Last Blog of September with CRAYFISH PICS!

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Greetings from Room 10,

            We shared another short but productive week.  Completing DOL timely, dropping notes in the basket, and turning in homework before the “locker closes” is coming along.  We are still working on consistently putting names on their classwork and homework.  It’s a “work in progress!” 

Have you heard about the crayfish?  This week I introduced “feeder fish” into the aquarium.   We started with 10 and we are down to about 5.  So the crayfish ate really well this week.  In addition, I have been feeding them lobster pellets.  The kids experimented by introducing food to the crayfish.  Each group added a small piece of their snacks to the crayfish.  The children made predictions, experimented with foods and drew conclusions about what they ate and what they shied away from. 

            I gave the children their first reading comprehension test.  In fact, they completed four 12-question tests throughout the week.  I really like this series of tests because it specifically identifies the skill (i.e., compare and contrast, main idea, etc.) associated with each question.  I will use this information to identify the reading comprehensions skills I need to concentrate on during small group instruction.

            The kids have completed their second piece.  This time they wrote about a “special place.”  They each graded their own piece with a rubric the class developed.  I also graded the piece using the same rubric.  They also began to write about a “special object.”  All of this writing is preparing the children to write a memoir.  Our mentor author for this unit is Patricia Polacco.  The kids are reading a variety of Patricia Polacco picture books and responding to the literature in their Reading Response Journals. 

     The NED Show was well-received by the kids.  The presenter was both entertaining and engaging.  It sent a great message to the children.  Yo-yos will be sold at school.  A flyer was sent home on Tuesday to order yo-yos.  Mrs. Bonacquist, Mrs. Palagyi and Mrs. Gaffney will be selling them.  Enjoy some additional crayfish photos! 

           

Michael and Vanessa play with our crayfish!

Mrs. Bonacquist chatting with our class about "Always Our Best!"

September 21st Room 10 Weekly Note

Dear Parents of Room 10,

This has been a most productive week!  Despite having Monday off, we were able to accomplish a ton! We completed our second spelling unit, and the children worked on their first graded Daily Oral Language.  I was most impressed that so many children confidently and effectively edited sentences needing to be corrected.  They know how to correctly use quotations marks!!!  This was an unexpected treat!

The children have published their first piece.  Our focus in writing this week was personal narrative.  I asked the children to think of a person who really matters to them; someone who is very special to them.  Subsequently, they isolated a “moment in time” and wrote a story. I am maintaining a binder in the classroom that will hold all of their published pieces, along with their “Weekly Reflections.”  I will share their pieces with you at our parent-teacher conference.  Our next piece will be a second personal narrative concentrating on a special “place.”

As you might imagine, the highlight of our week were the crayfish.  Many of us, myself included, broke down and held a crayfish or two.  Hopefully, everyone will have this experience sometime in the near future.  We began a cut-and-paste activity with vocabulary associated with the crayfish anatomy.  Next week, our spelling words will be related to our crayfish friends.  I know the children will enjoy the activities associated with this spelling unit.

Starting next week, I will begin meeting with your children to assess their reading comprehension level.  With 25 students, it takes quite a while to meet with each of them.  My goal is to establish a base-line reading level.  We also chat about favorite books, favorite authors, reading strategies, etc. 

Have a nice weekend!  Lester B.

We Touched the Crayfish!

We are really excited because, just a few moments ago, we held the crayfish for the first time!  Many have been named, although none of them were kissed.  There were two pinches from our crayfish friends and Mae and Max G. were the victims.  They survived!  Pictures will be posted next week!  Have an amazing long weekend!!

September 14th Room 10 Weekly Note

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Our year together is off to a great start.  I have been really impressed by how well your children have settled into our routine.  Overall, it has been a very smooth transition into fifth grade; probably one of the best I have experienced since beginning my teaching career.  In many ways, it’s like we have been together for a long time.  Thank you for sharing your wonderful children with me.

It was really nice to have the opportunity to meet many of you last evening at our Open House.  I always feel a tad rushed and tend to talk really fast, so if there is anything you need clarified, please let me know.  Your children worked really hard this week as we prepared to “dazzle” you last night.

            As I mentioned last evening, all of your children have been tested in reading fluency and a base-line score has been established.  I will begin reading comprehension assessments shortly.  I also plan to administer an assessment to identify specific reading skills that need to be re-taught.  I generally do this during small group instruction that will begin within the next week or so.

            Government and elections will be our initial focus in social studies.  We will begin with a vocabulary cut and paste activity.  The crayfish are the stars of room 10.  The children are anxious to learn about these creatures.  We will begin with their habitats and move right into crayfish anatomy.  This is really a very fun and challenging unit. 

            If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.  You may reach me at betolsli@bcsd.neric.org.                    

September 7th Weekly Note

Dear Parents of Room 10,
Our first few days of school have come to a close, and we have had an amazing start to the 2012-2013 school year. The class is coming together as a learning community, and it is really nice to see them work together cooperatively.  It was a busy and fun-filled few days as we prepare for Open House.
Our Open House is next Thursday, September 13^th at 7:30pm in Room 10.  My presentation will last approximately 45 minutes.  At 8:15pm, you will move to your child’s math teacher for a 15-minute presentation on their math program.  And the evening will culminate with a presentation in the cafeteria on this year’s Nature’s Classroom trip.  We expect this presentation to last about 30 minutes.  I look forward to the opportunity to meet you Thursday evening.
Our first read-aloud for the school year, Along Came Spider by local author James Preller has been the catalyst for our discussions about bullying.  The main characters are 5^th graders, so the children can really relate to their experiences.  I encourage you to ask your child about the book.  The reason I selected this book is that it’s important for the children to know that it is okay to be different! 
Next week we will begin to discuss and chart the guidelines for reading workshop.  We will also begin to practice literacy stations in preparation for guided reading.  The variety of stations I have prepared offer practice in various language arts skills, but our focus is reading.  I also include other curricular areas in stations such as non-fiction reading about crayfish.
Each week the children will bring home a “Weekly Reflection” in which they will reflect on their week. Most weeks I will write a note. I will ask that you read and sign their weekly reflection.  Also, feel free to write a note on the bottom or on the back.  I will also post it on our class blog so that we will have a history of all our blogs for the school year.   

If you haven’t already done so, please sign up for BC@Home.  The only way to view your child’s report card is through this webpage.  Also, it is important for you to include an email address as that is my way to communicate with you electronically.  I have already sent two emails directing you to our class blog, and I noticed that not all of you have an email address listed.       See you Thursday night!  Lester B.