Thoughts

As I sit here trying to put words on this blog to tell you about what is happening in our classroom I struggle.  The events that happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School are _________________.  I can not find the correct words.  My thoughts and prayers are with those families and staff that are personally dealing with this tragedy.

Have you heard the news....

Jolly, our Elf on the Shelf has come from the North Pole to watch the children throughout the day and report back to Santa.  The class enjoys receiving letters from Jolly each night and finding out where he is at in the classroom each morning.  He has also made lots of friends with your child’s elf too.  The children enjoy writing letters to Jolly throughout the day and leaving them for him to read each night.

There will be no word study until 2013.  We will pick up with the words as soon as we come back in January.  The next two weeks we will be reviewing the words and skills we have learned thus far in the school year.  I am stressing to the children to stretch out the sounds of words and try to write down each sound that we hear.  This will also help in our writing.

Graphic organizers have been aiding the children in their writing of realistic fiction.  We have kinda started anew with the unit.  We went back to square one and began to develop characters and problems and solution in a more concrete manner.  This time the children are really seeing how to develop characters and setting and their writing is better.  Now we need to also start focusing on writing more sentences by adding details and writing using our best stretchy snake skills (sounding out).

In math, we are working on addition and subtraction facts, fact families, and coin combinations.  This week also the dime was introduced.  Exchanging money and counting on is a multi-step process.  Think about it… a child has to recognize the coin, remember it and then recall the value before we even begin add up the combinations.  Here are my tips:

To trade in 5 pennies for a nickel I ask the kids if they can wiggle it.  5 pennies can be wiggled for a nickel.

To trade in a dime. Two nickels can be boxed in for a dime.  Also any combination of nickels and pennies equaling a dime can be boxed in. (this is a more advanced step)

Having the children draw a wiggle line or a box (visual) along with giving them a “gimmick” to remember works well.  This is tough ….so stick with it.  A little bit each day helps too.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year

As you hum the song in your head let’s think back over the past very busy month.

November brought our class a first look into character study in our Reading Workshops.  We learned how to identify character’s inside and outside characteristics.  In mathematics it brought the beginning of our addition and subtraction along with patterns and a closer look at the hundreds chart and all the patterns found within.

November also has brought one of our most challenging writing units thus far.  Realistic fiction. At this age, children like to write about themselves and their experiences; and trying to get them to write about someone else it tough at times.  We are taking this unit slow and will continue to delve down deeper into it over this next coming month too.

In science, the solar system has brought lively conservation into the classroom.  We are becoming quite the little astronomers and science buffs about our planets.  On Tuesday we will visit Star Lab to sit under the inflatable planetarium and learn more about our constellations.

Thanksgiving was extra hands-on this year with the learning of the Mayflower.  We actually have two direct descendants of the Pilgrims that traveled on the Mayflower. Evan L. and J.T. are many generations removed but their ties lead directly back to two men that sailed on the ship.  The students and I thought that was really cool.

As you can tell November was a busy month…. Things to look forward to in the month of December….

Santa gets stuck in a chimney, All iwant for Christmas lists, gingerbread making and decorating, and much , much more.

So much to learn in so little time…….

In class this week we have focused on Thanksgiving and the how it all began. We have been reading a book called If you sailed on the Mayflower in 1620.  This book spurred great discussions about the difference between now and then.  Also what we would bring on the Mayflower if we were one of the special Pilgrims.  Did you know there were 102 pilgrims plus 33 sailors?  There was even a baby born on the voyage! His name was Oceanus remind your child of the name. If they can come back to school on Monday and tell me the name of the child born on the ship they will get a surprise.

This story has led to many great realistic fiction stories the children have been writing.  We have imagined ourselves as a passenger on the ship.  We have thought about how the Native Americans felt and thought when the Mayflower came to shore, and what it must have been like to build everything from the ground up.

In math we have been working on improving our math fluency.  We are working on math fact families and patterns within the 120s chart.

In Science we are learning a song about the planets.  We are learning solar system facts daily.

So much to do and learn in a half day schedule. We are busy, busy, busy.  I look forward to meeting each one of you at conference time.  I also thank those of you I have met already during conferences.

