What's happening in Reading Workshop?

Students have been busy, busy, busy working on reading strategies in Reading Workshop! Our lessons over the past several weeks have focused on monitoring for meaning, which basically means making sure that what they read makes sense. If students read a passage and it doesn't make sense, then they know something needs to be fixed. In order to know that something doesn't make sense, students need to learn to really listen to themselves while they read and pay close attention to what they say. This takes practice! When something doesn't make sense, students have now practiced many strategies to solve unknown words. These include finding parts of the word we know, checking the picture, saying the first sound of a word and thinking what would make sense, and skipping the word, reading on, and then going back to the word.

We have also worked on retelling stories during our read aloud time. This is an important aspect of reading that helps ensure students comprehend what they read (or have read to them). We have discussed story elements such as characters, setting, problem, and solution.

Partner reading helps students practice reading strategies together, and it is also motivating!

These students were taking turns reading pages. They've read this story several times, which helps increase reading fluency.

Harvest Party

We had a great Harvest Party yesterday! Thank you to everyone who contributed towards the planning, decorations, and the wonderful snacks! I read a few Halloween books to get things started, then we sang some pumpkin songs, worked on a variety of projects, and ate a delicious snack. It was a fun way to end a BUSY week!

Seasonal Math

I tried to integrate the "fall spirit" into our math time this week. Students seemed to enjoy it!

Using non-standard units of measurement is a skill we practice in first grade. Candy corns fit the bill! We have also worked with standard units of measurement, such as inches!

How many candy corns long is a crayon?

Roll-a-Skeleton was a popular activity!

Oops! This wasn't part of math, but we did enjoy watching a performance of "Where's My Mummy?" by the Colchester High School Theater Company on Friday.

Art and Literacy

To end our day today, students learned and practiced a version of the popular song/poem, "Five Little Pumpkins." Everyone received a printed copy of the poem, and they then created an illustration to go along with the words. There were a variety of art materials available: Many students chose to cut shapes out of paper and glue them onto a spooky background and others decided to illustrate using construction paper crayons. The results are great! Students will recite this poem during our Harvest Party tomorrow (2:00-3:00) and they can then their wonderful artwork home!

Pumpkin Estimation

Students have explored estimation this week. I explained estimation as making a reasonable guess, and we have discussed how to come up with reasonable estimates. On Monday, students completed a pumpkin investigation book to help them try their estimation skills. They were asked to estimate three things about our classroom pumpkin: its weight, its height, and the number of lines on it. We then measured the actual weight, height, and number of lines on the pumpkin and compared it to their estimates. Finally, I asked students to cut a piece of yarn to show their estimate of the pumpkin's circumference. We charted our results today, as seen in the photos below.

Some estimates were too long, some too short, and some were JUST RIGHT!

Students checked their own estimates and then put the yarn in the appropriate place on the chart.

Some students wanted to know if their yarn would go around a different part of the pumpkin, if it didn't quite fit around the standard way.

If time allows, I hope to cut open the pumpkin on Thursday or Friday and have students estimate and count the number of seeds inside it. We can then count them, roast them, and eat them! :-)

WOW!

I am completely impressed by how well children did at the vaccination clinic today. All of the students in our class who went to the clinic received the shot, and they did it without a fight. Wow! Maybe it was the "worry stones" that helped them ease their minds, or maybe it was comfort from one of the many great adult helpers from UMS. In any case, they did great and deserve lots of praise!

Another successful field trip!

I wish we could go on a field trip every month! Thank you to the Colchester Center firefighters who volunteered their time to give us a great tour today. Students were able to see many parts of the fire station, some of which are pictured in the slideshow below. We saw the fire fighters living quarters for times they stay overnight, the infamous pole they can slide down to get to the garage, and, of course, the trucks! Thank you also to the many parent chaperones who were able to attend. The more helping hands, the better! Ask your child his/her favorite part of the trip, and enjoy the slideshow!

Word Crowns

This week we have three new Red Words that can be quite tricky: are, is, and his. Yesterday and today, some students had the chance to be either the "Whiz of Is" or the "Star of Are." These headbands are a way for students to constantly be looking at our new and difficult words. This week, the boys and girls will take turns wearing the coveted headbands!

Field trip reminder

Just a quick reminder that we will walk to the Colchester Firehouse tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday, October 27th). We will leave school at 12:45 and return by 2:15. Parents are welcome to join us! If you are late, just meet us at the firehouse (on Route 2A).

Four Winds

Students enjoyed our second Four Winds session this afternoon. This year's theme is Earth and Environment, and there are lessons every month that center around this theme. So far, students have learned about the the sun and how it affects the earth, and today's topic was erosion and weathering. Each session begins with a puppet show (a student favorite) and then students break into smaller groups to do hands-on activities that relate to the day's topic.

Today, students experimented with dropping water from a baby bottle onto mounds of dirt and flour from different heights to see how rain can cause erosion. In the photos below, students observed how water in our rivers, oceans, and lakes affects rocks. In one jar, the rocks just sat in water, while the rocks in the other jar were shaken vigorously. Students saw how the jagged rocks would break into smaller pieces over time and eventually become smooth. Thank you, Kathy, for a great Four Winds session!