Our first full week. . . .

and what an enjoyable one it was!

Jared reads his Important Poem at our first Author Celebration

Last week I finished conducting our reading assessments and began one-on-one conferences with students, all with the intention of helping students select just-right books. In our mini lessons, we are focusing on a multitude of behaviors good readers demonstrate, helping everyone make concrete what it is that good readers do. One of the behaviors in which good readers engage is to select books that are just-right for them. Research demonstrates that students who find books to read that are not too difficult or too easy will experience greater success in reading. Most students, however--and this is an issue in schools across the country!--are reading books that are simply too difficult for them.

To help students understand the importance of finding just-right books, I make a sports analogy: if I wanted to learn to play tennis, the best place to learn as a beginner would NOT be at Wimbeldon with Rafael Nadal. Rather than learn to play, I would simply get pummeled, my skills not improving and my self-confidence pouring down the tubes.  No matter how many times we played--if that was the only experience I was having--I would simply not improve. Rather, I need to play against someone who is willing to play just above my level, who will help teach me how to become a better player: the challenge of Nadal is not one that will improve my ability. I need one that is just right for me. The experience of learning to reads works much the same way: we need to read books that are just a tad bit difficult in some way, along with explicit, solid instruction, to learn to become stronger readers.

Together, we identified some signs that a book is not just-right:

1. reading is not smooth (fluency)
2. reading is not expressive (fluency)
3. reading is too slow (fluency)
4. student stumbles over words--over 5 per page is too many (decoding)
5. student fails to recall or understand what s/he read (comprehension)

Students and I have been reading together as I ask them to judge--using the above criteria--whether or not the book feels too difficult. Then, most often, I am guiding students to different book choices.  Needless to say, this has been difficult process for some students. Many students seem to believe that if a book they are reading is found to be too difficult, that they have failed in some way. Many have argued with me that they "always stumble over words that way--I like to be challenged." I am trying to help them see that they should NOT be stumbling over words that way, and that doing so is not helping improve their reading skills. (When they experience difficulty retelling me what they have read, they are more easily convinced, however.) These are very imbedded beliefs that we will work diligently to change.

In writing, we spent some time last week considering what makes quality writing so good. Students first brainstormed characteristics of high-quality writing. Then we considered which of those characteristics were genre-specific and which could be connected to most writing.

Finally, after narrowing things down, students categorized the remaining characteristics. What we found is that good writing:

1. stays on topic,
2. is organized,
3. uses sufficient and relevant details,
4. includes specific and interesting words,
5. uses proper mechanics, and, most importantly,
6. is full of voice.

In the 45 minutes it took to complete this activity, students had outlined the most of the guts of our writing instruction for the entire year.

After that introductory activity, we have begun our study of personal narratives, which--because writers write best when writing about what they know--is a perfect place to begin.  So far, students have learned to generate ideas for personal narratives by recalling people, places and events that hold meaning to them, and to recall memories with respect to each. This week we will spend some time talking about the differences between seed and watermelon stories--seed stories focus intently on small moments, whereas watermelon stories are more expansive and delve less deeply into one topic.

Today I modeled the differences between seed and watermelon stories by writing one of each: one story about an entire summer trip to Tennessee to visit my dad (watermelon), and another focusing on a specific event during that same trip (seed). Students were then handed Play-doh and asked to try create a visual representation of the more general story. With some hints from me (i.e. marching in a line across the room as I reread the story), students were soon rolling long worms of dough across their desks to mimic the linear aspect of the story I had written. Then, they found within that line a small piece which represented the other story I had written, which focused on the event of shooting rockets with my family while on our trip. They were all able to pull that small piece of clay from the line and remove it--their representations of the more specific rocket story. Once we each had a long worm as well as a snip-it of a worm, we balled each up and had ourselves a watermelon and a seed. This tactile, visual activity often helps students begin to see what it means to focus intently on a small moment and to write about just that, and we can refer back to our Play-doh seeds often throughout the year to remind ourselves of this focus. After this activity, students selected one of their seed ideas about which they will begin writing tomorrow. I look forward to our first official author celebration in about a month. I'll keep you posted as we get closer to a date.

In math we began our unit on geometry studying lines, line segments, rays, angles and various quadrangles. While mostly review, students continue to struggle to to recall how to properly name these geometric objects. This week we will continue to delve more into the topic, and will even have our first unit assessment on Friday. On Wednesday students will receive the first of two review sheets intended to help them study and gauge with which topics they may struggle. We will spend time in class on Thursday during which students will be responsible for letting me know with what they still need guidance. When studying with your child, please encourage her/him to be ready to communicate with me on what they'd like additional support.

We also embarked upon our study of Colonial America history by creating our web outlining beliefs of what makes our America special, different or good when comparing it to other countries. Students shared ideas about freedom, equality, racial and religious diversity as well as democracy. As we study this period of history students will continually look back to this web as we make connections between where we began and where we have arrived. Our reading began contemplating that in 1607 as Haley's comet soared through our sky, Europe was undergoing dramatic social and religious changes which helped create the environment in which our country was born.

This week we will also begin our study of electricity and, specifically, electrical circuits. We will begin by learning about static electricity so that we may build a bridge to how electrons move from atom to atom, which is what movement is harnessed in an electrical circuit. In the middle of the week will will be learning about the Periodic Table of Elements and building various atoms. This understanding of atoms--particularly of electrons--will help students better understand electricity.

