Friday, September 29, 2017

Dream the Dream of the Story

Students were reminded that writers of stories climb inside the story, walking in the shoes of the character, experiencing the story as it unfolds and putting that onto the page so readers can experience it, too. They practiced "showing" the story rather than "telling" it.



Again and Again

Another signpost was introduced today. Readers learned that when authors repeat something-a word, image or an event- we need to stop and ask ourselves, "Why does this happen again and again?"  The answer will usually tell us something about the character, the plot, or perhaps even the theme.





Family Night Fun


Thank you to the families of room 302 for coming in and learning about what our friends have been working hard on during the first few weeks of school! Thank you for stopping in and making the night special for everyone! 





Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Family Information Night

Please plan to attend Family Information Night at Wilson this Thursday from 6-7PM. The students in room 302 will be your tour guides for the evening and are excited to share all of the learning they have been doing so far this year with you. After completing your tour of room 302, you are invited to stop in the gym beginning at 6:45 for ice cream.  We hope to see you there!

Strategies for Generating Personal Narrative Writing

The writers in room 302 generated ideas for personal narratives today. They learned that one strategy is to think of a person who matters to you and list small moment stories connected to that person. Another strategy that helps people write powerful stories is to jot moments that have been turning points in your life. These might be first times, last times, or they might be a time when you realized something important. Then you take one of those moments and write the whole story fast and furious. Please ask your writer to share some of the ideas they have generated for personal narratives with you.


Reading Log Reflections and Independent Reading Goals

Room 302 readers completed a reading log reflection today.  They analyzed the patterns on their independent reading logs and used that information to formulate a personalized independent reading goal. We also began a conversation about action plans or the steps we will take to reach our goals.

The game has its ups and downs, but you can never lose focus of your individual goals and you can't let yourself be beat because of lack of effort. - Michael Jordan

Summarizing and Synthesizing

Today's reading workshop lesson reviewed chronological retelling and introduced synthesizing. Students retold the part of the book they just read and then went back and summarized the earlier parts of the book that relate to just that part.


Monday, September 25, 2017

Color Run

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the Color Run last Friday. It was great to see so many Wilson families smiling, laughing, and having fun together while being dusted with color. I think the yellow looked especially great!

MAP Testing Update

As you are most likely aware, there were some technology issues with the MAP site last week and we were not able to complete the reading portion of the test.  The plan is to resume testing on Wednesday of this week.  Please encourage your student to continue doing their best on this test.  Thank you for your continued patience!

Friday, September 22, 2017

The Science of Hurricanes

Scientists in room 302 were introduced to media literacy today. We used the same strategies we use in close reading while we viewed a short video about hurricanes. First, we watched the video in its entirety to get the gist. Then, we watched the video a second time paying attention to three different focus questions. We quickly realized that, just like in reading when something doesn't make sense, you need to reread, or in this case, rewatch to clarify. We found ourselves pausing the video often and rewinding as we worked to make sense of all of the information and take organized notes. Please ask your junior scientist what they learned about hurricanes and what strategies they used to gain that understanding from the video.




Sunshine and a Good Book

We took advantage of the summertime weather today and met our reading buddies outside. We enjoyed a cool treat while reading our books.







Thursday, September 21, 2017

Word Study Assessments

Please remember that students will be expected to correctly sort and spell the words from their weekly sort on Friday. Please help your student review their words at home. You may want to use the activities that were modeled in class and sent home on this past Monday to prepare for the assessment.

MAP Testing Update

We have been patiently waiting while NWEA, the company that coordinates the MAP assessments, fixes some glitches in the system. We are hoping that the issues will be resolved by tomorrow so that we may continue testing.

Color Run

Please plan on attending the Color Run this Friday, September 22. Check-in will begin on the playground at 6PM.

Where Will the Sign(posts) Lead You?

After reviewing the four signposts we have learned so far (Contrasts/Contradictions, Aha Moments, Tough Questions, Words of the Wiser), students worked independently to identify the signposts, state the anchor question to ask themselves, and answer that question while reading a short passage. Please ask your reader to explain the signposts to you and why they are important in close reading.



Oh, the places you'll go...(when you follow the signposts)!

The Power of Feedback and Goal Setting

Room 302 readers were introduced to the power of feedback through the work of John Hattie, an educational researcher. Hattie found that the most important factor in improving student work is feedback. Students were given back their reading pre assessments which had already been scored using a rubric. We focused on the importance of not the score - the number they saw - but on understanding what strong responses look and sound like. After taking a look at some sample responses, the rubric, and the learning progression, students reviewed their own responses. They looked for what they have and have not yet done in their own work compared to the sample responses and wrote realistic goals for themselves for how to improve their work as readers and writers.
"Feedback is the breakfast of champions." - Ken Blanchard


Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Family Information Night

You Are Invited to Family Information Night! 

