This week we’ve focused on habits that lead to success and rules for our classroom that will allow us all to be successful. We’re still working to fine tune them and to make sure everyone knows what they look and sound like. Transitions are a challenge for our class. Lining up can take a very long time and moving respectfully through the halls is not something 3E does well. Those who are focused and calm have waited patiently for their classmates to stop talking. We’ll get better, but it will take everybody’s effort. Ask your child how they think they are doing and if they have suggestions of changes we can make to improve.

Reading Grows

We finished our first chapter read-aloud, The One and Only Stuey Lewis. Stuey is in second grade in this book. He’s not feeling great about himself as a reader at first, but by the end of the year he knows he has grown. He’s worried about playing soccer as well as his older brother, the soccer star. He decides not to try because he’ll never be as good only to discover that in 2nd grade his brother wasn’t much of a player either. He got better by practicing and playing. We have a lot to learn from Stuey.

As a class we’ve been reading poems and books about reading and discussing how we can grow as readers by making sure we are choosing good fit books. It seems as though most all of the children have found books they are enjoying and are feeling successful in reading. They’re enjoying old favorites and finding new series and picture books to enjoy.

What Will You Write?

We are working to develop and extend our writing stamina during workshop time. This year the children have been asked to write pieces of their choosing in their writer’s notebook. It has been interesting to see how children approach this open writing option. Some wrote lists, others wrote poems and still others began stories. Some are retelling tv shows and some are writing personal narratives. Some feel they have nothing to write – and they haven’t yet.

In our mini-lessons we’ve been reviewing different types of writing: narrative, informational and persuasive review. We’ve been identifying and naming the different elements of each type. We’re looking at what is the same and what is different.   We are beginning to look at he different choices we can make as writers. Next week we are going to plan and write a personal narrative. If you find the time, it may be helpful to your child if you talk about some of the things they’ve done this summer that they could write about – ordinary small moments are often best. Things like going on a bike ride, getting an ice cream, playing a game are often easiest to write because they are one clear event.

Exploring Patterns and Amounts

This week we’ve been exploring patterns in math and thinking about equivalence. We’ve been looking for the pattern on our math calendar. We think we have identified the pattern. Next week we will be sure and will be able to discover the different ways it models multiplication. We also talked about 100 – it seemed like a lot until we could see that 10 of them make a thousand that can be posted right on our bulleting board. We’ll be exploring place value and growing our understanding of amounts into the ten thousand place.

Bits and Pieces –

• Our field trip to the zoo will launch our investigation into habitats, food webs and global geography. We’ll also be learning more about informational writing and plan to create our own “zoo” for you to visit.
• The school-wide Curriculum Night is Thursday, September 29th. The schedule is set so that repeating grade level presentation will happen first from 5:30 to 6:15 and then again from 6:45 to 7:30. Please save the date.