Spelling for Week of Oct. 3 - 7

This week our focus will be on the sound that the vowel a makes when it is 'short'.  This would be the sound heard in words like and, ham, cap, splat or ran.  There are so very many words that have this sound that the list is endless.  When I completed the assessment of the alphabet with the entire class, including Grade 3 students, I discovered that some students are still learning to distinguish the various sound made by the vowels and not all could share the long or the short vowel sound for all five vowels.  By focusing on the vowels now, reading and spelling longer and more complicated words will be less intimidating later.

This week I am asking the students to look at creating rhyming words using the short vowel a rimes.  Those that are ready for a challenge might like to create words that begin with blends or diagraphs (such as spl- or wh-) and those that are still remembering how to create a rhyming word will stick with basics.

Remember that there is no 'test', just learning that will move into their everyday writing.

Spelling for Week of Sept. 26-30

This week we will begin our first practicing of words at home that we need to be able to spell in everyday use.  We are starting with words that are familiar and that we should all be successful with.  Last week a duo-tang was sent home to get the families ready for this new adventure.  Each week the home practise will be on a Tic Tac Toe board.  The middle square is to be done by each child, but then the next 3 choices are to be made by the child.  The sheets that the student uses should be put into the duo-tang and returned to school on Friday.  If the choices do not actually create a 'line', that's OK.  The point is to have the student working on learning words in a positive manner, and be able to apply that learning in the classroom.  Next week the words will be on the Word Wall and the child will be expected to be able to spell them on their own.  Here's another chance for you to be an active participant in your child's learning, demonstrating that learning is important to you too!

Words for this week are:  red blue green yellow black brown orange purple pink white grey silver gold


Grade Three students should review these words as well as learn the following:
castle   prince   princess   king   queen   make believe   fairy tale

Hope you had an amazing weekend in that beautiful record breaking sunshine!

OREO Cookie Challenge

I have always wanted to do this Oreo Cookie Challenge that is sponsored by a teacher at a website called 'Projects by Jen.'  Through this challenge, the students work through the scientific process as well as through a number of mathematical concepts.  Results are posted on the website and then the students can see that their results are similar or different than the results posted by other classes that are participating.

The buzz in the class was electric as the students stacked and counted and cheered and ohhed and ahhhhhed over the cookies.  Rules stated that once a cookie was placed, it could not be touched again!

They all worked as teams, helping each other count and record.

This little guy was our best stacker!  This tower eventually reached 32 cookies before it tumbled!  The best part was the way in which he was able to explain his thinking as he placed the cookies to compensate for the tower starting to lean.  The other rule that had to be followed was that only one cookie could be placed at a time.

They all learned the bitter taste of defeat, but not the taste of the cookies!  Because they were handled by so many, dropped on the floor and basically unsanitary, they all went into the garbage once the challenge was done!

Loved the concentration and the dedication!  Our principal stopped by because of the sounds of excitement that escaped into the hall!  He was so impressed with the teamwork of these students!

The students learned that sometimes it was better to stand and avoid bumping the tables as their friends were tower building!

No one was too upset as all the towers eventually fell!

The sweetness of the activity was the stacking, not the snacking!

Here's an example of what the recording sheet looked like (because all good scientists record their observations and then draw a conclusion in order to answer their question!)

Release and be free!

We spent part of this afternoon out in the breeze.  We took our flight cages out with about 10 butterflies who had emerged and dried out their wings.  To keep these beauties alive over the weekend would have involved going to the school every 12 hours to replenish the sugar water solution so we decided that they should be set free.

We took them out to the front where our three large, and bountiful flowerpots are in full bloom.  We tipped the flight cages over and the butterflies either flew off into the sky or crawled out and showed their colours on the geraniums and petunias.

Did you know that a butterfly at rest always puts its wings together?  That's one of the ways you know it isn't a moth.  A moth rests with its wings down.

We are going to use this photo as our model for drawing and labeling a diagram of a butterfly next week.

This little guy really co-operated in allowing me to snap a photo of him in all his glory!  What a gorgeous Painted Lady butterfly!

Why do you think the colours on the underside of the wings aren't as bright as the colours on the wings on the inside?  We'll be learning that next week!

Painted Lady Butterflies have emerged!

It was with great excitement that one of our fine lads in class announced that a butterfly had emerged from its chrysalis this afternoon.  By the time we were ready to go home, another three had emerged.

After I had said good-bye to the students and returned to the room, the 5th one was drying its wings.  How many will be out by tomorrow?  The students were full of questions!  What is the red stuff?  What are they going to eat?  What are they called?  Which one is mine?

These are Painted Lady Butterflies and are native to Alberta.  They are very similar to the colourings of a Monarch butterfly (as one smart cookie noted) but do not fly to Mexico for the winter!  Their life cycle is less than 40 days.  We will be giving them a diet of sugar water soaked into sponges so they can suck through their proboscis.  What amazing observation opportunities the children will have before we release these winged wonders back into God's beautiful world.

Snack time is healthy time!

A few years ago, our school district joined an Alberta Government initiative to help students make healthier choices during the school day.  We participate in daily physical activities, have a 'backwards' lunch hour which means the students play for 20 minutes before they eat their lunch and for their morning recess, the students play and then come inside to eat their snack.  

Having food that is not processed has been encouraged and is supported in research to provide more energy and 'brain power' during their learning time.  Because processed foods have more sugar and salt, the body works harder to process these sugars.  Natural sugars in fresh fruits are actually more likely to boost the energy level of the children.

They smile more when they are eating healthy!

Please consider sending fresh fruits or vegetables, yogurt, cheese or rice cakes or crackers as a mid-morning snack for your little ones!  Thanks!

Family Weekend Fun is Coming!

A few years ago I was looking for a way to have a few reluctant readers find more connection with the stories that they were reading.  In doing some research I found an idea that has many names, but that I call "literacy bags."  The basic idea is to have the students interact with the story through different activities.  I spent a whole summer making enough literacy bags to that every student in my room could take one home for the weekend.  Then through the positive encouragement of the parents, I made a second set at a more difficult reading level, so there are enough to last the entire school year!

I'm sending home the sheets that I would like you to sign and return on Monday.  You can understand that the cost of making these bags was quite substantial. I love the excitement that the students have each Friday as they take the bags home, but can't afford to remake them or replace the items, so ask for your assistance in keeping the pieces altogether.  Each bag has a card that lists exactly what is inside.  Please take the time to count all the bits and bobs before you send the bag back each Monday. NOTE: The items are not baby proof and as many families have toddlers and wee ones, please put the bag back in the student's backpack to ensure that no little hands can take the small pieces and swallow them.

Of course the whole purpose is to enjoy books, so the items relate to a particular story and to an educationally sound objective that we study in the classroom at some point in the year.  The reading level in the first four months may seem quite easy with some of the literacy bags, but recognize that the activities are to be enjoyed as a family, so the story sometimes almost becomes second to the time you spend together!

Manipulatives abound, a stuffed character is almost always included and there may be a writing activity for your child to complete.

Along with the literacy bag, each student is given their Family Journal to bring home.  This is the place that the parents get to tell me about the learning that they witnessed and the opportunities for growth that they noticed.  Please date each entry, write the name of the book and include your observations.  The students are excited to tell me what fun they had each time they return their bags but are often saddened because "Mommy didn't have enough time to write."  It is my dearest hope that you will look forward to the opportunity to snuggle and play with your child through these fun (and educational) literacy bags.

They'll be sent home this Thursday (as there is a PD Day on Friday) to all Grade 2 students who have returned the contracts signed.