By now I hope you've heard a little about the "Daily 5" from your child. I know each year in your child’s schooling presents new expectations and routines for you and your child to become familiar with. My goal is to introduce classroom routines and structures in a way that removes all of the guesswork from the children and allows them to concentrate fully on learning. In reading, the classroom structure I am using this year is called “Daily Five”. The purpose of this post is to explain to you what The Daily Five is and what you should expect to see at home. The Daily Five is a literacy structure that teaches independence and gives children the skills needed to create a lifetime love of reading and writing. It consists of five tasks that are introduced individually. When introduced to each task, the children discuss what it looks like, sounds like, and feels like to engage in the task independently. Then, the children work on building their stamina until they are successful at being independent while doing that task. When all five tasks have been introduced and the children are fully engaged in reading and writing activities, I am able to work with small groups and confer with children one on one. This structure is effective, the results are amazing, and the children really look forward to Daily Five time. Ask your child about Daily Five and see what he/she has to say. I anticipate your child will tell you about the class stamina, how we are working towards independence, and maybe you will even hear about some of the fantastic things your child has written, read, or listened to during our structured reading time.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.
Thank you for your continued support! Check out a video of us making new friends and practicing Daily 5! http://animoto.com/play/flOtf3H4qtPpD1BNww3Xuw
Monday, October 8, 2012
Homework for Oct. 8-12
Happy Monday! Thank you for your patience and understanding while we learn new homework routines and figure out what works best for our class.
As you get our weekly updates look on the site IXL to practice math concepts we are learning! If you are finding your child is having difficulty with first grade concepts check out the kindergarten skills. If you find that first grade skills are too easy for your child- let them try the second grade skills! You do not need to be a member to enjoy the skill practice! Being a member only saves your data online! What a great find!
As you get our weekly updates look on the site IXL to practice math concepts we are learning! If you are finding your child is having difficulty with first grade concepts check out the kindergarten skills. If you find that first grade skills are too easy for your child- let them try the second grade skills! You do not need to be a member to enjoy the skill practice! Being a member only saves your data online! What a great find!
Monday, October 1, 2012
October Homework
We made it to October 1st! We have been busy learning routines, procedures and testing to see where we need instruction.
Today OWL binders came home with a LOT of information! You will find:
1-New Behavior Calendars: If there is nothing written on your calendar it was an excellent day!
2- Oct. 1-5th Weekly Update: Here you will see what we are doing in each subject. On the back is space for you to do your spelling work.
3-Speller's Choice for October: Pick an activity to do after you have sorted your words (sorts are kept in your zipper pouch). You may also visit Spelling City to practice your word wall words.
4-October's homework calendar: Here you will find all of the activities to do for the month of Oct. I will send the Math/Language Arts activity home on Monday for the week.
5-Yellow Reading Connection Parent Newsletter: This will inform you about the reading strategy we're working on.
Please let me know if you have any questions. We may tweak the homework as time passes to see what works for our class best.
Today OWL binders came home with a LOT of information! You will find:
1-New Behavior Calendars: If there is nothing written on your calendar it was an excellent day!
2- Oct. 1-5th Weekly Update: Here you will see what we are doing in each subject. On the back is space for you to do your spelling work.
3-Speller's Choice for October: Pick an activity to do after you have sorted your words (sorts are kept in your zipper pouch). You may also visit Spelling City to practice your word wall words.
4-October's homework calendar: Here you will find all of the activities to do for the month of Oct. I will send the Math/Language Arts activity home on Monday for the week.
5-Yellow Reading Connection Parent Newsletter: This will inform you about the reading strategy we're working on.
Please let me know if you have any questions. We may tweak the homework as time passes to see what works for our class best.
Science Oct. 1-5th Earth and Sun Relationships
Mrs. Hendricks' blog: http://mrshendrickshappenings.blogspot.com/
SOL 1.6 – Sun and Earth Relationships
For extra practice you can complete this webquest and other activities with your family and see if you are able to answer the following questions.
http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/WebLessons/AsTheEarthTurns/default.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/9_10/earth_sun_moon.shtml
http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/WebLessons/SunriseSunset/default.htm
1. What might be some things that the sun warms up on Earth?
2. Would you feel cooler on a very hot and sunny day if you stood in the sun or in the shade? Why do you think this way?
3. Do you think the sun warms things faster than others?
4. How could you discover whether or not the sun warms the land faster than water?
5. What do you notice about the location of the sun in the morning and in the late afternoon? Is the sun in the same place? Where does it rise? Where does it set?
SOL 1.6 – Sun and Earth Relationships
For extra practice you can complete this webquest and other activities with your family and see if you are able to answer the following questions.
http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/WebLessons/AsTheEarthTurns/default.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/9_10/earth_sun_moon.shtml
http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/WebLessons/SunriseSunset/default.htm
1. What might be some things that the sun warms up on Earth?
2. Would you feel cooler on a very hot and sunny day if you stood in the sun or in the shade? Why do you think this way?
3. Do you think the sun warms things faster than others?
4. How could you discover whether or not the sun warms the land faster than water?
5. What do you notice about the location of the sun in the morning and in the late afternoon? Is the sun in the same place? Where does it rise? Where does it set?
Making Connections
The first strategy that our class is currently practicing is called, “Making Connections.” This means students connect their background knowledge to the text they are reading. We have been practicing making text-self and text-text connections. We will work this week on text-world connections.
The Purpose of the Strategy:
Readers comprehend better when they actively think about and apply their knowledge of the book's topic, their own experiences, and the world around them. Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis in their
book, Strategies that Work (2000), state that, "When children understand how to connect the text they read to their lives, they begin to make connections between what they read and the larger world. This
nudges them into thinking about bigger, more expansive issues beyond their universe of home, school, and neighborhood."
How to help your child use this strategy:
To help your child make connections while they are reading, ask him/her the following questions:
What does the book remind you of?
What do you know about the book's topic?
Does this book remind you of another book?
The Purpose of the Strategy:
Readers comprehend better when they actively think about and apply their knowledge of the book's topic, their own experiences, and the world around them. Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis in their
book, Strategies that Work (2000), state that, "When children understand how to connect the text they read to their lives, they begin to make connections between what they read and the larger world. This
nudges them into thinking about bigger, more expansive issues beyond their universe of home, school, and neighborhood."
How to help your child use this strategy:
To help your child make connections while they are reading, ask him/her the following questions:
What does the book remind you of?
What do you know about the book's topic?
Does this book remind you of another book?
Welcome to First Grade with Miss Lankey!
We have had a wonderful start to the school year. I will be uploading pictures of our first month together soon. Please be sure to check back to see what we're up to!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)