Hello everybody!
First off, last Thursday we had an all school Pride Assembly in the gym. Principal Ruffino and Ms. McFadden unveiled our new bulldog mascot (still yet unnamed) to the delight of all the students. During this event Principal Ruffino drew Pride Paws from a bucket, and several students from every grade level were picked to come up and earn a prize. Colin, Carly Sue, and Avery were picked from room 130! Also, we had our first museum walk during writer's workshop last Friday. Check out all the pics on the pictures page. Halloween is also this week, so there will be many themes covered from that topic. Here's the latest happenings from room 130... Language The students are continuing to learn more about informational text and specifically about how labels and captions help the reader understand more about the story. We will be learning about how insects communicate and we will watch a video about the honeybee dance. We will also learn all about bats from our Scholastic Newsletter. Writer's workshop This week we will learn when and where to capitalize letters and how to use correct punctuation. I introduced a simple checklist for the students to use with their writing. Some items on the list include: making sure that there is a beginning, middle, end; using spelling strategies already covered; using proper capitalization/punctuation. We will take two days to write scary Halloween stories as well. Math We are getting deep into Unit 3, and the students are learning new strategies to solve number stories. By using math mountains, fact families, or circle drawings students can think critically about how to set up, solve and write the proper equation for the problem. Science Investigations around simple solid matter have begun in the classroom with our 'scientists'. We have begun to create a word wall to describe properties of solid materials, and we will start to create our own journals based on solid and liquids. In the near future, we will be watching some awesome Bill Nye the Science Guy videos on the topic as well. Miscellaneous -Halloween is this Friday. Thank you to those of you who have donated supplies or are going to come in to volunteer. Here are a few reminders though. Please do not send any candy to school, do not send your child to school in a costume (pack it in their backpack), and no weapons are allowed (even light sabers). Of course the kids are very excited about our party, as am I! -Next Tuesday November 4th is an Institute Day here at Middleton. There will be no classes held on this day. And don't forget to vote! Have a great week. We'll see you in November. ~Mr. Layes
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Here is the latest from room 130.
Language We have learning all about non-fiction or informational text this week with a focus on animal communication. We will be learning about the text in whole group activities, as well as in our guided reading groups that started up full swing on Monday. We will also be reading a magazine article on wolves, and watch a few videos as well. Writer's Workshop This week, the students will be learning how to make their stories come alive. Strategies include telling small steps to add detail to their story and learn to show how their characters think and feel. A few spelling techniques will be covered as well. The week will culminate in our authors having a Museum Walk, where students will pick their best story (so far), place it on their desk, and move about the room and read other stories from their peers. They will be provided with post-its so they can comment and complement on stories. Math We started Unit 3 in math this week, which is heavy with story problems. We will discuss and learn about how to set these stories up to understand which number we are trying to solve for, whether it be a missing addend or total. I will be asking students to show all their work including drawing pictures, circle drawings or writing words. Science We will begin our science unit on 'Solids and Liquids' this week. Starting with solids, the students will explore and discuss the different properties of this matter using hands on materials. We will build a shared vocabulary using words such as transparent, opaque, rigid and flexible. Side note, our six school helper interviews have been filmed and edited and now I'm waiting on some help from the tech department to get them uploaded here. I hope to have them up in the near future. Miscellaneous -Halloween is around the corner, and as you might have read in the Middleton Weekly, there will be classroom parties and a parade in the afternoon on the 31st. Be on the lookout for letter sent home soon that will provide you with all the details on this exciting day. -The second annual Family Pumpkin Fest will be held here at Middleton on Friday the 24th from 6:00-8:00. Come on by for some pumpkin carving and fun! Thank you to all of you for helping your children read every night, helping with their math homework, logging into and playing Raz-kids and IXL, and being supportive of your child as they grow this academic year. Your involvement in their learning is very much appreciated. Have a great week and weekend everybody. ~Mr. Layes It's getting wet and cold and dark out there. Just in time for Halloween in a couple of weeks. Carly Sue will be turning 7 on Saturday the 18th, so we will be celebrating our second birthday in room 130 on Friday. Since we have a short week, the first grade team decided that it was best to have a week to review and assess. So here's is what we're working on.
Language No full group lessons will be covered, however I introduced listening stations to our Daily 5 curriculum (using Raz-Kids). As a class, we are working on our independent reading stamina to insure a quiet and working environment when I begin guided reading groups next week. Writer's Workshop This week writers will be working with partners to help each other through the planning, writing and editing stage of their small moment stories. In addition, writers will learn to read and re-read their stories, just like they would a published work, and try to make adjustments and corrections as needed. Math We are wrapping up Unit 2 this week. We will review on Wednesday and assess on our addition and subtraction strategies on Thursday. Next week we will begin a new unit on story problems. A math letter will be coming home to give you a sense of what to look out for. Social Studies Our interview questions are complete, and now I'm trying to arrange time to get our school helpers to come in to spend some time behind the camera. Science begins next week (solid and liquids). Miscellaneous -Please have your child read every day and fill out the reading log in its entirety. Recently (perhaps due to the long weekend), I had more that a few incomplete logs. If you are not seeing two new books coming home each night, let me know as well. It is the each students' responsibility to swap two books from their bin every morning to take home in the afternoon. You can always log into Raz-Kids and read books from that site as well. Thanks. Have a great week! ~ Mr. Layes I just thought I'd drop you all quick note and tell you to check out the pictures section of the site. We had Ms. Sater's 3rd grade classroom come in on Friday afternoon to share their stories with the students, and everyone had a great time. I took some quick pics to share with everyone. Enjoy the extra day off.
~Mr. Layes With the leaves changing and falling and the days getting longer and colder, we'll take a look at storms as part of our literacy block this week. Additionally, Grady Herning celebrated the first birthday in room 130. Happy 7th Grady!
Language During Daily 5, the students will learn how to choose iPick books for their book bins. Like Goldilocks and the three bears, these books are 'just right' at their reading level. As I mentioned above, storms will be the topic of the week, both narrative fiction and informational text. The students will learn more about inferencing and predicting as well. Writer's Workshop Narritive writing continues in the classroom. We will learn the difference between a watermelon story (big), and a seed story (small), and focus our attention on simple small stories. I will also introduce a simple checklist to the class that will give them a list of what needs to be looked at before a story is ready to me published (capitalization, punctuation, etc.) Math One more week of subtraction for the kids in this unit. They will be building subtraction stories using whiteboards and manipulatives. A new math/logic game called Poison Apple was introduced as well. Social Studies Brainstorming meaningful questions for six of our school helpers and setting up individual interviews is still in the process. I'm hopeful by the end of the week that I will have six unique videos to share with you and the rest of the class. Miscellaneous -Thank you to those of you that have successfully logged on to IXL. I'm excited to use this important tool all year long. -I have to apologize for not getting important (graded) work back to parents in a timely fashion. Entering grades electronically has been on my list for some time, but it took longer that anticipated (the pile was large). Please keep all returned work. -Earlier this month I introduced a simple discipline chart for all students. When a student is making poor choices (acting unsafe, being disrespectful, etc.), they must sign their name to the chart. 1st time is a warning, 2nd time the student must sit out of the activity (while remaining engaged/listening), and 3rd time is a call/letter home. I have yet had to notify any parents, and hope not to in the future, but I wanted to give all of you a heads up. - |
AuthorMr. Layes hails from the Pacific NW, cut his teeth on the streets of NYC, and now calls the Midwest... home. Archives
September 2017
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