I would like to begin by complimenting our class for their ability to be flexible and stay calm when our schedule changes.  That isn’t always easy to do, and when you couple that with the disruption of the time change, rolling with changes and upsets is tricky.  I want to thank them for their efforts and continued attention to doing what’s best.

Taking Time for Gratitude

            This week as part of our social/ emotional learning curriculum we have been exploring gratitude and thinking about what it means to take the time to be thankful.  The last line of the book, The Secret of Saying Thanks by Douglas Wood, caught our attention:  “We don’t give thanks because we are happy.  We are happy because we give thanks.”  At first we weren’t sure we agreed, but the more we thought about it the more we realized it could be true. We are in the middle of creating an alphabet of gratitude.  Hajna suggested that once everyone has had a chance to create his or her individual alphabet we could work on a class alphabet.  “After all 13 X 2 = 26 so we could each have two letters.”

That seemed like a great idea to the class so we’ll be working on it next week.  I imagine the more we take time to be mindful of the kind, fun and thoughtful things around us the happier we will all be.

 

 

 

 

Using Reading to Develop Writing Craft

            Last week I explained our new unit of study – learning how informational texts are organized.  We have now explored five different text formats:  Description, Sequential, Problem and Solution, Cause and Effect and Compare/Contrast.  We have learned about the formats and we created models of graphic organizers based on reading a sample of each type.

In addition to this, we have been reading a wide variety of informational texts to see if we can identify the formats an author has chosen to organize the facts and ideas.  So far we have noticed that often books combine forms.  We have noticed that informational books are often descriptive and sequential.  We noticed that books about animals are often sequential because they are often written in a timeline sharing facts from birth to adulthood, but when they add a list in extra facts at the end or sprinkle them throughout the text they can be descriptive too.

We are working to identify mentor texts for each format so we can use those models of writing to guide our own informational text.  We want each piece to be great writing because we plan to publish it for all to read.  The children have chosen to write about topics from art to making grilled cheese sandwiches to caring for cats to football to art and on to playing video games.  They have each written a first draft and have experimented with leads.  They are working to write four different types of leads and exploring different ways to add detail and description throughout so our writing shows more than tells our readers.  We are crafting our writing one part at a time.

Working for Efficiency with Math

            We have been working to solve problems as efficiently as possible.  At this point in our year that means we are working to use the standard algorithm with addition, partial differences or the standard algorithm with subtraction and multiplication rather than repeated addition for two single-digit factors or one single-digit and one double-digit factor.  We could use your help to encourage your child to take the plunge and give these strategies a try.  At this point they are feeling more comfortable using expanded notation.  They feel they will be more accurate if they add on or use a number line strategy for subtraction.  And their first reaction to multiplication is to double and add the groups up.

We are trying to stop and think about what operation is being used in the problem and to think about the most efficient strategy is so the children can practice them.  Statements like “I don’t like to do it that way” or “This is hard” can be heard  through the classroom at math time.  They are right.  It can be hard when something is new – but practice brings about progress.  It will always stay hard if they don’t try.  Any gentle suggestions you can make as you review your child’s work with him or her this weekend would be appreciated.  Practice does make progress and we’ll keep moving forward one problem at a time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bits and Pieces –

• Happily, we are turning into a super reading class.  More and more of the children are exploring “just right” titles and are beyond the quick gratification of graphic novels.  I think they are amazed at the number of books they are reading and actually finishing.  Ya-hoo for them!
• The children are sharing what they know about magnets by creating a “Doodlecast” on the ipads.  This is an app that allows you to combine photographs, drawings, and audio-recordings to create a final video explaining what you know.  The children have been asked to answer four questions:  What is a magnet?  How does a magnet work?  What do magnets do or how are they used?  What do you think is most interesting about magnet?  It is a fun assessment though I know when you see the final products on their blogs over the next week or two you will only be learning a smidgeon of what they know.  Ask questions and have them explain as you view them together.
• Another try at an outdoor challenge … weather permitting we’ll be going snowshoeing with Mr. Caron next Thursday, March 20.
• Report cards will be sent our on Friday, March 21