Since next week will be a short week there will be no blog post. Have a great Thanksgiving.

A Week of Clean up

What a week. This has been a busy week.  We made up some lost time with Thursday and Friday and to be honest with you… it was good.

 

Here is what has been happening in class:

We finished up on our Units in reading and writing.  Letters and work samples went home describing what we had worked on in the month of October.  Also our story sticks went home.  We used these sticks in class to help retell our stories we read from our seat sacks.  They are visual reminders to recall: setting; characters, problem, 3 details from the beginning, middle and end of the story, and how the problem was resolved.  Please use this when read to/with your child at home.  This also aids in increasing their reading comprehension.

In the next two months we are going to work on Character study in Reading and Realistic Fiction in writing.

We completed our A-Z handwriting morning work booklet.  You can tell from the beginning of the book to the end how your child’s handwriting has become stronger and neater.

We are beginning a new unit in Math.  We are going to start focusing on patterns in numbers (odd, even, skip counting with 2,5, 10, etc.) and noticing patterns all around us in our environment. Also I will be sending home a game called Shake and take.  This game is to help with your child’s math fluency (aka math facts).  In first grade, the new Common Core Standards stresses first grade students know their math facts from 0-20 in addition and subtraction.  We will start small and every couple of weeks I will send home more cards to add to the game to play at home.

Our class is going to outer space this month too.  At the end of our month we are going to partner up with Mrs. Hoffman’s class for a Planet Day celebration.  Also our class will go under the stars in our Star Lab when it visits our school.

Did you know…. We can get 2 cents for each and every candy wrapper you turn into Terracycle.  It does not matter the size of candy wrapper.  So when you are done eating all your Halloween candy… send the empty wrappers in to me.. all the money raised goes to the Lumberton PTA.

Stay Safe.....

Just a very quick post this week...

Pumpkin Character book reports due on Oct. 30th
Halloween Parade on Oct. 31st at 1:30 p.m.

Please stay safe over the next couple of days... this weather looks to be rather nasty.  Play games with your children, read books, practice math facts, and enjoy each other's company.

Veterans Day is coming up.... If you have a family member that is currently serving or served in the past for our country please let me know so the class can do something special to honor him/her on that day.  Please include: name and branch of their service (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard)

Time flies….

This week flew by.  One moment it was Monday and we were learning about how to write stories about something special and the next moment, it is Friday afternoon, and we are playing a football math game with Miss Gizelbach’s class.  Where did all the time go?

The class is all a buzz about their pumpkin character book report.  They sound wonderful.  I cannot wait to see what you have been doing at home. They are due in class on Tuesday, October 30^th.  Please make sure that your child can carry the pumpkin into school by themselves.

Parent Teacher Conference slips went home today.  Please mark off your first and second choice as to when you would like to meet with me and send them back to school.

Beginning, Middle, End

This is what happened in the beginning of the week.  The students learned about chunky monkey.  Chunky monkey is a strategy to try to find words within words to help us read.  We tried each day as we read to find words within words.  By the end of the week, most students were able to find even the smallest of words within words.  It was quite exciting to see their development rapidly progress.

In the middle of the week, we learned about complements of 10 in math.  For example 1+9=10, 7+3=10, 2+8=10, etc.  First we used beads on a pipe cleaner and physically moved the beads from one side to another to make the math sentences.  Next we tried to do the same using a ten frame and two sided counters.  At the end,  we made “SUM” tree-mendous trees that had only math sentences with the sum of 10.

At the end of the week we finished up our 3^rd book of Junie B. Jones.  I love reading Junie B. Jones books to the class.  Although she is not always  a great role model, she does have a lesson or two to learn in her books.  When I read  the books aloud, I get into the character of Junie B.  My voice even changes, ask your child.  Also I stop  at certain parts to stress right and wrong and I have the class problem solve with me how we could change the action into a positive one.  Also, I do not read all of the "unkind and ugly" words in the book. I do not feel it is always necessary…. So as I read, I skip any words I feel really do not need to be said in the classroom.  I call them "ugly and unkind" words.  You can do that too with your child. 

