Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Clearing the Mind
It's NECAP week, this is a famously challenging week for students as we test for three days for two weeks at 90 minutes a session. The time is silent and independent which can be really difficult for students to muster enthusiasm for. To help alleviate some of the stress and boredom that can impact students moods we are spending time outside each morning being active, walking, running and doing team building exercises to help clear the mind and body before testing so that each student can perform at his or her best.
We are not sending home any homework over this week or next, aside form the reading logs which are expected to be handed in and signed each Monday. Please check in with your child and make sure that these are being completed as they are a large part of their reading grade!
We are not sending home any homework over this week or next, aside form the reading logs which are expected to be handed in and signed each Monday. Please check in with your child and make sure that these are being completed as they are a large part of their reading grade!
Monday, September 23, 2013
NECAP Prep
As you all know NECAP testing starts next week! We have been hard at work preparing for these national assessments through constructed response review and skill taking strategies while examining vocabulary and math content. Here are some snaps of our latest work sessions!
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Book Projects!
Hello everyone,
I just wanted to give you a heads up that our first major project in sixth grade is due on the 30th of September. Our genre for the month is realistic fiction, students have chosen books and have been reading them independently for the last two weeks.
They have been sent home with a list of possible projects and have also been given the option to do an alternate one of their choosing as long as they approve it through me first. Students have been advised to begin projects this weekend and those who are still finishing books are making schedules with me to finish their books over the course of the next eight days.
I just wanted to give you a heads up that our first major project in sixth grade is due on the 30th of September. Our genre for the month is realistic fiction, students have chosen books and have been reading them independently for the last two weeks.
They have been sent home with a list of possible projects and have also been given the option to do an alternate one of their choosing as long as they approve it through me first. Students have been advised to begin projects this weekend and those who are still finishing books are making schedules with me to finish their books over the course of the next eight days.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Catching Up
Whew!
What a whirlwind these past few weeks have been! We have been very busy establishing our routines and diving into some of our first major areas of study. These include reviewing math concepts from last year and applying them to more complex problem solving, root words in vocabulary, and an examination on Egyptian culture.
An ongoing theme in our classroom is tolerance, we are reading the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio. The story follows a boy with a facial deformity as he navigates the social challenges of school. Students have been doing a fabulous job of analyzing and connecting portions of the story to their own experiences at school.
Next week it is my hope that students will begin publishing their own updates on this blog along with my more regular ones!
Have a great week!
What a whirlwind these past few weeks have been! We have been very busy establishing our routines and diving into some of our first major areas of study. These include reviewing math concepts from last year and applying them to more complex problem solving, root words in vocabulary, and an examination on Egyptian culture.
An ongoing theme in our classroom is tolerance, we are reading the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio. The story follows a boy with a facial deformity as he navigates the social challenges of school. Students have been doing a fabulous job of analyzing and connecting portions of the story to their own experiences at school.
Next week it is my hope that students will begin publishing their own updates on this blog along with my more regular ones!
Have a great week!
Monday, September 2, 2013
Week One
Greetings families!
We had a great time last week getting to know one another and developing expectations for our classroom community. We began working on our hopes and dreams for this year and beyond. Students did a wonderful job using their expository writing skills in order to explain what they plan to get out of their education this year and how it will support their future. I feel so lucky to have such an exceptional group of thinkers this year and I look forward to a fantastic year!
We had a great time last week getting to know one another and developing expectations for our classroom community. We began working on our hopes and dreams for this year and beyond. Students did a wonderful job using their expository writing skills in order to explain what they plan to get out of their education this year and how it will support their future. I feel so lucky to have such an exceptional group of thinkers this year and I look forward to a fantastic year!
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Welcome Sixth Graders!
Greetings,
I am so excited to meet all of you in the upcoming weeks! I am looking forward to a great year of learning together. This is our classroom blog that you will be publishing on in the next few weeks. I use this as a way to share our hard work and keep your friends and families updated on our projects here at school. I am looking forward to expanding my knowledge of technology and showcasing it here with all of you! I have included a virtual bookshelf with some reads I hope to share and connect with all of you. Be thinking about stories you may want to add to our "shelf". Have a great last week of summer, I can't wait to see all of you soon!
Ms. Davison
I am so excited to meet all of you in the upcoming weeks! I am looking forward to a great year of learning together. This is our classroom blog that you will be publishing on in the next few weeks. I use this as a way to share our hard work and keep your friends and families updated on our projects here at school. I am looking forward to expanding my knowledge of technology and showcasing it here with all of you! I have included a virtual bookshelf with some reads I hope to share and connect with all of you. Be thinking about stories you may want to add to our "shelf". Have a great last week of summer, I can't wait to see all of you soon!
