Welcome to the first official issue of 5-1’s Class News! Our year is off to a wonderful start, and I am truly enjoying getting to know our class! I just love our classroom community already, and can't wait to share an exciting year together! Just a few highlights from our first couple of weeks:
-We completed 2 breakouts (Oh The Places You'll Go and Digital Citizenship).
-We set an all time record for the Orange Card Game (1 min, 50 sec).
-We've played two other "Orange Card" games inspired by our original game and created by our very own students.
-All of our classroom table supplies have arrived and our management system is successfully underway!
-Students were "high-fived" by the Hersey Soccer Team and Arlington Heights Police Department on Friday morning before school! WOW...loved that!
HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK:
MATH:
In math last week we finished up our first math chapter, Whole Numbers. Students compared numbers to 10,000,000, solved number pattern problems, and reviewed the major concepts from the chapter. We took our first assessment on Friday!
READING WORKSHOP:
Our reading workshop is up and running in our classroom! Over the last two weeks, our whole class instruction has focused on the first four Notice & Note signposts: Contrasts and Contradictions, Aha Moments, Tough Questions, and Words of the Wiser.
We used the text "Thank You, Ma'm" to examine Contrasts and Contradictions; when you're reading and a character says or does something that contradicts what he has been saying or doing all along. We learned to ask ourselves the question, "Why is the character doing that?" to help make a prediction or inference about the plot and conflict.
Next, students were introduced to Aha Moments. Using an excerpt from Crash, by Jerry Spinelli, students found and analyzed Aha Moments; when you're reading and suddenly a character realizes, understands, or finally figures something out. We practiced answering the question, "How might this change things?" Answering this question helped us realize that if the character figured out a problem, we probably just learned about the conflict; or, if the character understood a life lesson, we probably just learned the theme.
Our third signpost was Tough Questions; when you're reading and the character asks himself a really difficult question. Using excerpts from A Long Walk to Water, by Linda Sue Park, students practiced locating tough questions and answered their own question, "What does this question make me wonder about." We learned that these answers will tell us about the conflict and might give us ideas about what will happen later in the story.
Finally, using an excerpt from Riding Freedom, by Pam Munoz Ryan, students found and analyzed Words of the Wiser; when you're reading and a character (who's probably much older and wiser) takes the main character aside and gives serious advice. We practiced answering the question, "What's the life lesson, and how might it affect the character?" Answering this question helped us find the theme for the story.
WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
Our writers' workshop is off to an amazing start! I couldn't be more proud of our writers and the community we've built! Our focus these last weeks has been on gathering writing ideas for our own writing. Using inspiring authors as our examples, students have learned how to use poetry, fairytales, and even their own life experiences to create meaningful writing sessions!
SOCIAL SCIENCE:
During the first week of school, students learned about the importance of taverns during the 1770s. We elected tavern group leaders for our entire American Revolution study. The following students were chosen among their peers as leaders: Jack, Grace, Zoe, Lucas, and Ethan. Congratulations to our great leaders!!!
Once our taverns were up and running, we began our introductory American Revolution Personalized Learning Project!
Together, as a class, we discussed our prior knowledge of the American Revolution and then developed essential questions to guide our understanding of what actually took place before, during, and after the American Revolution. Students were eager to be in charge of their learning and plan their course of travel...they developed their own questions and began to research their answers (using a multitude of resources) to eventually be shared (in any capacity) with the rest of the class. We stopped along the way to document our learning, reflect on our progress, and give peer feedback. We are all excited to share these projects this week with the class!
THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS:
MATH:
This week in math we will begin Chapter 2: Whole Number Multiplication and Division.
READING WORKSHOP:
Our "Launching" Schoolwide unit will begin this week as we explore our reading identities. We will also finish learning the remaining signposts: Again & Again and Memory Moment.
WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
This week we will explore a prewriting technique and gather writing ideas from Nonfiction.
SOCIAL SCIENCE
Students will share American Revolution personalized learning projects this week. We will also dive into the causes of the American Revolution.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
??? I'm not sure how this is possible, but I'm not seeing any upcoming events this week...stay tuned in case that changes!