In writing, we learned about writing personal narratives with a beginning, middle, and end.  This is a tough process but one that needs to be taught at an early age.  By showing them step by step our story writings has gone from 2-3 sentences to over 5-6 sentences each time.  I know with more practice we will be writing pages upon pages in the near future.

Word Study--- this should be thought of a fun way to play with words and word patterns.  I love seeing your child’s creativity come alive with the painting and play dough.  I want the students to know that learning is fun and does not always need to be a pencil and paper like it was when we went to school.  Please make sure your child plays with the word patterns each week.  Make it fun.

A Week of Respect

Thisis a week of respect in our school.  On Thursday we had Magie Mcgee and the Good Character Bandwagon come to our school and present different ways how one can show respect in our family, community, school, and to our classmates.  The actors came from the Surflight Theater on Long Beach Island.  It was perfect for the students and made the abstract concrete.  In addition, Ms. Black came into our class to talk to us about respect. 

In reading we have been word detectives.  Using our just right books, each child has been trying out their new skills: Eagle Eye and Stretchy Snake.  Although they heard of these terms used in Kindergarten, now we start putting them into practice.  Eagle Eye helps the child while reading when they come to a difficult word by reminding them to look at the picture to help figure out the word.  Stretchy Snake reminds them to stretch out the sounds of the word one letter at a time to try to figure out the word.

In writing we have begun writing personal narratives. We realized that each one of us has a writer inside and if we use our binoculars we can pay close attention to our lives and collect our stories.  Sometimes it might take some reminding of those stories, so we have learned how to quickly sketch out ideas on a paper to hold our thoughts.  We called that what ideas writers think about.  We will keep this in our writing folder to help us when we have “writer’s block.”

This week we also learned about why we have the day off on Monday and the importance of his travels.

Enjoy your long weekend.  Don’t forget to keep practicing your CVC words (consonant, vowel, consonant) words.  Just because we do on to a new vowel pattern each week does not mean that we have forgotten them.  We are always reviewing them at class.  Feel free to review them at home.

Apples, Apples, Apples

This week‘s  theme has been apples in honor of Johnny Appleseed’s birthday.  We have graphed them, tasted them, counted them, and even tried to sink and floated them. Thanks to our two moms who came in to help with our apple rotations today.  This afternoon we met with Mrs. Hoffman’s class to do an apple tasting.  It was fun to see our friends for another class.

Unit 1 is finished in both our Reader’s Workshop and Writer’s Workshop.  All writing samples for this month have been sent home.  Take a few minutes to see how your child has grown as a writer already in the first month of school.  You will see improved handwriting, more detailed pictures and also more writing.  Congratulate your child on a job well done.  Ask them to read to you their favorite one.  You may keep their writing.

In Reader’s Workshop we also learned how to read using whisper phones.  These phones help keep our reading voices in check while we read our “just right books.”

Next week we will be finishing up Chapter 1 in math.  This week’s focus has been on calendars, days of the week, temperature and working in small groups. 

This morning your child also took part in an assembly conducted by Ms. Black.  Ask your child, “Are you a bucket filler?” or “a Bucket dumper?”.  Let them explain what it means.

Congrats to our September Reading Challenge students.  I will be eating lunch with them on Monday in the cafeteria to celebrate their accomplishment.  October’s reading challenge paper will be sent home on Monday.

Did you know our trash gets us cash?  We get 2 cents for each item we recycle:

We are collecting the following items:

 Frito-Lay Chip bags:  Fritos, Lays, Doritos, Cheetos, and Sun Chips

  Capri- Sun Juice pouches

 Candy Wrappers: Skittles, Starbursts, M&Ms, Twix, Snickers

 Scotch Tape: Clear Dispensers and cores

Dairy Tub Brigade: all cream cheese tubs and lids, all sour cream tubs and lids, all cheese tubs and lids, all yogurt tubs and lids, all butter tubs and lids, all margarine tubs and lids, any other dairy product tub, foil tops, plastic tub tops, any other type of packaging on all dairy tubs.

