Pete the Cat helps us learn!

There are SO many wonderful books available that it will take all year for me to introduce my children to them all.  We are adding the Pete the Cat series to our list of favourites.  It's important to know that literature is always linked to curriculum in my classroom.  I use the stories to engage the children, so that they learn, without even knowing it!  In his first story, Pete lets the children know that when things go wrong (like when his white shoes turn red after he steps in a pile of strawberries) he just keeps walking along and Goodness No!, he does not cry!

I used the second book about Pete's groovy buttons to focus on the concept of addition.  Using buttons, the students demonstrated their ability to independently manipulate the buttons to find five different equations that use two addends to make four. Through this simple activity, I am able to assess which students need to practise this concept before moving on to a new concept.

By having the students make Pete (by the way the pattern was shared by another teacher on her blog, so cute and so generous of her) I am able to see which students are able to follow directions, can manage more than one task on their own, and even who may need special assistance with fine motor co-ordination.  Nothing is ever done in class without an educational purpose behind it!  Even picking out the buttons involved seeing if the students could distinguish between colours.

Another teacher shared these darling posters which now are displayed in our room.  Pete is cool!

                         Here's a cute video for Pete the Cat and his four Groovy Buttons

Hope to see many of you at the early morning (7:00 a.m.!!) Welcome Breakfast on Friday morning!

It's Day 5!

The students are getting into the swing of things in the classroom.  When they come in, they are now trying to independently work on their "Rise and Shine" binder, a wonderful idea that I got from another teacher named Reagan Tunstall.  The binder works on basic math understandings that children need, that are usually reinforced through calendar work.  They tell me, using a dry erase marker, what day of the week it is, what month, what year and how many days we have been in school.  

Using that number, they also work on tally marks, the numbers that come before and after, how that number is created in ten frames and how it can be created in part-part-whole sections.

The binder allows for daily practise in a fun manner, without duplicating paper for each day's work.  After it's done, the students just use their little dry marker erasers and they are all set for the next day!

Today we began a little alphabet review using a wonderful book called "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom."

In the story "a told b, and b told c, "I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree."  The students searched for their own alphabet letters and made them climb up their coconut trees.

Finding the letters was quite the challenge!

Here's our first little birthday girl with her special cupcake chair, her special glasses, her sticker that tells everyone  that she is celebrating a birthday attached to her shirt and the balloon that she will take home with a twisty drinking straw.  She also got to take home our first literacy bag, that includes a game and a journal to complete.

Classroom Tour 2013-2014 School Year

WELCOME!

This is the Grade One and Two corridor at the new school that I will be teaching at this year.  I am delighted with the changes that our school division has implemented.  This is a Kindergarten to Grade Four site and I couldn't be more pleased to be here!

From the doors to this corridor (and up the small ramp!) you will find my classroom, first one on the left.  The next two on the left are the other Grade Two classes.  After all these years, I will have grade partners.  It will be a welcome change.

Now how could I lose the middle of a palm tree?

This wall is to the left of my classroom door.....

which you see here.  Look!  Windows!

This is the view from the door.  Immediately to the left is one of our rugs for collaborative work, with benches for meetings and bins for storage, mostly math manipulatives.

Here is our math wall, which will hold our new math vocabulary, and allow student hands-on interaction with a variety of materials to solidify concepts.

This is looking towards the east wall, and gives a better perspective of the classroom arrangement.

Just turn around and this is towards the west wall, from the same location.  This is the table that small groups of students will meet me at for guided reading, assessment and mini lessons, based on their needs, especially in reading.  The bookshelf to the right houses about half of my classroom library, which is levelled according to the criteria of the researchers Fountas and Pinnell.  It is from these book tubs that the students will be choosing their books for nightly reading.

The students will be engaged in a researched based model known as 'Daily Five' and 'Cafe'.  These are their 'book boxes' that they will have a variety of reading books to choose from at their own level, many different language learning materials and this is also where they will keep their earbuds/earphones.  Each child will need to bring a set in and these will not be shared, to ensure cleanliness and safety.

I am super excited to have tables this year instead of desks.  The students chose where they would like to sit for the first day but this model allows for continual changing of groups to meet the needs of the activities.  All of their materials will be kept in bins on the south wall of the classroom, which has built-in shelving. 

You can see the bins in this photo, along with one of my many teaching stations.  The students will gather on our second classroom rug which is in front of the SMARTBoard.  This location allows the students to focus on me when I am on the chair, actively teaching or turn towards the SMARTBoard for an interactive lesson.

