Week 8 Was A Big One!

This week flew by!  We packed in a lot this week but here are some highlights:

We finished Unit 2 in Everyday Math and took the unit 2 assessment! As we start unit 3, students will be learning:
-patterns: both visual patterns and number grid patterns
-more addition and subtraction techniques
-the frames and arrows routine
-how to count and exchange coins including dimes
-how to use dominoes for addition

In writer's workshop students are in full-blown publishing mode, making a story of their choice into a Big Book:

Our reader's workshop routine is a well-oiled machine!  Students are consistently meeting with an adult to read, share text-to-self connections to their books, and retell stories they've read:

Cathy Wolinsky has been visiting our classroom every Friday afternoon to help roll out a new iPad app.  This week we were introduced to Spelling Magic:

Science dominated the scene in room 108 this week!  We were all very excited for Chewonki's presentation of live owls on Thursday.  Visit the learning in action link on the right side of this page or click here to check out students practicing owl calls and teaching about the owl life cycle.  There are also some videos of Otis, Varia, and Olivia, the owls from Chewonki!  Here are some stills of the students learning about the different body parts of an owl:

Classroom Happenings: Week 7

The Golden Eagles have been hard at work this week!  Check out our "learning in action at the end of the hall" link on the right side of this page to hear students explain and show you how to:

*Write a lowercase a
*Tap out a word when reading

In reading, we've started our guided reading groups:

In word study, we've been practicing tapping out words and making sentences:

In writing we've started to revise a story of our choice and will begin publishing next week!

In math, we were introduced to the +, -, and = signs and have started writing addition and subtraction number models.  We also made owl trees to use when telling number stories:

In science, we've started learning about owls!  We've charted what we know and want to know about owls,  learned different owl calls (we used this website: http://www.massaudubon.org/owls/), and learned how owls camouflage themselves in the forest :

Look for conference confirmation slips in folders next week!

Fire Prevention Week

Though the week was short, we sure packed a lot in!  On Tuesday we went to the Yarmouth Fire Barn to learn about fire safety from the pros.

We learned about the importance of checking/changing the batteries in smoke detectors:

The fire fighters showed us how they get dressed and ready for a fire:

On Wednesday, the fire fighters brought the smoke trailer and one of their fire engines to Rowe School.  We all got a chance to go up in the ladder and crawl safely through the smoke trailer.

Thank you, fire fighters, for keeping us safe!

October!

October is off to a fabulous start! 

We had our first Community Meeting on Tuesday!  Mrs. Gross and Ms. Honan led us in some great get-to-know-you activities and taught us some poems for the fall season.

We've been using our classroom iPads every day and are getting more familiar with how to handle them and how to quietly tell the next classmate on the list that it is his/her turn.  

We have done more worm observations and are practicing making scientific drawings by drawing only what we see and using appropriate colors.

We've practiced using ten frames and calculators in math.  We've also been using pennies to practice some basic addition facts.

In writers workshop we've been sharing our stories in author's chair and talking about the detail each author used in his/her story.

Have a lovely Columbus Day weekend!  Look for great photos from fire prevention week next friday!

Math Homework

In unit 2 of Everyday Mathematics students will be working more closely with coins.  Homework, too, will include some coin counting games.  I recommend setting a collection of coins aside to be "Homework Change".  The more pennies the better!