Our Books are Finished. Join us Saturday at Barnes and Nobles on US 19 and Sunset Point Road.5/6/2016 Photos this week are of two massive activities. These activities pushed the limits of a 3rd grader's patience and attention. True to form, though, this group of students kept on task and were able to accomplish above and beyond expectations.
The first set of activities tested mathematical knowledge and application of that knowledge in finding area of complex figures. The students worked in pairs and impressed with their grit and determination. The second task was our Writer's Experience books. They worked very hard and with little rest. The results are pretty great. I wish you could have seen it. It was breathtaking. Stella and Oliver taught our class about respect. The class gave them full attention and the two budding teachers captured their classmates imaginations and cooperation for an entire hour!
Since the first of the year, teachers in the Lower School have worked to identify behavioral characteristics we desire to develop in our SPS students. We listed traits one meeting. We offered examples of how we identify students exhibiting one of the desired traits. Finally, we listed examples of when students were failing to exhibit a desired trait. We filled in a description for the phrase, "When a student is failing to exhibit respect, it looks like this..." In thinking about how to communicate the desired traits to our students we hoped to offer concrete examples of what the desired trait looks like and what its absence looks like. In thinking about examples we realised we had students in our classes that were extraordinary individuals who always demonstrated the desired attitudes and behaviors and that with guidance, they could help convey the desirability of these behaviors to their classmates. Ms. Kern volunteered to lead a group of students from each grade level from 1st grade through 5th grade. Each classroom sent two representatives. 3A sent Stella and Oliver. They spent several weeks of Wednesday lunches learning to teach a lesson and organize activities. The big day was this week. Stella and Oliver felt prepared and I had set aside 20-30 minutes for their lesson. They grabbed their audience immediately and kept the lesson rolling with a variety of activities, including sharing a book which offered an opportunity to consider the character's behavior in terms of respect. Students were led through role playing, discussions, and finally to a conclusion. I stayed back and watched. Ms. Kern had them well prepared and the two of them were in charge and engaging. After five minutes of watching the students react to Stella and Oliver, I dashed out of the room, grabbed Ms. Kern, and brought her back to our classroom to show her how magnificently the class was engaged, and how masterly Oliver and Stella led the activities. It exceeded our most optimistic vision of how this would work. The 20 minutes rolled into an hour; and hour that seemed to fly by. I have never felt more proud of my students. They made their teachers' dreams come true. The 3A kids have been talking about courtesy and how courtesy is a gift you give to others that costs you nothing but effort and a certain selflessness. Courteous people respect others and are so sure of themselves and settled in their affect, that they can offer help and use manners in conversation and in their day-to-day actions and interactions. Courtesy is a sign of intelligence, elegance, and sophistication. They have responded well to our discussion and I have set aside a space on our whiteboard to record instances in which I have noticed a student behaving in a courteous manner. We are studying a math unit featuring geometry, charts and data, and measurement. Today the class were tasked with determining the length of the Lower School Building's central hallway. Once they had that measurement, they had to determine the midpoint, and once having the midpoint, they had to determine if the building was symmetrical or not. Ask your student the outcome. Students are reading three different books, a paired read, a class read, and an individual read. All three books are very different in tone and in content and it will require a good deal of focus to keep the stories straight. All three books are providing a high level of engagement for the readers. The RJ's the students are offering are growing in complexity by the day. They are spending time with excellent pieces, revising them into superior pieces. The class spent time listening to one another's writing and offering advice and praise. They are becoming reliable editors. As they work on their stories for Writer's Experience, the skill and discernment they bring to revision and editing will make a strong difference in the final product. Whispers of sun Lit up the grass, Shining on sticks It shaded like brass. Tawny pebbles Skipped along soil. Upon the stiff trees A layer of foil Capturing beauty In this thick glade. But the beauty is grown, Of course, Not made. Spring flows all over It has finally sprung. This is where Little critters Are allowed To be young. Cobwebs glisten In cracks of wood. Flowers a blooming, Just as they should. But before I get up From this relaxing shade, I’d like to tell you, I love this glade. -Delaney Kelly Pencils swiftly flew
Across papers, While other people Thought about bakers. It was Writer’s Workshop With chatter all around. There was definitely A lot of sound. Kids wrote about stuff, But for others it was tough. My story is about Stuffed animals Coming to life, While other’s stories Might involve a knife! Writer’s Workshop was ending, And a couple of kids’ stories Were sending, For Mr. Crisler To revise them. ---Stella Ritter We have finished our math unit with assessments and had terrific results. The students have become original, creative, and flexible problem solving, coming to solutions from varying starting points and enjoying the results. We will begin a unit of geometry and area on Monday.
The boys have begun playing soccer at recess and on Wednesday, when I left campus, Ronak Pestana subbed in as referee and he was hailed as fair and knowledgeable. We are hard at work creating our stories for the Reader's Experience books. This will be a long term project which will result in a self-written, self-illustrated, hardback book. The writers are excited. Many visitors to the Wildlife Park in Homosassa Springs were complimentary of our students' behavior, interest, and engagement. I felt pretty proud to be a teacher of such cordial students. We are working on courtesies in our class, trying to increase instances of courtesy by recognizing when they occur and listing them on the board. I'm impressed with their eagerness to recognize each other at their best. Our nonfiction writing and reading units have led to a confluence of purposes. Our students are reading, taking notes, and synthesizing the information from a biography about a famous person. They will, in turn, write a report about their person. The model includes five sections for the students to include in their report. The process utilizes the boxes and bullets technique Dr. Castleman introduced to the third grade at the end of last week and expands upon it to specifically fit a biography.
