Turkeys all around

In this week's Take Home folder, is the collaborative books that

the students made for each child who presented their poster and

ME bag since September.  I so enjoyed being able to chose a

drawing that matched the actual child.  Thanks to Lori Kaus for

sharing her original idea with me.

In mathematics, our focus is on patterns.  They happen all around us!

Here are some words from our curriculum:

Students must learn to recognize, extend, create and use mathematical patterns. Patterns allow students to make predictions and justify their reasoning when solving routine and nonroutine problems.
Learning to work with patterns in the early grades helps students develop algebraic thinking, which is foundational for working with more abstract mathematics in higher grades.

Specifically in Grade One, the students are to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of repeating patterns (two to four elements) by:• describing
   • reproducing• extending• creating
   patterns using manipulatives, diagrams, sounds and actions

I've included a variety of examples.

The criteria was to chose a pattern, create it and then extend it so that

it repeats three times, and label it.

In the scarecrow's garden, there was to be three different patterns.

The criteria gives the students the 'what to do.'

It also sets the manner in which the work is assessed.

When the work of the student is looked at,

 you begin to get an understanding to whether or

not the student understand the different aspects of

patterning.

This assists the teacher in knowing whether more practise 

is needed, and what should be the next steps in teaching.

This was Read In Week, and the students had a number 

of visitors come and visit and read to them.  

From the local library, they heard that they can

get their own library card.  How exciting!

This is Mrs. Szott, one of our district trustees, who

shared her love of reading with my class.

Aren't these little Thankful Turkey books the cutest?

Ashlyn Ellsworth was so kind to share her idea with me.

The students were working on recognizing what they

were thankful for within different aspects of their life.

Here is another pattern that the students worked on,

this time learning a little bit of geometry as well.

They were given squares of paper and found out that

two triangles are hidden inside of the square!

It wouldn't be Thanksgiving at our school, without the Turkey Tango.

Our special, gifted music teacher gathered all the turkeys she could find...

and they gobbled into the main gathering area to sing

and dance!

It's just a few seconds long but enjoy the ending of the dance...cha! cha! cha!