September is Over!

It is so hard to believe we have been in school for 18 days already!  The time is flying by!

We are still working on getting our basic routines figured out.  There are so many of them throughout the day that it takes lots of reminders for them to stick.

We have begun sending home book bags each night.  Students are expected to read 30 minutes at home to get their 2 steps toward our 100 book challenge goals.  They also earn 2 steps at school each day.

September 7, 2013

Welcome back to another school year!  I am so excited to be in KINDERGARTEN this year!  It will mean a change to how this blog is used, but I'm excited to see what is in store for us this year.

Our year together started on Thursday and I have 20 sweet friends in my class.  Our first 2 days were spent learning how our classroom and school will run, reading lots of books together, exploring the different play options around our room as we got to know one another, doing some counting and singing, and enjoying learning about school!

I know my kindergarteners were tired by the end of day two and admittedly, so was their teacher!  Our first full week is next week so I hope everyone is resting up - it will be a long one!

March 25, 2013

Today we came in and did math and reading.  Then we read Rules.  After that we went to IC Skills.  Next we did math practice.  Then we did reading rotations.  Next we did science.  Then we read until recess.  After recess we ate lunch.  Then we did a little math before art.  After recess we did another round of reading rotations and some writing.  Finally we cleaned our desks and went home.

-Briana

Learning Targets:
Reading: I can find the theme of a story.
Math: I can classify angles.

Homework:
Read 30 minutes.

March 22, 2013

First we read then we did the Spelling Bee - Ashton won for the 3rd time!  Then we read Rules.  After that we went to music.  Next we did math rotations.  Then reading rotations, spelling test, and writing.  Then we had recess, lunch, and math.  Next we read Rules some more and went to PE.

-Skylar

Learning Targets:
Reading: I can find THE MEssage in the story.
Math: I can move between improper fractions and mixed numbers.

March 21, 2013

First we do a math and reading sheet.  Next we did PE.  Then we did math rotations.  Then we went to a nature presentation from Mr. Vonnewagon from Lime Creek Nature Center.  After that we did social studies.  Next we had recess and lunch.  Then math and last recess.  Finally we did reading rotations and writing.

-Skylar

Learning Targets:
Reading: I can find THE MEssage in a story.
Math: I can use a number line to add and subtract fractions.
Writing: I can write an expository paper.

Homework:
Read 30 minutes
Study Spelling Words

March 19, 2013

First we do a math and reading sheet.  Next we go to music and do a jig.  Then we did iPads.  After that we did literacy workshop.  Next we have Making Meaning.  Then recess and lunch.  Next math.  After that we went to last recess.  Then we did reading rotations before we did writing and went home.

-Skylar

Learning Targets:
Reading: I can find THE MEssage of the story.
Math: I can add fractions with like denominators.
Writing: I make a plan before writing expository text.

Homework:
Read 30 Minutes
Math Sheet side 12-2

March 18, 2013

First we did a math sheet and a reading sheet.  Next we went to PE.  We played line soccer.  Then we did math for a little bit.  After that we did reading rotations.  Next we were at science.  Then we went to lunch and recess.  Before do last recess we were in math. 

We got out early at 1:55 because of the snow!

-Skylar

Learning Targets:
Reading: I can find THE MEssage of the story.
Math: I can add fractions with like denominators.

Homework:
Read 30 Minutes
Math Sheet side 12-1

Monday, February 25, 2013

My, oh my! The 2nd trimester really got away from us in terms of blogging!  I can't believe that Wednesday is the end of the grading period already!

There has been a lot happening in our room during the last couple months - we haven't been neglecting the blog without good reason! :)

One of the biggest changes has been in our reading instruction.  Instead of a lot of large group lessons and stories followed up with some guided reading, we've flipped our times.  Now we are doing almost all of our reading instruction in small group settings so everyone gets the chance to read books at their own level and have deeper conversations with a smaller group.  It also means that everyone is getting more time with a teacher each week.  Both the students and the teachers have loved this switch!  And, based on our recent DRA scores, the change is paying off in terms of progress too!

Another change we've made in the classroom is to structure our math workshop time differently.  Before, Miss Staudt would lead a math lesson or activity in the morning to either reteach the lesson from the day before or introduce things for the lesson that afternoon.  Now Miss Staudt gets to meet with small groups of students to work on math skills while everyone else works on math facts, does a hands-on center, or practices work at their seats.  It has made our math workshop time much more fun!

We are still going strong with 20 brilliant students and 2 smiling teachers filling up our room.  Coming up in the next few months we'll have Spring Break, Iowa Assessments, the Writing Assessment, introductions to Lincoln for next year, a fabulous field trip, a chance to meet our pen pals, and a research project centered around Women's History Month in March!

Hopefully we can still keep up the blog a little better amidst all of that - there are so many great moments to share!

Thanks for being forgiving of our absence...
Miss Staudt