Science Notebooking

In the past two weeks we have set up our science notebooks.

Our Science Notebook Title Page

Table of Contents

 We learned science safety rules.

Science Safety Posters

And we learned about the scientific process

Love,
Mrs. Kelly

Teaching Genres

As we begin the year, the children and I work very hard on a couple of things: strategies for dealing with unfamiliar texts, communicating about literature using evidence, and identifying genres.

We begin school with reviewing the basics of using books and making good book choices as readers. We use basically the same beginning of the year mini-lessons school wide, but that doesn't always mean that by fourth grade they are making good book choices.  :-)  Several teachers in 4th found this cute acronym for choosing books on pinterest.  It adds a little variety to our usual charts, in my opinion.

 

After some procedural lessons, we worked on identifying genres.  We started with basics of fiction versus nonfiction.  I had the students bring the books they were reading at the time to the carpet and we brainstormed what made fiction and what made nonfiction.  After reinforcing a few points, we used our post its to write the title of the book they were currently reading and then place it on the correct side of the chart. 

I discuss with the kids that while fiction and nonfiction are broad descriptions of genres, by fourth grade they are expected to be able to be more specific about what type of genre it is.  We brainstorm and list genres that go under each fiction or nonfiction umbrella.  Later we explore book baskets and attempt to identify the genre on a post it.  This gives me a really good insight into how good they are at identifying genres based on the blurb, pictures, etc. of a book.  I do a lot of teaching as I go from group to group and discuss their different choices.

Another way that we reinforce identifying genres is to list the genres of class books that we read together. The students also keep a reading log in the RRJ that requires them to list the genre of the book.

 Another thing we spend a lot of time on at the beginning of the year is strategies for approaching comprehension questions on an unfamiliar text.  Since their LEAP reading section  (and almost every other standardized test they will ever take) will be composed entirely of unfamiliar texts, this is a valuable skill.  We practice lots together and go over how to "attack" the test. 

After we get back to hurricane Isaac we will move into before, during, and after comprehension strategies while we continue to discuss genres.

Love,
Mrs. Kelly

Social Studies Notebooking

So our notebooking has started off well.  We have set up our notebooks and began using them over the past two weeks.  Here are some photos of our progress.

We started off my creating our title pages.  As one student stated, "I have never used colored pencils, glue, and scissors so much in my life!"  Sadly, I believe that is probably a true statement.  Where has childhood and developmentally appropriate education gone in America?? Just my opinion, and I will resist the urge to digress further down that path.  Back to the notebooks.

This student decided to use his ruler as a straight edge for his American Flag.  We are thinking already.  Love it!

Our Table of Contents so far.

Our first activity is the strands of Social Studies. 

Behind each flap is a basic definition of the strand and then a picture.

The Wordsplash for our first Unit- Map Skills.  This serves as a brainstorming activity of the things the students already know.  Love the labels on this one!

Reviewing the continents and oceans.

Map Vocabulary added as we introduce new concepts.

I Live In..Foldable

On the side of each photo is a sentence explaining the exact hemisphere, country, parish, state, etc. we live in.

So that is what we have so far in our Social Studies Notebook. The kids love the foldables.  If you are a teacher, do you feel that your students learn better with these types of interactive notetaking?  If you are a parent, has your child enjoyed projects such as these?  Do they seem to remember the information better as you go over it with them at home? Leave a comment!

Love,
Mrs. Kelly

The First Days of School

Well thanks to an unscheduled hurricane break, I have some time to catch up on my blogging!

 On the first days of school, I told my kids how lucky I was to have them in my class.

 My husband sent flowers to celebrate the first day of school.

 And our whole class got to know each other and committed to love and care for each other all the days of our school year!  ;-) 

Hope your year got off to a great start!

