Like usual, after Independent Literacy Time and Morning Meeting, we had Reader's Workshop. Today we talked about a reading strategy that the kids can use as they are reading - looking for a pattern in the book. For instance, they can look for sentences, phrases, or words that are repeated throughout the book to help them read more easily. We also spent some more time talking about genre, and the kids picked their favorite genre out of several, and then talked abut why they chose that genre. We also had reading time, of course - and I had a nice chance to have reading conferences with several of the kids.
After reading, it was on to Writer's Workshop. Today I taught the kids about "Fixing and Fancying" their writing - ask them about the clothes I put on to demonstrate - I actually got a round of spontaneous applause!! When they went off to write, their job was to add to their stories by fixing and fancying - adding details and words. We also practiced how our Writer's Celebration (planned for Friday) will go. [The celebration is low-key, since we're just getting started - only an intimate gathering of first graders and one teacher. They will get progressively bigger and more public as the year goes on.] The end-of-workshop share today was for each writer to share the greatest single word that they wrote in their story. As you can imagine, there were some really, really interesting words!
After writing, we were off to lunch and recess, and then back up to our room for Read Aloud. We read chapters 2 and 3 of The Wind in the Willows (as we left off, our friend Mole is in trouble in the Wild Wood...). After chapter 3, we ambled down the hall to the Media Center for class with Mrs. Hennen.
When we got back from Media, we had Math Workshop, in which we worked more in number bonds, trying to figure out a missing addend in an addition problem (i.e. If we have 7 apples altogether, and 5 of them are green, how many are red?). We wrapped up with special attention to problems with a sum of 10, since this is the foundation of much of the math that we will be doing for the rest of the year.
After math, we had Social Studies. The theme of this unit is Cooperation, so today the kids did an activity in which they had to work in partners to draw a picture - the catch was, though, that they had to both have their hands on the pencil, each have an idea of what to draw, but not talk to each other at all. After that, the same partners drew another picture, but this time they talked beforehand and agreed what they would draw. We had a nice discussion afterward about how this cooperation and conversation is something that we can do all day long, and that will make our classroom a much nicer place to be.
At the end of the day, we went outside for the last 10 minutes - it is a gorgeous day!
