Thursday Art Day

We used paint again this week! Watercolors this time!

I had these leaves, made out of coffee filter material. I used tube watercolors, and added water to them, to make them more fluid. The kids used plastic eye droppers to drop colors onto their leaves.

The drops eventually spread out and touch, and the colors blend.

Pretty huh?

I can't wait to get to school tomorrow so that I can peel their leaves off of the plates, and then I am hanging them up in the classroom. Each leaf is very unique.

Daily 5

I have implemented a new program in my classroom. We are using The Daily 5 for our core reading time. We started it this week, and it went very well. Basically it's time that is chunked, and the kids get to choose what they work on: 5 key jobs. We start with a lesson together, then 20 minutes of work time, then a mini lesson, then another 20 minutes of work time. I hope to be able to work up to three chunks of work time. During the time the kids are working on their jobs, I can pull small groups of students for more individualized instruction.

A listening center is just one job the kids can choose. I gave a mini lesson on how to use the (ancient) tape player (and YES, I had to explain what the tape was, and how it worked). The kids love to listen to the story chosen (Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes), and one person gets to hold the book. They are very engaged and quiet, until one has to say something and forgets they have those big, thick headphones on!

No earbuds for us! We've got those giant headphones! The kids complain that they are very tight, and they really can't hear me at all if I need to stop to talk to them. There's a lot of "HUH?"

The kids can also choose to read on their own, or with a partner (two other jobs).

Next to the listening center, the kids like this job the best: Work on Writing. I have made a bunch of class books, blank writing pages, so that the kids can write the books themselves. They love to grab a book, and fill a page. There are books about losing teeth, weekend fun, presents, friends, Halloween, etc. I even have a book for boys and a book for girls. Ask your child to tell you about them. They have been busy filling them up. I have even asked for suggestions for future books, and the kids have filled Post-it notes with titles for me. They are very creative.

We've only had a choice of 4 jobs this week, but next week we will add in Fun With Words!

Calculators are Cool

The boys at this table wanted you all to see that they all got blue calculators.

The kids learned how to play a game called Broken Calculator.

They pick a number to show (like 12) and then they pick a broken calculator key (like 3). They have to show how they can make 12 without using the number 3. Please note that #2 of this picture has an error, (27+3) that has been fixed. :-) While that does equal 30, the 3 was the broken number, which means it can't be used.

Tons of fun, and the kids realized that they didn't need the calculators, that in fact, the calculators slowed them down!

Library Time!!

Today was the first day of Library! The kids got a tour of the library, and they were able to check out 3 books each! They are free to take those books home, but they are due back to school by next Monday. Monday library times are difficult because it requires the kids to remember their books after the weekend. Don't worry though, you know I am GREAT about reminders! :-) I will help you, I mean THEM, remember.

The kids were so happy with their library books, they buried themselves in their books! What a bunch of eager readers! They sure are awesome!

We have a new friend...

Meet our new penguin. We are calling him/her JiJi, just like the ST Math penguin! Mrs. Parker (another 2nd grade teacher) got a penguin for all of the 2nd grade teachers! Wasn't that sweet? Mini Justin Bieber and Dancing Monkey already love him/her.

The kids went to the computer lab today too! Most took their first Accelerated Reader (AR) test, and are already on their second books. If you would like to know your child's level, write me a note or send me an email and I will let you know. When you are in the Warwick library, you can find books at their level. The levels will change though. The rule is that they read three books at the same level. If they pass all three tests, they move up a level. They can't do AR at home though. It's only for school. As soon as I get Reggie, the computer guy, to come to the classroom to update the software, the kids will be able to take their tests in the classroom, as well as the computer lab.

Whoooooo's There?

Thursday is art day. I try to do projects that are simple and use different mediums. We used paint today, and toilet paper rolls...

While the class was working on their writing this morning, I had one table at a time, come to the back table and quickly paint their TP roll.

When the rolls were painted, we let them dry for the remainder of the day.

Last hour of the day, we turned the painted toilet paper rolls into OWLS! Colorful owls! I got the idea from Pinterest, a site that I really, really find inspirational.

They really turned out sooooo cute! I let the kids take them home today, as I knew there would be NO WAY they would want to leave them on display at school. I bet your kids are looking for empty rolls right now, so that they can make another one!

So adorable. I let them have free range with the decorating of their owls. Some had hats, some had feet, some had wings in flying position. I showed them my owl, and then let them go. They were all very creative.

A few kids told me today that they were able to play with JiJi at home! Yay! Once everyone knows their passwords, I am hoping they all will play at home every once in awhile. The kids love JiJi.

*I would love to have your empty toilet paper rolls, if you care to save them for our classroom.

Back to School Night was a BIG success! 93% of you came to the big night! Only 2 families were not represented! Awesome job parents! You ROCK! It was nice to meet you and then talk to you at a break-neck speed. Sorry if I talked too fast. Sometimes (or always) I am a little long-winded, so I was trying to hurry to get it all in, and have you out on time. If you have questions about anything at all, please feel free to write me a note, email me, or call. Notes and email work best. It was great to meet so many of you! Thanks for coming.

This is JiJi. He/she is a penguin and the character in all of the JiJi (ST Math) math games.

The kids have to get JiJi from the left of the screen, to the right of the screen, and they do so by solving Math problems correctly.

So last night at Back to School Night, I was saying how confused we have been in the lab. Well, we are confused no longer! We went in today, and many of the kids already know their passwords!! I was amazed. If your child knows his/her password, you can follow the directions on the letter I sent home today, and your child can play with JiJi at home. The letter has the access code, and you will need that only once-but I would keep it just in case. I do not have the kids passwords-those are stored safely in their brains.

Here's my class, lined up, ready to head back to class. Aren't they cute? That's Zac toward the front, with the untied shoe. He had his own ideas on how he was going to line up for the picture. He's doing his thing! I seriously need to locate that picture permission form, because these guys/girls are so much cuter from the front. I will search for that paper.

Thanks again for a MOST successful Back to School Night! Oh, and thanks for reading the blog too!

It's Finally Here!

It's Back to School Night!! I look forward to seeing all of you!! Please come!






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