3D Community Construction

We have been working really hard to get our 3D community together as of late. It was a lot harder of a project than we thought it was going to be. We collected all of our cardboard boxes from moms and dads and started talking about what a community map would look like. Where would the houses go? Where are the stores, restaurants, post office, police and fire department? 

After we had created the draft of our community map, students found out which building they would be creating for the house. We drew papers from a pencil cup we had in the classroom and had one chance to trade for a different building if we did not like our first one. After finding out what building we were creating, students drew a draft building on scrap paper to prepare for the real project.

From the draft, they were able to pick a box, tape it together, wrap the box in butcher paper, and paint it to look like the building they were creating. We planned on using markers to add in tiny details after the paint had dried. 

If all goes as planned, we will be putting together our 3D map this week and have it up before we leave for Christmas vacation. We have yet to decide if it will be hung in the classroom or in the hall for all to see. What would you do? We will keep you posted with our final outcome during break at some point! 

Daily 5 Break Down

The Daily 5 is composed of five different literacy tasks that will make your students stronger readers and writers. The five tasks are read to self, read to someone, listen to reading, work on writing, and word work. In our class we work to have students read to self and work on writing daily, while listening to reading, reading to someone, and completing word work at least 3 times each week. 

We work on writing everyday during writing workshop block (11-12) while read to self and two other assigned tasks are completed during 20 minute rotations in reading workshop block (1-2:30). Reading workshop also consists of a teacher read aloud, mini lesson, and group closing share. 

While work on writing and read to self are  pretty self explanatory, the other centers took a little bit more practice for the students to get used to. Above is a picture of read to someone. Students take turns reading books to one another. They can read their own personal book choice to a friend, two students can choose to take turns reading the same story, they can read the words out loud together, or they can even mimic one another's reading trying to improve their voice and fluency. 

Listen to reading is the part of the day where students can use a website called Bookflix to listen to and watch stories online. The books are read to them while the computer highlights the words and sometimes even adds animation to the illustrations. If you are interested in using this website at home, http://auth.grolier.com/login/bookflix/login.php, your students should know the username and password already, and if they don't- just let me know and I can send it home to you. 

In word work, students practice their weekly spelling words using a variety of materials. They can make words using play-doh, stamp letters and ink, magnet letters, or they can even type letters on fancy decorated keyboards! Since we have started practicing the word work strategy, students are very excited about all the new materials. They are working independently and are proud to share their hard work with friends and teachers. Keep an eye out for other word work stations that we will be trying through out the year. I have found a variety of activities that will keep spelling new and exciting for your children!

S Mart... Monthly Pod Store

As you may or may not know, the Spruce pod hosts a pod store on the last Friday of every month. Students can do classroom jobs to earn money as well as hand in homework, answer questions correctly, or stay on task and follow directions consistently. 

When they get to pod store, students will find tables of items marked by their price. There are $3, $5, $10, $15, $20, and $25 tables. Students can buy pencils, notebooks, fancy erasers and glue sticks, bags, purses, calendars, and games at the store as well as multiple other interesting items.

Teachers fill the store through shopping trips, and visits to the Share Center in Lewiston/Auburn and Ruth's Reusables in Portland. Any donations you feel might add to our pod store, please feel free to send them in. We are always looking for new items to sell to students who are working hard for those Spruce bucks!

Shoes and Just Right Books

 Our class has been working hard to incorporate the Daily 5 and CAFE programs into our reading workshop schedule. The Daily 5 is a classroom management system that provides students five different literacy tasks to work through, daily if possible, to enhance their learning experience and help them to be better readers and writers. The CAFE literacy program adds on to that management system while also giving teachers and students a list of literacy strategies to practice and perfect over the course of the school year. 

One of the interesting lessons in the Daily 5/CAFE program is a shoe lesson that helps children relate to the process of choosing just right books. The strategy is called I PICK. 

I
Purpose: Why do I want to read?
Interest: Does it interest me?
Comprehend: Do I understand it?
Know: Do I know most of the words?

The shoes help because students  can relate them to each letter in I pick. What is the purpose of each shoe? I will not wear my flip flops in a blizzard, will I? What kinds of things am I interested in? We know I run, I live where there is winter and summer weather, and I have work shoes and dress shoes. Comprehension relates to my shoe in comparison to other people's shoes. For example, I can work in my running shoe- it fits me perfect... I cannot use my husband John's running shoe- it is huge and I would trip and fall a lot. I could not use my student Sierra's running shoe- it is too small and would crunch my toes. At this point, students explain and understand more clearly why knowing the words is also such an important part of choosing a good book as well. 

This lesson worked out amazingly in class, and I plan to continue referring to our shoe research when students struggle looking for just right books at school. I hope by posting this lesson here, parents are able to understand and refer to these strategies at home, the local library, or even bookstores when helping students look for new books. Thank you!!