Ms. Davison
Monday, May 20, 2013
Persuasion
Greetings families,
These past weeks have been flying by and we have been hard at work completing projects and our units of study for the year. Most recently we have been revisiting our opinion writing unit. Students are working to extend their understanding of opinions by realizing how their thinking and ideas are meaningful to the world around them. It is my goal to help students recognize their significance and belonging in the world. Students have been spending time discussing what inspires their thinking and how they can persuade others to view the world through their eyes and vice versa.
The students and I have been talking a lot about change and the opportunities that come from change as well as challenges. Students have been very engaged in reviewing the changes in responsibility and learning they have encountered so far this year as well as changes they will face in the coming year. We came to the conclusion that change is hard because it can push us out of our comfort zone. In light of further discussion we discovered that part of what makes change difficult is that we have not yet had the opportunity to connect with the changes coming towards us.
For example, if someone decides they do not like a new school before they visit then they have not yet given that change an opportunity to be positive. The students and I are working on how we can help ourselves to develop strategies to be regularly connecting with new things, so that when change occurs we have the ability to transition successfully and confidently.
These past weeks have been flying by and we have been hard at work completing projects and our units of study for the year. Most recently we have been revisiting our opinion writing unit. Students are working to extend their understanding of opinions by realizing how their thinking and ideas are meaningful to the world around them. It is my goal to help students recognize their significance and belonging in the world. Students have been spending time discussing what inspires their thinking and how they can persuade others to view the world through their eyes and vice versa.
The students and I have been talking a lot about change and the opportunities that come from change as well as challenges. Students have been very engaged in reviewing the changes in responsibility and learning they have encountered so far this year as well as changes they will face in the coming year. We came to the conclusion that change is hard because it can push us out of our comfort zone. In light of further discussion we discovered that part of what makes change difficult is that we have not yet had the opportunity to connect with the changes coming towards us.
For example, if someone decides they do not like a new school before they visit then they have not yet given that change an opportunity to be positive. The students and I are working on how we can help ourselves to develop strategies to be regularly connecting with new things, so that when change occurs we have the ability to transition successfully and confidently.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Birdhouses
Hello everyone,
This past week was filled with beautiful weather and a lot of great learning opportunities. On Friday we had guest Sam Davison come in with 26 bird house kits, nails and a drill. Students were wonderful about bringing in their own hammers and we were able to build all 26 birdhouses to support our learning of habitats as well as living & non-living things. Students were great listeners and very carefully built their birdhouse with the help of myself and parent volunteer Doug Hartwell.
This was such a great day for us, students were able to mix in and work together with the other kindergarten class and learn / utilize some great skills we have been learning throughout the year. We measured, discussed angles and applied much of our math learning to this project. Students greatly enjoyed the independence and result, which they got to take home! We will be referencing this project over the next couple of weeks to remind students that their learning in the classroom is applicable in real life. We even completed the project sans injury with as many as 12 kindergarteners hammering at once!
While half of the K classes were completing the project, Ms. Leggett took the remaining students birding in our school forest. Students identified many different types of birds and were excited to see some of the creatures that could be living in their birdhouses soon!
Please help students hang these somewhere at home so they can watch their work and learning extend even further. It would be so cool if some of these became inhabited before the school year ended and we could share reports. Thank you!
This past week was filled with beautiful weather and a lot of great learning opportunities. On Friday we had guest Sam Davison come in with 26 bird house kits, nails and a drill. Students were wonderful about bringing in their own hammers and we were able to build all 26 birdhouses to support our learning of habitats as well as living & non-living things. Students were great listeners and very carefully built their birdhouse with the help of myself and parent volunteer Doug Hartwell.
This was such a great day for us, students were able to mix in and work together with the other kindergarten class and learn / utilize some great skills we have been learning throughout the year. We measured, discussed angles and applied much of our math learning to this project. Students greatly enjoyed the independence and result, which they got to take home! We will be referencing this project over the next couple of weeks to remind students that their learning in the classroom is applicable in real life. We even completed the project sans injury with as many as 12 kindergarteners hammering at once!
While half of the K classes were completing the project, Ms. Leggett took the remaining students birding in our school forest. Students identified many different types of birds and were excited to see some of the creatures that could be living in their birdhouses soon!
Please help students hang these somewhere at home so they can watch their work and learning extend even further. It would be so cool if some of these became inhabited before the school year ended and we could share reports. Thank you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)