Where: Wilson Elementary School, Room 302
When: Thursday, September 28th 6:00pm – 6:45pm in classrooms 
6:45 – 7:00 in gym/field house for ice cream 

Family Information Night is an opportunity for you to learn about your child’s day at school! You will be in your child’s classroom from 6:00 – 6:45. Ice cream will be served afterwards in the field house/gym until 7:00!

MAP Testing

We will continue with the reading portion of the MAP test tomorrow. There were some technology issues today and only half of the class was able to begin the test. Thank you to all of the readers in room 302 for the patience today as we attempted to work through the technology issues!

Words of the Wiser

Room 302 readers were introduced to another signpost today. When a character (probably older & wiser) takes the main character aside and offers some serious advice, words of the wiser, STOP and ask yourself, “What’s the life lesson and how might it affect the character?” Thinking about the life lessons gives you insight into the theme(s) of the book.








Reading intensely in our partnerships to notice and note words of the wiser

Base 10 Numbers

The mathematicians in room 302 continued their investigation of "exploding" dots this afternoon. After investigating the patterns we saw in two-one, and three-one machines, student predicted what would happen in four-one machines. Our "aha" moment came when we looked at a ten-one machine! Please ask your mathematician to explain a ten-one machine to you.

Taking Responsibility for Book Choices

Today's mini lesson was about choosing books that we can read fluently and understand well. After watching a demonstration of choosing a good-fit book, students reevaluated their current independent reading book to ensure that they could read it fluently and understand it well. If not, some time was spent "book shopping."  Once everyone had made their book choices, we read intensely finding the flow of our books and getting in "the reading zone."


Reading "in the zone"

Monday, September 18, 2017

Reading Intensely

Today, the readers in room 302 learned that people read intensely to grow ideas that are grounded in the text. Readers figure out confusing parts in books, note important things to talk about later, and do the work the author asks of them. We made a resolution that this year, we re going to build substantial ideas that are grounded in evidence, not just little lightweight ideas that are barely connected to the book and blow away in the breeze like dandelion-fluff.

Successful Teams

The team players in room 302 generated a list of behaviors of a successful team. Here's what they came up with:

Go Team!

Word Study



This year we will be using the Words Their Way program in our classroom. Students will be thinking critically about words and work on transferring their skills to reading and writing. The process of sorting words into categories is the heart of our word study program. When students sort words, they are engaged in the active process of searching, comparing, contrasting, and analyzing. The best part of a word study is that your student can sort words anywhere!

Below is a list of sorting activities. While I will not be collecting word study homework, I do encourage you to have your student complete a sorting activity each night at home. New sorts will be sent home with students (usually on Mondays) as they demonstrate that they are ready to move one.

Happy Sorting!

Closed Sort: Set up your headers to sort your words. Use your headers to sort your words.

Writing Sort: Write your headers at the top of a piece of paper. Shuffle your words. Draw one word card, then write that word under the correct header. Keep going until all of your words have been written.

Blind Writing Sort: Write your headers at the top of a piece of paper. Have a partner read a word to you without letting you see it. Write the word under the correct header. Keep going until all of the words have been written.

Speed Sort: Set up your headers and shuffle your words. Use a timer, then sort your words correctly and as quickly as you can. Record your times. Do this at least three times.

Word Hunt: Write your headers at the top of a piece of paper. Look through books, newspapers, and magazines to find words that would fit under your headers. When you find a word, write it under the correct header.

Friday, September 15, 2017

Color Run and Our Week of Color

To prepare us for the PTA COLOR RUN on Friday, September 22nd at 6:00 PM, we want Wilson to be bursting full of COLOR!

Dress in these colors during the week of September 18-22:
Monday - Red (or the color you choose for school pictures)
Tuesday - Blue
Wednesday - Yellow
Thursday - Green
Friday - Rainbow

Picture Day

Monday, September 18 is picture day at Wilson. Please send your student to school with their completed picture envelope (envelopes were sent home last week) and their biggest smile.  Say Cheese!!

More Exploding Dots

After the mathematicians in room 302 explored the mathematical concepts involved in "exploding" dots in "two-one machines," they used their artistic talents to create their own "exploding" dots. We are so excited for you to stop in and see them at Family Night later this month!

"Every child is an artist." - Pablo Picasso




International Dot Day

International Dot Day is a global celebration of creativity, courage, and collaboration. It began in 2009 and was inspired by the book The Dot by Peter Reynolds. The Dot is the story of a teacher who inspires a doubting student to trust her own abilities and be brave enough to "make her mark." Room 302 has been closely reading The Dot and other books by Peter Reynolds for the past week in preparation for Dot Day. Students reflected on the messages in the books and thought about what they can do to "make their mark." We also connected Dot Day to Character Day.
How will you make your mark on Dot Day and everyday?

Connecting the Dots

Dot Day activities continued when we met with our book buddies today. The 4th and 5th graders taught their buddies how to play Dots and Boxes. In addition to enjoying the game, we talked about the strategies we used to complete the squares. We know ways to play because it helps us learn!!






"Dot" was fun!