Friday September 12th

Happy Friday!

Here is the plan for today:

Period 1 -Red light, read aloud, and a fun silly stories activity (working on building community).

Period 2 -Library, and a chance to to book exchange and work with a partner to read or write.

Period 3 -we'll stay outside for a bit...come in and try to solve some tricky math puzzles...trying to prove that we can do hard things...and work with partners.

Period 4 -I have the chromebooks booked.  I want to show them a fun math website called math prodigy. 

Period 5 - we'll enjoy a little free time before gym class

Period 6 is gym with Mr. D.

Check out some photos of yesterday's soil experiment: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FMKnsYZlkaej2RbbfpbNGUxE37b7ROI7?usp=drive_link

Thursday September 11th

 Here is the plan for today:

Period 1 -Red light (spot the difference), read aloud, reader's workshop: expressing emotion...thinking about how the character is saying things (e.g., angry) and saying/reading it like that.

Period 2 -Writer's workshop: the mini lesson focuses on writer's being problem solvers (e.g., what to do if you're running out of steam, or are distracted). 

Period 3-we'll stay outside for a bit.  Then we'll come in for math.  We'll continue to work on our math mindset...staying positive and trying hard things. I have some cross-number puzzles we'll try and solve.

Period 4 is music with Mrs. Haynes.

Period 5 we'll examine our dirt sample from Tuesday...looking for living and non living things. 

Period 6 will be free time.  I may even get the chromebooks for anyone who wants to go onto class dojo.

Wednesday September 10th

 I enjoy getting to school early these days...one of the benefits of dropping my daughter off at Aldershot HS each day.

Here is the plan for today:

Period 1 -Red light (spot the difference) - Read aloud (Wayside).  Reader's workshop, continue to build stamina and today we'll talk about the 'Linger Finger'.  Slowing down and paying attention while we read.

Period 2 is writer's workshop.  Our mini lesson will focus on building stamina but also about the things we need to do our best writing.

Period 3 we'll stay outside for a few extra minutes (as per usual).  When we come in we'll talk a bit more about a healthy mindset for math.  We'll play 'Sum it Up' in partners. 

Period 4 is music with Mrs. Haynes.

Period 5 and 6 we'll practice our procedures for Fire Drills.  Then we'll discuss warm and cool colours and hopefully create some fun name tags using warm and cool colours.  Any extra time we'll use for free time!

Tuesday September 9th

 Another before school blog:

Period 1-Red light, read aloud, reader's workshop - focus on building reading stamina!

Period 2 -French, first French class with Mr. Woolley.

Period 3 and 4 -we'll stay outside for a bit then come in and do some math.  We'll continue our work from yesterday about our 'growth mindset' and talk again about celebrating mistakes.  We'll work on some puzzles in partners, and talk about different ways to solve problem and how to work as a team.

If there's still time, I'd like to play the game 'sum it up' with the class.  

Period 5 is Science.  I"m hoping we can go outside and collect some soil samples then come inside and examine them.  We're going to talk about what's in soil (living and non living components).  We'll watch a short little clip on soil and do a bit of work.

Period 6 -the remaining time (if any) we'll have some free time!

Monday September 8th

 Since I get here so early this year, I'll probably blog before school most days...share my plan and hopefully it all goes according to plan...but often times, not so much.

Period 1 -Red light (spot the difference) - class discussion about pride in our work.  Weekend Round Up...sharing highlights from our weekend. Read aloud.

Period 2 - Reader's /Writer's workshop - on Mondays and Fridays I like to allow the kids to work in partners (if they wish) to read or write.  We'll talk about what that looks and sounds like.

Period 3 we'll stay outside for a little, then come in and do Math.  In math we're going to talk about making mistakes and celebrating mistakes...changing our growth mindset.  I've got some visual / spatial puzzles for them to solve in partners.

Period 4 we'll keep the good times rolling by logging into the chromebooks and exploring a really fun website called Class Dojo.  We'll focus on working together and respecting other people's creations.

Period 5 we've got Mr. D for gym.

Period 6 we'll have a little mindfulness time and unwind with some free time. 

Friday September the 5th

 We made it!  First week of Grade 3, complete!  I'm already loving this class....thanks to anyone reading this for raising such great kids.

Here is the plan for today:

Period 1 we're do another 'spot the difference' red light activity.  Then we'll read another chapter or two from Wayside.  Then we'll have a class discussion about 'Fair isn't always Equal'.  We'll talk about what that means and how it might look in the classroom.  Then we'll talk about our 'ideal' reading spots.

Period 2 we'll do our first 'writer's workshop' lesson of the year.  I'm going to play a game of would you rather with them...then they can either justify their answers or come up with their own 'would you rather's. 

Period 3 we'll stay outside for a few extra minutes. When we come in we'll finish our discussion about what math is and what a mathematician looks like.

Period 4  we'll play a fun and easy adding game where you add up the sum of 2 dice.  The game is called 'sum it up'.  

Period 5 we'll enjoy a little bit of free time / finish up 

Period 6 we have our first gym period of the year with Mr. D!  

Have an amazing weekend everyone.  See you next week

(fair isn't always equal)

Thursday September 4th

 I'll try and do pre-blog blog...before the day starts since I have a couple of extra minutes this morning.

Well it looks like we'll be trapped indoors, at least for the first break anyways.

Period 1 -we'll practice doing a 'red light' activity, which is just a quiet 'spot the difference activity' while announcements are on. We'll have a morning circle, review expectations and talking about how awesome yesterday was.  Then I'll start our first read aloud 'Sideways Stories from Wayside School'.   We'll talk about building up our reading stamina and what independent reading looks like.

Period 2 -I will do a very brief, 10 word spelling test to see just where we're all at.  Zero pressure, just a tool for me.  Then we'll decorate some puzzle pieces that show how we're all connected...maybe get a song in there too?

Period 3 - We'll start Math.  Today we'll just be talking about what we think Math is...we'll talk about what makes a 'mathematician'.  We'll draw our own Mathematicians. 

Period 4 -Music with Mrs. Haynes.

Period 5 -We'll use the chromebooks for the first time today.  My goal is to get everyone to join our Google Classroom...wish me luck!  Then we'll go on a fun website made by Google that explains the importance of Internet Safety.

Period 6 we'll wrap up our day with some free time!

Willoughby Wallaby -Take #2 (a little louder now?)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1deNU4gYo9ubUT_uUe_noM9x5zvGM9WVd/view?usp=drive_link