Digging deeper into learning!
As we continued our number sense unit in math, we explored different ways to add and subtract with regrouping. A big part of math is not just being able to do the computations, but to understand the concepts behind them as well.
For example, it’s great if you can add 102 + 49 = 151 but if you don’t understand why there is a 5 in the tens place, then there is a need for more time with the concept. To get to this conceptual understanding, we have introduced many methods: base ten cubes, drawing it out, hundred boards, number lines, using the Montessori Stamp Game, and breaking up & recombining numbers. There are many ways to reach the same answer and we offer a wide selection of methods for kids to begin to see the different facets of problem solving as well as showing the concrete and abstract concepts of adding and subtracting with regrouping.
Our readers dug deeper into what it means to be an “active reader”. We chatted about how readers’ minds are constantly thinking about characters, asking questions, visualizing what they’re reading and making movies in their minds, and making connections to the text.
Making connections is an essential part of reading. It helps us become more immersed in the story and dig deeper into who the characters are and the story that is playing out in the book. Kids practiced keeping track of these connections with post its that recorded connections.
Types of connections:
Text-Self (things that you identify with from the story. In Peter Pan, Peter loves listening to stories. I also love listening to stories.)
Text-text (things from the book you’re reading remind you of another book you’ve read. Ralph in The Mouse and the Motorcycle is ambitious and loves adventure. He was quick on his toes in his interactions with humans. Roscoe in Roscoe and the Rats of NIMH is also a mouse and has adventures. He showed similar courage and daring in his interactions with humans.)
Text-world (something from the story reminds you of something happening in the world. The Quidditch World Cup in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire reminded you of the soccer World Cup that recently happened.).
Similarly, asking questions like “What’s going on in the story?”, “Who is this character?”, “What are they doing now?” help readers keep track of the story that is unfolding in their books, as well as flex their summarizing skills and check themselves for understanding.
Also, visualizing is a great practice to really connect with the story. Instead of just reading words, by creating a “movie in your mind”, you are utilizing the details included in the book and interacting with the story. Visualizing also helps the reader check for meaning. We have been reading Peter Pan during Read Aloud, and we recently read the passage that describes the children’s first experience flying. Visualizing helps incorporate and consolidate all of the details that the author includes and makes the reading experience more engaging. This skill also helps you catch when something doesn’t make sense, or you missed a part of the story.
We have been drawing on our summer experiences and starting to write with descriptive language. Trying to get the Temescalians to push beyond telling and just stating what they saw or did, we did an exercise of describing and using specific language. We asked the kids to imagine a shoe and all of its details, then tell us so that we could design a Temescalian original shoe! It was a fun experience of embellishment and thoughtful word choice.
Our Super Science experiment to see the vascular system of plants involved putting celery and carnations in jars of plain water, water with food coloring, and no water. After making observations, we formed conclusions about what food coloring can do to your body. Many children thought that ” food coloring is not good for me”. We introduced the “hamburger structure” to provide an outline as the Temescalians craft paragraphs to support their conclusions and opinions.
We also continue working on spelling patterns with the Words Their Way curriculum.
Morning Meeting continues to be a great place to touch base and learn about one another and get our brains ready to think or share about something.
Tying our Morning Meeting with our Zones of Regulation work with our tone. How we say something often affects how others take it. In the Morning Message, we asked the students to pair up and say, “That’s my spot.”
The exercise was fun, but the dialogue that followed was fruitful.
We asked, “Why is how you say something important?”
Kids said, “So you get what you need.”
What do you do if you’re not sure what the other person means by their tone?
“When in doubt, check it out!”
What if you’re in the yellow, red, or blue zone when someone is really in your spot?
“Take a break.”
“Sit somewhere else for the moment and then go back. Be flexible.”
“Take deep breaths.”
“Do some mindfulness.”
We did a little more map work, and our handwriting has progressed to the letters “i” and “t”.
It was Yu Ren’s birthday on Friday! If you see him, wish him a happy birthday, and thank him for all he does to help keep TBS running smoothly!
We love spending time with your kids! Thank you for sharing them with us!
Scholastic Book Club (Orders Due 10/17/14)
We sent out book orders on Thursday!
If you would like to us to place your book order, please send your order back to school by Friday, Oct. 17 and make checks payable to Scholastic Reading Club.
If you order online, please click on this link https://orders.scholastic.com/FMQ8F
Our class activation code is: FMQ8F
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