Looking Closer

We have been studying Einstein and beginning to use our "Think Books" to write down our observations, just like Einstein did.

On Friday we spent some time "looking closer" and noticing tiny details and recording them in our Think Books.  We spent time observing with magnifying glasses in the woods near Hillcrest, and then returned to look even closer at a piece of fungi that we found.  At first we viewed it on the Elmo and zoomed in, and then we were able to look even closer by using the digital microscope.  The researchers in room 408 recorded their fungi observations with tiny details in their Think Books.

Here is a video of our afternoon:



 What was your favorite part of being in the woods?

The Great Thinker

Today as the kids arrived, their Morning Message question was, "Who is this man?"

This afternoon we read the biography of Albert Einstein:

We learned that he was a reader, a writer, a mathematician, a scientist, a researcher, and most of all, a thinker!

We labeled on of our notebooks as our "Think Book."  We will write important thoughts, ideas, and questions in this notebook. 

I think Einstein would have liked LEADS.  This is what he said about being curious and having lots of questions:

"The important thing is not to stop questioning.  Curiosity has its own reason for existing."

-Albert Einstein

What are you curious about?  

Our First Hopes & Dreams Night

We had a great first conference night.  Each student wrote a hope & dream of what they want to do in first grade this year.  After reflecting on that hope & dream, they chose materials with which to represent it.  Finally, each child created an ipad video to explain their hope & dream and explain their representation/creation.  After listening to each child's hope and dream, parents and teacher were able to share their hopes & dreams for their child this first grade year.

Half of the class had their Hopes & Dreams conferences tonight, and I look forward to sharing with the other half on Thursday night!

Here is a video to enjoy and remember our Hopes & Dreams:

Scholastic Books on Netflix!

If you have a subscription to Nextflix (kids' version), you will find that they recently added some Scholastic books that we have recently read together.  I watched them this morning and was so excited that they have these books in the Scholastic group of books called "Tall Tales":

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

I Stink!

We haven't read this one, yet...but it's a good one!  Trashy Town

Hopefully you can enjoy these books!

Our Creative Side

We explored watercolors today and talked about tips, techniques, and care for using them in our classroom.
When I said we had about 20 minutes to explore, Makenna reminded me that "You cannot rush artists!" So true...
Here is our group of artists:



Here are some paintings done by professional artists who use watercolors:


 Klee



Cezanne


Lynch


O'Hara


Van Gogh


O'Keeffe

Which painting is your favorite?

Patterns, Patterns

We had a busy day today, but during our closing circle the consensus was that recess was the favorite part of our day today.  I think I can feel the full moon coming on...

We signed our classroom contract to promise to do our best to take care of each other, take care of ourselves, and take care of our place.

The kids exploration of our math manipulatives is also becoming more focused.  They are really starting to notice patterns in their clothing, in our classroom, and creations.  We also had our first partner share for Writing Workshop where we noticed and talked about each other's illustrations.  

During math exploration today, we even had a group who recreated Philippe Petit and his high wire walk between the twin towers!

Can you name a pattern?

Check out this great group giving the Magic Five!

Fine-Tuning Our Expectations

We have been hard at work defining our classroom rules.
This is what we have come up with so far:

I can take care of others.

I can take care of myself.

I can take care of our place.

We also had our first partner share today after reading workshop:

At the end of the day, we couldn't believe how quickly the time had passed!

What rule do you think will be the most challenging for you?

Introducing...our new committee work!

Here are the kids of Room 408 doing their new committee work!

THE READING COMMITTEE

Librarian Brianna

Librarian Kyle

Messenger River

Messenger Logan K.

WRITING COMMITTEE

Postal Worker Ryan

Postal Worker Logan S.

Woodworker Blake (sorry...not pictured!)

Woodworker Austin

MATH COMMITTEE

Accountant Kreed

Accountant Erik

Electrician Alex

GROUP MEETING COMMITTEE

Secretary Jacob

Secretary Makenna

Teacher Assistant Maddy

Teacher Assistant Jack

Congratulations on your new jobs!

 

Classroom Committee Work

Today we began our new classroom committees.  These committees help keep the classroom running efficiently.  It will be so much easier now that I don't have to remember *everything*!  Once the students start their committee work, the students begin to feel more ownership of the classroom and of our work together.

There are four committees and each committee has two jobs that students share:

1.  The Reading Committee takes care of anything to do with books and delivering messages.
(Librarians & Messengers)








2.  The Writing Committee takes care of anything to do with writing, the pencil sharpener, and passing out papers/mail.
(Woodworkers & Postal Workers)

3.  The Math Committee takes care of anything to do with numbers, counting, and electricity.
(Accountants & Electricians)








4.  The Group Meeting Committee takes care of anything to do with our meetings, lunch cards, and secretarial duties such as answering the phone.
(Secretaries & Teacher Assistants)

Each committee has two jobs that students share.  Together, they get to decide how their job is going to get done.

For example, the two Electricians (in charge of holding doors and turning the lights on and off) decide how they will make sure that work gets done...whether one person agrees to do it all, if they switch off and take turns, or if one is solely in charge of the lights and one in charge of the doors.  The kids take so much pride and responsibility in their committee work.

Check out how these ants work together, just like we do!
Tomorrow on the blog, I'll introduce each new committee and it's proud members!

What are you wondering about those ants?

Tuesday!

We are getting into the swing of things here in Room 408.  Today our reading workshop was very productive!
Here is a video of these first grade readers:



We also read the book Jack & the Beanstalk.


I happened to have edamame in my lunch and had enough to go around, so everyone got to try a bean.  To my surprise, most of them loved it! So if you're looking for a quick, nutritious snack, you can find them in the frozen vegetable section.


After our Philippe Petit on the wire story yesterday, the kids drew themselves on the wire on our Morning Message:

I'm glad no one fell!

If you could walk on a wire like Philippe Petit, would you?  Why or why not?

Hopes & Dreams

Today we read the book The Man Who Walked Between the Towers:

It’s about a man, Philipe Petit, who in 1974 had a dream to walk between the twin towers in New York. He snuck up with his equipment at night and accomplished his dream. The kids were fascinated by his story (you should have seen their faces–you could have heard a pin drop!), especially when they found out that it is a true story!

Above is the news video around the time that it happened.  Enjoy!

Reading Workshop

Today during Reading Workshop we sketched and shared our favorite reading memories.  I told the kids about how I have a favorite reading chair with a stack of books and magazines right next to me.
Here I am doing my nightly reading:

Did you remember to do your nightly reading?  I hope you enjoyed the books you brought home in your bookbag tonight.  If you need to keep them for a few days, that is fine.  However, you will have a chance again each day to check out any books you'd like to borrow from our classroom. 

Here we are during Reading Workshop, lost in a good book:

Did you think of any other favorite reading memories?
I remember reading under the bed with my sister!

Snack Responses So Far...

If you don't have a chance to respond to the survey at right sometime this weekend, don't forget to respond on the paper form that was sent home in your child's Daily Communication Folder on Friday.  I will add those paper results to these current results collected online:

As noted, I will still provide snack for all students through Wednesday.  On Monday I will send home the results and we will do snack accordingly.  Thanks for your input!

No School Today!

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend after such a week filled with hard work.
I took my kids to Bay Beach today.

CJ is 11 and Ellie is almost 6.


Have you ever been to Bay Beach?  What is your favorite ride?