Students are enjoying learning about their individuals and imagining their eventful lives. Most have taken far too many notes and are discovering how difficult it can be to pare (make sure to study spelling words!) the extra notes and increase the focus within each paragraph. I remind you that I will be away this Friday and the following Monday on family business. As I have spent my years in the Southeast, and this trip could very well involve snow and driving in snow, please keep your fingers crossed. Here are some photos of our famous folks upheld by some folks you may know. Out of all the toys in the National Toy Hall of Fame, I like Candyland the best. It is a really fun game. You get to play with your family. They make it cool because they make characters out of candy. It's not just for kids. You can play with anyone. I love the great competition. Candyland is so fun. Bryson
The blanket is the original item that a person sleeps with. It's listed as a classic toy in the hall of fame. But number one, it is not a toy. Number two, it is not a toy. Number three, it is not classic. Number four, it is nowhere near being a classic toy. Number five, it is good for SLEEPING and nothing else. Ronak My favorite toy is the ball because without a ball, how are we supposed to play football or soccer? Without a ball, how are we going to play catch with your family or friends? Not many sports can be played without a ball. So, thank you, whoever made the ball. Nick Crayons are used to draw, color, sketch, write and create. You can use imaginary monsters, animals, and even just they sky! You can push hard to make it dark, or push soft to make it light. You may shade the colors light and dark to make them pretty. Yellow, pink, green, blue, and purple...so many colors you can use! You color in the lines if you like, or just make things up, create some things and don't worry. Take your time. This is why I think crayons deserve to be in the hall of fame. Natalie The Lego is a great toy for kids. The Lego allows kids to explore and build. Even a baby can get in on the fun. There are many types of Legos; big to small, wide to skinny. I am Ava, a third-grade kid and I have many years of experiences with Legos. I have many sets, big to small, boy and girl sets. Children can make houses, forests, people, and even made-up things. Children can explore and build their own world! Their favorite book, video game, or person can be made from Legos! This is why the Lego is in the toy hall of fame. Ava I think sticks have so much potential. Sticks bring a kid's imagination back to life. Sticks could be the next big thing! They could be swords, forts, canes, tightropes, balance beams, or just a stick! Sticks are still probably the oldest toy, but I would definitely vote sticks the best toy ever made by nature! Sticks bring the fun back outside! Sticks make pencils, houses, wood! Wood makes a lot of stuff, so sticks make a lot of stuff. Sticks should be the best toy ever! Arianna If you didn't know, there is a National Toy Hall of Fame. There are fifty-nine toys in the hall of fame. But, only one toy can be the best. It starts with a c and ends with an ardboard box. Yeah, you got it, it's a Barbie Doll! No, I'm kidding it's a cardboard box. I think it is a great family friend activity all folded up into this brown rectangular box. First off, you can make it into anything; a hideout, a boxer, a car, a ship...anything! Rage fills me when I see parents toss their cardboard boxes out back. So, if you have any cardboard boxes give them to your kids and if you don't have kids, give them to the kids of the neighborhood! But if you're a kid, just don't throw it out! Please, just understand that you can do hundreds of projects with just...1...box! Delaney Out of all fifty-nine toys in the National Toys Hall of Fame, I think Lego is the best toy. I think they're the best toy. I think they're the best toy because they teach you how to build, if you want to be a construction worker when you grow up. You can build almost everything! You can destroy it and build something else. That is why I think Legos are the best. What do you like in the National Toy Hall of Fame? Ryan Out of all the toys in the hall of fame, I think that Legos are the best. Here is why. Legos are a great way to help kids get creative and is a very fun way to build. You can use instructions to help you build or you could use your imagination. With this amazing way to build you can build things from flying ships to pet groomers. You can even take them apart and do them again. That is why Legos are best toys in the hall of fame. Taylor Out of the fifty-nine toys in the National Toy Hall of Fame, my suggestion is Legos. They are good to play with because they teach you how to build. If you become an architect that would be a good start on how to build buildings. You can build lots of things with Legos. You can play Legos with your friends and fight. Some Legos have motors that can move. And some Legos have three Legos sets in one. You can build one, then destroy it, and build another Lego. If you build a boat you can bring it in the bath. Because you can do so many things with Legos, that's why it's in the Hall of Fame. Niko Silly Putty is the best toy because you can stretch it out and can even make fart noises. It is like slime. You can make little Frisbees. You can make almost anything you want, even copy cartoons! Silly Putty is easily the best toy in the National Toy Hall of Fame. P.S. Whenever I try to buy some, my mom says no! Oliver Out of all the fifty-nine toys in the National Toy Hall of Fame, my favorite is the Lego. The Lego teaches kids building skills. It is also fun. It makes kids creative. Sloan Working on area/perimeter/graphing. More Health came to talk with us about Skin Cancer and how to be Sun smart. |