IPS/Butler University Laboratory School

We had our first family night of the year tonight.  It was game themed! Thank you to all of the families who were able to make it and join in on the fun!  We will be having another game night after fall break so there will be another chance to join the fun. Here are a few pictures from tonight’s game night.

Bingo!

Math Games

More Math Games!

Duck, Duck, Goose 🙂

Many students in our class have expressed an interest in becoming a scientist. The curiosity has been building over the past few days and we are in the beginning stages of a project.  The students have been exploring science tools and books during free exploration and they have been making discoveries.  Students have been using balances to measure weight, thermometers, eye droppers, and magnifying glasses.  They are excited to do real science and I cannot wait to see where their curiosities take us! Here are some of their first scientific discoveries. Check back soon for more updates! Remember Family Night is from 6-7 tonight!

“Look the eye dropper will move water from one place to another!” Daysia

“I can tell that this is real science because it shows how much pounds this is.” Donovan.

“I can tell that these weigh the same because it is in the middle.” Ashley

“I am trying to add chips to balance the rocks. I’m trying to see if I add more if this will go up and that will go down.” David

In Reader’s Workshop, we are continuing to use different strategies to help us when we are stuck on a word.  Today we learned how to “back up and reread” when we figure out a read.  Isabella shared how backing up and rereading helped her figure out the word “important.”

During Word Study we started learning about Word Families.  We read a story called The Fat Cat Sat on a Mat and we listed all the -at family words.  Then students worked in buddies to come up with words in the -ot and -ut families.

We also started discussing homework today.  Next week, the students will have additional homework with the reading log.  This week we are practicing the homework together so that your child will be independent at home! Each homework will have two math problems, a word study activity, and a writing section.

Friends practice the first part of the homework!

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!

It was great to be back in the classroom today after being at a Writer’s Workshop training yesterday! I was happy to see all of the children! Here is an overview of what we did today. . .

Yoga: We learned the sun salutation sequence. See if your student can show you the series of moves that makes up the sun salutation.

Morning Meeting: We are working on using our words to help us solve problems independently.  We learned about BUG statements and we role played some problem solving situations.  Ask your child what a BUG statement is and if they’ve used one.  (Many of them have!)

Reader’s Workshop: We learned our first strategy for when we get stuck on a word: Look for chunks to help you figure it out! Can your child find chunks in a word while they do their reading tonight?

Word Study: I modeled using highlighter tape to find words that rhymed in a rhyming book.  Tomorrow the students will work in partners to do this.

Library: We picked a new book today and the students were able to bring this book home. Be sure to send the book back next Thursday!

Math Workshop: I challenged the students to use a number line as one of their strategies in their math notebooks today.  We made our first strategy poster about using a number line!

De’Onna and Tevona role play problem solving. They high fived after they fixed the problem!

Martavious shares his number line strategy poster!

Playing one of our favorite games in Closing Meeting: ZOOM!

Reading our new books in the library!