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Friday, March 28, 2014

Literacy: Asking Questions

This week during literacy block, we took a closer look at asking and answering questions.  This reading strategy helps students think more deeply about the text they are reading.  Students generated at least two "beyond the text" or "about the text" questions to bring to their reading group.  In our groups, we started to discuss our answers and opinions.  The exciting part about this level of questioning is that the students have interesting discussions since there is not just one answer to these open-ended questions.  It has been wonderful to watch students actively listening to each other, giving reasons for their opinions, and building on each others' answers.

We brainstormed a list of question starters to use as we read and write discussion questions.  I also added some of my favorites.  Here is a list that you can use when talking about books with your child at home.  Students are welcome to write down any great questions they (or you) think of at home to add to our list.

How did ________ (character) feel when....?
What do you think will happen next?  Why?
Where do you think the characters will go?
How would the story change if ....?
Do you think that ___________(character) knew that...?
If you could be one of the characters, who would you be?  Why?
How are __________(characters) the same or different?
How has ____________(character) changed in the story?
Why do you think _________(character) said...?
How would you describe ________ (character)?





Classroom News

Parent Conference Day is Friday, April 4th.  (There is no school for students on that day.)  I look forward to meeting with everyone!   Please look for your conference confirmation information in your child's Friday Folder. 

Please remember to return permission forms so our class can go on a tour of the EMES construction site.  Also, if your child would like to order lunch for the following week, please return the lunch form by next Thursday.

Homework packets are also due next Thursday, April 3rd.  Please help your child to return a neat and complete packet by this due date.  Thanks!


Friday, March 21, 2014

Second Grade Math: Data!

This week, we joined together with Mrs. Christiano's second grade math class as we learned how to collect, represent, and analyze data.  It was great to collect data about our favorite weekend activities and to learn various ways to represent the data, such as on a bar graph, a line plot, and a Venn diagram.  Students are learning how to write "I noticed" or "I learned" statements to share what they have figured out when analyzing the data.  At times, we will also collect and analyze information about our 2nd/3rd grade homeroom class and other classes throughout the school.

Key vocabulary words that we have been learning about are:  data, representation, greater, fewer, least, analyze, and mode.  We talked about different ways to represent data, such as showing the information on a bar graph, picture graph, line plot, or Venn diagram.

Mrs. Christiano and I are enjoying the opportunity to team teach during this exciting math unit!

Classroom News

This week, we wrapped up our magnet unit by designing a second "Fish and Clips" experiment, in which students compared the strength of two different types of magnets of their choice.  We also earned a classroom magnet celebration for filling our "tree".  We had some creative ideas for building faster and more colorful magnet cars and interesting race tracks.  Ask your child how the magnet cars work and check out the photos!

On Monday, we participated in another wonderful yoga lesson with Amy.  It was fun trying out different animal poses.  Thanks Amy!

On Tuesday, Karin took a few minutes away from the office to join students for lunch in our classroom to share information about Aruba.  She showed us some interesting things from her vacation, such as shells, photos, sea glass, and money.  We learned that some coins in Aruba are square shaped!

During literacy and writing times, we have been reading our new fiction chapter books, learning new spelling rules, and starting our work with opinion writing.  This new writing unit will connect closely with our reading work, as we will be sharing our opinions about characters and other aspects of various books.

Three important forms are coming home today.  The first is a sign up form for the conference day on Friday, April 4th.  Please indicate your first three choices on the form and return it to school as soon as possible.  I will send home conference confirmation sheets the following week.  Let me know if that day doesn't work for you or if you need me to coordinate with your other children's teachers.

The second form is a permission slip for a visit to the EMES construction site.  Our class would love to take a tour to see what it looks like inside the site.  We have heard from other classes that it is very exciting and we would like to earn a tour for our next classroom celebration.  Please help us by returning the form as soon as you can.  Once all forms are returned, we can visit the site.

The third form is the lunch sign up form.  Thank you to everyone for remembering to return these sheets on time. 

Homework packets are due on Thursday, April 3rd.  If your child finishes early, please remind him or her to keep reading throughout the month and to write down the extra reading on the reading log. 

Enjoy your weekend!  Hopefully, we can start getting some warmer spring weather soon!
















