Last week during Reading Workshop we:

• worked on choosing books independently while Mrs. Caron read with students.
• reviewed that readers look at and point under each word for every word they say.
• learned that sometimes when we sound out a word, it might not sound like a real word.  When that happens, we need to use our other reading strategies to help us figure out the word.
• learned that often the last page in a book does not follow the pattern that the rest of the pages follow.  Readers recognize this and use everything they know about the story to help them read the last page.
• read with our first grade reading buddies!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Last week during Writing Workshop we:

•  learned that just like the books we are reading follow a pattern, we can write pattern books, too.  Many of the words we can use in a pattern are on our word wall, making them easy for us to write.
  
  
  
  
  

• learned that the pages in a pattern book are all about the same topic.
• wrote a class pattern book about what we do in kindergarten.
• learned that writers write one word for every word they say when they think of a sentence.  Words need to be separated by spaces.
• learned that just like the authors of the books we read, we can change the pattern on the last page of our books.

Last week during Math we:

• learned more about leveling a pan balance.  We put an object of one side of the balance, and then put a clump of clay on the other side.  Through experimentation, we learned that we can add to or take away from the clay to make the scale balanced.
  
  

• played an addition game with cubes to help us add up to a sum of ten.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• created a class bar graph about our favorite classroom activities.  We then analyzed and discussed the data.
• learned about, and practiced, counting by tens. 

Enjoy the pictures below of children during centers and free exploration.

Since we only have two days of school this coming week, I will not be updating the blog until the weekend after we get back from break.  I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Katie

The Last Two Weeks

Dear Parents,

I apologize for not including any pictures in this week's post.  Usually I take lots of pictures every week, but since I was away at a conference for two days this week and we did not have school on Monday, I did not end up taking many pictures.  I promise to have pictures for next week's post!

We've been very busy learning how to read during Reading Workshop!  It has been a very exciting time for the children, and exciting for me to watch them learn and grow as readers.  The children have learned to:

• say the sound for each letter in a word they don't know.  I taught them to stretch words out slowly (we call it Stretchy Snake), just like when they write a word.
• look closely at the pictures to see if there are clues that can help them figure out an unknown word (Eagle Eye)
• get their mouths, or lips, ready be saying the first sound or two in a word (Lips the Fish).  Then they can think of words that begin with that sound.
• use the above strategies together.  Often times, Eagle Eye alone is not enough.  For example, looking at a picture of a puppy playing, a child might think it is a picture of a dog, not a puppy.  If a child does not then cross-check his/her prediction with what the actual word looks like, then he/she will not read the word correctly.  I teach the children to look at the picture, think of what the picture is showing, determine what that word starts with (p for puppy and d for dog) then look at the word to determine if their prediction matches what the word looks like.  So, if a child looks at the word and realizes it starts with a p, not a d, then he/she will know that it cannot be dog and he/she must rethink what the word is.
• be word detectives and look for word wall words they know.
• notice patterns in books.  Most of the books the children are reading right now follow the same pattern on every page.  Once children determine the pattern in a book, they can use that pattern to sweep them across the pages of the book.
• go back and get a running start.  If readers get stuck on a page in a book, they can go back to the beginning, reread up to that point, and see if they can then read the page they were stuck on.  
• think as they read.  We say: "Reading is Thinking."  It is not enough for us to just read the words.  The words tell us something, and it is important for readers to think about those words so they understand the story.

We wrapped up our Looking Closely unit during Writing Workshop.  Last week, the children brought home a collection of their writing from that unit.  They saved one piece to keep at school and publish.  The children spent time adding more detail to that piece and fancying it up with color.  Next week, we will begin our next writing unit: Pattern Books.

During Math time, we have:

•  practiced ordering numbers from 0 to 20.
• learned that dominoes contain a number of dots.  We can order dominoes just like we can order number cards.  The children spent time counting the dots on dominoes, noticing patterns in the arrangements of the dots, ordering the dominoes, then matching number cards to dominoes.
• used cubes as a tool and unit for measuring length.
• learned about a balance scale.  We practiced putting objects on one side of the scale, then adding objects to the other side until both sides were balanced.  We used this scale to learn about weight, heavier, and lighter. 
• practiced solving addition and subtraction number stories on whiteboards.
• learned about the probability of events occurring.  We used the terms certain, possible, and impossible to describe the probability of different scenarios occurring.
• learned more about probability through colored blocks.  I put a selection of blocks on a tray then asked the children questions such as "Is it certain, possible, or impossible that I will pick a green block?" and "Is it likely or unlikely that I will pick an orange block?"

Have a nice weekend!
Katie

We had a great trip to Wolfe's Neck Farm last week.  Below is a snapshot of our morning at the farm.

As a follow-up lesson to our field trip, we learned more about the life cycle of a pumpkin.  Children completed a life cycle project, which they brought home on Thursday.  I hope your child used this project to teach you what he/she learned about the life cycle of a pumpkin.

As I shared with many of you during conferences, my lessons during reading workshop have shifted from reading pictures to reading words in just right books.  Last week, I taught students the following strategies/skills for reading words in books:

• Readers point under each word as they read, jumping crisply from one word to the next.
• Many of the words in our books are on our word wall, so we already know how to read them.
• Readers can look closely at the pictures in their books to help them figure out unknown words (we call this Eagle Eye).  

This coming school week, I will be teaching the children additional strategies for reading unknown words.

Last week during Writing Workshop, we continued our unit on science writing.  Our field trip to the farm provided us with the perfect object to write about: a pumpkin!  The children spent a day or two writing a book about their pumpkin.  Students learned that just like the books we are reading contain lots of word wall words, so can the books we write.  I taught the children to use words from our word wall to help them write sentences. 

Last week during Math we:

• Played a game called Race-to-the-Top.  This game introduced children to the idea that when rolling a die, each number has the same chance of being rolled because each number appears on the die the same number of times.
  
  
  
  

• Learned about a balance scale.
• Learned a new game called Monster Squeeze.  In this partner game, one child picks a number and the other child has to guess the number.  If the child guesses incorrectly, his/her partner gives a comparison clue (ex. My number is bigger than ___).  This game helps children learn to compare numbers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

I hope you all enjoyed this beautiful fall weekend!
Warmly,
Katie