Change is all around us.
This week everything is about change. In most of the classes we are working on change. Students are learning about making connections and change. Here are some famous quotes on change:
“Things do not change; we change.”
Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1970)
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Mahatma Gandhi
“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”
Winston Churchill
First Grade:
This week we worked on connections and how things are connected and why. The students played a connection match up. They got to match two words together and explain how and why they are connected. We also started working on symbols. They learned about universal symbols and what they mean.
We also discussed how we can create symbols about ourselves. I let the students vote on whether they wants to create a vest with patches or a shield with patches. They wanted the shield. I let them know they will have to think about what kinds of symbols they want to create to describe themselves. Each student created 10 patches but could not tell us anything about them.
Next week they will write about each patch and what it means to them and why it is important to them. I will have them present the shield in class and discuss it with us so we can see all their hard work. After we are finished the students will get to take them home which they are very excited about. Ask them about their shield and their patches to see what they are creating since we can’t discuss it yet in class.
The second day we started learning how to model our thoughts for persuasive writing. I know that many second graders haven’t learned much about this so we started slow. I showed them how to fill out the hamburger model for persuasive writing. This took almost all our time because it was very new. I think once we review this a few times they will love it because it helps them to put their thoughts into an order so it will be easier to write the paragraphs. We spent the last few minutes talking about the book we will be reading and started a few pages to help get them excited about it. Next week we will review what they put into their model and they will write about connections and give their thoughts based on the model.
Third Grade:
The first lesson is all about change. The students got to work in groups using paper to come up with lists of things that change. They used their dictionaries to help them when they needed.
We also came up with the definition of change and talked about why things change. I also gave them five generalizations about change: 1.Change is everywhere. 2. Change occurs at different rates of time. 3. Change can be viewed as positive or negative. 4. Change can be caused naturally or by humans. 5. Change can be systematic or random.
We talked about these and how important they are to understanding change. Students then shared with the class some of their lists and we talked about them.
The next day we worked in groups again to take the list of things that change and put them into categories. The students came up with their own ideas on how to categorize them. This took a lot longer because they really had to think how they wanted to group them. Once they got them done we shared the groups with the class and discussed why they grouped them the way they did. The last thing we started on for the week was to create a list of things that don’t change. This really made them have to think long and hard to create a list. They used the dictionaries and talked for the rest of the class to create a list they were pleased with.
Next week the students will have to write a paragraph arguing that one of the generalizations is true about change and three reasons why. I want to make sure I review the hamburger model for persuasive writing. I am not sure how much they used it before. I want them to feel comfortable using it to help them collect their thoughts and ideas when writing.
Fourth Grade:
The first lesson is all about change. The students got to work in groups using paper to come up with lists of things that change. I went over the definition of change and talked about why things change.
I also gave them five generalizations about change: 1.Change is everywhere. 2. Change occurs at different rates of time. 3. Change can be viewed as positive or negative. 4. Change can be caused naturally or by humans. 5. Change can be systematic or random.
Students then shared with the class some of their lists and we talked about them.
The next day we worked in groups again to take the list of things that change and put them into categories. The students came up with their own ideas on how to categorize them. This took a lot longer because they really had to think how they wanted to group them. Once they got them done we shared the groups with the class and discussed why they grouped them the way they did.
The next day we worked in groups again to take the list of things that change and put them into categories. The students came up with their own ideas on how to categorize them. This took a lot longer because they really had to think how they wanted to group them. Once they got them done we shared the groups with the class and discussed why they grouped them the way they did.
The last fun thing we worked on was interviewing someone who had a change in their life. I let them come up with some real and fictional people they might want to interview about change. I narrowed the list down to three people/characters. Each student got to choose who they wanted to write about. We as a class interviewed all three and the students wrote down information about the one they wanted. The three are pretty different. The first was Animal from the Muppets. Of course I had to translate since most people can’t understand him. The next was a student in the class, Johnathan. The third was Captain America. I read his responses since he is a very busy man. The students took notes and next week they will write about who they chose to interview.
First Grade:
We completed the name letter graph this week. We also had fun with the I-pad working on addition facts and families. We completed a fun graph on shapes and worked on the problem of the day both days.
Next week we will start working more on fact families in addition and have fun with a game that helps with remembering your addition families.
Second Grade:
This week we worked more on multi-step problem solving. The students needed to start to breakdown each step to help them show their work. I had them go to the white board to write out each step so they can understand how they get their answers. They loved "being the teacher" as they called it and writing on the board both days. I think it helped them understand how important it is to show your work and let the teacher know how you came to your answer.
The second day we worked on two digit addition and subtraction. Next week we will work more on that and we will add three digit addition and subtraction to it. I also have planned to have fun trying to solve the hidden picture while working on their math facts.
Third Grade:
Along with problem of the day, they worked on a mystery picture by solving multiplication math facts. I decided this week to give them a multiplication facts sheet to help them while working on it. We completed another picture and will keep working to see which Mind Craft character might show up next.
Next week we will take a short break to have some fun with the computer and white board when we play a fun math facts game. Next week we will also work more on math facts and find fun ways to learn them.
Fourth Grade:
Last week we started on shapes, types of shapes, finding their area, and finding their perimeter. The students finished up their sheets on the Polygon Geome”tree”, Geome”tree “ Definitions , Riddle Me This (where the students went around the room reading riddles about shapes and had to figure what shape it was), and Polygon-Perimeter. Most the students finished up on Wednesday, but a few needed a little time on Thursday.
We started the next worksheet on area, but it looks like I didn't realize that most of the students have not worked on multiplication with decimals. I think I might have freaked a few students out when I started to explain the worksheet.
