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