Stories, Stories, So Many Parts

In our 2nd Case Study, we are learned all about the parts of a story.  We firmly believe that readers aren't just people who can read the words, but rather people who read the words, talk about the story and think about what is happening.  Our first step has been to practice retelling.  We have worked hard to learn all about characters, setting, problem/solution and beginning, middle and end.  

Students have collaborated in small groups to read a text over several days and describe each of the story elements in a note catcher.  After a week of becoming familiar with the books and all the story elements, students embarked on the journey of story acting.

Students collaborated in small groups to practice parts and design costumes.  Each group presented to the class.  

What an exciting way to teach others about our stories and a fun way to remember what we read!

Field Day

We enjoyed our Star Wars themed field day put on by our fabulous P.E. teacher, Mr. B.  We had fun while getting plenty of exercise.

Students collaborated together to complete various Star Wars missions.

What a great day of fun and sunshine!

Students showed respect by listening to all the volunteers including our 6th grade crew who helped out for the day.

Problem Solving

As a crew, we are working on solving problems.  We talked about how different kinds of problems require different strategies to solve them.  As Seth Godin says "The only way to get good at solving problems is to solve them."  The Great Thinker is our inspiration to continue to think "How can I solve this?" throughout our day.

We are thinking on how to solve problems with our friends.  We use a protocol of CFRR.

C stands for communication...

"I like it when....."

"I don't like it when...."

F stands for feeling

"It makes me feel....."

R stands for request....

"Please keep doing it"

"Please stop doing that."

R stands for response....

I understand.

I am sorry.

Thank you.

We are also working on problem solving during teaching time so students are not coming to me, but instead looking to solve problems on their own.  When students come to me, I say "I trust you to solve that problem."

In math, we are using strategies to solve addition and subtraction story problems.  Students are using count all or count on/count back.  Students are recounting to check that their equation is accurate.

In reading, we are problem solving during reading by thinking about the story and asking "What makes sense?".  Making meaning during our reading is our top priority.

Prompts for readers:

Look at the picture.

Can the picture help you?

Look at the beginning sound, what makes sense?

Think about the story, what makes sense?

I hope these strategies can be useful to you at home.

High Quality Work

We have been working for the past 3 weeks on persevering to create a high quality self portrait.  The purpose of this hard work is for students to understand what perseverance means and the multiple steps we can go through to improve.

Our first step was to attempt a first draft with no instruction or guidance.  Students noticed and reflected that they were done quickly and not much thought was put into the drawing.

Next, we introduced an expert through an online YouTube video.  This art teacher modeled the whole process and gave specific instructions on what to do for certain body parts.

For our second draft, students went very slow and concentrated on one body part while sitting next to his/her learning partner.  After the body part was drawn, students had the opportunity to get feedback from his/her peer.  After several days of drawing slowly, students came up with a criteria list for feedback.


Using this criteria list, students met with their YO (younger and older) buddy from Ms. Lindsey's 4th grade crew.  Each student got to analyze his/her 2nd draft and get feedback on how he/she could improve.

Students then had the opportunity to revise their portrait from this specific feedback.

Students traced their self portrait onto final draft, high quality card stock.  We persevered by coloring slowly and working on only a couple of body parts a day.  We discussed contrasting colors when we chose our background color.  

We celebrated our hard work with an art gallery walk with our YO Buddies.  The pair of students had the opportunity to walk around and notice each first grader's hard work while sipping a little bubbly...Sprite.

Students gained an understanding of working hard, listening closely to feedback and self reflecting through a rubric based on our criteria list.

Learning Targets:
I can persevere to draw a high quality self portrait.
I can give kind, specific, helpful feedback using "I notice" and "I wonder".
I can reflect on my self portrait using a checklist.
I can persevere to color a high quality self portrait.
I can reflect on my self portrait.

Ms. Sara Crew

We are crew, not passengers.  ~EL Education 

We are learning all about what it means to be crew.  The foundation of our crew is the Fox Creek Habits of Character.

 We are contributing to our classroom by keeping it clean and organized.  We have begun to discuss strategies in all academic areas and are posting them on our crew walls to remind us of our thinking.

Each crew member is special and unique.  That is why our yellow tie dye shirts all look different.  We have been reflecting on how we can each help our crew.  We have begun the discussions of compassion and how we can be kind to each other.

Students enjoyed the opportunity to make their own shirts with the help of our family volunteers.  Students were respectful and waited their turn as each friend got a turn to dye their own shirt. What a special day!

  

We have been singing songs and learning all about each other each day in crew.  Students are collaborating in small groups and a variety of partnerships.  Students are having courage to lead their crew mates through math lessons, reading discussions, share time at writing and reading aloud during snack time.  

Questions to ask:

How are you contributing to your crew?

What are special ways your crew works and/or plays together?

Routines, Rituals and Rhythms

Play is the highest form of research ~Albert Einstein

Young children learn through play.  We are learning how to collaborate, how to take care of our environment and communicate our needs.

We are excited after a couple of weeks of school and all that we are learning.  Students have been practicing routines and feeling out the rhythm of our daily adventure.

 
In math, students have been using different math tools to build, add and explore.   

      

In reading, students have been working on independently reading in their book bags.  We have discussed that readers read the pictures, sounds and words.

   

This week, we collaborated to create our crew norms.  Students shared what they needed and how we can be successful learners.

Please review these norms with your child.  

Questions to ask:

What norm do you think will be easy for you?  Why?

What norm do you think will be hard for you?  Why?

Welcome!

Welcome to first grade! I am beyond thrilled to be getting a new crew.  

The classroom is ready, but looks awfully bare without the help of my new crew.  I look forward to my new 26 first graders helping make this classroom feel like their home.

This will be an exciting year filled with lots of learning, thinking, play and joy! 

 I can't wait to meet you all on Wednesday, August 9 from 3-4 pm.