Friday, October 24, 2014

Classroom Summary for October 20 - 24



Here's what we did this week...

In math we completed our fourth topic on working with equal groups. We practiced skip-counting by twos, fives and tens. We also learned about multiplication and the new math vocabulary word: product. Ask us what a product is! Later in the week we learned about arrays (groups of objects that are organized in equal rows). In order to understand arrays, we had to learn about rows and columns. We learned that a row is horizontal line of objects. A column of objects is means the items are arranged in a vertical line from top to bottom. We practiced looking at arrays and translating them into number sentences. Then we wrote number sentences and built the arrays to match them.

In our Fundations phonics program we finished unit two by reviewing glued sounds and beginning to learn about vowel pairs. We learned the vowel pairs ai and ay for the long ā sound, as well as the vowel pairs we use for the long ē sound: ea, ee, and ey. Over the next few weeks we will continue to get familiar with more vowel pair combinations.

In Miss Varrell's reading group we continued to make more text-to-self connections to help us gain a deeper meaning when reading our independent books. We also began to look for the 'big ideas' in the stories we read and referred back to the text to show evidence of our thinking. We wrote some of the connections we made in our response journals, used drawing pictures as a way to visualize our connections and began comparing characters from two of the books we've read. We really enjoyed listening to our model text, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst.


Take a listen to Brianna and Nora as they explain some of the connections they made:




In writing workshop we began working on personal narratives. We read the mentor text, Grandma's Surprise and looked at the characteristics of a personal narrative:

  • title
  • tells events in the order they happen
  • tells a beginning, middle and end
  • uses the word 'I' to tell the story
  • tells how the writer felt
  • tells why the moment was important
  • has a strong ending

We will continue to work on narratives over the next few months.

In science this week we finished up our tree projects by completing our slide shows in the Explain Everything app and Mrs. Ardizzoni helped us to learn how to add narration to our videos. Althea and Brennan were a wonderful help as student technology teachers when they helped children with their recordings while Miss Varrell and Mrs. Ardizzoni were helping other students complete their slides. We will share our videos next week. :)

Here we are practicing our math facts on Xtramath and Reflex:






This week Miss Varrell introduced us to GoNoodle 'brain breaks.' GoNoodle is a website that students and teachers can use when a break is needed between learning activities. All of the GoNoodle activities are 2-4 minute movement breaks (or in some cases, meditation breaks) to help children better attend to their lessons. This week we danced 'The Funky Chicken,' we quietly listened to "Let It Go," we breathed in 'Outer Space', we balanced in a posture called 'Empire State' and we rested and relaxed to 'Safe and Calm.' We enjoyed trying these new transition activities out and we will test more out in the coming months.

Weekend Challenge Activity: Draw six arrays on a piece of blank drawing paper. Leave some space under each array for a classmate to write a number sentence that matches each array. Bring your array paper to school on Monday and we will trade papers to solve each other's problems! (Be sure to have an answer sheet with the correct number sentences for your arrays so that you can correct the paper afterwards.) Good luck!

F.Y.I.
  • Book orders were sent in this week. Most book orders take about 2-3 weeks to arrive.
  • Our field trips have been confirmed for the year! Please see the sidebar of this blog for our trip dates and locations. A permission slip/chaperone volunteer form was sent home this Friday, October 24. The cost of the combined field trips is $54.00 for this year. Please read the information sheet for more details about payment. Our first field trip is in just three weeks! Please be sure you return the permission slip ASAP so that we can be sure that your child will be able to participate. Thank you!
  • A big thank you goes out to our new Room Parents for this year: Mrs. Conlon and Mrs. Berkeley. Thank you to all who volunteered. Your support is greatly appreciated! Be on the look-out for an email/phone call from them in the next week or so. :)
  • Stay dry and enjoy the seasonable temperatures this weekend. :)




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