Having Fun with Technology

We are having so much fun trying out new technology in our classroom.  We played around with a new app called "Sock Puppet."  This week we learned about Redwood Trees during our shared reading block.  Today the kids did a written retelling and I called a few students over to try out the  new app.  I hope you enjoy our sock puppet show!

We had to do many takes to get it right.   Thank you to the following students for their participation and patience:  Freddy, Cole, Delaney, Sophia.  

If you are having trouble understanding the puppets, here is  what each person said.

Dog Puppet (Mrs. Selm):  We are learning about Redwood trees.

Freddy:  "They grow in California."

Cole:  "They are one of the biggest living things on Earth"

Delaney:  "Redwood trees grow to be over 300 feet tall!"

Sophia:  "They need warm, wet weather."

More Work with Adjectives

We are continuing our work with adjectives.  We are using "thinking maps" to help organize our ideas.  One thinking map we did earlier this week was a circle map.  Today the kids worked in groups to create a tree map to group different adjectives together.

Adjectives

We are learning about adjectives this week.  Yesterday we brainstormed some adjectives to add to our circle map.  We are working on trying to add more adjectives to our writing to make it more interesting.

Getting Dirty!

We are studying soils in science.  Who knew looking at dirt could be so fun and interesting!  Yesterday the kids made some predictions in their science notebooks about what they might find in dirt.  Today they observed sand, clay, and humus.  Check out my little scientists.

Red Ribbon Week

We will celebrate Red Ribbon Week 

the week of October 27^th.  

Student council will be making posters 

and doing announcements each day.  

We will also have 3 dress up days 

and some goodies along the way!  

Our theme this year is:  "My future is bright, no drugs in sight!"

Mark your calendars for the following days:

Wednesday, October 29th:  Wear neon/fluorescent colors

Thursday, October 30th:  "I am a jean-ius!  I am drug-free!"

Friday, October 31st:  Wear red to show support for Red Ribbon Week

W

An AMAZING Day!

It was a FABULOUS day in Room 4!  I had to be out for a meeting this morning for 2 hours and the kids did an amazing job while I was out.  They earned 5 "brownie points" today and two whole class clip ups.  Over half the class clipped off the chart today!  Way to go!!

Super Smart Spellers!

Spelling has been a little different for us this year.  We did away with the "weekly" spelling tests.  We use the Orton Gillingham approach which is a multi-sensory approach to teach spelling.  Using this approach not only helps kids with spelling but also reading and writing.  I went to a week long training over the summer to learn all about the "OG" approach.  I left the training and could not wait to get started!  It opened my eyes to a whole new way of teaching reading, writing, and spelling to my students.  I have been amazed at how quickly the kids are catching on to the different rules.....and they are learning a LOT of different rules.  See if your child can share one thing they have learned about spelling.  I am really starting to see the application of these rules in their daily writing.  They are so proud when they ask me how to spell a word and I tell them to use the rules they know and sound it out.  Many times they get it correct or are very close.  I can't wait to see the growth they make over this school year.  Please continue to practice the words we send home each week.  It just helps to reinforce what we are teaching in the classroom.