Newsletter: September 27, 2012

Dear Families,

We've been busy this past week exploring Mother Nature. Last Thursday the kids grabbed containers and we headed outdoors to collect caterpillars, beetles, worms, frogs, butterflies, and whatever else we could find. The kids had a great time peeking into bushes, digging under rocks, and dipping into the pond. The critters we caught came back into the classroom for more careful observation. Using our science journals, we created sketches and recorded observational data about their physical and behavioral attributes. Afterward, the animals were released back into the wild.

We've been thinking a lot lately about how one of the best ways to better understand the science of nature is to spend time outdoors playing. One day a few weeks ago I took the kids out to play for an "extra recess" in the storybook garden. With no balls or climbing structures available to them they were left with nothing but their imaginations. I sat and recorded all the things I saw them playing. These were:

* searching under the bridge for a frog
* chasing butterflies
* turning cartwheels
* turning over rocks to see what was underneath
* playing chase/tag
* picking flowers

We have since decided it would be great if our playground offered more of these types of opportunities for playing in nature. I asked the kids what kinds of nature-related recess activities they think CFI students would enjoy. I added a few of my ideas as well. Our list included...

* dig holes
* dig for worms
* climb trees
* play in "secret" spots under the bushes
* pick at the bark of dead trees
* catch things in the pond
* float things on a small stream
* build a dam
* catch animals
* use a magnifying class/butterfly net/ measuring tools
* build things (sticks, etc)
* sit in the shade to talk, read, write
* pretend play
* jump off stuff (logs, rocks, etc)

What a great list! Since we are learning about maps I had the kids create a map in which they design how some of these features might fit into the north end of our playground. They began these maps today. Already they are imagining a space they would love. A space that is not for looking but for doing. Some of their ideas would be costly. However, the majority of them would be rather simple with a little effort. I plan to have them put together a proposal to present to Dr. Mueller and perhaps to the SIC as well. I would love to see one of our lasting legacies at CFI be the creation (or at least the beginning) of a nature garden at CFI where kids are encouraged to explore and play in nature.

A new structure this past week was the Student Voice Committee (SVC). Our third graders (including Mr. Foote's class) are hosting representatives from  CFI classrooms each Tuesday morning to discuss celebrations and concerns regarding our school grounds and community. Our role as third graders is to host these representatives, organize the information discussed, and share this with the other teachers in the building. This past Tuesday we noticed the majority of the representatives wanted to share concerns about our hallway bathrooms as well as litter around the campus. A celebration presented to the committee highlighted the kind words being used with others. We took this information and everyone in our class created a flyer that was later delivered to classroom teachers to help them continue these discussions with their students. Our aim with the SVC is to get the kids more directly involved in making decisions about our school. It's democracy in action. Here are some photos of the kids creating their flyers.

 

Please remember that we are hosting Gathering tomorrow at 2:20. It will be a rather simple affair. The kids are planning to share some of their learning around multiplication, poetry, literature discussions, and nature. We'll also sing a song. It is not a new song but a favorite of many. We are slowly working on a new song about poetry but, with only a few verses complete,  it is nowhere near being ready to perform in front of an audience. You might look for that one at an upcoming Curriculum Night.

Also worth noting is that tomorrow is our trip to the zoo. Please send your child to school in a CFI t-shirt. If you do not have one perhaps they could wear a purple or green shirt.

Thank you,
Chris

Homework: September 24 - October 1st

1. On Wednesday the kids are bringing home their SS textbook and two maps they have been working to complete. One is of the SC river systems and the other is SC land regions. We are having a small quiz over this material on Monday. Completed maps are due back on Monday as well.

2. Multiplication sheet and nightly review of the 4s. We practice these each day in class as well.

3. Prepare for Friday's Gathering. The kids all know what part they will play in our learning celebration. They need to use Monday and Tuesday evening to write-up what they plan to say as well as prepare any visuals they want to present. They can also work on this during Exploration time in the classroom. If they need any classroom materials they are free to bring them home. I would like for them to bring these back in on Wednesday.

4. Discuss a reading goal with your child. I'll ask the kids to bring this goal in on Monday. It could along the lines of: finish the _____ series in the next month, start and finish each book, only read one book at a time, read the same book at home and at school each day, try a new author or series, etc.


Thanks,
Chris

Newsletter: September 23, 2012

Dear Families,

This past week the majority of the class finished up their first book clubs of the new school year. Groups read titles such as The Tale of Despereaux, Jigsaw Jones, Clementine, Bunnicula, Heartbeat, and Andy Shane is NOT in Love. The kids chose these books from a collection of about twenty titles. We will return to book clubs in a few weeks.

Speaking of reading, this week we will focus on building reading fluency. We'll pay close attention to the rhythm of reading and talk about role punctuation plays in helping us to determine what the text might sound like. We will also work this week to set reading goals for ourselves. I may ask the kids to come home and discuss possible goals with you. Ideas are:

start and finish each book, stick to just one book at a time, mixing in more chapter books, trying a new author or genre, etc.

