Graphing Mania!

We just finished up a unit on Graphing in math. The students had fun with many hands-on activities to help us learn how to collect, record, and analyze data. To practice these skills, students invented a question to ask their classmates. They then conducted a survey to collect their data and complete a tally table. Next, they transferred their data to the graph. Finally, they analyzed their results by writing about what they learned about their survey question.



We also had fun in the computer lab using a program called The Graph Club. Students were able to follow the same steps as above but display their data digitally through the computer program. The data can be modified to show different types of graphs, and students can write about what they learned from their data.

Vowel Teams

During the word work component of our Reading Workshop, we have been learning about Vowel Teams. We made a list of the vowel teams that we could find in words, and reviewed the rule "When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking." The children then searched for vowel teams in their own reading and recorded them in their Thoughtful Log to transfer learning from whole group to independent work.  



We Did It!

Our whole group behavior goal last month was to fill a jar with brownie mix. When the students were able to work quietly, listen carefully, transition smoothly, receive compliments from others, etc. we added a scoop to the jar. This was very motivating and served as a successful form of positive reinforcement for expected behaviors! It works as an alternative to individual behavior incentives, as we worked together as a whole group to accomplish our goal. We finally filled the jar, and the students enjoyed delicious, gooey, chocolatey brownies (from a different box mix of course) and a movie.



Second Grade Star

Each week we feature one of our classmates that gets to be the 2nd Grade Star! This person creates a poster and brings in tidbits from home to share with the class so we can learn more about him or her. The star is also allowed to propose an activity that he/she could do to showcase a talent to the class. Below, Brie chose to read to the class.



Family Fun Night

Last month we had our annual Family Fun Night. The theme this year was "Carnival". Our generous PTO and several teachers worked together to develop simple (but oh so much fun!) games for the kids to participate in throughout the school. I was in charge of the Cookie Walk. We placed 20 numbers on the floor in the library and students walked around the numbers for as long as the music played. When the music stopped, I drew a number and the person on that number won! Families donated baked goods as prizes. It was quite the challenge for me not to indulge in some baked goodness during the game, but I restrained myself :)

 

Geography Test Practice

Each quarter second graders will take a District Geography Test in which they will label places on a world map, continent map, and state map. In addition to practicing on the SMARTboard, students received blank maps to practice with a partner, similar to flashcards. They enjoyed quizzing each other and showing off their quick labeling skills!

4th Grade Buddy Time!!

Our November buddy activity included a trip to the computer lab. Our buddies showed us how to access the website Spelling City.  We had fun entering in our spelling words and doing fun activities to help us practice spelling our words. A link to this website is also located on our Classroom Website.

Where in Barrie School was Mrs. Adams?

We recently introduced a new comprehension strategy: INFERRING. The children have learned that when we infer, we combine clues we see with what we already know (schema) to figure out something new. To kick off this concept, I took pictures of mystery items around our school. I then put the pictures on the SMARTboard and the students had to look for clues in the pictures and think about what they already knew to help figure out Where in Barrie School was Mrs. Adams? Here are the pictures and some examples of student inferences:



Parts of a Book

Now that we have worked our way through the Writing Process, we have been exploring the parts of real published books and adding those same parts in our own stories. We spent time identifying the parts of books from our classroom library. We recorded where they are found, why they are included, and examples of what they look like. We will then add a variation of this to our published pieces.



Handwriting Self-Assessment

We have been working hard to review correct formation of the letters of the alphabet. We review and practice 3 letters per week, grouped by a similar feature. For example, this week our letters are o, a, and d, and they are grouped together because they all start with "circle back". To help us remember to form the 'd' correctly we learned to sing "If you want to make a d, make a c". This helps the children remember that a 'd' is formed differently than a b, which starts with the stick. That way there isn't as much b/d confusion. It is hard to break old habits but we are working on it! We also learned how to analyze our own printing by deciding if it looks like Everyday printing, Grocery List printing, or All Star printing. Our goal is to try to be a handwriting all star as much as possible!



Powerful Words Continue!!

We continued to identify and recognize Powerful Words in our reading so we can use them as writers. We differentiated between adjectives and verbs and learned how to tell which is which. The children then practiced locating powerful verbs in their reading and recorded them in their Thoughtful Log.

Powerful Adjectives!

We added a tab to our Thoughtful Logs this week called Powerful Words and Phrases (PWP). We learned that this tab is used to keep track of fantastic words and phrases we find as we read. Recording these words and phrases will help us visualize as readers and help us use new words in our own writing.

Students will keep track of Powerful Words and Phrases in categories to help them understand the different types of words and phrases that can be found in books. We began by learning about adjectives. We learned that adjectives are describing words that tell what something is like. We read the mentor text Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes and recorded powerful adjectives that we heard to describe other words. 

To further practice this skill, we copied a page from the book and highlighted powerful adjectives as well as the words they described. Children then had a better idea of what an adjective is. They used their own independent reading books to flag adjectives in their reading and record them into their Thoughtful Log.

Fall is Here!

This week we had our fall party and costume parade. We also did some activities to celebrate the season. We read several books about bats and kept track of our SCHEMA as well as our new learning. Students demonstrated their learning by creating a bat project and writing facts about bats. 

We also read a story about a little witch who made a home for herself out of an orange piece of paper she found in the woods. Students folded the paper and cut it the way the witch in the story did. When they unfolded their paper they were surprised to find a Jack-O-Lantern which became their placemat for our party!

We had our annual party and parade this afternoon. Children dressed up and marched around the school to show off their creative costumes. Mr. Torrenga, our principal, was Superman!

Fire Safety Month

October is Fire Safety Month! We spent lots of time learning about safety procedures, exit plans, smoke detectors, and fire fighters. My husband is a firefighter and he came in today to talk to the kids about fire safety and show them the gear that firefighters wear. They couldn't believe how much equipment they have to wear to keep them safe!

Drew is demonstrating "Stop, Drop, and Roll"