Cleaner Packaging Brigade: all pumps, triggers, pouches, and flexible cleaner product packaging

 

Important Dates:

Reflections Art Contest starts on Monday, Oct. 1st

Scholastic book orders due Friday. Oct. 5^th

Half Day on Friday, Oct. 5th

An exciting week

Boy was there excitement in school today.  Our fire alarms sounded due to a faulty alarm sensor. The class was fantastic.  We exited the building quickly and quietly.  The Lumberton Fire Department came along with Lumberton Police.    The alarm company has been notified and this problem will be fixed. We all enjoyed the beautiful blue skies and warm weather but cheered when the firefighters came out and gave us the all clear sign for us to go back in and LEARN!!!

Thank you for all the parents who attended Back to School Night.  I enjoyed meeting each and every one of you.  I hope you found the night informative.  If you have not signed up for “Packed with Stuff about Me” (a.k.a. your child’s family week), let me know and I can assign you a date.

During our Reading Workshops this week, we focused on working with our reading partners.  We learned how to listen and take turns, where to meet on the “field,” how to read shoulder to shoulder with each other, and the importance of keeping order during our Readers’ Workshop.  We read The Day that Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash to understand the difference between order and chaos.

In Writer’s Workshop, the students are working hard on stretching out sounds and trying our best.  We also have added words to our word wall and the students are now using the word wall as another tool for our Writer’s Workshop.  It is great to see their learning come to life.  I live for those “ah-ha” moments in teaching.  Today we explored extending our writing.  We used a small moments writing we wrote earlier this week and added more details and feelings to it.

Math is so much fun.  We played Top-it in class.  This is a great activity for comparing numbers.  When it was time to move to another activity the children all moaned and said they wanted more time.  Some even said they did not even know they were doing math.  That’s a good thing.  I tell the class that I am always sneaking math in everything, because just like reading, MATH is everywhere!!!!

Things to Remember:

If your child is not able to tie their own shoes, please practice at home.  This is a skill that should be mastered this year.

Next week we will be learning about apples and Johnny Appleseed.

No school on Wednesday, due to Yom Kippur.

First Week of School

Well we have made it through a full week of school.  It has been full of new experiences and procedures. We have had 2 fire drills, 1 safety drill, learned how to get lunches in the lunch line and visited all of our special area classes. 

 In class we have learned about Gimme 5 during Reading Workshop.  This secret code reminds the students to have eyes on the speaker, hands to yourself and free, listening ears, quiet mouths, and still bodies.  I am also working on reading individually with each of your children to get them their "just right" reading level books. 

In Math we are working on reviewing some Kindergarten skills including tally marks, counting by 1 and 5s, and number writing and formations. I have also started the 100 Club.  This is a “club” that all children participate in.  They write their numbers from 0-100 in order in a book.  I am looking for correct sequence and number formation. This is great practice.  If the student can correctly write their numbers their name goes on a star and placed on the 100 Club cabinets.  Students work on this while waiting for the rest of the class to finish a task.

In Writer’s Workshop we are working on stretching out the sounds of words and writing them down.  In addition we are making sure that our pictures match the words and stories we are writing about.

Has your child come home talking about keeping their “colors”?  “Colors” are what I refer to as part of our behavior plan.  We want to stay “In the Green”.  That means we are having a good day.  If I need to speak to your child about their behavior, they lose a color (yellow).  They need to write their name in the book and hand in their color.  If I need to speak to them again, in the same day, then they lose their Red.  If a red is taken away, a note/email will be set home to you about their behavior. All “colors” are returned to your child the following day and they start new.

Things to remember:

Back to School Night…  Come in and check out what we have been doing. Wednesday, Sept. 19^th at 7PM

Scholastic Book Orders are due Sept. 25^th       You may order on-line.  Class Activation code: H4VGC

If you are sending in money for lunch, please have it in an envelope with your child’s name on it.

Don’t forget….. We eat a small snack daily in our class.  Don’t forget to send in a small snack.

Welcome to Dr. Mueller's Blog

This is the first of its kind for me.  I will be blogging to you about what is happening in Room 10.  This is for classroom use only and I will use this to tell you about our weekly happenings in school. Please enter your email on the right side of this page and follow our blog.  That way you will keep up to date on all of our adventures in class.  I hope you enjoy.