Love,
Mrs. Kelly

Twas' The Night Before Meet and Greet

Today was my first day of professional development before school starts.  The Office of Curriculum and Instruction always does such a nice job of making the professional developments as fun as possible considering the sometimes stressful subject matters (like Compass today- yuck!) The theme was Wizard of Oz.  It was super cute.  I appreciate how they work extra hard to make it engaging, since we have to sit there and receive all the info whether it is boring or not!! 
Tomorrow I meet my kids for the first time! Yay!! Here is my room all shined up.

Ready for Meet and Greet

We study regions of the U.S. in 3rd.  As a fun intro activity, we are going to map out different places we visited, identify what region of the U.S., and discuss characteristics of the region. 

Above my board is my problem solving strategy.  I have used this every year since I taught 2nd.  It's from Saxon Math and is perfect. 

So that Olympic theme didn't happen- time constraints.  This is from 2 years back.  It works.

I am going to try this for the first time this year.  As a first day activity, the kids will make a 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 appointment.  Whenever we work partners, I will just call a time and they will go with a partner.  I am anxious to see how this works.

Relevant Economy definitions and payment information.  Below is the various jobs they will apply for and hold.

I am so happy that the room is pretty organized and together before Meet and Greet.  That was my goal.  My desk area is still not very organized, but that can wait until I get a free weekend or something.  Hope everyone has had a great beginning of the school year so far!

Love,
Mrs. Kelly

Classroom Set Up Day 4

Side Note: Some of my readers have mentioned that they are having trouble commenting.  I fiddled with a few of the settings, so please, pretty please try to leave a comment so I can see if it is working!

Today was my breakthrough day.  I finally have all of my stuff out of my 3rd grade room and all of the 4th grade boxes unpacked.  All that is left is organizing and decorating.  That is such a relief!!  I am living in fear, though, that I am going to come in one day and find a ton of stuff that was supposed to go with the room and didn't make it to me in the moving process.  I am crossing my fingers that is not going to happen.  I feel like it is finally looking like a functioning classroom.  YAY!!! Here are today's pics!

My awesome husband who spent the entire afternoon salvaging bookcases on their last leg, carrying heavy things, and just generally being awesome. Love this man!  

From the Doorway

From the Meeting Area

And here are some of my favorite little features that were added today:

I usually have separate baskets for weekly folders and their turned in work, but I found this cool rolling cart that allows for one basket for turning in, one basket for weekly folders, and one basket for the papers that need to be stuffed in their weekly folders.  This is near my entry way.

Clean(ish) desk.  Can I hear a hallelujah??!!!

Cleaned out cubbies with books sets on top

Students' cubbies with supply baskets on top

Probably my favorite thing of the day.  The bookcase Justin was fixing in the above pic is behind that curtain.  I am going to put tissue and paper towels in it so I wanted to cover it.  So I decided to cover it with a pocket chart at the top and then a fabric curtain at the bottom.  I need to hem the bottom of the curtain, as you can see, but otherwise I love it!  Anything that makes a space more usable is a huge plus!

My Bella Bill Store!  This is part of my classroom economy.  I will do a whole post on how I do classroom economy sometime soon.  I love it!

My communication center.  I am in love with these tubs from Walmart.  I have always had separate baskets for each of these, but it took up so much space.  When I found these, I immediately though of notes and lunch money.  When they come in, the students can simply put their stuff in the right box for me to check during morning announcements.

Love,

Mrs. Kelly

Classroom Set up Day 3

I failed at taking pictures yesterday.  Basically I dumped all the boxes out that were still on my floor on Thursday.  My intention was to orderly put them away.  I failed to get out the bins that the stuff went in.  It was ridiculous.  So while I do not have a before shot, this morning looked as if a bomb had exploded inside a library and scattered books as far as the eye could see.  Really.  It was bad. 

But, I made a lot of progress today!  No more book explosion!

Right side of the room from the doorway

Left side of the room from the doorway

Library and currently the holding area for all my excess bins

Cubbies and Supply bins on top

My desk area

It's getting there!

Love,
Mrs. Kelly