Punching Towards Progress

During Work on Writing, the students receive a punch card with writing choices. Each time we Work on Writing, they have you look at their punch card to see which activities they still have left to complete. With every punch (showing they completed the writing task), they are progressing towards their goal, which is to complete all of the tasks on their card. Once the card is complete, they receive a new one.  The reason the punch card was developed was to ensure that the students participate in many different types of writing throughout the week and so they challenge themselves with a writing activity that may not be the most comfortable choice for them every time they go to Work on Writing.  The writing choices are research, class journals, create a prompt, pick a poem, lists, and pick a prompt. Every month, the materials change for each choice so the students do not get bored and they can continue to grow as a writer.

To practice Math Common Core Standard 2.OA.4, (use addition to find the total number of objects arranged in rectangular arrays with up to 5 rows and up to 5 columns; write an equation to express the total as a sum of equal addends) we made Sticker Arrays! This was a big hit. So much so, that I heard huffs when the students at the Sticker Array center were asked to rotate to the next activity. I had to promise the children we will do this activity again!

 

Happy Halloween!

This Thursday was Pumpkin Math day!  Despite the smell (uhhhh), the kids had an awesome time being scientists and mathematicians. They predicted, experimented, measured, and weighed to discover the answers to questions about their particular pumpkin.  One group counted 578 seeds, while others were shocked that their pumpkins floated!  Some children got down and dirty pulling out the seeds and other group members shied away during this opportunity. It was so much fun watching them experiment!

Halloween Day=Hyper kids (even before sugar is even given)! This is a lesson I learned my first year of teaching! I will never forget it and come prepared each year. The students participated in Halloween centers.  They played Pictionary, participated in a Pumpkin Race (our crazy center), played Bingo (our low-key center), and painted adorable mini pumpkins (thanks to Mrs. Hollowell).  I could hardly recognize them with their costumes on. Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin projects came in today! Check out the creative bags and awesome artificial/real pumpkin characters!