Tales of Thursday!

Another busy day at Liberty School! After students returned from P.E. and music, Mia read If You Give a Pig a Party...a classroom favorite. She did a wonderful job, then led us through the classroom promise and calendar activities. Thanks, Mia!

We then worked on some number sense activities and algebra problems before moving into the math workshop. At 10, we were surprised by a mystery reader: Alisha's mother. She read The Velveteen Rabbit, which we all enjoyed! Alisha was so excited to see her mom. If you want to be a mystery reader, we still have some time left. Just drop me an email and we will set it up.

We continued with the math workshop working on fractions, data analysis, and number sense activities.

In readers' workshop we learned that readers retell about the problem in a story. We will continue on Monday with the parts of retelling before we move into synthesis.

In writing, I read the book: Trouble on the T-Ball Team by Eve Bunting. We read like writers and looked at the writers craft. We saw how the author took many small moments to build excitement into the one BIG moment. We then wrote our own stories.

Remember there is no school tomorrow, Friday, May 1. Enjoy the weekend and READ, READ, READ, READ! And then...read some more!

Wednesday Wonders

Here are the pictures of Anna from yesterday. She read the traditional tale, Red Nose Frost and we learned about courage. Bradley was our child of the day today and he read Splash! We only listened to one chapter, but, this is a chapter book using characters from The Three Little Pigs. Thanks, Anna and Bradley...you both did a wonderful job! We enjoyed listening to your reading.

During math workshop, first graders worked on their math menu and finished their Picture Pie fractions. 2nd graders worked on fraction parts.

2nd graders also began learning about cursive writing. We just introduce it in 2nd grade, and I plan to send home a booklet to practice in this summer, but it will be covered in greater depth next year. So far, they have learned a, d, and g.

Today in reading we learned that readers tell about the setting in their retelling of a story. That includes, time, place, when, where: the details!

We did our observations of our plants today as the carrots, onions and radishes are all growing. In addition to our observations, we wrote a report of what we know about plant growth.

We took another look at Cynthia Rylant's Tulip Sees America and looked how she uses details to show what the location looked like that Tulip visited. We then used a graphic organizer to do the same thing with our narratives.

We have P.E. and Music tomorrow. Remember, Friday is a SIP day is there is no school for students. Be sure and go to the U-46 website and read the information about Swine Flu. Information went home yesterday in the students folders about precautions as well. I'm seeing LOTS of running noses....keep an eye on it and remind your student to use a Kleenex and WASH THEIR HANDS!!!! Keep your child home if they develop symptoms (see website or letter).

Tales of Tuesday

I'll post pictures tomorrow...I left my camera at school! Sorry about that!

Anna was our child of the day and did a wonderful job! More tomorrow!

Math Workshop: 1st graders worked on equal shares using money and 2nd graders learned more about measurement. Today it was capacity.

Readers' Workshop: We are working on the step before synthesis (retelling) and today we learned that we include characters in our retell, but we talk about their character traits. We made list of different character traits. We learned we can use these in our writing as well.

Writers' Workshop: we are working on the writing trait of ideas. We learned that in writing a personal narrative it has to be something the writer knows well.

We also went to the library.

Monday Marvels

Giorgio read a non fiction book to the class about sharks and then lead us through the calendar and promise. Thanks, Giorgio!

Math Workshop: as both grade levels are learning about fractions, we worked on dividing circles into equal parts, then using the book Picture Pie as an example, students created pictures only using circles. As they worked, I taught the 1st graders more about equal shares and then 2nd graders about area.

Readers Workshop: We will be learning about the reading comprehension strategy of synthesis, but before we start, we are reviewing retelling a story. Retelling is a surface level understanding, but we begin there. Synthesis is a deep structure understanding where we use all our strategies, taking the material in the book and weaving it with our own ideas. Our thinking changes and gets bigger. We will be working on this the rest of the school year.

Writers' Workshop: We reviewed what a personal narrative was and then as a Pre-assessment, wrote a small moment narrative. We will dig deeper into how to write a personal narrative as we learn more about organization, voice, sentence fluency, leads, endings, and more.

Tomorrow we have library, so be sure and return your books.

