This week was busy exploring patterns. We investigated patterns on the playground and thought about how these patterns help us. We also thought about grow and shrink (increase and decrease) and showed this concept in different ways. Most students made a 'staircase' and realized the pattern was counting by 1's. Then we challenged ourselves to create different patterns. Some ended up skip counting by 3's, 5's, 6's and 8's! At the end of the week, we worked with 'Groovy Grids'. There were several numbers missing and we had to think about the difference between certain numbers in order to fill in the missing ones and identify the rule. During Daily 5, we worked on predicting (making a smart guess about what we think will happen) and inferring (using our own experiences and clues from the text and pictures to make a good guess). Students chose new reading goals, and picked certain strategies throughout the week to help practice these goals. Free writing has been an exciting time lately, as many students are teaming up to co-write stories, draw characters and work together to use their imaginations. We also spent class time investigating word patterns, practicing each other and using them in different ways. During UOI time this week, we started off watching the story Journey, written by Aaron Becker. We had previously identified what we thought makes a good story. Ideas ranged anywhere from having action, being a mystery or funny, using interesting sentences or words and learning something new. We kept these ideas in our minds as we began to write our own stories, based on the images in the story, Journey. We met back throughout the week to have mini-lessons about looking at detail in the pictures, starting sentences in different ways, problems and solutions, and writing super sentences. As students began to finish, they continued with the writing process and revised, making changes to sentences or different words. Some students chose to work together with a buddy to have extra support. Most students have also finished editing, where they have checked conventions - spelling, spacing, grammar and punctuation. These stories will soon be typed up and shared on students' blogs, as well as inside or outside of our classroom. I am very impressed by the creativity, ideas and voice coming through in these writing pieces. We also spent time examining different images, noticing that many can have different meanings based on our perspective. We think the artist must have had an idea in mind when they created it, but our ideas might be a little different from their ideas. We will continue exploring, sorting, evaluating and creating images next week. We ended the week with a Grade 2 scavenger hunt. Teams worked together to find different items throughout the playground and school grounds. It was a fun way to team up with other students from the other two classes. Have a wonderful weekend, and I know many of you will be attending the Fun Fair on Sunday. I look forward to a fun filled and busy week before our Spring Break next week. Ms. Luttrell
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AuthorWe are 7 and 8 year old students who live in Singapore. Our teacher, Ms. Luttrell, will be helping us write blog posts throughout the year! Archives
June 2016
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