As I look ahead to the year that lies ahead I anticipate a great deal of growth in our readers. Third grade is such a transitional year for so many. I thought of this as I read Mr. O's newsletter a few days ago. In his letter he eloquently laid out all the ways he invites his kids into literacy. I couldn't help but nod in agreement as I saw our own classroom reflected by the work his kids do. I'm going to attach it here in hopes his voice will help communicate the beliefs and structures that fuel the work we do around literacy here at CFI.

Enjoy...

 Reading aloud – I love sharing my favorite books with children. When I read aloud I do as much as I can to convey how special stories are; how brilliantly written books can change us and help us grow and understand the world more clearly. Reading aloud means I can get children to enjoy characters and vocabulary that they might not be able to tackle on their own… yet. Reading aloud is an invitation for young ones to grow in their love of story and characters. It is a dare to develop into confident readers who can dive into more complicated reading material. 

"Reading aloud with children is known to be the single most important activity for building the knowledge and skills they will eventually require for learning to read." ~Marilyn Jager Adams

 *Getting children in touch with the reading process – Often teachers provide exercises and practice, worksheets and comprehension questions; we follow a prescripted set of activities which are supposed to work for everyone. We treat reading as if it is a magical process that will automatically occur if we simply follow the formula. What we often neglect is inviting children into the process. I believe firmly that children should understand what reading is, how it is that we read, and what strategies are most effective. So, as a reader, I share my own reading strategies and urge our children to share what they do while reading. We will share strategies after independent reading and I will guide the children through exercises to help us explore effective reading strategies. 

*Providing regular opportunities to read – I heard a sad statistic a few years back at a reading conference. In the average elementary classroom on an average day, children are provided with less than 10 minutes of reading time. (I think the average was 7-8 minutes!). How can we expect children to learn to love books when we don’t provide them with the very most basic ingredient – TIME? If we give children worksheets and exercises, if we give them unit tests and drills, if we give them dots to fill in and blank spaces to complete and we don’t give them the time to read for pleasure… then we are sending a terribly mixed message. If children only read what I ask them to, how will they find what genres they are interested in, which authors are their favorites, and which characters to fall in love with? Real reading should part of the children’s lives. Every day. Whether or not there is a reading log or an assigned reading. 

I have other ways to help children develop as readers, but I’ll discuss those in future letters. However, I can’t stop until I mention the very most important aspect of helping our young children to develop as readers. Here it is… Wait for it… It’s you. As parents, you have a far greater influence than I could ever have. Here are some questions to consider: Do you read to your children? *Do you listen to your children read? *Are books important to your family? *Is reading as important as watching TV in your home? *Do you share favorite books from your childhood with your children? *Are you a reader? *Do you talk about what you read with your children? *Is there a quiet time and place in your house for reading when no one is watching TV? *Are books given as gifts and treated as prized possessions? *Do you take trips to the library? 

I don’t think we could ever overstate the gift that reading is or how essential it is to a successful and healthy life. The example that you set, and the power that you give to books, is critical to developing a love of reading in your children.

Newsletter: September 16, 2012

Dear Families,

This past week found us completing our first shared novel, The Tiger Rising. Unlike a traditional read aloud, a shared text is one in which everyone has their own copy of the book. The kids follow along as I read. Over the past two weeks the purpose of this structure has been to: (1) help model reading fluency (smooth, rhythmic reading), (2) introduce new vocabulary/sight words,  (3) practice thinking about the text with greater depth, and (4) learn to build conversations that help us to either come to new understandings or think about our reading in new ways.

Our reading instruction at CFI is vastly different from what you most likely remember during your own school days. It is certainly different from what I received. Back in elementary school I was expected to read one story from the textbook each week and then take a quiz on Friday proving that I "understood" it. However, the multiple choice questions I answered rarely spoke to my understanding of the text and did absolutely nothing to help me understand how I might read the next story any differently. What these quizzes did do was ask for trivial information that had little to do with the type of reading we do in the real world. They never asked me to make connections from the text to my own experiences, ask clarifying questions, interrogate the characters' actions, notice elements or themes in the text that are similar to the author's other works, etc. Reading is so much more than remembering minute details.

Furthermore, when young readers are taught that reading is all about remembering every detail for a quiz it changes the way they go about reading. Reading is no longer an aesthetic experience that brings joy, wonder, and sparks the imagination. Rather, these quizzes reduce reading to an efferent activity that concerns itself only with what information will "come out" of the reading. What's the problem with this? This approach produces test takers, not readers. I think back to other schooling experiences I have had where classroom teachers were expected to use computer programs such as Accelerated Reader or Reading Counts to monitor their students' growth. The kids would often refuse to begin a new book until they had taken their AR quiz for fear of forgetting any of the facts and doing poorly on the assessment. Some parents, very concerned about their child's grade, would have them read and reread books to ensure the best chances of a good score. Librarians refused to let kids check out books that were above their "reading level" because they feared they wouldn't score high enough on the quiz.

All these acts do little to make a kid want to read. This is often evidenced by the number of kids who, when removed from this system over the summer, avoid reading like the plague. They do not learn to love, or at the very least enjoy, reading. For some this is a slower process than others. Our classroom is a diverse group of readers - some read constantly, most read consistently, and a few still need a little nudge to help them learn to begin finding great books. It's a process, but one we believe in. We take the long view knowing what is to come.

