Enjoy!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Today, after Independent Reading time and Morning Meeting, we began Reader’s Workshop. Today we read a story called The Runaway Tortilla, which is another take on the gingerbread tales that we have been reading. After that, several of the reading groups met with me while the rest of the students traded for new books in their book bags and read independently. We then reviewed how to properly write a response in their Reader Response notebooks, and they got to work writing about the reading that they did today.
After that, we had our daily sing-along – today it was “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” Then it was on to Writer’s Workshop, where we worked on fixing and fancying once again, as well as rehearsed reading our stories. [If you can come in to help out any morning this week, please let me know – it would help with getting all of the kids recorded – thanks!]
Then we got all bundled up and headed down for lunch and recess, then back up to our room for Read Aloud – we read another chapter in Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Then it was time for gym, so we went down for class with Mr. Hill and Mr. Peterson.
When we got back up to the room, we had Math Workshop. Today we talked about and explored the relationships on a hundreds chart – moving back and forth and up and down as ways of adding and subtracting by ones and tens.
After math, we had a little art/room decoration time – we learned how to make paper snowflakes, and made a fine, fine mess cutting them out. Check out the windows in our room the next time you come by school – they are pretty fancy!
After that, and an extended clean-up time, it was time to get all bundled up again and head home!
After that, we had our daily sing-along – today it was “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” Then it was on to Writer’s Workshop, where we worked on fixing and fancying once again, as well as rehearsed reading our stories. [If you can come in to help out any morning this week, please let me know – it would help with getting all of the kids recorded – thanks!]
Then we got all bundled up and headed down for lunch and recess, then back up to our room for Read Aloud – we read another chapter in Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Then it was time for gym, so we went down for class with Mr. Hill and Mr. Peterson.
When we got back up to the room, we had Math Workshop. Today we talked about and explored the relationships on a hundreds chart – moving back and forth and up and down as ways of adding and subtracting by ones and tens.
After math, we had a little art/room decoration time – we learned how to make paper snowflakes, and made a fine, fine mess cutting them out. Check out the windows in our room the next time you come by school – they are pretty fancy!
After that, and an extended clean-up time, it was time to get all bundled up again and head home!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Today, after Independent Reading Time and Morning Meeting, we had Reader’s Workshop. We worked again, for the first half of the time, on filling in the chart for our Story Study – the kids are really getting the hang of identifying the setting, charcters, plot, and making connections to the stories. They also got to “Buddy Read” with a friend as some of them met with me in Reading Group.
After that, we had our daily song – I’ve Been Working on the Railroad (again, by popular request). Then it was on to Writer’s Workshop, in which the kids are still ‘fixing and fancying” their pieces to record later this week and next week. They are adding great details and emotions to their writing!
We then headed down for lunch and recess (indoor today), and then had Read Aloud in our room. We read Chapters 2 and 3 of Mr. Popper’s Penguins – a shipment of penguins from the South Pole just arrived at the Popper house in Stillwater!
After that, we headed up to the art room for class – Mr. Fairbank’s student teacher taught the kids today. When we got back down to the room, we finished up some reading that we had left over from the a.m., as well as some of the kids who wanted to share their writing and didn’t get a chance in the morning got to read their pieces. After that, we worked on writing again – making sure that the letters are formed the proper way, and are the proper sizes.
After all of that, it was time to pack up and head home!
After that, we had our daily song – I’ve Been Working on the Railroad (again, by popular request). Then it was on to Writer’s Workshop, in which the kids are still ‘fixing and fancying” their pieces to record later this week and next week. They are adding great details and emotions to their writing!
We then headed down for lunch and recess (indoor today), and then had Read Aloud in our room. We read Chapters 2 and 3 of Mr. Popper’s Penguins – a shipment of penguins from the South Pole just arrived at the Popper house in Stillwater!
After that, we headed up to the art room for class – Mr. Fairbank’s student teacher taught the kids today. When we got back down to the room, we finished up some reading that we had left over from the a.m., as well as some of the kids who wanted to share their writing and didn’t get a chance in the morning got to read their pieces. After that, we worked on writing again – making sure that the letters are formed the proper way, and are the proper sizes.