What are Popcorn Words?  They are the little words that keep 'popping' up in our reading.  Often it's these little words that children stumble on the most because they are easy to confuse with others.  Look at /saw/ and /was/.....or /they/ and /this/.  Early readers have not always learned to look with reading eyes, and this will be an area to focus on very early in the year.

There are many 'pocket' charts in the room and they will be used for many lessons.  Often, the schedule of activities for the day will be displayed to assist the little ones in knowing how long it will be before recess or lunch!

I have many years experience with the SMARTBoard, but did not have one at the last school that I was at.  I am sure that I will be a bit 'rusty' and will need some time to get back up to speed in using this amazing tool for 21st century learning.

A view from the back of the room....

..and now to the north, where there is another little table available for collaborative work.

The view out of our classroom window....I'll be able to see this equipment full of happy children next Tuesday!  Can't wait.

This is a room where we share everything, so this area is right below the windows.  It houses supplies to share, including hand sanitizer, tissues, extra crayons, markers, scissors, rulers, and just about anything a classroom full of learners would need.  You'll see other areas in the pictures as we begin posting all the learning that we are doing in the class.  I hope your child will be joyfully engaged in our classroom this year!

Moving on...

On Wednesday, the Kindergarten, Grade One, Grade Two and Grade Three students from St. Theresa Catholic School took a little "road trip" to their new home for September 2013.  As our blessed school closes, we change from cheering for The Hawks to being The Royals.

Our new home will be Madonna Catholic School, and like with St. Theresa, this will be the second time in my careet that I will be teaching in this school.

The three classes of Grade Three (soon to be the oldest students at Madonna in Grade 4) met and played a couple of games that helped them meet each other.  There were smiles all around.

After they played their games, they returned to the gymnasium to sing before being given a treat to remember the day...a lovely lollipop and a skipping rope!

The afternoon brought a new kind of reality to our closing.  We celebrated mass in the gymnasium, only fitting to do so and honour our namesake.

We showered her with flowers.

Father Jack Hamilton blessed us all, and reminded us of the words of St. Theresa. He reminded us that we can take our lessons with us and spread the blessings to others we meet.   

The students learned that Father Dan, who dilgently visited us every month, bringing Jesus' word and song into our classes, would also be moving on.  He will leave Alberta for Victoria B.C. in September.

During mass, the students sang and worshipped...

 smiled and...

danced!

We Love You, St. Theresa!

Provincial Achievement Tests next week

Over the next few days, the children and I will be spending some time learning 'how' to take the multiple choice tests that are given at Grade Three here in the province of Alberta.  I don't stress about them and I work really hard to ensure that the students don't stress about them.  One little guy asked if I was going to send how 'practise tests' because he was already doing tests at home to get ready.

I admire any parent who gets involved in whatever way that they do, in their child's education.

In the past I have sent home 'practise' tests and here's what I have found: the majority of families are just too darn busy doing dance competitions, lacrosse/soccer/baseball tournaments to find time to add one more thing on their plate.  The students have learned everything that they will need to know to accomplish their best next Tuesday and Thursday.  Some will remember everything that they are meant to do: read through the entire passage and all the answers before choosing the best answer, re-read and double check, take your time, use what you know, don't leave any questions out and if you're really not sure, then take a good guess.....and some won't.

I am not trying to sound glib, but I want you to put this in perspective...no child has ever been denied university entrance based on Grade 3 PAT exams.  Do I want them to 'knock their socks off' over at the government offices where the tests are marked?  You bet! But I won't push so hard that they are afraid, or worried or scared.  Instead, I want them to think 'that was easy' and walk away with their heads held high!

What can you do to help them?  Tell your child that you love them, and that you believe in them. Ensure that they have a good night's sleep (no staying awake past 8:00!) and feed them a nourishing breakfast.  Hug them tight!  When it's all over ask them questions like:  What was the easiest question on the test?  Which one did you have to re-read?  Was there a question that was a bit tricky?  How did you figure it out?  Which question did you have to take a guess at?  Let them tell you all about it!

I was impressed with this great article.  Go ahead and take a look!

Here's the link:

Gymnastics!!

Tomorrow's the day!  It will be my first time taking a class over to Salto Gymnastics for an afternoon of learning all about the sport.  Please ensure that your child is dressed appropriately for this adventure, including being prepared for a walk in the rain.  Flip flops are not allowed!

All parents are welcome to come along!  See you tomorrow!