Over the last few weeks, the students have been focusing their attention on looking at, identifying, naming, extending and recreating patterns of various types. Patterns are all around us, and though this work is mostly focused in the area of mathematics, our daily life is full of understanding and following patterns. When you think about it, reading recognizes patterns as well!
After many opportunities to work with various types of materials, the students were asked to demonstrate their understanding by creating patterns with blocks and then taking the concrete and creating a picture of their pattern on the paper, as well as naming it....this time with the letters of the alphabet.
In our classroom, we do not stay in our desks all day long. Being able to work in other locations, assists the students in keeping their brain active as their bodies work in different ways.
Look carefully. Never expect that I will only show work where the student is correct. When I assess, I am looking for where I will need to re-teach, or explain again to a little one who appears to be a bit confused.
I also will look at why the student did not complete the task, or take the time to do the task in a manner that they can be proud of.
Isn't this a lovely sign of our season of Autumn? Here is the little gift that I received after recess....so lovely especially as there are so very few Maple trees in our little town.
Every afternoon, there is about a five minute window in our school day, that allows us to get up and move. We often dance, following the actions of one of our favourite groups. The movement, or dance, or brain break, is shown to assist the students in getting the cobwebs out of their heads so that they can focus on the last, and often most tiring part of the day.
The students know that after their Brain Break, the end of the day is not too far away!
I have been reading some of my very favourite books to the students this week, written by Patricia Coombs and featuring Dorrie the little witch with the crooked hat and the socks that don't match.
The students LOVE the books! I took the opportunity to make a connection to the story as we
practised hearing the sounds in the words and trying to see if we could print the letters that make those sounds so we could print words. We did this together as a group. We then put together a skirt, some socks and a pair of very fancy black boots to create a type of witch picture.
Our first Yoga class was great fun, as we warmed up our bodies,
practised paying attention to our breath,
and challenged how our bodies could move!
Thanks mom and dad, for paying for these four 1/2 hour sessions. We can't wait for the next one!
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