Visiting Second Grade

Last week we visited Ms. Dorsel's classroom and heard her students' book reports. They used a style called "jackdaw" based on the bird by the same name. This bird collects lots of things and hides them in its nest. Her students collected miscellaneous items that were connected to their story and then shared the book and collections. My students had a fun time listening to excerpts of new books and seeing their projects. I think they are excited and looking forward to next year when they will get to do the same.

Eric Carle Puppet Show

Today, all of the first grade classes at Mary Castle went on a study trip to Clowes Hall. The Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia presented three Eric Carle stories by using music, puppets and black lights. By using the black lights, the puppets seemed real. There were definitely parts that amazed me and made me think, "How did they do that?"

After we returned to back to school, the students got to write about their favorite part of the performance as well as draw a picture that goes along with their writing. We will make a class book with all of the students' work in it.

I will attach a link so you and your child can visit the Mermaid Theatre's website. http://www.mermaidtheatre.ns.ca/

Place Value

We have been studying place value in math workshop. Students practice this concept by playing games, writing about how they solved problems, and discussing their ideas. By explaining their work, the children gain a better understanding of the concepts. Today we made number patterns on a hundreds board and wrote about them in our math journals. Some of the patterns the children created were:

• All of the numbers with a four in the tens place.
• All of the numbers with zero in them.
• All of the even or odd numbers.
• All of the numbers with the same digits in the ones or tens place.

The goal of this unit is to help children construct understanding of the 10's and 1's structure of our number system, and use that understanding when thinking about and working with numbers.

Author Celebration

In Writing Workshop today we had our second Author Celebration. Students have been working hard on writing books about "small moments" in their lives. Our writing program is based on Lucy Caulkins' Primary Units of Study. Students create books and practice writing strategies each day. At the end of a unit we have a "party" and share our work. I am so proud of the great stories I heard today in class.

Look...We've Changed!

What a surprise the students had today as they entered the classroom! Last night I moved some things around and added items to the classroom. This is to reflect the Reggio style of environment that we are embracing as part of our project-based learning. You will notice that I have moved two more of our tables from high to low, making it easy for the children to sit on the floor and work. Our window blinds have been raised for the last few weeks to let more natural sunlight into the classroom. Other supportive elements of the environment include mirrors, natural materials (like wood and fabric) and sensory items. Items placed in these areas are designed to stimulate the children's creativity and curiousity. The students were definately interested in the changes today. They couldn't believe all the neat things that were in store for them. The first three children who entered the room this morning all said "WOW" and then just looked in wonder before asking if they could really use and touch the things on the tables.

"The Reggio Emilia approach considers the school environment to be the "third teacher." Much attention is paid to the look and feel of the classroom. The objective is to create a pleasant atmosphere, where children, families and teachers feel understood and at ease. The environment is seen as a significant element of the education and a reflection of the school's culture over time. The focus on the environment represents the value placed on aesthetics, organization, thoughtfulness, provocation, communication and interaction. " (taken from the Innovative Teacher)

Look at the links on the right side of the blog for more information on the Reggio style of teaching.