On Monday morning, Max and his Mom delivered a tub of tadpoles. Before Morning Meeting they showed our friends how to use the aerator, feed the tadpoles algae wafers and showed us other guests such as water bugs. We even had a tadpole who had started to grow his legs and therefore he is a metamorph. Friends have been enthralled with observing the tadpoles as they swim into the air bubbles and grow bigger which seems like each hour. We have been sharing the responsibility of making sure they are fed and recording our noticings, wonderings and estimates in our science journal. Ms. Brooke has been working very hard to make sure they have safe water each morning and working even harder to research ways to keep the tadpoles alive. The big question now? What to do when their metamorphosis has completed into ... frog?
This experience has been so valuable as we develop lists of inquiry and form our community of learners. Thank-you!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Friends are the Best Teachers
Wow what a great week it has been in the Prairie Racerunner classroom. Our Daily News routine has gotten off to a great start as we have read great articles from National Geographic, discussed the life-cycle of a tadpole and shared sweet moments of grandparents and their talents. Way to keep this routine going at home! Thanks.
Next week we will introduce the Reflection Log in which you will have a snapshot into your child's day in their own words. This routine will develop organizational skills and reflective thinking.
Today Melissa shared about her trip to Turkey this summer where she visited many aunts, uncles, cousins and her grandmother who made delicious homemade jam. We also talked about Baklava and Dolma - yummy. Muriel inquired as to which was farther away - South Korea or Turkey. So we looked it up using our iMac computer. We calculated the distance from Chicago (where both girls originated their flight) and found that Turkey is 5,491 miles from Chicago, while South Korea is 6, 526 miles. Diggory and Luca helped us calculate the difference to find that South Korea is 1,035 miles farther away than Turkey. Regardless, both trips are long and require sleeping on the plane :) It was a great discussion.
Himani shared a Slide Show presentation from a Traditional Indian Wedding that she attended in Chicago. There we learned about clothing items such as the Sehra, sari, and Pajami Suit. Friends enjoyed independently looking at this slideshow during Centers where they were able to ask Himani more questions about the Bride's bangles, her body art, veil and the Groom's large white horse.
What wonderful experience these friends are equipped to share and learn from. Thank-you.
Next week we will introduce the Reflection Log in which you will have a snapshot into your child's day in their own words. This routine will develop organizational skills and reflective thinking.
Today Melissa shared about her trip to Turkey this summer where she visited many aunts, uncles, cousins and her grandmother who made delicious homemade jam. We also talked about Baklava and Dolma - yummy. Muriel inquired as to which was farther away - South Korea or Turkey. So we looked it up using our iMac computer. We calculated the distance from Chicago (where both girls originated their flight) and found that Turkey is 5,491 miles from Chicago, while South Korea is 6, 526 miles. Diggory and Luca helped us calculate the difference to find that South Korea is 1,035 miles farther away than Turkey. Regardless, both trips are long and require sleeping on the plane :) It was a great discussion.
Himani shared a Slide Show presentation from a Traditional Indian Wedding that she attended in Chicago. There we learned about clothing items such as the Sehra, sari, and Pajami Suit. Friends enjoyed independently looking at this slideshow during Centers where they were able to ask Himani more questions about the Bride's bangles, her body art, veil and the Groom's large white horse.
What wonderful experience these friends are equipped to share and learn from. Thank-you.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
Willowwind School was apart of a "Back to School" write up in the Press-Citizen on Friday, August 19th. Our friends were featured on the front page!
Check out http://www.press-citizen.com, go to the "Photos" tab and scroll down to "IC Schools First Day 2011." There you will find pictures of Himani dancing to our Freeze & Wiggle Song and a handful of our classroom boys learning all about staying healthy with our bathroom procedure.
There is also a great pic of Diggory and his Mom heading in for the first day of a great WW Adventure under "Your photos: First Day of School."
This week we will continue our discussion on classroom expectations. During Morning and Afternoon Meeting this week we will discuss what it looks like to be Respectful, Self-Controlled and Prompt. You can use this same vocabulary to discuss what these expectations look, sound and feel like in your own home.