Friday, March 14, 2014

3rd Grade Math

BASIC FACTS!!
In order to continue to advance in their understanding of math, it is crucial that everyone have a solid foundation of basic fact recall.  By this time in third grade, it is expected that students have mastered addition and subtraction facts up to 20.  Mastery means that students can answer a basic problem in 2 seconds or less orally and 3 seconds or less in writing.  Many students do not have the speed of recall necessary to apply the basic facts to problem solving and more advance tasks.  We will continue to work on both addition and subtraction facts at school, however, the amount of time we can dedicate to practice is limited.  As with any skill, the more you practice, the better you become.   It is essential that students practice facts on a daily basis outside of school.  One idea, is to select a fact of the day and focus on it.  For example 8+7=15.  Through out the day, in the car or any time you can fit it in, you could ask your child 8+7=; 7+8=; 15-8=; 15-7=.  By varying the question you will help your child to learn "4 facts for the price of 1".   Playing dice and card games will also help to improve fact fluency.  If you would like additional ideas or resources, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Fitch. 


In addition to basic addition and subtraction facts, we have continued our study of multiplication.  The students are working to learn their basic multiplication facts and to apply them to more complicated problems.  We are discovering patterns and beginning to explore the basic algorithm for multiplying 2 digit numbers by a one digit number.  Students are using cuisenaire rods to support the development of this concept.  By the end of third grade, students will be expected to have mastered multiplication facts. 





Classroom News

Even with a snow day, we still accomplished a lot this week!  We are wrapping up our magnet unit by finishing our experiments,magnet posters, and our read aloud book, Magic School Bus: Amazing Magnetism.

During literacy time, we started our new reading books.  We had been working on non-fiction, informational texts and learning about text features.  Now, we are switching over to reading longer fictional texts and practicing using a variety of comprehension strategies.

In second grade math, we started a new data unit, which focuses on data collection, representation, and analysis.  We also have been reviewing and practicing our base ten and "keeping it whole" strategies for addition.  Students were excited to try the "standard algorithm" for addition, which I introduced last week.  (This is the method that many parents are most familiar with from our own math work in elementary school.)  In this method, students line up the tens and ones and add each column.  We talked about what to do with numbers that are greater than nine by moving the ten over to the tens column.  Students may use this algorithm on their daily work and homework, but also need to continue using other strategies.  We will learn the algorithm for subtraction soon.

On Monday, March 17th, Amy (Cyrus' mom) will join us for a yoga lesson.  Students are welcome to bring mats from home for this time.

Just a reminder that March Homework Packets are due back on Thursday, April 3rd.  Please help your child do their best work throughout the month and return the packet on time.

Friday, April 4th is a Parent/Teacher Conference Day.  Students do not have school on that Friday.  I will send a conference sign up form home soon.

Have a great weekend and enjoy all of the snow!!!

Four Winds: Tracks

On Tuesday, we participated in a Four Winds lesson about animal tracks.  We watched a puppet show and put together puzzles where we had to match an animal with its tracks.  Next, we learned about the different ways that animals move to make their tracks and tried out these movements by following footprints.

After that, we went outside to search for animal tracks in the woods.  We practiced making tracks in the snow and moving like walkers, waddlers, bounders, and hoppers.  We ended our lesson by discussing what we had learned.  Ask your child about his or her favorite part of this exciting lesson.  Thanks to Amanda (Selah's mom) and Michelle (Jaden's mom) for an exciting lesson that really got us moving!











Friday, March 7, 2014

Classroom News


It was so great to see everyone’s smiling faces on Wednesday and to hear their wonderful vacation stories at Morning Meeting each day.  This afternoon, we watched the Starbase rockets blast off, worked on writing, and participated in our final Lego Robotics lesson for this session.

As you noticed, we have a new sign-up sheet for pizza and Subway subs.  This sheet will go home each week.  They need to be returned ASAP so Susan can place the orders.  Lunch is being prepared off campus each day, so our daily lunch counts are also very important.  Please talk with your child about the importance of signing up on our each day if he or she will need lunch.  Also, if your child is bringing lunch, please help him or her pack enough food for snack and lunch, since they will not be able to sign up later if they eat all of their food at snack.

The new homework packets were sent home on Wednesday.  They are due back on Thursday, April 3rd.

Have a great weekend!