Writers Workshop

We have begun a new writing program along with all other Mohonasen Elementary classrooms from Kindergarten through Fifth grade.  This common core writing workshop curriculum was designed by Lucy Calkins with help from the Teachers College at Columbia University. 

Our class is currently working on personal narrative, or "small moment" stories.  The children are learning how to tell a story with a beginning, middle and end and then how to write and revise their stories. 

Each writers workshop consists of a 10 minute "mini lessons" followed by a 40 minute period of student writing, with some teacher and peer conferencing.  The kids are learning that their lives are full of stories to tell and then planning, writing and revising these stories with the help from me and a "writing buddy". Each writers workshop ends with an opportunity to share some of the students writing.

Here are a few photos of us working with our writing buddies to revise our stories- 

Writing Buddies

Sharing each other stories

Asking questions

Who, what, where, why, how?

Writing, then revising

listening carefully to one another

because "when we're done we've just begun"!

A few students showing the class that they can read their stories like they read books.

Loving the loop

We have easily taken over where we left off last year!  The kids have been both productive and happy.  They are working very hard and I am super proud of them!

Roll & Write a sight word - Daily 5

Guided Reading - Daily 5

Computer Center - Daily 5

More Word Work

-an enthusiastic reader!

and more readers

Authors in training at the writing center

We have begun a weather unit with Mrs. Lynch in Science Lab.  We are learning how to chart and measure the weather.  The kids absolutely love it!

Science Lab - learning to read a thermometer with Mrs. Lynch

We have added a new routine called "Fun Friday". This is a time to reward all of our first graders hard work with a fun activity to end off our week. Parents are welcome to come in after lunch and offer a craft, a game or be a "mystery reader".  Let me know if you want me to put you on the schedule.

"Fun Friday" with Mrs. Harmon 

Making Halloween themed Sensory Bags

Spooky gooey fun!

"Coloring Club" at recess

I love this group!

The First Day of First Grade

I have never accomplished so much on the first day of school!  The kids were absolutely wonderful.  Here is the word web we constructed at the end of the day that lists the many marvelous things we did together-

Then the kids got busy writing and illustrating...

We were able to get outside twice today, for recess and quiet time.

We made a first grade class quilt to display in the hallway.  What a nice looking group!

I cant wait to see those beautiful faces again tomorrow.

Love for Mrs. Devito

Did you know that Bradt School has its own superhero?  Her name is Mrs. Devito and she is one of our PE teachers. She is currently away from her home and family for the third time as she serves our country in the Air National Guard.  She is a bright light in a dim world.  Here is a virtual love letter we created for her to thank her for her service.  We made the cards just after Memorial Day and are sending the finished project off on Flag Day!  Mrs. Devito makes us proud to be an American.

Reading Strategies

We are coming into the long stretch!  It is hard to believe that just 8 months ago my students were barely reading and writing.  They have made amazing progress throughout the school year.  They are learning to read increasingly difficult books, or emerging reader texts.  These books are less predictable, have fewer pictures and more words on a page. I have been teaching them what to do when they come to a difficult word while reading.  Here is a copy of the reading strategies book mark that each child has in their reading basket.

And here is a video of our class working with some of these strategies.  I hope that this will be helpful for you as you continue to read emergent books with your child!  

Writing and Reading fiction and nonfiction texts

My goodness, have we been busy!  We have gone from a study of the alphabet, to journal writing, to book writing! All the while, the kids are reading both fiction and non fiction books with purpose and understanding.

The class embarked on a study of fairy tales last month in order to better understand the elements of stories: characters, setting and plot (with a conflict and resolution). At the end of our unit we wrote a class fairy tale with all of those story elements.  Each K kid took a copy home in their folder before spring break.  We also created a screen cast of our fairy tale.  Here it is!

We have also been super busy learning about the differences between living and non living things.  We now know that living things are plants, animals or people that need food, water, air and a place to grow.  After reading several books about both living and non living things, the kids created their own books.  Here is a short video showing one of our expert authors sharing his book with his classmates as they help him to make his good book even better in a peer writing conference.

And please stay tuned for our next series of books on animal habitats!  These books will be featured in our upcoming "Spring into Learning" Walk Through on May 5th. Here are a few photos of our young authors hard at work.

There is some major & magnificent blooming occurring!

Saint Patrick's Day Fun

Here is a short video of the class coming into school on St Patrick's Day.  Many years ago around the beginning of March one of my first grade student's asked, "Mrs. Hackett, are we going to celebrate "Leprechaunica"?  And from that moment on, a new term has been both coined and embraced. As you can see, magic abounds at Bradt school!  

Life After Letter Study

We have now completed a study of all 26 letters of the alphabet as well as 30 sight words. This is one of my favorite times in the Kindergarten school year - a time of magic and discovery as I watch my students begin to read and write.  This is the time when the kids begin building with their "abc blocks" to make marvelous creations rich with meaning.

Each student now has a basket of books from our time together in guided reading instruction.  They are reading independently to themselves and one another.  This has been an organic process that is magnificent to witness. They are so very proud of their book baskets and delighted to be able to share stories with one another.  

We have also begun a routine of daily journal writing.  The K kids are learning to write sentences that reflect print conventions of capitalization and punctuation. They are very proud of their ability to express their thoughts in writing and so am I. 

Here are some examples of our writing!  

We have come a long way since September.

The Vowel Song

Learning the vowel sounds is an important skill for learning to read.  We put these sounds to music when we sing "the vowel song".  The K kids have learned that vowels are important because every word has to have a vowel and that they make 2 sounds.  As you watch us sing it for you notice that there is a hand signal that goes with each of the short vowel sounds, making it easier to remember.  If your child gets stuck on a word when you are reading together, encourage her to think about the sounds in the word and then perhaps try both of the vowel sounds if necessary.