-We completed 2 breakouts (Oh The Places You'll Go and Digital Citizenship).
-We set an all time record for the Orange Card Game (1 min, 50 sec).
-We've played two other "Orange Card" games inspired by our original game and created by our very own students.
-All of our classroom table supplies have arrived and our management system is successfully underway!
-Students were "high-fived" by the Hersey Soccer Team and Arlington Heights Police Department on Friday morning before school! WOW...loved that!
HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK:
MATH:
In math last week we finished up our first math chapter, Whole Numbers. Students compared numbers to 10,000,000, solved number pattern problems, and reviewed the major concepts from the chapter. We took our first assessment on Friday!
READING WORKSHOP:
Our reading workshop is up and running in our classroom! Over the last two weeks, our whole class instruction has focused on the first four Notice & Note signposts: Contrasts and Contradictions, Aha Moments, Tough Questions, and Words of the Wiser.
We used the text "Thank You, Ma'm" to examine Contrasts and Contradictions; when you're reading and a character says or does something that contradicts what he has been saying or doing all along. We learned to ask ourselves the question, "Why is the character doing that?" to help make a prediction or inference about the plot and conflict.
Next, students were introduced to Aha Moments. Using an excerpt from Crash, by Jerry Spinelli, students found and analyzed Aha Moments; when you're reading and suddenly a character realizes, understands, or finally figures something out. We practiced answering the question, "How might this change things?" Answering this question helped us realize that if the character figured out a problem, we probably just learned about the conflict; or, if the character understood a life lesson, we probably just learned the theme.
Our third signpost was Tough Questions; when you're reading and the character asks himself a really difficult question. Using excerpts from A Long Walk to Water, by Linda Sue Park, students practiced locating tough questions and answered their own question, "What does this question make me wonder about." We learned that these answers will tell us about the conflict and might give us ideas about what will happen later in the story.
Finally, using an excerpt from Riding Freedom, by Pam Munoz Ryan, students found and analyzed Words of the Wiser; when you're reading and a character (who's probably much older and wiser) takes the main character aside and gives serious advice. We practiced answering the question, "What's the life lesson, and how might it affect the character?" Answering this question helped us find the theme for the story.
WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
Our writers' workshop is off to an amazing start! I couldn't be more proud of our writers and the community we've built! Our focus these last weeks has been on gathering writing ideas for our own writing. Using inspiring authors as our examples, students have learned how to use poetry, fairytales, and even their own life experiences to create meaningful writing sessions!
SOCIAL SCIENCE:
During the first week of school, students learned about the importance of taverns during the 1770s. We elected tavern group leaders for our entire American Revolution study. The following students were chosen among their peers as leaders: Jack, Grace, Zoe, Lucas, and Ethan. Congratulations to our great leaders!!!
Once our taverns were up and running, we began our introductory American Revolution Personalized Learning Project!
Together, as a class, we discussed our prior knowledge of the American Revolution and then developed essential questions to guide our understanding of what actually took place before, during, and after the American Revolution. Students were eager to be in charge of their learning and plan their course of travel...they developed their own questions and began to research their answers (using a multitude of resources) to eventually be shared (in any capacity) with the rest of the class. We stopped along the way to document our learning, reflect on our progress, and give peer feedback. We are all excited to share these projects this week with the class!
THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS:
MATH:
This week in math we will begin Chapter 2: Whole Number Multiplication and Division.
READING WORKSHOP:
Our "Launching" Schoolwide unit will begin this week as we explore our reading identities. We will also finish learning the remaining signposts: Again & Again and Memory Moment.
WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
This week we will explore a prewriting technique and gather writing ideas from Nonfiction.
SOCIAL SCIENCE
Students will share American Revolution personalized learning projects this week. We will also dive into the causes of the American Revolution.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
??? I'm not sure how this is possible, but I'm not seeing any upcoming events this week...stay tuned in case that changes!