After all of that, it was time to pack up and head home!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Another nice day in Room 240!!
After Independent Reading Time and Morning Meeting, we had Reader’s Workshop, as per normal. Today we worked on filling in some of the details on our chart for the Story Study of the gingerbread man tales. We talked about plot and setting once again, in the hopes that the kids will start to think about plot and setting in their own writing eventually. The kids also had reading time with their book bags, and some of them set with me in Reading Group.
After that, we learned a new song, I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad – the kids enjoyed it. We then took a few minutes of our Writer’s Workshop to write letters to Scientist Kristy to thank her for her time and expertise yesterday (check out the videos on yesterday’s post below). Then it was on to normal Writer’s Workshop, in which the kids practiced reading their chosen story, in preparation for recording it later this week.
After that, it was down for lunch and recess, then back up for Read Aloud. We started a new novel today, called Mr. Popper’s Penguins. It’s a classic, from 1938, and a Newbery Award winner. Then it was time to head on down the hall to Media for class with Mrs. Hennen.
When we got back to the room, we had Science Lab straightaway. Since our organisms unit is ending, we cleaned up the aquariums and terrariums that we had on the tables. This, of course, involved digging for and finding the pillbugs and the millipedes in the terrariums, and fishing out the weeds, snails, and guppies from the aquariums. Needless to say, a good time was had by all.
After that, we worked on our new spelling/word work program that we will be implementing in our class. It involves working on a specific spelling skill each week. This week we will be just ‘practicing’ how the weeks will go, with a practice test on Friday. I will send the words home with your child tomorrow.
After that, we had a bit of time to have birthday snacks from Ben (thanks, Ben!), and then pack up to head home.
Enjoy the snow!!!!!
After Independent Reading Time and Morning Meeting, we had Reader’s Workshop, as per normal. Today we worked on filling in some of the details on our chart for the Story Study of the gingerbread man tales. We talked about plot and setting once again, in the hopes that the kids will start to think about plot and setting in their own writing eventually. The kids also had reading time with their book bags, and some of them set with me in Reading Group.
After that, we learned a new song, I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad – the kids enjoyed it. We then took a few minutes of our Writer’s Workshop to write letters to Scientist Kristy to thank her for her time and expertise yesterday (check out the videos on yesterday’s post below). Then it was on to normal Writer’s Workshop, in which the kids practiced reading their chosen story, in preparation for recording it later this week.
After that, it was down for lunch and recess, then back up for Read Aloud. We started a new novel today, called Mr. Popper’s Penguins. It’s a classic, from 1938, and a Newbery Award winner. Then it was time to head on down the hall to Media for class with Mrs. Hennen.
When we got back to the room, we had Science Lab straightaway. Since our organisms unit is ending, we cleaned up the aquariums and terrariums that we had on the tables. This, of course, involved digging for and finding the pillbugs and the millipedes in the terrariums, and fishing out the weeds, snails, and guppies from the aquariums. Needless to say, a good time was had by all.
After that, we worked on our new spelling/word work program that we will be implementing in our class. It involves working on a specific spelling skill each week. This week we will be just ‘practicing’ how the weeks will go, with a practice test on Friday. I will send the words home with your child tomorrow.
After that, we had a bit of time to have birthday snacks from Ben (thanks, Ben!), and then pack up to head home.
Enjoy the snow!!!!!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Another great day in Room 240!
After Independent Reading time and Morning Meeting, we had Reader’s Workshop. Today we continued with the Story Study on the Gingerbread Man folktale. We read The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett, which the kids enjoyed. It had some different settings and characters, which gave us a nice contrast to the other books that we have read thus far. The kids also traded the books in their Just-Right bookbags for new ones, and some met with me in Reading Group.
