Catch a Fly and Put it in your Pocket

We are writing EVERY day.  Topic retrieval is a challenge for many.
You could really help by talking over possible topics at breakfast (or dinner the night before).
Why the "flies and pockets" you say?
Well, we talk at our morning meeting about getting ideas from one another.
For example, if someone shares about sledding, it makes you think of a time you went sledding...
Ideas are like flies buzzing about and we are frogs.  We snatch one out of the air and go with it.
Thanks!

Just Another Thing...

Click HERE to follow our class on Twitter.

Catching Up

Here are a few things we've been up to...in room 4...

1.  We've started documenting our READING Homework.  Students are responsible for choosing a book from their book box or our library to share with you each night.  Thanks for taking the time to listen and read with your child.  Time spent IN books is the single most predictor for successful readers.

2.  I'm in the middle of gathering Universal Screening data for midyear.  I am doing DIBELS testing and DRA2 on each child.  The deadline is this Friday, so starting next week, we'll be back to our old reading group/partner routine.

3.  If you have empty PAPER TOWEL tubes, we would love them to keep our math scrolls from getting squished.  Please send them in.

4.  Some topics we've talked about during our Reading Workshop lately...
     -  Getting our partners to SAY ALOT about books to increase understanding.
     -  Listening and Reading with "Wide Awake Minds"
     -  Ways to talk about books with partners (reactions on post-its, pop quiz, character thoughts, retell)

5.  Happy Shoveling?  (is there such a thing?)

The Great Picture Rescue

I've rescued a handful of photos from my camera.
Here are some from our trip to Old Fort Western in November!

Our group is learning about pinching the sugar. (I think)

ND and LS wash and rinse the dishes.

BK is toasting bread on the open fire.

Sharing Books

After snack each day, the children LOVE to share books from our "Books We Have Read" shelf.  They are so engaged!  And they love reliving the stories.

Salmon Science

We had the pleasure of having our first Mystery Reader.  Mr. Keleher read a facts & information book about Salmon and brought in an Atlantic Salmon (male) for us to see and"explore."  At first, we looked... Then we were told we could TOUCH it!  It was a joy for me to see how different students approached this sensory task.  So, if your kids came home smelly fishy on Friday, that's why.  Thank you Mr. Keleher.

Mrs. Toggle Books

We have been enjoying a few Mrs. Toggle books.  It's almost like she's at Williams-Cone School, because she miraculously turns into Mrs. Greenleaf and our whole class became characters in this book.  Ask your child which one they liked the best...
Mrs. Toggle's Zipper
Mrs. Toggle's Beautiful Blue Shoe
or
Mrs. Toggle and the Dinosaur.