It feels good to have one full week off school in the books! We had a very busy week getting to know each other, settling into the classroom routines and expectations, learning where to put our folders, our notes, etc., and figuring out how to behave in the classroom space. I am pleased with how well I feel like I know each student already!
During our reading time this week, we learned about how to select just right books, how to distinguish fiction from nonfiction, and how to write about our reading in our journals. The students practiced all of these skills, and they read quietly most days as well. They love to read, and they know that it is always an option when they are finished with other work. We will take some time next week for me to read with each child and to learn a few more routines. The following week, we will begin our first official reading unit. Of course they will read every day in the meantime!
We haven't started our first writing unit yet, but we did do a little bit of free-writing this week. We also wrote some "biopoems" that I hope to share with you all soon. They are lovely! Next week, we will take Tuesday to decorate our writing journals. Then we will begin our first writing unit on Wednesday. Our first unit will be a narrative (story) writing unit -- always a favorite!
In math this week, we learned some really fun Math Menu games. These are mostly for reviewing addition and subtraction facts, but caused some giggling too. Today the students completed a pre-assessment for our upcoming math unit, which will begin on Tuesday. This is the first of 3 multiplication units. This first unit is mostly review of what they learned last year, and will boost their confidence before we get into harder concepts with larger numbers later.
I love teaching science, so we took some time this week to play with a variety of fun "science" toys. We learned to make observations, ask questions, and write down what we THINK we know. We also learned about the scientific process and how to conduct a lab. We had a blast trying out 2 different kinds of vinegar with baking soda! We will do a few more labs in the coming weeks.
In addition to all of the above, we learned the importance of having a growth mindset, we wrote our hopes and dreams for the year, and we continued with our "I can use my hands to..." posters. These kids have beautiful ideas for how to protect their planet!
Finally, if you haven't sent in a foot photo yet, please do that between now and Monday. It is fine to email me a photo. I can print it here! We will do the foot photo challenge on Tuesday and I am hoping no one will be left out.
I hope you all have a wonderful and restful weekend!