After that, we had our daily song – Ben, since it is his birthday today, got to choose the song, and he picked “Someone’s Taking us to the Zoo Tomorrow.” Then it was one to Writer’s Workshop. Today, we worked on ‘fixing and fancying’ the stories that the kids are going to read for our Writer’s Celebration next week. We worked on adding details, as well as adding thoughts and emotions to the pieces. They are really great – wait until you hear them!
Then we were off to lunch and recess, back up for just a minute before we were down to the gym for class. They met in the auditorium today, because Mrs. Johnson’s class was having their Family Fun Run today (ours in on Thursday – hope to se you there!).
After gym we came back up to the room for Math Workshop. We spent some time reviewing the addition and number family work that we have been doing for the past 2 weeks or so.
After that, we had a special guest – “Scientist Kristy” came in to talk with the kids about the planets. Scientist Kristy is, in real life, Kristy McQuinn, a Burroughs parent and a astrophysicist at the U. She talked about the planets and how they were formed, and why some of them are rocky without moons, and some of them are gas and have many moons – ask your child all about it. She also showed a couple of videos, and if she gives me the okay, I’ll post them here for you to see as well. [Update on Tuesday, 9-8-09 - here are the videos!]
After that busy day, it was time to pack up and head home!
After Independent Reading time and Morning Meeting, we had Reader’s Workshop. Today we continued with the Story Study on the Gingerbread Man folktale. We read The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett, which the kids enjoyed. It had some different settings and characters, which gave us a nice contrast to the other books that we have read thus far. The kids also traded the books in their Just-Right bookbags for new ones, and some met with me in Reading Group.
After that, we had our daily song – Ben, since it is his birthday today, got to choose the song, and he picked “Someone’s Taking us to the Zoo Tomorrow.” Then it was one to Writer’s Workshop. Today, we worked on ‘fixing and fancying’ the stories that the kids are going to read for our Writer’s Celebration next week. We worked on adding details, as well as adding thoughts and emotions to the pieces. They are really great – wait until you hear them!
Then we were off to lunch and recess, back up for just a minute before we were down to the gym for class. They met in the auditorium today, because Mrs. Johnson’s class was having their Family Fun Run today (ours in on Thursday – hope to se you there!).
After gym we came back up to the room for Math Workshop. We spent some time reviewing the addition and number family work that we have been doing for the past 2 weeks or so.
After that, we had a special guest – “Scientist Kristy” came in to talk with the kids about the planets. Scientist Kristy is, in real life, Kristy McQuinn, a Burroughs parent and a astrophysicist at the U. She talked about the planets and how they were formed, and why some of them are rocky without moons, and some of them are gas and have many moons – ask your child all about it. She also showed a couple of videos, and if she gives me the okay, I’ll post them here for you to see as well. [Update on Tuesday, 9-8-09 - here are the videos!]
After that busy day, it was time to pack up and head home!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Another nice day in Room 240!
Instead of the normal Independent Reading Time in the morning, we had Extreme M
akeover Home Edition come to our classroom – the kids got to finish roofing the gingerbread house in our room and decorate the outside of it as well. It turned out pretty nicely, we think. There was no shortage of ideas of types of candy to paste on the walls!After that, we had Morning Meeting, and we realized that we have been in school for 61 days already. Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess. After Morning Meeting, we continued our Story Study of the gingerbread man stories in Reader’s Workshop. Today we read The Gingerbread Boy, which we fun because it was set in an urban environment.
After that, by popular request, we sang Down By the Bay again (the kids just keep coming up with verses to sing, so what can I do? Then it was on to Writer’s Workshop, in which the kids worked on finding the story that they want to polish for the Writer’s Celebration next week. For the celebration, I will be recording the kids reading their stories digitally, and then burn a “Greatest Hits” album for each child to take home (with everyone’s story on it. It should be great fun (if you’re even a tiny bit tech-minded, or at least not tech-phobic, please send me an email [jake.knaus@mpls.k12.mn.us] – I’d love to have you come in and help out with the recording next week).
