Subtraction, Reports and Absences

                                                Absences

Usually this time of year, I have some families that go on trips to warmer climates. I totally understand the need for sunshine...this was my road last week! I should mention it was totally sunny and snow free in Burlington that day. If your child is going to be absent, I would like to remind you to let the school absent check line know so the automated service (or our school secretaries) don't phone you. As a courtesy, it would be great to let me know in the agenda but you also have to let the absent line know. You can make multiple absences (if you are going to Florida or somewhere tropical for a week or so) on the automated line as well. 

                                        Mathematics again...

Your child may have mentioned that I did a quick money test with each student. This was just a pre-unit skills check to see what each child knows so I can gear my teaching and groupings for maximum learning. No use teaching coin value if everyone knows it! No use learning about the penny....now that it is about to become extinct! Although, I think it will make teaching more interesting now. How will I explain to future students that a nickel is 5 cents if they don't know what 1 cent looks like? I'll have to talk to them using terms like 'long ago in 2013... there were once pennies'. Sort of like when I refer to records, or turntables or any 80's musical references with my younger colleagues...sigh! I did want to share this picture with you to explain what it means on a report when the teacher jargon refers to 'concrete' or 'manipulatives' in math. Essentially in primary grades, it is very important to use 'hands on' counters and organizers to help students visualize mathematical concepts. In this picture you will see that we are learning how to borrow in subtraction by using  
tens and ones as our manipulatives. We use a simple memory chant:
                                                More on top
                                                No need to stop
                                                More on the floor
                                                Go next door
                                                Borrow ten more
This means simply if the number on the bottom is bigger than the number on top, then this is an opportunity to borrow. Using the 10 frames below, we physically exchange 10 for 10 ones and then complete our subtraction. This visual tool is particularly helpful for students who don't fully understand when to borrow.

                                             
Reports - Report cards go home on February 25th. I will be contacting parents in advance if there is an area of concern on your child's report. 
Family Day - Don't forget family day is February 18th this year. Hope you have something wonderful planned!
Valentine's Day - I have made a Valentine list of names for you that I will send home on Monday (11th). However, if you need names right away you can always use the class picture as it is labelled at the bottom. 

Geometry and Reading Biographies

    You may notice there is a theme to my class pictures. When I mention to the children that I want a "picture of that for the blog" they all assume the 'hand pose'. I have told them I will never put their pictures on this blog but they like the idea that someone in China could see their work...so they feel that their hands need to be there too...just to prove they did it. 

                                             Geometry
Learning outcomes for Grade One: -to explore and describe 3D solids; make a picture using 2D figures, use language such as on, in, under, and over to describe where objects are placed.

Learning outcomes for Grade Two: -identify two-dimensional shapes and three dimensional figures  and sort and classify them by their geometric properties 
- identify and describe various polygons (i.e., triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, heptagons, octagons) and sort and classify them by their geometric properties (i.e., number of sides or number of vertices), using concrete materials and pictorial representations (e.g., "I put all the figures with five or more vertices in one group, and all the figures with fewer than five vertices in another group)

As well, students have enjoyed learning how to compose and decompose (love this word!) shapes by folding 'nets' to create the 3D shapes. We will be finishing this unit soon and then moving on to learning about money.  
                                                   

                                                                      Biographies
The students are learning about famous/inspiring people for the month of February. So far we have read about Helen Keller, Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman and many more. The book corner is full of biographies thanks to Mr. Cann our wonderful librarian. Of course we also have a collection of Valentines Day books too...just for fun. 

I've had a suggestion to enlarge my blog font. Hopefully you don't think I'm shouting. Just testing out the larger font for those parents that wish to print out parts of the blog. 
                                       Have a great week!

Did you know....?

A  fun fact you may or may not know...
While  fumbling,  procrastinating, thinking about what to write about this week I came across a wonderful resource which is free! I know many of my students have access to iPads or tablets and seem quite adept at using them. A good life skill for students is to learn to use this technology to access free library materials. A virtual way of visiting the library! So, did you know about Zinio? Here is the link for the Hamilton Public Library https://rbdg.envionsoftware.com/hamiltonon/zinio/ but I'm sure there is a similar link to the Burlington Library. I found many free children's magazines available to download instantly! I located these age appropriate magazines... Owl, Chick a Dee, Chirp, and National Geographic (you might need to peruse this one first...you know why). The magazines change monthly and the downloads are for 2 weeks or more. I found some well known magazines for grown ups as well (Canadian Living, a knitting magazine,Yoga, Weight watchers and many more). I like that you can take screenshots of recipes or patterns to save for later. I guess it is the virutal way of cutting out a recipe without the little bits of paper lying around the house that you can never find when you need them. I still like the feel of a magazine but I like the portable, lightweight quality of downloading magazines too.
                                                             Happy reading everyone!
Here are a few examples...
         

                                                                                                                                         

We love our IPEVO

                                                       Technology Moment
Today I introduced a new piece of technology...an IPEVO. This is a fairly simple document camera with a USB port that lends itself well to the classroom. It is very lightweight and easy for teachers and students to use. In our primary classroom we can use it for projecting a book onto the Smartboard which then creates a 'big book' for all of us to read and see the words. Today we used the IPEVO to take up our math work. I was able to use actual student work, project it on the screen, show and discuss the thought process of the student and change the work if necessary....all while everyone was able to watch on the Smartboard. Using our own work as an example provides the engagement and interest necessary to create meaningful discussion. Sometimes a student may have a math strategy that no one else (including me) has thought of and is able to stand up and explain it. I can even take pictures of the work and upload it to keep for assessment purposes.

Making Words/ Spelling/Word Wall Words

Have you ever wondered where I get the word wall words? No, I don't make them up! I use a really fabulous resource by Patricia Cunningham called 'Making Words'. This is a really great program that focuses on the four blocks of learning. We will be doing lots of  'Working with Words' this term as we learn the process of spelling and not merely memorization.

The letters students use to spell new words!

Vowels are pink, capitals are on one side and small letters on the other

Students are given a clue e.g. Spell the 3 letter word 'sea' that means the water. Then I will use it in a sentence while students are moving their letters around to spell the word. Notice there are 6 letters but they can be combined to spell a multitude of simple and increasingly complex words as indicated on the envelope. Ultimately it ends with the students using all the letters to spell the big word. A big challenge but this provides the kinesthetic learning that some students need. Much more fun than just writing it out all the time. Students will have greater success since you have narrowed the possibilities from the 26 letters of the alphabet to a possible 6. I don't remember ever cheering when I was doing spelling in school. However, it is quite common to hear excitement and giggles as we do 'Making Words' together!

Happy Little Grade One moment!

All our Christmas sheep ornaments at play! 

Welcome 2013!

                                                      Hello to the New Year
Welcome back everyone! Hope the holiday season was restful and that you are looking forward to 2013. I always find that after Christmas the children look a little taller and some skills begin to consolidate much more quickly now. Thank you to everyone who had a chance to look through pencil cases and replace those little things that have gone missing, dried out or just needed to be labelled. Also thank you for the kind notes or wee gifties that were bestowed to me in December. I did send thank you cards in the mail but if your child did not get one, please let me know. I think modelling sending 'thank you' cards is a good skill for students to see. As well, I really did feel spoiled. Will be wearing a few of my 'purple' items in the next few days.

                                                         Author of the Month: Jan Brett
                                     
This month we will be enjoying the author and illustrator Jan Brett. You may have read some of her more well known books such as 'Gingerbread Baby' or 'The Hat' but she is really such a prolific author that there are enough fabulous books to last us the whole month of January. I love the Scandinavian designs in her illustrations and students love that the books have such a wide range of animals in all of them.

                                                                    Weaving

I would like to do some weaving with the class using paper, wool or found materials. If you have a chance, I would really appreciate some styrofoam trays (largest possible but smaller ones are fine too). Although I have some of my own materials to contribute, it would be great if anyone has a family member that knits who might be able to send in some wool. Any thickness or colour is fine...we aren't picky! Over the holidays I managed to make a few woven items myself which I will share with the class. Wish I could bring them to my house to show them the large counterbalance looms. Oh to be Ms Frizzle and be able to travel by Magic school bus!

        Will be sending more information about 'Guided Reading', 'Math' and 'Writer's Workshop' soon.
                                   Have to get myself back into the swing of things too!

My Gift to you

                                                     Holiday Concert
The excitement of Christmas is upon us. The children performed at the Holiday Concert with enthusiasm and energy. As I'm sure they will tomorrow as well. Behind the scenes (the part you don't see), there is always a lot of hustling to get everyone in place, on stage, and in 'performance order' with their bells and sunglasses on!  Somehow it all works and you never quite know how but it comes together.

                                                        My Gift to you...
I have been trying to think of a way to do a blog give- a- way for Christmas. Then it hit me what I could do. I know the next few weeks are busy but I would like to give you the gift of time spent doing something fun with your child. So, I am willing to post my super, secret (about to be not so secret) Ms. Fink never fail chocolate chip cookie recipe. As you may or may not know....I like to cook. This recipe is a favourite at my family gathering...also known as `Fink Fest`.

                                                    Ms. Fink`s Best Chocolate chip Cookie recipe
1 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
Cream these 3 ingredients together

Beat in 2 eggs and 2 tsp Vanilla
Combine in 2 cups  of all purpose flour ( I have used whole wheat and it is fine too), 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt

Blend all of this into the creamed mixture

Add 2 cups oatmeal ( I use about 4 packages of the instant quick cooking oats but any kind works)

Add 2 cups Chocolate chips ( here is my secret... I buy the mini hershey kisses chocolate chips...you have to look carefully for this package in the baking aisle)

Optional - 2 cups nuts ( I add walnuts or pecans)

Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes.I make the dough about the size of small golf balls,  Let them continue to cook on the cookie sheet. I never let them brown in the oven.
                                             Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

                                                         Elf on the Shelf
Our elf Sparkle has been up to more antics this week. Here are some pictures for you!
                                                      Sleeping in our Kleenex box!

                                      Trying on the sunglasses from the Grade two performance!

Elf on the Shelf, Holiday performance, Letters to Santa

                                                                  Elf on the Shelf
I'm sure you have heard some talk about the antics of our 'Elf' named "Sparkle, Holly Elfa" by our class.
                                                           
Each day the students have found a letter on our smartboard and a strange hiding place for our elf. Of course our elf knits! Today she got into the band-aids and on Monday she was into the sparkles! It has been a little bit of fun as well as an opportunity for modelling 'letter writing'.

                                                             Santa letters
This week, our class used the laptops to write e mail letters to the North Pole. Using our Halton chatt system, we discussed how to send e mails, as well as how to write a basic letter. Using the graphic organizer below, we discussed how a letter is composed. We also discussed how Santa or the Snowman (students had a choice who to write to) would never enjoy a letter that starts with: "I want, I want, I want etc." Some of the letters are very cute. I will send the rough copies home for you to see. As well, all e mails sent will get a reply from Santa or the Snowman. It is always exciting when a student has a flag in their e mail box with a reply waiting for them. Great excitement in the computer lab!
                                              
                                                    Holiday Performance
The Holiday Performance is next Thursday December 13th in the afternoon. We hope you are able to come and see our students perform. Thanks for sending in the bells and props. I know the students are practising and excited...they often spontaneously break out in song while working in the classroom. It is those happy little moments that are the reason I like teaching primary children!

                                                    A funny story for you!
Today during gym, one of my students slipped a rubber chicken into my large purse. Not realizing it, when I went out to lunch today, I opened my purse, only to surprise the cashier (and myself ) with a rather large yellow rubber chicken! I had to explain, while laughing how a rubber chicken got in there. I'm still not sure if she believes me but the other teacher I was with believed every word!