IPS/Butler University Laboratory School

Today was an exciting day in our classroom!  Our four Butler friends came!  They will be with us on most Wednesdays and some Mondays. It is such a wonderful opportunity because the kids get even more support than a normal day.  It was a great day of small group work and one on one work.  We are very excited to have Miss Adams, Mr. Ward, Miss Goshert, and Miss Sjoerdsma in our classroom.  Here are a few pictures of them working with the students today.

Miss Adams is working with a group during Literacy Stations

Miss Sjoerdsma is working with the "Write the Room" group during literacy stations.

Mr. Ward and Miss Goshert are guiding our students along at the computers.

Mr. Ward is once again guiding a few students at the computers.

We have had a great start to our school year.  As we get into the swing of things our workshops are really starting to take off!  I think that Writer’s Workshop is now one of the kids favorite parts of the day.  Over the past few weeks we have been focusing on details in our stories, both illustrations and text.  It has been great to see the kids adding words to their stories.  They get so excited! 

In Reader’s Workshop we have been focusing on the different ways we can read books.  The three ways we have talked about so far are: 1. Looking at the pictures to help us tell the story,    2. Retelling a story we know,   3. Reading the words.  The past week or so we have been expanding on the 3rd way to read.  We have talked about how we can sound out short words or stretch out the longer ones to read.  It is so cool to see the kids get excited when they figure out words.  At the end of both workshops we share what some students have done in their independent time.  The kids get excited, run to me to share and then instantly ask if they can share in front of the entire class.  SO GREAT!  I can already see growth in so many kids.

During Free Choice the past few days our kids have been experiencing Zumba.  If you are not familiar with this it is a form of dance that is also exercise!  One of our very own friends has a mother who is a Zumba instructor and has taught her a few moves.  I was not able to upload the video at this moment, but here are a few pictures from yesterday, the first time the students experienced Zumba.

Our school is celebrating Back to Football Friday this Friday, September 9th as a part of the NFL Play 60 program. Throughout our day we will have the theme of football integrated into our lessons.  As a part of this event, our school will be entered into a $10,000 grant from the NFL Play 60.  To add to our exciting day, the children are asked to wear their COLTS or other NFL gear on Friday.  We would love to show our spirit to win this grant for our school!

We are learning about a new material in our classroom this week.  Each day this week a group of students will have a chance to work with clay!  Here are a few pictures from our group today.