VERY EXCITING FRIDAY!!!

We worked on math, reading, and writing, but, we had some EXCITING visitors today: 1st, our mystery reader, Gabrielle came to read to us. It was her birthday, so we got to sing Happy Birthday; but Gabrielle was a 1st grader in this room LAST year, but now lives in another district. We were so excited to see her!!!! I'll post more pictures next week as I work on our mystery reader video for April. It was a THRILL for me as her teacher to see how much she has grown. I'm so proud of her!!! AJ read us a very funny book, but then went home for the day! Get better, AJ! We also had a visitor: Steve Baskis. He is in the army and was injured in Iraq while on duty. He lost his eyesight. We were able to ask him many questions. Thank you!!

Enjoy the pictures!

Thursday Thrills

I missed hearing Simi read yesterday as our Child of the Day, but I heard she did a FANTASTIC job. Aayush was our Child of the Day today, leading us through the calendar and read a book to us. He did a great job reading and answering questions!

After outdoor P.E. and music, we went to the gym to hear the Bucket Boys. Ask your child how they liked this wonderful performance.

When we returned to the room we finished up our NF conventions books then went right into readers' workshop. This afternoon we learned more about plants.

Tomorrow we have art.

Tuesday Tales

Our child of the day, Nathan, read Ben's Tooth. We were all able to make connections to that!! Thanks for leading us through the calendar and pledge, as well as reading such a great book.

We took time out this morning to look at a comment that was sent to us on our blog. Look under Biography Thursday in the archives. (bottom right) The students get VERY, VERY, excited whenever anyone notices their work, so please take a moment to add a comment...it is very easy! Plus, they all come to me first so that nothing will be posted by anyone that isn't appropriate...SAFE and SECURE!

In math workshop, first graders worked on place value and second graders learning more about linear measurement.

After library, students added to their NF conventions book. We read more about plants and looked at the features of NF. In science, we read about plants again, then did our observations of the onions, radishes, and carrots we planted yesterday.

Monday Marvels!

Grier read The Butterfly, a story of friendship by Patrica Polacco to the class today. Thanks for sharing this book and leading us through the calendar and pledge.

Math Workshop: 1st graders learned about dollars and 2nd graders learned how to measure perimeter.

During Readers workshop, students added to their NonFiction Conventions notebook: tables and glossaries.

Word Work Workshop: word wall words added: take, why, help, different, put. Vocabulary: We read Returning the Enemies Dog and learned about these words: indicate, gracious, declare, inscription, diplomat and confirm

Instead of writing today, we began our science unit on plants. We planted onions, radishes and carrots. Tomorrow we begin our observations about plant growth.

Tomorrow is library. Be sure and return your books.

Friday Fun!

Thanks Sahithi for reading Dog and Cat! We really enjoyed it! Great job as child of the day!

After art and ELL enrichment, we worked on math. 1st grade reviewed money concepts and 2nd grade worked on measuring to the nearest half inch.

After math workshop, Miss Ahrends worked with the 1st graders on non fiction conventions of closeups and index while I went with the 2nd graders to take their MAP math test. (They did a GREAT job, by the way!)

When we returned from lunch we met Mrs. Ponce, our OT specialists in the lunch room, for some brain gym activities! We'll be doing some of these in the classroom as well to help kids think better, reduce stress, and improve motor function.

Thursday Thrills!

Kendall read the traditional tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears and then led us through the calendar and classroom promise. Thanks!

After students returned from P.E. and Music, first graders completed their checking progress activity, then worked on the math menu. 2nd graders worked on linear measurements.

In reading, students continued to work on their non fiction conventions notebook. Today they learned more about captions and the table of contents and how each helps the reader.

In writers' workshop, students continued writing their poems. They are finishing up their "I Am From..." poems to put in their poetry books.

Tomorrow we have art and ELL enrichment time. 2nd graders will take the Math MAP test and in the afternoon, Mrs. Ponce, our OT specialists, will lead us in "BRAIN GYM!!!" Should be fun!

Wednesday Wonders!

Be sure and listen to the video at the bottom about the water cycle!





A picture is worth a thousand words: