Check Out Pilgrim Life!

Want to know what it was like for the Pilgrims sailing to the new world?  Learn what it was like to live and work on a 17th-century sailing vessel, and relive part of this epic journey!  Click here

Turkeys in Disguise

The kids did such a great job on their turkeys in disguise! I doubt these turkeys would get eaten! 

 Students shared their turkeys and their writing piece to go along with it ("My turkey is ____________.")  They turned out great! Be sure to check them out in our hallway during the month of November. :) 

LEAD21 Online/Reading Groups

We started leveled reading groups this week in LEAD21!  I absolutely love doing reading groups and the kids have been really excited about them already, too.  

How do reading groups work?

• Students meet with me in small leveled groups of 3-4 students (on their reading level) to read books that are centered around our current unit and focus questions.  Groups last 10 minutes each.  Once we can accurately read our book (usually after 2 lessons), students place the book in their book box (below their backpack that they can access and read from at any time!) 

How can I see what books my child reads at school?

• 2 ways!  The first is by logging on to www.wglead21.com.  Your child's page will show up (once you login) and he/she can read the books we've been doing, both whole group big concept books and small  group leveled texts.  
• The other way is by our take home book system! This will start up shortly.  Books will be sent home for your child to read to you and then you return them when you're ready for another!  This is completely at your pace and what works for your schedule/your family.

What are other students doing while my child is in his/her reading group?

• As mentioned in my newsletter, we have been learning our literacy stations.  Stations range from science to imagination station.  Students work with 1-2 other students independently at a station while I work with students in small groups.  

Is my child in the same group for the whole year?

• Through my assessments and informal observations, I will move students as I see fit based on their reading level/need of support.  I have already moved students around and we've only been doing groups for 4 days! :) It is very flexible grouping.

Please let me know if you have any other questions! I strongly encourage you to log on to LEAD from home!  If you don't have your child's password and login, I'm always happy to resend it. Thank you! 

Beginning Sounds Games

We have been working on identifying beginning sounds of words, as well as matching a word with another with the same beginning sound.  This was a skill assessed on our LEAD21 Unit 2 Test.

Our class goal is for all students to know upper and lowercase letters by the end of December.  Once your child has mastered this skill, move onto sounds!

Great thing to work on at home:

• "What does the word __________ begin with?"
• "What other word starts with the same sound as ___________?" 

Games to reinforce this skill:

Clifford First Sound Match

Beginning Sound Match

Reading: Which words begin with what sound?

This is a link to a TON of reading links pertaining to letter sounds

Unit 2: Around Me: Inquiry Project

Our unit 2 inquiry project consisted of the kids being broken up into 5 groups by the 5 senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching.  

Some students brought in pictures from home of them using one of their 5 senses.  These were added to the group collage, in addition to cut outs from magazines and/or drawings. 

Once collages were completed in small groups, students presented these to the class.  We worked on good presenting skills (facing the audience, loud and clear voice, etc.).  Then we added them all together to create a completed 5 senses collage.  They did great!!!

Now we are moving on unit 3, home and family.