Reading Workshop
In reading workshop we have been learning about point of view. The students learned that point of view is the view from which a story is told and we can determine point of view by asking ourselves, "Who is telling the story?" Different narrators can tell about the same story in different ways. Sometimes a story is written from the author or narrator's point of view. Other times it may be written from a character's point of view.
To kick off our mini unit on point of view, we focused on the story of Little Red Riding Hood. First, we read Little Red Riding Hood by Jacob Grimm and determined it was the narrator whose point of view the story was being told from since we heard words like he, her, his, they, etc. Then, we read a different version of the story, What Really Happened to Little Red Riding Hood: The Wolf's Story by Toby Forward and Izhar Cohen. This book was told by the wolf as he kept referring to himself throughout the story by saying I, me, my, etc. After further analyzing the two versions of the same story, the students chose whose point of view they believed and supported their opinion with evidence from the text!
To kick off our mini unit on point of view, we focused on the story of Little Red Riding Hood. First, we read Little Red Riding Hood by Jacob Grimm and determined it was the narrator whose point of view the story was being told from since we heard words like he, her, his, they, etc. Then, we read a different version of the story, What Really Happened to Little Red Riding Hood: The Wolf's Story by Toby Forward and Izhar Cohen. This book was told by the wolf as he kept referring to himself throughout the story by saying I, me, my, etc. After further analyzing the two versions of the same story, the students chose whose point of view they believed and supported their opinion with evidence from the text!
Prior to beginning our new writing unit, we practiced identifying the difference between a fact and an opinion. We discussed how a fact can be proven true through research where as an opinion is something that someone thinks, believes or feels. The students determined that people can have different opinions about the same thing. For example, one student may feel that math is the best subject while another student believes that writing is the best subject. However, a person's opinion might also change overtime. The students enjoyed deciding whether a statement was a fact or opinion and telling how they knew!
After reading several persuasive texts, the students noticed that in order to persuade others we need to not only state our opinion, but provide reasons as well. After listening to the story Duck! Rabbit by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, the students wrote in their own opinion whether they thought the animal in the book was a duck or rabbit and defended their opinion by including reasons. The students did a fabulous job with the assignment! Check out their finished products displayed outside our classroom :)
After reading several persuasive texts, the students noticed that in order to persuade others we need to not only state our opinion, but provide reasons as well. After listening to the story Duck! Rabbit by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, the students wrote in their own opinion whether they thought the animal in the book was a duck or rabbit and defended their opinion by including reasons. The students did a fabulous job with the assignment! Check out their finished products displayed outside our classroom :)
For extra fact vs. opinion practice, take a peek at this fun game on the PBS Kids website!
http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/factsopinions/factsopinions.html
http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/factsopinions/factsopinions.html
Phonics
The students have been practicing making singular words plural by adding -s or -es. Most singular words can be made plural by just adding an -s to the end. However, words ending in x, z, s, sh and ch form the plural by adding an -es to the end. Ask your child to tell you the plural of the following words: box splash girl stamp rock buzz bench dress |
The students have also been practicing reading and writing words with the suffix -ing and -ed. Through doing so, the students have discovered that -ing is added to a base word or verb to tell something is happening now and -ed is added to a base word or verb to tell something already happened. In addition, the students learned that -ed can make three different sounds when added to a base word. The suffix -ed can make the sound /d/ like in loved, /t/ like in walked, or /ed/ like in added. The students have received lots of practice in adding the correct suffixes to verbs to build complete sentences that look right, sound right, and make sense.
Writer's Workshop
This week we began our new writing unit on persuasive writing! The students discovered that 'persuade' means to try to convince someone to do something or believe something. We can change someone's opinion by writing a strong persuasive text! The most important features of a persuasive text include a title, a bold beginning with a goal, an opinion, reasons, facts or examples, pictures, and an excellent ending. We will be writing a class book about best pets! Each student will write his/her own page for the book in which they tell what animal they believe would make the perfect pet. They will defend their opinion with reasons as well as facts.
Enjoy the following persuasive texts together:
Click, Clack Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
My Teacher For President by Kay Winters
Can I Keep Him? by Steven Kellogg
I Wanna New Room by Karen Kaufman Orloff
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
LaRue For Mayor by Mark Teague
Enjoy the following persuasive texts together:
Click, Clack Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
My Teacher For President by Kay Winters
Can I Keep Him? by Steven Kellogg
I Wanna New Room by Karen Kaufman Orloff
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
LaRue For Mayor by Mark Teague
Math
In math, we are currently focusing on Topic 7: Counting and Number Patterns to 120. Our numeration system is powerful because of the patterns that can be seen in it. Many of the patterns in our system do not become evident until children begin to work with greater numbers. Work with a hundred chart reveals many interesting patterns. Time spent helping children recognize patterns on the hundred chart not only helps them develop a deeper understanding of numeration, but it also lays a foundation for subsequent works involving adding and subtracting two-digit numbers. Within the topic the students will practice counting by 10s to 120, counting on a hundred chart, skip counting, and looking for patterns.
Social Studies
In Social Studies we have been learning about maps! The students will be encouraged to see maps as a source of information about their world. We worked from general to specific by locating - our planet, our continent, our country, our state, our town and, lastly, our street. Students must be able to organize information about people, places, and environments in appropriate spatial contexts. These maps in the mind provide students with an essential means of making sense of the world, and of storing and recalling information. This unit gives students a chance to create mental maps that represent their world using a variety of scales, from local to global.
After viewing maps in text and on the computer, we worked in small groups to create maps of our classroom. Our maps included a title, the four cardinal directions, shapes to represent furniture, and labels. Prior to creating our maps, we discussed the importance of working together and cooperating with one another to accomplish the same goal. Accordingly, the students' objective was to work together with their group members to achieve their goal of creating a map. The students did a wonderful job!
After viewing maps in text and on the computer, we worked in small groups to create maps of our classroom. Our maps included a title, the four cardinal directions, shapes to represent furniture, and labels. Prior to creating our maps, we discussed the importance of working together and cooperating with one another to accomplish the same goal. Accordingly, the students' objective was to work together with their group members to achieve their goal of creating a map. The students did a wonderful job!
We also started learning about American symbols! We began this unit by discussing what symbols are (i.e. something that represents or stands for something else). The first American symbol the students learned about was the American flag. First, the students shared their prior knowledge about the American flag as well as flags in general. We then read various informational text describing the history and importance of the American flag. After, the students told what they learned and noticed as well as shared any lingering questions. See how many facts your child is able to recall about the American flag! The students have also learned about the Statue of Liberty and bald eagle! Tomorrow the students will learn why the Liberty Bell is an important national symbol. The students have enjoyed listening to and learning the following two songs: Fifty Nifty United States Tour the States |
Visit from the Fire Department
A couple of weeks ago, Firefighter Ross visited our classroom. The students reviewed what to do if there is a fire drill, how to check smoke detectors at home, and practiced crawling low in smoke. The students did well pretending to escape from danger! Take a peak at their crawling technique :)