IPS/Butler University Laboratory School

We have been incorporating a new time during our day called word workshop. This is typically a thirty minute period following reading workshop time that focuses on the study of words, word parts, letters, and letter sounds. Some days, students will work in groups on a specific activity that targets what they need in terms of words. This week, we have been working as a whole class to learn the procedures for this time of day.

We have engaged in two activities during word workshop this week. Some students have been using spoons to match upper and lower case letters together. This is to help students understand the many different looks of the same letter! Other students have been using stacking cups to practice sight word fluency and accuracy. Both of these activities have fostered friendly competition between students and have helped us grow!

Next week, we will be focusing on beginning sounds. Some students will work with consonant blends such as th, ch, sh, while others will be looking at individual letter sounds.

I am currently creating supplemental at home activities for families who have requested these. These include sight word and alphabet work. Please let me know if you would like something to work on at home!

Miss Jeffrey and I have really been impressed by how the children have embraced partner work in our classroom community. Whether it is partner reading or playing math games with a partner, the children have been playing fairly, respectfully, and most of all having fun!!

Today we made a poster that expresses what we need to do when we are doing partner work, and I was really impressed with the comments that children made!

In Math Workshop today we added another component to our math boxes.  We learned about how to do a math sort with addition problems.  Each kid was given three main groups to sort into.  For example: group one could might have been “less than 10.”  Group two might have been “the same as 10” and group three might have been “more than 10.”  Once they had their groups they had a pile of addition problems that they had to solve and decide where they fit.  It was great to see how the kids were working with the numbers, but at the same time enjoying it because they were playing a “game!”  They were able to use materials to help them solve the problems if needed or some were able to break the numbers apart in their head!  During share time at the end of the Math Workshop, Oliver shared that he could decompose numbers and everyone get excited about our new fancy math word.

David is using base ten cubes to help him with his math sort.

Oliver is working on his math sort.

Townes is using unifix cubes to help him with his math sort.

Today in word study the students worked in partners to read rhyming books.  They had a new material to use, highlighter tape, to highlight the rhyming words.  I noticed so many students helping their buddies and having great conversations about which words rhymed.  It was great to see them apply our rhyming work to words in the text today.

We also learned a new math sort.  Students were given different addition sentences and they had to decide if the answer was more than a certain number, less than that number, or the same as that number.  Some students had target numbers of 10 or even 16.  There was a lot of thinking going on as they solved and then sorted their answers.  This is one more activity that will be in their math boxes next week!

Have a great weekend! Remember our first Family Night is next Tuesday from 6-7!

We had so much fun today during word study. We did something a little bit different- a game day! Friends were challenged to play games with friends that dealt with beginning sounds (p, t, s, m, b) and beginning blends (th, ch, sh). They had to work to determine what their card began with and advance their piece to that letter. Mr. Henderson and I noticed SO many friends were assisting one another when someone needed support. Afterwards, we discussed what worked during our game day and friends commented how nice it had been to have a friend help them when they were in need- such good teamwork. About word study today, Kalaya said, “This is SO MUCH FUN! I love this place!” We’re glad she does!

Tags: friendship, word study