CLASS 216 NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
(Long Overdue!)
To say this blog post is long overdue would be an understatement. I had high hopes of maintaining consistency with "blogging," but somehow it has fallen down on the priority list. Nevertheless, I'll keep up with it periodically, and give you an inside view of some of Class 216's adventures in learning...
REMARKABLE PEOPLE THROUGH HISTORY UNIT
Thanks for your help an support in reading your child's biography with them. We just ended our unit by completing our four-paragraph essay and water bottle people to reflect upon and represent our remarkable people through history. Narrative nonfiction is not an accidental genre. Like all writing, it is deliberately
crafted for a specific effect, and I was hoping that readers would experience that effect—that narrative nonfiction works its magic on your
young people. There is a reason why we remember the teacher who made history
sound like a story, why we remember that book that told of the
Normandy invasions
with the momentum and gravity of a tale, not a textbook. There is a reason we
empathize with Muhammad Ali and with Sarah Edmonds. This is the genre that makes information
experiential, allowing readers to experience the suspense and drama of history,
allowing readers to live through encounters with the world around us. The texts
were stories—about real people who have done remarkable things, many of whom
have changed the world. We read to learn about the adversity these people faced and how they
handled that adversity. We read to learn not only about the one person the book is
about but also the group of people that person represents and the groups of people that
person impacted. That is, we read biography not only to learn about specific famous figures,
but also to learn about the world in which we live.
MATH WORKSHOP
Our math time is often spent within the structure of "math stations," or direct, whole-group instruction. Generally, we start off as a whole group doing oral "count bys." This repetitive counting, forward and backward, by multiples of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 gives us one strategy to use when faced with a multiplication or division problem. It is something we can anchor on, until we have our facts automatized or memorized. From "count bys," we go into "Fast Facts." For this, we'll break into two small groups, each with an adult leader giving us oral facts within a certain family (x3, or x4, or x5 for example). This is one place we are applying our count by strategy or memorization/reinforcement of facts. From there, we'll segway into math stations or direct, whole group instruction. Math stations generally employ students in a variety of tasks - each different and unique. They may be tapping into the visual/spatial skills at one station by solving various types of puzzles, while other students are practicing place value through addition and subtraction. Sumdog station is an ever popular one for students, as they get 15 minutes on their favorite math website to practice specific math skills in a "gamey" format. Other stations have included strategy board/card games, "multiplication bowling," and review work.
When students are engaged in whole group instruction, rather than small group stations, they are listening to and practicing a newly introduced skill as a class, then practicing that skill independently. For instance, our most recent instruction has centered around time. Students have been practicing telling time to the nearest five minute and nearest minute. Also, they have been introduced to the concept of a timeline - where one hour is stretched out on the line in 5 minute intervals and they are solving word problems on the timeline.
READ ALOUD
A favorite time of day for many, read aloud offers students the chance to listen to books they may not choose on their own, or be able to read on their own at this age. Recently, we completed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. To begin, there were some hesitant listeners to this story, but in time, J.K. Rowling worked her magic the way she does on readers and had students hooked in this fantastic tale of a young magician.
SOLAR SYSTEM AHEAD
Our next thematic unit in 3rd grade is the solar system. This integrated unit will give kids the opportunity to read to learn about the celestial bodies in our solar system - including the known "larger" planets, as well as dwarf planets. We will discover the meaning of a "system," as well as engage artistically.
HATS, COATS, GLOVES, AND ALL THAT OTHER WINTER STUFF...
The time of year for winter gear has arrived, and with that comes a new level of responsibility for kids - I know this from profession and life experience with my own children. They go to school with all the right stuff, then come home with half of it. Ugh! Frustrating. Hopefully, with added reminders and "live and learn" experiences, the students of Class 216 will have minimal losses. Please help them at home with reminders, too. Also, it is important that students have this coverage so that they can stay warm and safe in these cold months ahead.
ECO HIKING ADVENTURES
The autumn provided our class with many ECO Hiking Adventures throughout Hubbard Park. As mentioned before, my model for ECO is designed to get kids moving, building, and being imaginative, all while considering our natural surroundings. For instance, we have taken longer hikes through Hubbard Park, while playing multiple rounds of "Camouflage." This promotes physical health and exercise, and an integrated understanding of the relationship between predator and prey. We have also had multiple occasions of shorter hikes, and longer periods of "becoming animals." These experiences have had students considering how different animals need to prepare for winter, then acting on it by building habitats and collecting and storing food. Different titles for our ECO Adventures have been: Insect Hotels, Becoming Squirrels, Bear Dens, Nature Art, Coyote-Deer.
