Establishing Good Reading Habits

     To establish good reading habits, a person needs to develop a list of reasons as to why we read.  Reading serves MANY purposes.  Reading is done simply for the fun of it.  Reading can be done to learn new information.   Reading can be done to make something such as a cake as well as following directions.  Reading is done to explore new topics and visit new places.  Reading is done to share stories with family and friends.  These are just a few of the reasons we read.

     Once we established a list of purposes for reading, 

we discussed how to become better readers.  To be a better reader, you must read DAILY!  You must read from a variety of genres.  As you read, you need to be sure to use all of the reading strategies.  To become a better reader, it is also necessary to read a book that is "just right".  We will talk about "just right" books later this week.  Finally, to be a better reader, we need to take the time to talk about what we have read.   That is how a reader establishes good reading habits.  

     For more information regarding the reading strategies, please see the movie below.  In-depth coverage of each strategy will be posted throughout the year as we work on each of these strategies.

 

Welcome Back!

     It is hard to believe summer vacation has ended and school has begun. We had a WONDERFUL first day! We want to thank all of the parents that stopped by this morning to drop off supplies and to provide that extra encouragement. It was so nice to see all of the familiar faces as well as make some new acquaintances. Mrs. Archer and I will be working very hard to take care of your children and to help them grow.
     We accomplished quite a bit today. In Readers' Workshop and Writers' Workshop, the students reviewed the workshop model. The workshop model consists of a mini-lesson which is approximately 15 minutes. It is during this time that the teacher teaches a mini-lesson using a variety of methods. The mini-lesson is followed by a 30-40 minute work period. It is during this time that the students will practice the skill or strategy that was taught during the mini-lesson. We conclude the workshop with a closing that is approximately 10 minutes. It is during this time that the students will share their work, ask questions and clear up any misconceptions (the students learned that word today).
     For the skill block, the students took a quiz about long and short vowels. Here are a few sites to provide additional practice.

Long and Short Vowel Match

Coconut Vowel Practice - This is a neat game!

Long Vowel Sound Podcast

In math, the students discussed groups of 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.. Have them look around the house and find objects that are grouped together. This "inquiry" method in math is leading up to teaching them a new skill which they will discover. Check out this newsletter that will provide you with some information regarding the Math Investigation Unit we are now doing.

     We also introduced the students to the class website. If you have the opportunity, please explore it with your child. We have already had several students answer the Club Einstein Questions. The top scoring student at the end of the nine weeks earns a prize. We will be updating the site some more in the next few days so be on the lookout. Again, thank you for making this a wonderful first day and we look forward to a great year with your children!

Establishing Readers Workshop

     Today we learned about establishing Readers Workshop.  We discussed the rules and expectations for Readers Workshop.  Readers Workshop can be broken into three parts; the opening, work time, and the closing.  During the opening, the teacher is teaching a mini-lesson.  This mini-lesson can include modeling a strategy, guided practice (turn and talk), and so on.  This is approximately 15 minutes of the workshop.  The work period can consist of independent activities, guided reading groups, centers, and diagnostic testing.  This is approximately 30-40 minutes of the workshop.  The remaining 10 minutes of the workshop is called the closing.   The closing serves to review what was learned in the day's lesson as well as how it is used in the next day's lesson.  The closing is also a time for the teacher to clarify any misconceptions.  

Our New Classroom

     I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all who attended the orientation on Thursday evening.  It was very nice to see everyone.  For those of you that were unable to attend, here is a sneak peek at our new classroom.  It is HUGE!  Well, take a moment to check it out and I will see you all on Monday.

The 2008 Summer Olympics

Here is a handy little chart to help you keep track of the Olympics.

Olympic Medal winners at NBC Olympics.com!

Creeping Oobleck!

     I found this on YouTube and thought it was very interesting.  We made oobleck in class last year and I had no idea it could do this.  See if you can figure out how they got the oobleck to "creep" so to speak.