Independent activities include number scrolls (a fun way to write our numbers  to 1000 by the end of the year), math review sheets, dice in dice addition, monster doubles and soon a few measurement activities, and graphing fun too!

Math groups work together to play Shut the Box 

West Middle School Visits

Thursday West Middle School preformed for the school.  The demonstrated instruments and talked about performing arts opportunities for them when they reach middle school. 

Math workshop

Adjusting to Math centers has been a breeze for the students even when it feels rough around the edges for the teacher!  What amazing independent students we have in our classroom.

Book Club Completion

Here are the links to our Nonfiction Book Club Videos

Bears by: Ashley, Gabe, and Keagan

Snakes by: Braylen and Mrs. Walter

Seals by: Taylor and Sophia S.

Sharks by: Thomas and Brodie

Frogs by: Gwen and Sophia K.

Sea Turtles by: Anna and Abella

Insects by: Kasen and Alivia

Dinosaurs by: Jackson and Cameron

Dogs by: Jacob and Evie

Cats by: Evan, Ella, Nora and Chris


Let's take a look at the process:

Students picked a topic to read about and participate in a book club focused on that topic.
Students sticky noted information they were surprised about, learned right then or were excited to share with others on their topic. 
As a group they worked together to see if any of their information would go together.
They decided information how to organize their information. 
Students took pictures from their text books to support the information they wanted to share.
They inserted the pictures into iMovie and recorded their facts.
Students cited their sources by taking a picture of all of the resources they used to create the iMovie.

Students completed all of this independently with little or no guidance from me.  The role I played was a facilitator in their book club to help them appropriately interact and gain knowledge from their book club.  We talked a lot about friendly discourse, what it looks like and how it should feel if it is friendly.  Being challenged doesn't have to feel like an attack but rather like an opportunity for you to defend your thinking/opinion with evidence.

This was an awesome project and the students did an amazing job working with peers, negotiating and taking risks in their learning.  

Math - Home School Connection

This may give you a little insight about the upcoming week in Math.  Challenge your child to use the math vocabulary correctly when communicating about math!

iMovie begins

Students are starting to organize their pictures and information in iMovie.  I can't wait to see their hard work come to life....Stay tuned.

Math Workshop Revamped

Meet with the teacher

All by myself

Technology Time

Hands on

Students enjoyed trying our new Math Workshop routines today.  All students receive a mini lesson whole group and then are release to a workshop activity.  The students have 2 assigned activities a day.  

M- Meet with the Teacher

A - All by Myself

T - Technology Time

H - Hands On

Book Club Research

Students record information from their nonfiction text to
share with their book club.

Students recorded on sticky notes fun facts, interesting information, what ever they chose to share with their groups on their selected topics.

Once the students recorded their information they shared their facts with their book club.

Students compared information from a variety of sources on their topic,
discussed similarities in information and differences.  Lots of great
conversations sparked from this task.

Groups decided which facts/sticky notes went together and which did not.
This categorization of knowledge is part of the planning for their upcoming
video task.  Much friendly discourse took place in our classroom all without
hurting feelings.  Students enjoyed stating their claim, providing evidence for their
thinking and challenging their group to revise their thinking.

Groups practiced listening and speaking skills as their partners shared their ideas.  

Looking for something to do inside today?  Check out this fantastic fun resource.  

Book Clubs

Students read for information and share what they read with their
book club.

Student excitement grew as they shared new information they
learned on their topic of choice.

Topics include: insects, sharks, bears, arctic animals, dogs, cats,
dinosaurs and frogs. 

Students work together to solve words and make sense of
the information they read.  

Students choose a topic and found books to learn about their topic.

Students took turns reading to each other, read independently
and even choral read when they found something exciting!

Sing-a-long fun

Thank you for everyone who joined in the sing-a-long fun!  Happy Holidays!

Students reading to their favorite stuffed animals

Students read to their stuffed animals on pajama day.  

Polar Express Magic

Parents and students had a visit from Santa at the Polar Express on our classroom field trip.  The movie was a magical experience for all!   

Students show off their snow globes

Our class read a book called The Snow Globe Family and book helped students to think about what they might do if they lived in a snow globe and what it might be like to have winter all the time.  Right now, the kids are missing that snow and this activity was fun to remind us of what adventures are to come as the snow falls.  

Ready to Ship

We adopted 5 soldiers this year for our Service Learning Project.  Here are the packages all set and ready to go to the post office.  Our class will track the shipping as they make their way across the United States to New York, then to Germany and finally to Afghanistan.   

Learning about Number Bonds

Students explore number bonds in a variety of ways, they used cubes, scales, white boards and paper and pencil.  They do independent exploration, pair share, group discussion and independent practice.  Be sure to ask your child what they know about number bonds.  

Peer Accountability

Partners give specific advice for improvement and elaboration

Partners share their all about _______ books

Students hold each other accountable for their role as a peer mentor in writing by recording their advice for their partner on a sticky note.  This not only provides accountability but also help their partner remember what their next level of work is as a writer.  Students are learning to really listen to their partners and not just wait for their turn to talk.  It is also an opportunity to push each other as thinkers and writers to try something new with their non-fiction writing.  

Making a BIG Difference

The Power of words....

Making a DIFFERENCE

Our PROUD friends making a Big difference with small acts of kindness!

Our Service Learning Project

Students wrote Christmas letters to the soldiers in Afghanistan to let them know we are thinking of them and how proud we are of them.  The goal of this lesson was to have the students think about a problem larger than themselves and think of a way to make a small impact.   We will be mailing M&Ms, Paydays, magazines and more.... 

PolyCom Fun with Pennsylvania

Students shared their Turkeys in Disguise with a 1st grade class in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.  Students loved using this technology to interact with students in another state.

Students read their writing and showed their new friends their awesome decorated turkeys.  We saw Recycling bins, dancers, santa, snowmen, peacocks, flamingos, seals, American Girls dolls and so many other creative ideas.

We practiced listening and speaking skills as well.