Oh! The places you'll go in the Tree Swallow classroom this year...
This year, our overarching focus is “Water”. Within this topic, we will be scientists, writers, explorers, artists, researchers and agents of change in order to foster an understanding and love of our local place. Along with hands-on, outdoor inquiry, we will explore this topic immersed in a literature-based Storyline and a collaborative restoration monitoring project at Jackson Bottom Wetland.
What is a Storyline, you ask?
Storyline is both a method of creating and implementing curriculum using the elements of story:
Setting: The scene in a particular time and place
Characters: People and or animals (or insects)
Plot: A way of life or event to investigate
Conflict/Problem-solution: Real problems to be solved.
By creating and interacting as characters in a story, teacher and students create a context for learning content and skills with the active and personal involvement of each student. Tasks (a need to know and learn information or skill) arise from the context of the story, and become significant and meaningful, a “real-world problem”. Issues explored within the context of the story are both extracted from and applied to real-world, local needs and environments. Storyline is also art-rich, emphasizing asthetics and an ethic of excellence in work produced.
I have used elements of Storyline in past years of teaching and last summer I spent time in a workshop to learn more. I am very excited about inviting the Tree Swallows to our Fall Storyline, “Three Months on a River in a Red Canoe.”
Feel free to contact me with further questions and/or comments.
"Reading, Writing, 'Rithmetic"...
Along with mathematic activities incorporated in thematic studies, beginning this week, we will teach math by grade level, four days a week. The Maples (1st grade) are with Karen, the Oaks (3rd grade) are with Sherry and the Cedars (2nd grade) are with me. Be sure to check out your child’s math class blog for news and resources to support your young mathematician (see links on the right).
Now, Read This!
In the morning, five days a week, students spend an hour in Literacy’ Workshop. Within this period, students engage in Literacy Centers that are designed to support growth and experience in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Centers support various learning styles, interest and skill, as well collaborative and social learning. While all students spend some time engaged in a variety of Literacy Centers independently, I meet with Book Clubs (4-6 students at same readiness/skill level based on reading inventory assessments which occur at least three times during school year) to develop skills as active, critical readers while fostering listening, speaking and writing to interact with and respond to literature. Nurturing a culture of reading and the concept of one’s self as a reader also occurs throughout daily experiences (DEAR, read-aloud and buddy reading).
*NEW THIS YEAR: We will visit the Forest Grove Library every other Wednesday afternoon (1:00-1:30) so that students will be able to check out books. Please make sure your Tree Swallow has a library card (or their number). I have a handy folder to house and carry student cards so feel free to just keep it at the school. OUR FIRST TRIP IS September 16th!
S-p-e-l-l-i-n-g (or Word Study): Words Their Way is a developmental spelling program. The students study words based on spelling patterns on a continuum of spelling development. Word sets are introduced weekly and the students spend time sorting these words by spelling categories (same and different rules). Each day of the week, the students have tasks to do with their word cards, to become more familiar with the words and the categories. At the end of the week, students take a word quiz to assess mastery of words and spelling patterns. Students are assessed using a developmental spelling inventory in the fall, winter and spring, and these and weekly word study tests help to determine appropriate placement for the Word Work Group.
The "Write" Stuff...
Writers’ Workshop has always been a celebrated time in the Tree swallow classroom! We begin by seeing ourselves as “writers.” To support this goal, we will create our Writers’ Notebooks by adding photos and clippings to a folder. By personalizing with time and attention, we foster a sense of ownership, ceremony and pride. After we create this special space to record and keep our writing, our workshop begins with personal narratives. Students will be writing about family, goals and experiences in order to foster community. Tree Swallows will also write to reflect on personal progress, experiences and open-ended prompts (personal goal reflection, journals and readers’ response), as well as writing to respond to and explore our place (nature journaling).
We celebrate our writers with Authors Tea! A much-anticipated event, Authors Tea is a ceremonious event where Tree Swallow writers share published work (a piece of writing that has been drafted, revised and edited) before an audience of their peers.
Wait!....What about Learning Centers?
Of course we will have centers this year—imagination station, take-apart and even sewing. Centers are designated areas and activities designed to support multiple intelligences and to encourage play and independent interest. Centers include reinforcement activities for concept or skills covered during other core times (i.e., math games and writing center) as well as extension centers that expand on ideas we are exploring (i.e., science center featuring rocket design or happy sock construction). This is also the perfect time for students to work on personal goal projects. Learning Centers Time this year will be at the end of our day on Tuesdays.
It is all “special”, but….
Three days a week (one per day) we will have “specials”: Two Art days and one Physical Activity (P.A.). We begin our Specials this week. On Monday and Tuesday the Tree Swallows will have art with Teresa, and on and Friday, Physical Activity with Rick.
Out and About is a fundamental part of our program, placing our students and the learning outdoors and in our local community. We have O&A each week on Thursday afternoon. Remember Tree Swallows, always come prepared for an outing – walking shoes, water bottle and curiosity, as our studies often take us into the “wild”….plus, this is Oregon after all, and therefore often wet.
Birthdays and Volunteers and Snacks, Oh, my….
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU…..
Birthdays are very important in the Tree Swallow classroom. After all, they are celebrations of the joy that is each of you! We celebrate in the classroom with wishes on pennies to the birthday Tree Swallow and a happy birthday wish in the form of a song and an inedible “treat” from the Birthday Chest. Some students really want to bring in "treats" to share with their class. Please consider some healthy options if you want to bring something in. Some hits last year: bagels, fruit, special erasers or pencils.
I know we have many summer birthdays; we will celebrate summer birthdays on the half birthday.
HATS OFF TO YOU...
This classroom and this school would not be what it is without our families. We have been so fortunate to have tremendous volunteer support, so thank you. I will be introducing and inviting volunteers into the classroom over the course of the second and third weeks.
That said...here is our first plea: We will have our morning and lunch break in our play yard we need volunteers to be with students, monitor and play with the class while at break. Please contact me or Vickie in the front office for further information if you are able to commit to this volunteer opportunity. WE NEED YOU!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT…
In this classroom, we have always had a shared family snack. This has worked well for the past three years, (aside from the few minor glitches of schedule share…). On a rotating schedule, each family contributes a healthy snack from two of three food groups (proteins, whole grains, and fruits and veggies). It provides opportunity for students to try new foods, for us to have a shared “meal” and to think about and apply concepts around nutrition and mathematics.
I know this is not the only way. I would like to review different options for snack and make a plan for the year during the Back To School Night on September 22. This is a partnership and I want us all to feel as if we are invested... even in snack.
And now, back to the beginning…
The goals of the first few weeks in a classroom are getting to know each other and the shared space, establishing expectations of how to be together, voicing our “hopes and dreams,” and building a community of learners ( “a class family”). Through writing and art activities, the students will share what makes them each unique and learn what makes us each alike. We will use small-group cooperative brainstorming and whole group discussion to begin the process of creating our classroom expectations for being together. This is not an easy task– creating “laws and rules” democratically, and we will see our share of frustration. However, it is so important that each member has a “voice” in deciding how we are with each other, with our space and with the tools that we use. These agreements will guide classroom procedures and activities through the year.
In addition to developing our class family we will begin to nurture our school community as well. Through “buddy projects,” our students will begin (and continue) building relationships with students outside their classroom.
This year we will also have a partnership with a second grade classroom in Portland.
I can hardly wait, friends!
Rachel
Feel free to contact me with questions, comments or compliments by email or phone, 503-880-5478
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