Star Readers

We are learning to be Star Readers. Here you can see Jacob using the Star Reading strategies to figure out an unknown word.

Here is the the Star Reading strategy organizer. We have learned that Star Readers stop, think and make predictions. Then if they come to a word they do not know, they use the points (strategies) on the star to help them. Here are the strategies: look at the picture, get your mouth ready, look for chunks, does it look like a word I know, and try again! If they use all the strategies and they still can't figure you the word, on the back of the star are wikki sticks and they can underline the word in the book using the wikki stick. After we come back together as a group, we discuss any words we had trouble with.

I have been so impressed with just how independent the kids have become while reading. I feel like I don't even teach reading any more because they help each other figure out the words they don't know.

Taylor has her Star Reading organizer ready in case she needs it.

Valentine's Day Sight Word Activity

I love to read!
Yes! It's true.
Let me read
These words for you!
That is what our hearts said on one side. The other side had 10 sight words we have been working on. Now, we can take them home and read all these sight words to someone who loves us!

Taylor, Zack, and Aubree

Macy is using the sight word wall to write her words.

Emilee, Kason, Colton, Caitlynn, and Aiden working on their heart of sight words.

Aubree and Mason putting the finishing touches on their heart of words.

Valentine's Day

Enjoy the slide show of the fun activities we did on Valentine's Day!

Leo Lionni Author Study

We have been learning all about story elements: characters, setting, problem, solution, and ending. We having been reading books by the author Leo Lionni. As a final project, we made a matrix about the story elements in four Leo Lionni books. The kids were broken up into five groups. Each group had an illustrator and the group had to work together to have the finished piece. Take a look as each group works on their story element.

Characters: Macy and Colton

Ending: Aubree, Jacob, Jose, and Zack

Solution: Taylor, Braison, Martin, and Reyne

Setting: Mason, Andy, Abby, and Nathaniel

Problem: Emilee, Caitlynn, and Aiden

Groundhog's Day

For our Funky Food this week, we made Groundhogs. Look at all the snow! This little guy just popped right up. Check out all the other groundhogs. Thanks to Colton's family for providing the ingredients for this Funky Food activity.

Jose and Macy show their groundhogs off while Reyne finishes making hers.

Taylor, Zack, Cody, Aubree, and Mason

Kason, Emilee, Colton, Caitlynn, and Aiden

Braison, Andy, Jacob, and Nathaniel

Reading for Fluency

We have been practicing reading our guided reading books to work on fluency. We spend about 10 minutes a day reading to a buddy. (Logan and Taylor)

Reading with a group of friends. Caitlynn is reading to Aiden and Abby. Afterwards, they each read to the group.

And sometimes we like to read to ourselves. Emilee is doing great.

Snow Day

We had an awesome snow day at school on Friday, January 29th. We started out making snow for our Science Experiment. First we added water to the magic Insta-Snow.

Then we were amazed as the snow began to form! Wow! It was pretty cool
watching it turn into snow.

Last, we had to predict how it all happened. Man, that was hard.
Then we broke up into small groups to have fun with snow.

Here is Colton and Aiden in a group learning how to make paper snowflakes. Not as easy as it looks.

















Here is Braison, Taylor, and Jose. They are making Braison into a snowman. The grin says it all!













Here are Reyne, Macy, and Logan with their De-Frosty the Snowman Funky Food. He sure was a yummy melted snowman! Thanks to Macy's family for providing the ingredients.












And last, we were able to play in the snow! Yes! Inside! Braison, Jose, Taylor, Abby, Martin, and Caitlynn are having a blast exploring in the snow!