each student, that fits together, just like we do as a classroom when we follow our classroom rules and the 4C's. When it doesn't fit (we had a struggle putting it together), we have to look at other alternatives...just like when we don't follow the rules, we need to make other choices.

And that took ALLLLLL day!!!!

Be sure and look at the papers in their Liberty folder. Return the folder empty to school tomorrow. If you need to send anything to me, put it in the folder.

See you all tomorrow!!!

Last Day of Summer

It's official....summer's over. But the fun and good times can still continue! I have lots of fun things for us to do this year and GREAT GREAT books for us to read!

I enjoyed meeting many of our new friends yesterday and it was great to see old friends! You have all really grown!

Here's a spot to check out. Go to: portaportal.com Where it says guest access, type in Libertyschool. TONS of fun things to do on your last day! One of our new friends was checking it out over the weekend and had a great time. (My friend: The American Government site is fixed and ready to go!!! Thanks for letting me know!)

It's going to be a GREAT, GREAT Year! See you bright and early tomorrow morning!

Monday Tales

OK....now we are really in the countdown! I hope to see you all this afternoon at 2:30 to drop off supplies and your ME box! Then, on Wednesday....we'll be off and running! I'm looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new friends. It's going to be a GREAT year!

Counting down....

Have some fun with probability as we count the days till school begins!!! I hope to see you all Monday, from 2:30-3:30 (Room 318) as you drop off supplies. You can leave your ME box if you want, too! Then on Wednesday....let the FUN begin!!!!

The countdown begins!!!!

Are you ready? The room is almost ready to go...I'm counting the days! I'm excited about seeing returning students and meeting new students! I can't wait to see you all!!!!

I met some parents last night and hope to see everyone Monday at supply drop off and meet the teacher from 2:30-3:30. It's going to be a GREAT YEAR!!!!

Soak up the sun this week end with a good book!!!

New Book Wednesday

From the author of Harold and the Purple Crayon! This sounds like a book I want to add to our classroom library!

Previously unpublished artwork by the creator of the beloved childhood classic Harold and the Purple Crayon. Two children are playing on a beach talking: “Stories are just words. And words are just letters. And letters are just different kinds of marks.” But if they make those marks in the sand on this beach, magic happens. When they write “jam”, a wave flows over the word, and when it ebbs, a dish full of jam appears. “Bread” and “milk” follow and then the plot thickens. “King” and “forest”, “farm” and “castle”—so the story grows.

Thursday at 6:30 we will have multiage parent (only) meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to answer any questions you may have regarding multiage. We will go over curriculum, classroom expectations, etc. at open house in September.

Moday is supply drop off and meet the teacher from 2:30-3:30! See you then!

Use your deduction skills!

Have fun!

Wonderful Wednesday!

Here's a wonderful wordless picture book. Let your imagination soar!

The Other Side
Written & illustrated by Istvan Banyai
7.25 x 9.875 | 48 pages | Ages 4-8 | Chronicle Books | Published in 2005 | ISBN 9780811846080

Like a hive of energetic bees, multiple pairs of interrelated images race through this crazy, bustling, wordless picture book devoted to the study of opposing vantage-points. Each picture--be it a young girl practicing cello and watching a paper airplane soar outside the window, a penguin biking across a deserted highway, or a chick poking its beak through the page--has a corresponding opposite, or "other side." A combination of sweet, humorous, sad, and slapstick images converge to make up an entertaining roller coaster of mini-experiences. Istvan Banyai's characteristic stylized illustrations consist of B&W graphite/digital imagery.

Monday Fractions!

What do you remember about fractions? Test your skills!

Have fun!

Another New Book!

Here's a NEW ABC Book!


What walks on four legs, runs in a 1,150-mile race, detects bombs, tracks bad guys, and still enjoys an afternoon of chasing Frisbees? It's Canis familiaris, otherwise known as the dog. Whether a mutt or purebred, the domesticated dog has been a part of human society for thousands of years. W is for Woof: A Dog Alphabet offers a canine course through simple rhymes accompanied by informative, entertaining sidebar text. Subject matter includes behavior, obedience training, grooming, and health care.

O is for Obedience
A dog who sits, and comes, and stays,
and, overall, one who obeys,
is calm and happy and carefree
because she knows how she must be.

After reading W is for Woof, you will have a better understanding of what makes "Rover" tick from the top of his head to the tip of his tail.

Algebra on Saturday!

Keep your algebra skills sharp by working on patterns!