Moments from our week

We were very busy this past week! We started a new book study (A Bike Like Sergio's), did some partner problem solving, began our new Math Unit (read about the learning goals and big ideas here) and we enjoyed "Puzzle Day" and celebrated Orange Shirt Day on Friday! 

The boys and girls also learned all about how to do a "making words" activity this week. Check out the video!  I promise it's not quite as intense as my hands would suggest, I promise! 😂

I'll take a double-double please! (wink!)

We've had one very busy week in Room 208! More about that in a later blog post over the weekend! 

This weekend, students are asked to memorize their doubles chant to help them remember their facts up to 9+9.  
We made a quick video of the chant on Friday, which was also Orange Shirt Day! 🧡🧡🧡

What do you infer?

Last week, we began our discussion about how good readers infer. 

We explain it to students by telling them that inferring means we read between the lines. We understand the implied message by using two things: 

• our own prior or background knowledge of the subject (our schema) 
• the clues the author has provided in the text or pictures 

I'm looking forward to reading the boys and girls this simple, but funny story called, I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen. It usually takes a moment at the end, but the kids soon infer just what happened to the rabbit in the story. 

I found this funny photo online a few years ago. I'll show it to the class later this week and ask, "What do you infer?" 

Now, if you have never had or heard of pumpkin-pie, an inference would be hard here but if you have enjoyed making or eating pumpkin-pie, you likely know exactly why Senor Pumpkin looks a little concerned.  

Please review this photo with your child and discuss the two factors that help us to infer messages in what we read and view.

  

It's all about words this week!

I ask my students to bring their manners, their sense of humor and a kind heart to school every day. We even have a good morning song about it! And all three of those require you chose your words carefully.  

Words matter a lot. Once they're out, you can't take them back can you? My good friend would always say "they're like toothpaste, once that stuff's out, there's no getting it back in the tube". 

As adults, we know that when we read, we use those words to construct meaning. Of course, kids know this too, but it's up to us to explicitly teach certain clue words and strategies to help that process along when it comes to being both consumers of media and problem solvers.  

This week, by coincidence, we're talking words in both our reading and Math lessons.  In reading, we're learning about the author's purpose (what is the author trying to tell you through the words he or she has written?). 

And in Math, we're getting ready for our first big unit by asking: what are the key words that tell me if I add or subtract? Students will learn there are some common "math language" words that will always point them in the right direction, but what if you don't know those words yet? What if you need to kind of make a movie in your mind to help you to determine which operation you'll need to use? We looked at these five examples today and talked about how words like "dropped" or "spent" suggest subtraction, while words like, "bought" or "more" tell us to add. 

So between this week's Text of the Week called, "Nate's First Day" (why did I write it: to persuade, entertain or inform?) and thinking of a math problem like a story or a mystery to be solved, words have somehow become our theme this week! 

I wonder what kind of dessert one serves at a word party?  Oh my goodness...it's "pie" isn't it? 😂