Ready, Set....READ!

Tomorrow is the beginning of the Global Read Aloud project. Our classroom will be participating in activities relating to the book Charlotte's Web. If you would like to know more about the Global Read Aloud, search this blog or click on the #GLRead12 tags for previous posts about the project.

In preparation for the Global Read Aloud, we have already started reading the book. We will continue to read on with the book, but we will be reviewing the chapters to follow the Global Read Aloud schedule. This week we will focus on Chapters 1-4 and discussing characters and setting for these chapters. The students will choose their favorite character and prepare for a Skype event with our Room 5 Friends from Cleveland, a classroom very similar to ours.

As part of this global event, we will also be sharing some of our projects on twitter to allow our audience to reach outside of Cincinnati. If you are on twitter, follow me @teachwtechbrox.  We will tweet from my account using #EVRM220 and #GLRead12 to share projects, blog posts, and our connections as we participate in this project.

Additional information about the Global Read Aloud will be sent home this week along with a copy of Charlotte's Web, visuals from class, and a "Read and Respond" homework to be completed nightly. Lesson information can be found on the lesson plan page.

Thanks in advance for supporting this project!! The students have already done very well with identifying characters and setting!! If you have any questions, let me know!

Viking Buddies

P and K reading about Johnny Appleseed

At the end of last year, I was asked to present for a group of teachers at Princeton High School. In conversation, I mentioned to one of the high school intervention specialists how I thought it would be neat if we could get some of the high school students to be reading buddies to my students. Some of these high school students would be my former students. So on top of it being a cool project to have them read, I was excited to see my former students all grown up.

Fast forward to August, I get an email from the high school teacher. She is still interested in getting this partnership started. Less than 4 weeks later, we had our first Viking Buddies day! (Ms. Schell, I hope your ok with the new name...thought it sounded kind of cool!)

For the high school students, this was a week of preparation. Last week, they made a trip to the public library to learn about how to look for book and check them out. Their mission....find books relating to apples and/or Johnny Appleseed that would be appropriate for K-2 students. Next, the students practiced reading the books in preparation for the visit. Finally, Monday, September 17th came and they were on there way to visit!

J and A reading about Johnny Appleseed

My students were a little taken back by the bigger kids, but soon realized that they were a lot cooler than Mrs. B. The first book was created by a student (with adult assistance). It was a narrated PowerPoint book about the class. It introduced the students and some of there favorite things. It was a great ice breaker as the students quickly found commonalities between them, such as watching Spongebob and liking animals. Next, the students paired off - one elementary and one high school student. The students read with easy and were very attentive to the younger students. My students sat quietly and were attentive to the books. The day ended with us enjoying lunch together in the school courtyard.

D and I reading about Johnny Appleseed

It was a great day. You could tell the high school students (who often struggle to feel like the top dog) felt like they were the top dog. You could tell that my students enjoyed the attention, kind of like the attention of an older sibling. I (as well as many other staff members) thoroughly enjoyed seeing and talking to the two previous students. I also enjoyed talking and observing all the high school students. It gave me a nice perspective on where my students are going and what is possible.

As a K-2 teacher, it is often challenging to see the future for my students. It is often challenging to know if I am teaching the right things, focusing on the right things. Then I see Ann (named changed). Ann is a high school sophomore. She started elementary school in Kindergarten. She started Kindergarten with three intelligible words - "pop o wadda" AKA "Pop or water?" which she would repeat over and over as she played in the dramatic play area. We worked hard with her speech. She had a AAC device for a while. Now, this bitty Kindergartener 10 years later is reading (INTELLIGIBLY) to my students AND is the social butterfly of the class! (and yes, I had one of those "proud to be a teacher" moments that evening as I reflected on the day!)

Was this experience a great one? Yes! Will is happen again? ABSOLUTELY!!

Stay tuned for more posts about Room 220 and their Viking Buddies!

#GLRead12 ~ The Global Read Aloud 2012

Here is a quick video that provides a brief history of The Global Read Aloud 2012 and well as shows the books begin read aloud this year: Charlotte's Web and The One and Only Ivan.

We made it!!

We made it through the first full week of school!! 

The students (and teachers) handled the change in classroom routine well. I think the half day Kindergarteners are still trying to figure out while they are at school so long; however, they are getting used to the day. The request of "go to the bus" is getting a little later each day. We will be starting individual schedules as well as a class schedule this week so that should help with transitions.

In the afternoons this week, we will be starting our "rotation" schedule. For those of you who could not attend the curriculum night, the students will be a part of a rotation schedule where they will visit different classrooms for reading, fine motor, and gross motor activities. This is the first time that we have tried something like this so bear with us as we tweak the schedule. I think it has the possibility to create some great learning opportunities for the students! I am pretty excited about it!

Keep a lookout for homework! Please send homework back by the due date (sometimes the next day) so that students get their homework points.

This week, we will be starting to read Charlotte's Web in preparation for the Global Read Aloud event in October. Keep an eye out for activities relating to Charlotte's Web as well as homework to review our reading for the day. I will also be adding a Charlotte's Web tab at the top of the blog which will be the "go to" place for information about the book.

Lastly, I ask that your child wear gym shoes each day. We do a lot of gross motor activities within the classroom and in motor room. Gym shoes provide better support as well as are safer options during gross motor activities. We will also be going outside to work on safely accessing the playground equipment. Gyms shoes are a MUST on the playground due to the uneven surfaces and the mulch. Thanks for your cooperation with this matter!

If you have any questions, please call or email!!
Thanks!
~Melanie

Welcome Back!!

Yes, it is that time of year already! School starts in about 2 weeks!

August 16th ~ First Day of School

I have added two new pages to the website. 

The "What's Happening!!" page will house the Welcome Back letter with supply list as well as monthly newsletters. I will also try to include school happenings, such as late starts and conferences. I think this might be a little more effective than the 'calendar' page from last year.

 

The second page is called In Pictures ~ Room 220. This page will be a picture blog - no words, just pictures of the students, classroom, activities, etc. My goal for this picture blog is to give you glimpse into the classroom from the students' eyes. At first, I will be the one taking and posting the photographs. Eventually, I would like the students to begin taking ownership. I want them to be able to have a say in what they want you to know about our classroom. I will allow them to choose what pictures to take as well as guide them in taking and posting pictures so that you can see Room 220 ~ In Pictures!

If you have any questions, please feel free to call or email. I will be at school periodically over the next couple weeks. If you would like to schedule a time to have your child come up for a visit, let me know and we can work something out.