This week we will begin book clubs. The kids have already selected their books and on Monday they will work with their partners to plan their daily and nightly reading. That's right, unlike last year I will ask the kids to read these books both at school and at home. The reason for this is to structure them into good practices for completing books. Look for these books to begin coming home on Monday.

Finally, I want to share a short video of a few of our kids discussing the book Tiger Rising. Left to discuss anything that struck them as interesting or confusing they engaged in a discussion about: (1) why there is only one African American character in the book, (2) creating mental images of characters, and (3) determining what time frame this novel took place. Enjoy!

Next Week:

Reading- Book Clubs, Reading for meaning, fluency

Writing- Types of poetry 

Math - Parts of a multiplication number sentence, multiplication facts, building numbers/place value

Science/SS - Life cycles, adaptations, maps

Have a great week,

Chris

Homework: September 10 - 17

The homework this week includes a nightly reading log and a three-page math packet. Each assignment is due back next Monday.

Newsletter: Monday, 9/10

Dear Families,





 I hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend. The rain on Saturday was a bit dreary but that cool Sunday breeze sure couldn't be beat. We're ready to begin another full week of explorations and activities. Last week we worked quite a bit on solving word problems using our knowledge of addition, subtraction, and multiplication. I thought everyone did a very nice job. You'll notice a bit of review with both word problems and multiplication facts in this week's homework.



 In reading workshop we are reading Kate DiCamillo's book, The Tiger Rising. As we focus on reading for meaning, talking around literature, and focusing on the text we are also being introduced to metaphors. In this book the author uses the metaphor "keeping my suitcase shut" to demonstrate how the main character works so hard to suppress his feelings of sadness. This is a major theme of the book. We'll finish this book on Wednesday and the kids will then move into self-selected book clubs. I've been very pleased with the quality of their discussions thus far. They are really beginning to work together to build new understandings of the text. Such discussions model the types of thinking they should be doing as they read independently to ensure they are understanding the text. This is why we spend so much time in the classroom talking about our reading.

During Morning Meeting last week I shared a fact I had heard during my morning commute: Tiger Woods recently finished 3rd in a golf tournament, bringing his career winnings to more than $100,000,000. I asked the class if they thought he deserved to win so much money playing golf. Nearly all responded that he did deserve it because he worked hard to be good at golf. Playing devil's advocate, I asked whether other professionals worked just as hard to do their very best in their jobs. Everyone decided that there are people who work hard in every field,as well as some who do not. I asked, then, why so many cultures across the globe pay professional athletes lots of money to excel while other people (such as nurses, firemen, park rangers, librarians, etc.) are paid much less. Our discussion was quite simple and led to no clear conclusion we could all agree with. Of course, agreeing is rarely, if ever, the goal. Rather, we are learning to think through issues and discuss them in meaningful ways. If you find a good news story please send it in with your child. We enjoy these conversations.

And now a note from our fantastic new MAT, Ms. Ruff...

 My name is Victoria Ruff, and I am a student teacher in Mr.Hass' class. I graduated from Columbia College with a bachelor's degree in Studio Art, and I am currently in USC's M.A.T. program. Even though this school year has just begun, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know your third graders!

 This week we read Lauren Mills' The Rag Coat, a story about a young girl named Minna who wants to attend school but cannot until she receives a coat. I chose to share The Rag Coat  with the students because the story contains many positive messages about building community.

 As a class we discussed creating a decorative quilt for our classroom. I have asked the students to bring in clean scrap fabric from home (an old t-shirt, pillowcase, leftover fabric, etc) to incorporate into the classroom quilt. This quilt will be a great way to represent each child's individuality while displaying our community as a classroom. I would like to get all of the scrap fabric in by this Friday (September 14). I will cut the fabric at school, and we can design the layout of the quilt as a class. If you have any questions about the quilting project you can contact me at vruff@richland2.org or contact Mr.Hass.
    
 I am looking forward to working with your students this fall!
     Sincerely,
     Victoria Ruff


Dates to Remember:

Wednesday, 9/12    MAP Reading Test at 12:30pm
Wednesday, 9/17    MAP Math Test at 9:00am
Friday, 9/28             School-Wide Field Trip to the Zoo
Friday, 9/28             Our class will host Gathering at 2:20
Saturday, 11/3         Class Camping Trip at Sesqui (plan to arrive around 3pm)

This Week:

Reading - Reacting/Responding to Text; Metaphor; Self-Selecting Books, Planning for Book Completion
Writing - Poetry/Where poets get their ideas
Math - Multiplication games
Science - Finishing our Field Guides, adaptations of plants and animals


Have a great week,
Chris

Homework This Week - September 4

1. Reading log
2. Published Piece of Writing - You have been working on various "free write" pieces the past eight days. Select one to edit, revise, and publish onto a clean sheet of paper. You may write these out by hand or type them on the computer. This will serve as your first piece of writing for 3rd grade. Feel free to get a bit of advice from your parents but I want the work to remain your own.

Each of these assignments is due next Monday, September 10th.