Calling All Construction Workers!

M.A.T.H. Workshop is underway!  The "M.A.T.H." in M.A.T.H. workshop stands for Math Facts, At Your Desk, Teacher's Choice, and Hands-On. For our hands-on center today, the students built fact family houses.  They were really into this project. Luckily these houses didn't require any hammers or nails. Please check out the pictures below. The students demonstrated great teamwork to conquer this task!

Today the students were "Non-fiction Text Feature Detectives" and used Post-it notes to stick onto the features they discovered inside Scholastic magazines. Prior to their detective work, they were exposed to the following features- photographs, labels, captions, and illustrations. When the students were finished being detectives, we added the other features they discovered to our list-maps, graphs, and bold print. This will be an ongoing theme!
I also read them the book Sheila Rae the Brave (for our fiction text this week). As a follow-up activity they read the Reader's Theatre version of the story.  This helped with fluency and enhanced their courage to stand up and "perform" in front of their classmates. Check out the pictures below!

Last piece of news...I'm saving the best for last!  All of the students have been bucket over flowers!  To celebrate our awesome bucket filling behavior we will be having pajama day Monday, September 29th! I'm so proud of them!

No strangers!

This week in math we reviewed fact families and the three rules to remember when creating a fact family.
Rule # 1- No strangers!  (This was their favorite rule!) If the three digits in the family are 8, 2, and 10, then the students shouldn't have the number 7 in their family! 7 is a stranger!!!
Rule #2- The number sentences have to be TRUE!  8+2=10.That is a TRUE number sentence because 8+2 does equal 10.
Rule #3- There are two addition and two subtraction sentences that make up a fact family.
8+2=10
2+8=10
10-8=2
10-2=8
We also continued working on solving word problems. At this point in the year, we are using single digit numbers. I know that most students know that 8 apples -3 apples =5 apples, but we are teaching them strategies to explain their thinking.   Also, we are exposing them to different types of word problems (comparing numbers, taking from, putting together, adding to and taking apart). In order to do so, we start with manageable numbers!
In reading, we have been working on Making Connections.  We worked on making Text to Self connections this whole week. I read Chester's Way and the students had to write their connection on a colored strip.  We then "connected" our connections to Chester!  Check out the pictures below!

IPICK IPICK I-P-I-C-K

This week I started teaching the students how to choose books that were "just right" for them. They learned the IPICK strategy. 

I- I choose a book.

P-Purpose-Why do I want to read it?

I- Interest- Does the book interest me?

C- Comprehension- Am I understanding what I am reading?

K- Know- Do I know most of the words?

In order to drive this home and commit this strategy to memory, we learned a song and dance! If you are looking for some entertainment tonight, ask your child to show you their moves! It's a work in progress and are going to continue to practice this week.  Looking forward to seeing you at Open House on Thursday at 6:00.

I just wanted to give you a quick update regarding the Bucket Filler System. We will officially begin it on Monday. I can already see and hear the students being mindful of demonstrating "bucket filling" behaviors. We've been trying hard to work as a team and help out our classmates! For example, today a crayon box dropped on the floor and there was a mad rush to help pick up the crayons! AWESOME!

HOT! HOT! HOT!
It was a steaming first day, but we did a great job beating the heat! What a super group!  I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know your kiddos a little bit better!  Tomorrow brings some more "getting to know you" activities, building reading STAMINA, and the introduction to our classroom "Bucket Filler" system.  Please look out for a note that is coming home tomorrow to explain this system!  I think your children are going to be excited about it!  I know I am! 
Lastly, thanks for having your children organized and ready to go this morning!  It was nice to see those sweaty smiles!

The Dancing Teacher: This is my first post!Tomorrow is the first day of...

The Dancing Teacher: This is my first post! Tomorrow is the first day of school and I am looking forward to start! It was nice to reconnect with the students at the Meet and Greet! I can't wait for a great 2014-2015 school year!