This week we also begin our first three-week rotation in the computer lab, during which students will learn to publish their Important Poems using Frames, a tool which allows students to animate their recorded text, choosing from various backgrounds. Once these projects are completed, projects will be posted so that you may view them. Students also began their keyboarding sessions, spending some time learning about Type to Learn 4, the program used to teach keyboarding skills. Students were all eager to use the fun program, which is set up to teach skills through games.

I enjoyed so much seeing you all at Back to School Night. Please know that if you have any questions that were left unanswered, I am always available by email or in person after school. I especially hope our new-to-Shorecrest parents felt both welcomed and informed. We are thrilled to have you--and your children!--with us.

And we're off!

I am so thrilled to have finally begun the year! After a few weeks at school working, it was getting a touch too lonely and quiet. I can assure you that it is quiet no more! I am eager to get to know your children this year as they take their final journey through the Lower Division.

With only two and one-half days under our belts, we have already been busy in 4-4. We have spent a great deal of time going over routines and procedures of the classroom, all designed to create an environment in which students can regulate their own behavior and learning. Of particular importance was our discussion of the class rule. Yes rule--there is only one: You may do anything in this classroom that you like (squeals and grins) as long as it does not interfere with your learning, or the learning of others (squinty, questioning looks). Our following discussion considered what behaviors might break the rule, and what behaviors might not. I always hope to foster an environment in which students take responsibility for themselves and their learning.

The students have dived into writing as well. After reading Margaret Wise Brown's The Important Book, I modeled for students a process for writing our own poems describing what we believe to be important about ourselves. Specifically, we considered how our audience would likely prefer poems that revealed our uniqueness rather then our commonalities. Students were eager writers and dived into the project.  Later this week will will hold our very first author celebration of the year as students share their important poems. These are some of the best days of the year, as I am sure you can imagine after having attended celebrations last year. As authors, we write for an audience--to share our thoughts, our stories, our information, ourselves--with one another. There is no greater motivation or reward after committing oneself to a piece of writing. I can't wait for more.

Next week, when we begin our first round of technology, students will learn to use Frames, which is a program that allows you to create animations. Students will be animating their important poems. Once these are completed, they will be available for you to view.

As we move into our reading workshop, we also spent some time perusing and learning about our vast classroom library. Students were able to locate many books about which they are excited to read. Part of our discussion centered around choosing appropriate books--those not too easy and not too difficult. The student have been eager readers during independent reading time. We have enjoyed a number of read alouds, including Miss Rumphius and Teammates, during which we considered both characters and setting. We are learning that is some texts, the setting is crucial to the central theme or problem of a story.

Over the next week, I will be spending a great deal of time conducting reading assessments with the students. These assessments--which are conducted in every grade level in the Lower Division--provide for me a vast amount of very important information that will not only inform my teaching of individual students, but of the class as a whole. Today we began a pre-assessment in math, which similarly helps me better know what needs both individual students as well as the class may have. In writing, assessment happens much more organically: the students write, I observe. It is crucial to take the time to assess the students now, and I will continue to assess and adapt my instruction continually as the year progresses. In this way, I am best able to meet the learning needs of the students.

We will begin math this week, so you can expect to find the unit one family letter come home Monday. Our first math lesson will be Tuesday as we begin a unit in geometry. I expect to be fully immersed in all content areas by the beginning of next week.

I look forward to seeing you all Thursday at Back to School Night. This time for me is precious: having you all together in one place with your undivided attention happens just this once! I will cram as much information as I am able into our hour together. Please come prepared with any questions you might have. Hopefully I will answer them before you even have the chance to ask, but if not, there will be plenty of time to address those I do not answer throughout my presentation. You will also, as always, have the opportunity to sign up for volunteer opportunities as well as schedule a time for both the fall and spring conferences.

So, until Thursday evening!

Welcome fourth graders!

Welcome to the beginning of your final year in the Lower Division. Wow!  I am sure you have had a fun-filled summer, lounging with great books, spending time with your friends, seeing movies, or traveling with your family.  However you spent your time, I am certain that you are ready—as am I—for school to begin!  I am thrilled to have you as a student in my class and can’t wait to get to know you this year.

As was mentioned on the fourth-grade supply list, there are a few items each of us would like you to obtain for our individual classrooms.  In addition to the general supplies, please bring the following items:

·      a multi-pack of Post-its, 3” by 3”

·      one box of quart size, heavy duty, “smart zip” Ziploc bags

Except for the obvious personal items such as water bottles and p.e. bags, please do not label any of your markers, colored pencils, etc!  Most supplies will be shared in our classroom, so you will not be using the exact supplies you purchased. Please bring your supplies to Meet the Teacher in a disposable bag marked with your name.

As you know, each student will be receiving with her/his first p.e. uniform set a bag in which to carry the uniforms to and from school and p.e.  We will be requiring all students to use their bags for this purpose in order to avoid lost and mixed-up uniforms.  As such, anytime you are carrying your uniform, it must be in your p.e. bag.

Finally, please come prepared to share a favorite joke sometime during the first week of school.  You can expect to laugh a lot this year, so we’ll be starting right from the start!