LEGOS

Last week we had a chance to use LEGOS in our classroom. We will use these throughout the year to add to our learning in Alabama History, science, reading, and sometimes math. We will also use them for fun sometimes :). 

The students were given time to free play when they first received their LEGOS. Following their free play they were given a building task. They were to build their favorite part of their first week of school. There were many creative pieces of construction. 

Save Fred!

We are preparing to begin our first science unit of the year. Before we begin our unit we must first learn the scientific method and know exactly how to set up our science notebooks. 

Friday we took some time to learn about the scientific method. 

We began by creating a flip book with each of the components we will be using in our notebook entries. 

Then, we conducted our first investigation, Save Fred. 

Fred is a worm whose boat capsized. Fred does not know how to swim and his life preserver is stuck under the boat. 

The students had to save Fred (a gummy worm) by using only 4 paper clips. They could not touch Fred with their hands, and if Fred fell overboard 3 times then he was dead :(. 

To save Fred students had to retrieve his life preserver from underneath the boat and put it around him. 

They had a BLAST with this activity!

Close to 100

We played a game called close to 100 for math on Friday. 

Students draw 6 numeral cards and use 4 of those cards to create 2 two-digit numbers that will add up to get close to 100.  

Students then subtract their sum from 100 to find their score. 

The player with the lowest score wins. 

Example :  numeral cards = 3, 4, 7, 3, 6, 2

I would make my numbers 63 + 37 

63 + 37 = 100 so my score would be 0. 

Miss Mendenhall

We had our first counseling session today and had the opportunity to meet our new counselor, Miss Mendenhall.  I had heard WONDERFUL things about her but wasn't quite aware of just what we had in store for us until she began her first lesson in my room.  She is REMARKABLE.  FABULOUS.  ENERGETIC.  ENGAGING.  PASSIONATE.  CARING.  FRIENDLY.  KNOWLEDGEABLE.  Simply the most wonderful counselor I have ever had the privilege of working with.  

The way she communicated with the students was amazing.  She was on their level, literally, she would squat down and get on their level.  Her intonation grabbed, and kept, each person's attention.  Her sense of true interest in each student had each of them eager to share their passions with her.  I was on "break" yet I couldn't disengage myself from her lesson!

She shared about herself, learned about each child, shared the "Get-As" {Get Ahead, Get Along, and Get A Job}, and taught them about various listening styles.  

Before she left she taught them a fun song about ways they can listen.  The video is posted on our Instagram account.  Check it out!

Building Stamina

Following the STAR Reading Test, students headed to the Book Nook for a little Independent Reading.  Next week we will begin calling Independent Reading time Read to Self time.

Each student found a cozy little place to begin reading and read independently for about 10 minutes.

I know 10 minutes does not sound like a long time, but many students need to build up their independent reading stamina.  We took a few minutes to learn about the word stamina and what it means to our reading ability.

 I used my marathon training as an example of stamina.  I explained that if I went out on week 1 and was expected to run 26.2 miles that I would be setting myself up for failure.  Running 26.2 miles takes a lot of training and practice.  I must start out with low mileage and slowly increase my distance, or stamina, until I reach my goal.

Students must do the same thing when reading.  I cannot sit them down during the first week of school, following months of summer vacation and freedom, and expect them to read independently, silently, and still for 45 minutes.  If I expect them to do that then I am setting them up for immediate failure.  In order to build confidence in their ability to read I must first provide them with opportunities to feel successful!

Today most of us read for the full 10 minutes without moving or becoming distracted.  We will try again tomorrow and Friday until we master the art of reading for 10 uninterrupted minutes.  Next week we will begin increasing our stamina by 2 minutes every other day :)

STAR Testing

Each student in the school system, K - 12, is taking the STAR Assessment this year.  The STAR tests students in both reading and math.  We took the reading portion today so that I will know what books are appropriate for your child, and which strategies and skills I need to focus on when teaching.

Ships & Sailors

This week we are beginning each day with an ice breaker activity.  This morning's activity was called Ships & Sailors.  This game created community in our classroom and made us immediately become comfortable with one another because no one wanted to have to exit the game.

I began by yelling the commands of, "Ships!" and "Sailors!"  Each time I said ships the students would run to the left and each time I said sailors they would run to the right.  While they were running back and forth I would yell other commands at them.

This command was Mess Table.  Mess table required 4 people to get together and pretend to be eating. You group had to have 4 members, no more and no less.  If you were not a part of a group then you were out.

 Another command was Sea Sick.  When I called sea sick each student individually began acting like they were sick.  They walked around "sick" until I yelled, "Pepto Bismal!"  If they followed any other commands that were given following the sea sick command, before they were cleared with the Pepto Bismal command, then they were out!

 4 Men Pointing North is another command.  This command, of course, required 4 members.  They gathered together in a circle and pointed up.

Man Overboard required 2 group members.  One member would get down on one knee while the other placed their hand on their partner's shoulder and began looking out over the seas to locate the man overboard.

 Crows Nest was a 3 person command.  Students would turn their backs to one another and link arms together.  Not in a group of three?  You're out!

Commands not pictured:  Hit the Deck!  3 Men Rowing!  and Captain's Coming!

When Hit the Deck is commanded students must immediately hit the ground!

3 Men Rowing, students get in groups of 3 and pretend to be rowing a boat.

Captain's Coming, students stand at attention until At Ease is called.  If they follow any commands prior to the at ease command then they are out!

They absolutely LOVED the game and did not care who their group members were as long as they got to continue playing!  They ran, sweated, and got plenty of exercise all while begging to play again and again!