Daily News begins this week as well! This authentic writing assignment allows friends to take turns researching articles at home and sharing them with the class, or writing about special happenings at home such as a great dinner, a bedtime story or the start of Tae Kwon Do. This writing assignment can be written as a cartoon, in pictures, in sentences or as bullet points. Invented spelling and illustrations are also encouraged at this point in our year. If it is your child's turn to write Daily News, please be sure to help them bring the Daily News Journal Bag back to the classroom the next day so that they may share from the Author's Chair during Morning Meeting - even if it is not complete.
I will see you on Monday morning. Take good care.
Ms. Brooke
Check out http://www.press-citizen.com, go to the "Photos" tab and scroll down to "IC Schools First Day 2011." There you will find pictures of Himani dancing to our Freeze & Wiggle Song and a handful of our classroom boys learning all about staying healthy with our bathroom procedure.
There is also a great pic of Diggory and his Mom heading in for the first day of a great WW Adventure under "Your photos: First Day of School."
This week we will continue our discussion on classroom expectations. During Morning and Afternoon Meeting this week we will discuss what it looks like to be Respectful, Self-Controlled and Prompt. You can use this same vocabulary to discuss what these expectations look, sound and feel like in your own home.
Daily News begins this week as well! This authentic writing assignment allows friends to take turns researching articles at home and sharing them with the class, or writing about special happenings at home such as a great dinner, a bedtime story or the start of Tae Kwon Do. This writing assignment can be written as a cartoon, in pictures, in sentences or as bullet points. Invented spelling and illustrations are also encouraged at this point in our year. If it is your child's turn to write Daily News, please be sure to help them bring the Daily News Journal Bag back to the classroom the next day so that they may share from the Author's Chair during Morning Meeting - even if it is not complete.
I will see you on Monday morning. Take good care.
Ms. Brooke
Thursday, August 18, 2011
First Day Jitters - Students and Teacher Alike
In the Prairie Racerunner Morning Meeting, we discussed nervous butterflies as we read the book "First Day Jitters" by Julie Danneberg. As our eyes glistened with knowing feelings, friends were surprised to discover that the one who had first day jitters was, believe it or not, the teacher! We talked about ways to calm our nerves and help someone new to our community or class feel welcome - with just a smile and a "hello." It was a beautiful first day conversation.
GD started the ball rolling in being aware of our bodies and our waste each day. Today we weighed all of our food waste (not only compost), recyclables and garbage. As a K-6 class we had 7 pounds of waste altogether. When you multiply that by 180 school days, 1260 pounds of waste in our landfill is really scary! So tonight students are thinking of ways to reduce their waste and pondering a "Reduced Waste Goal" for September. This is a great discussion to have as a family.
We ended our day with reading Dr. Seuss' "Oh the Places You'll Go" and how this book applies to our classroom. Waiting, losing at a game, or being recognized for something fabulous are all apart of our experience. This launched us into a discussion and writing about dreams, real and imaginary, and our goals. What a great piece to reflect on in December, May and even down the road at graduation.
Thanks for sending in children with hearts ready to absorb and learn. We have the makings of a wonderful year.
Take care of you.
Ms. Brooke
GD started the ball rolling in being aware of our bodies and our waste each day. Today we weighed all of our food waste (not only compost), recyclables and garbage. As a K-6 class we had 7 pounds of waste altogether. When you multiply that by 180 school days, 1260 pounds of waste in our landfill is really scary! So tonight students are thinking of ways to reduce their waste and pondering a "Reduced Waste Goal" for September. This is a great discussion to have as a family.
We ended our day with reading Dr. Seuss' "Oh the Places You'll Go" and how this book applies to our classroom. Waiting, losing at a game, or being recognized for something fabulous are all apart of our experience. This launched us into a discussion and writing about dreams, real and imaginary, and our goals. What a great piece to reflect on in December, May and even down the road at graduation.
Thanks for sending in children with hearts ready to absorb and learn. We have the makings of a wonderful year.
Take care of you.
Ms. Brooke
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
August Rumblings
There is a lot of energy flowing through our Willowwind Building as our team is preparing for new and familiar faces, and planing for a year of great inquiry and discovery. I can't wait to see you on Thursday morning when school begins at 8:30 a.m. We will plan on stories, journals and conversations to ease from summer to our school year. We will end our day at 2:00 p.m.
Be sure to bring a healthy lunch, a snack for morning and a beach towel or small picnic blanket to enjoy lunch under our tree.
See you soon!
Ms. Brooke
Prairie Racerunner Teacher
Willowwind School
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