Then it was down to the cafeteria for lunch, out to recess, and back up to the room for Read Aloud. After that, we went up to the music room for class with Mr. Hofmann.
When we got back down to the room, we had Math Workshop. Today we were working again on the combinations that add to ten.
After Math, we had a quick Science Lab – we looked at the worm bin again to see how much of the scraps form the Stone Soup preparation day the worms have already eaten. As it turns out, they have eaten quite a bit – they are small, but hungry!
When Science Lab was done, we had Friday Fun, during which most of the kids got back to decorating the gingerbread house. It is now, I am happy to report, equipped with an oven 
(for cooking gingerbread people), a mailbox, and several sign that strictly limit the house to an occupancy of two.
(for cooking gingerbread people), a mailbox, and several sign that strictly limit the house to an occupancy of two.We then cleaned up, packed up, and headed out!
Enjoy your weekend!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Today, after Independent Reading time and Morning Meeting, we went right into Reader’s Workshop. Today, we continued with the story study that we began yesterday. Today we read Gingerbread Girl, which was a fun, new take on the traditional story. Once again, we discussed setting, characters and plot. Then the kids had time to do buddy reading with their ‘just-right’ books, and then write a response in their Reader Response Journals.
After that, we sang Down By the Bay again, and the kids suggested some new (and very clever) verses to add to the song. After our song, we had Writer’s Workshop. We did not start any new stories today – we are wrapping up this second unit of writing. Today we were working on finishing up pieces that we have already started, with the aim to selecting one piece to read for our writer’s celebration next week. (This celebration will be just us in the class again – the next one will be ‘open to the public’!!)
After that, it was time to head down for lunch and recess. After that, we came back up to our room, and we read another short gingerbread boy book. Then we were off to the gym for class with Mr. Hill and Mr. Peterson – the kids all ran for 12 minutes today, in training for the Family Fun Run next Thursday (please come and join us – 12:00 – 12:55).
When we got back to Room 240, we had Math Workshop. Today the kids played a game in which one of them would say a number less than 10, and the other would say the number that ‘goes with’ that number to make 10 (4 and 6 or 8 and 2, for instance).
We then had a bit more handwriting practice – we reviewed the proper way to make the uppercase letters.
After all of that, it was construction time – the big cardboard box that was in our room yesterday has transformed into a 6 foot tall gingerbread house! Some of the kids worked as “roofers” by putting shingles on the roof, and some worked as “siders” by putting brown paper on the outside walls. We will finish the roofing and decorating the outside of the house tomorrow.
With that excitement out of the way, it was time to pack up and head home!
After that, we sang Down By the Bay again, and the kids suggested some new (and very clever) verses to add to the song. After our song, we had Writer’s Workshop. We did not start any new stories today – we are wrapping up this second unit of writing. Today we were working on finishing up pieces that we have already started, with the aim to selecting one piece to read for our writer’s celebration next week. (This celebration will be just us in the class again – the next one will be ‘open to the public’!!)
After that, it was time to head down for lunch and recess. After that, we came back up to our room, and we read another short gingerbread boy book. Then we were off to the gym for class with Mr. Hill and Mr. Peterson – the kids all ran for 12 minutes today, in training for the Family Fun Run next Thursday (please come and join us – 12:00 – 12:55).
When we got back to Room 240, we had Math Workshop. Today the kids played a game in which one of them would say a number less than 10, and the other would say the number that ‘goes with’ that number to make 10 (4 and 6 or 8 and 2, for instance).
We then had a bit more handwriting practice – we reviewed the proper way to make the uppercase letters.
After all of that, it was construction time – the big cardboard box that was in our room yesterday has transformed into a 6 foot tall gingerbread house! Some of the kids worked as “roofers” by putting shingles on the roof, and some worked as “siders” by putting brown paper on the outside walls. We will finish the roofing and decorating the outside of the house tomorrow.
With that excitement out of the way, it was time to pack up and head home!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Today was another great day in Room 240 (and a good day for a post, as the meeting that I had after school was a short one).