I think next week I will let them know that it might be easier if we take those problems and just figure out the perimeter. This way they will be able to add the decimals and feel confident in their work. We will also work on a few games using the whiteboard with the e-beam. We will also be starting a lesson on angles and triangles. I am excited to see what the students already know.
I want to thank you for sharing your children with me. They are all so bright and fun to see each day. I look forward to seeing all the cool things we have planned for this fall. I know they enjoy all the awesome and exciting treats that will happen this October.
Have a Great Weekend!
Mrs. Lutterman
“Things do not change; we change.”
Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1970)
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Mahatma Gandhi
“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”
Winston Churchill
Language Arts:
We can finally start working on the new curriculum. This will be very different for the older kids since they have never had to do this before. Each grade will be learning new and exciting ideas and ways to write. The first and second grades will be learning about connections and the third and fourth grades will be learning all about change and how to write about it.First Grade:
This week we worked on connections and how things are connected and why. The students played a connection match up. They got to match two words together and explain how and why they are connected. We also started working on symbols. They learned about universal symbols and what they mean.
We also discussed how we can create symbols about ourselves. I let the students vote on whether they wants to create a vest with patches or a shield with patches. They wanted the shield. I let them know they will have to think about what kinds of symbols they want to create to describe themselves. Each student created 10 patches but could not tell us anything about them.
Second Grade:
This week we took the connections work to the next level when we took pairs of connections and grouped them into like categories. We created a grid and put the pairs into groups according to an idea or connection we found. These charts gave them a chance to link things together and make their own connections between things.
Third Grade:
The first lesson is all about change. The students got to work in groups using paper to come up with lists of things that change. They used their dictionaries to help them when they needed.
We talked about these and how important they are to understanding change. Students then shared with the class some of their lists and we talked about them.
Next week the students will have to write a paragraph arguing that one of the generalizations is true about change and three reasons why. I want to make sure I review the hamburger model for persuasive writing. I am not sure how much they used it before. I want them to feel comfortable using it to help them collect their thoughts and ideas when writing.
Fourth Grade:
The first lesson is all about change. The students got to work in groups using paper to come up with lists of things that change. I went over the definition of change and talked about why things change.
I also gave them five generalizations about change: 1.Change is everywhere. 2. Change occurs at different rates of time. 3. Change can be viewed as positive or negative. 4. Change can be caused naturally or by humans. 5. Change can be systematic or random.
Students then shared with the class some of their lists and we talked about them.
The next day we worked in groups again to take the list of things that change and put them into categories. The students came up with their own ideas on how to categorize them. This took a lot longer because they really had to think how they wanted to group them. Once they got them done we shared the groups with the class and discussed why they grouped them the way they did.
The next day we worked in groups again to take the list of things that change and put them into categories. The students came up with their own ideas on how to categorize them. This took a lot longer because they really had to think how they wanted to group them. Once they got them done we shared the groups with the class and discussed why they grouped them the way they did.
The last fun thing we worked on was interviewing someone who had a change in their life. I let them come up with some real and fictional people they might want to interview about change. I narrowed the list down to three people/characters. Each student got to choose who they wanted to write about. We as a class interviewed all three and the students wrote down information about the one they wanted. The three are pretty different. The first was Animal from the Muppets. Of course I had to translate since most people can’t understand him. The next was a student in the class, Johnathan. The third was Captain America. I read his responses since he is a very busy man. The students took notes and next week they will write about who they chose to interview.
Math:
All the classes had the problem of the day to work on to help with their skills. We will also be working on math facts with the students to help improve their knowledge and speed.First Grade:
We completed the name letter graph this week. We also had fun with the I-pad working on addition facts and families. We completed a fun graph on shapes and worked on the problem of the day both days.
Next week we will start working more on fact families in addition and have fun with a game that helps with remembering your addition families.
Second Grade:
This week we worked more on multi-step problem solving. The students needed to start to breakdown each step to help them show their work. I had them go to the white board to write out each step so they can understand how they get their answers. They loved "being the teacher" as they called it and writing on the board both days. I think it helped them understand how important it is to show your work and let the teacher know how you came to your answer.
The second day we worked on two digit addition and subtraction. Next week we will work more on that and we will add three digit addition and subtraction to it. I also have planned to have fun trying to solve the hidden picture while working on their math facts.
Third Grade:
Along with problem of the day, they worked on a mystery picture by solving multiplication math facts. I decided this week to give them a multiplication facts sheet to help them while working on it. We completed another picture and will keep working to see which Mind Craft character might show up next.
Next week we will take a short break to have some fun with the computer and white board when we play a fun math facts game. Next week we will also work more on math facts and find fun ways to learn them.
Fourth Grade:
Last week we started on shapes, types of shapes, finding their area, and finding their perimeter. The students finished up their sheets on the Polygon Geome”tree”, Geome”tree “ Definitions , Riddle Me This (where the students went around the room reading riddles about shapes and had to figure what shape it was), and Polygon-Perimeter. Most the students finished up on Wednesday, but a few needed a little time on Thursday.
We started the next worksheet on area, but it looks like I didn't realize that most of the students have not worked on multiplication with decimals. I think I might have freaked a few students out when I started to explain the worksheet.
I think next week I will let them know that it might be easier if we take those problems and just figure out the perimeter. This way they will be able to add the decimals and feel confident in their work. We will also work on a few games using the whiteboard with the e-beam. We will also be starting a lesson on angles and triangles. I am excited to see what the students already know.
I want to thank you for sharing your children with me. They are all so bright and fun to see each day. I look forward to seeing all the cool things we have planned for this fall. I know they enjoy all the awesome and exciting treats that will happen this October.
Have a Great Weekend!
Mrs. Lutterman
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