Today, after Independent Reading Time and Morning Meeting, we had Reader’s Workshop. Today we began a “Story Study” on the various versions of the Gingerbread Man story. We will read and compare them, culminating in our making gingerbread houses next week. This is the book that we read today. We talked about setting, characters, plot, and connections to the text today. The kids also had individual reading time, and I had time to conference with kids again, to listen to them read, and evaluate their levels.
After that, we had our daily song – Down by the Bay, which the kids loved. It got pretty spirited, and we all got a bit carried away with making up new verses for the song for tomorrow. The kids should be thinking of new verses to bring in tomorrow for us to sing!
Then we had Writer’s Workshop. Today we had a summary lesson of the skills that we have been emphasizing throughout the last unit – zooming in on a small moment to tell, stretching that small moment out across several pages, and writing the outside of the story (what happened) as well as the inside (what they felt when it happened). Their stories are incredible – it is a joy to read them and to have them read to me.
After that, it was off to lunch and recess, then back up to the room for Read Aloud (Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears), and then up to the art room for class with Mr. Fairbanks.
When we got back down to our room, we had Math Workshop. Today we were working on solving word problems using ten frames instead of counting on fingers. The ten frames are a part of our Morning Meeting routine as we count how many days we’ve been in 1st grade, and they are the springboard into having the kids do the math in their heads, and then to have the facts recalled with automaticity.
After that, we had some more excitement. We had a large (6 feet by 4 feet by 5 inches) delivered to our room, and the kids all tried to guess what was inside it. They came up with some really good ideas, but I think that they were initially disappointed when I opened it and it was empty. Their smiles came back, though, when I told them that all of that cardboard will be made into something for our classroom for tomorrow. I told them to think of ideas of what it could be overnight, and they will see in the morning.
At the end of the day, instead of Science Lab, we did a little practice with penmanship and the proper way to make letters (the order and directions of the pencil strokes). This will help them greatly both now as the write and even more as they learn cursive writing in the coming years.
After all of that, it was time to pack up and head home!
Today, after Independent Reading Time and Morning Meeting, we had Reader’s Workshop. Today we began a “Story Study” on the various versions of the Gingerbread Man story. We will read and compare them, culminating in our making gingerbread houses next week. This is the book that we read today. We talked about setting, characters, plot, and connections to the text today. The kids also had individual reading time, and I had time to conference with kids again, to listen to them read, and evaluate their levels.
After that, we had our daily song – Down by the Bay, which the kids loved. It got pretty spirited, and we all got a bit carried away with making up new verses for the song for tomorrow. The kids should be thinking of new verses to bring in tomorrow for us to sing!
Then we had Writer’s Workshop. Today we had a summary lesson of the skills that we have been emphasizing throughout the last unit – zooming in on a small moment to tell, stretching that small moment out across several pages, and writing the outside of the story (what happened) as well as the inside (what they felt when it happened). Their stories are incredible – it is a joy to read them and to have them read to me.
After that, it was off to lunch and recess, then back up to the room for Read Aloud (Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears), and then up to the art room for class with Mr. Fairbanks.
When we got back down to our room, we had Math Workshop. Today we were working on solving word problems using ten frames instead of counting on fingers. The ten frames are a part of our Morning Meeting routine as we count how many days we’ve been in 1st grade, and they are the springboard into having the kids do the math in their heads, and then to have the facts recalled with automaticity.
After that, we had some more excitement. We had a large (6 feet by 4 feet by 5 inches) delivered to our room, and the kids all tried to guess what was inside it. They came up with some really good ideas, but I think that they were initially disappointed when I opened it and it was empty. Their smiles came back, though, when I told them that all of that cardboard will be made into something for our classroom for tomorrow. I told them to think of ideas of what it could be overnight, and they will see in the morning.
At the end of the day, instead of Science Lab, we did a little practice with penmanship and the proper way to make letters (the order and directions of the pencil strokes). This will help them greatly both now as the write and even more as they learn cursive writing in the coming years.
After all of that, it was time to pack up and head home!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
