IPS/Butler University Laboratory School

Today Miss Jeffrey led a very hands on lesson during math workshop all about the half hour. She first asked the children what is the half hour. The children gave her various responses, and then she had the kids become a clock to explore what half hour or :30 looks like on the clock. They were so excited to explore what it looks like and seemed to understand the visual support.

Today we began making something (we cannot tell you what it is *wink wink*) out of flour, salt, and water. The children loved getting their hands messy!

As you may know, we have been working quite a bit on peer critique and feedback. Often, when a student wants to make their writing better, they grab a critique sheet and ask a friend to listen to their story and add suggestions. This week, we are taking it a step further. We have slowly been introducing criteria for creating a final draft. If a student chooses to make a final draft, they are encouraged to use our “Am I Ready For a Final Draft?” checklist. This checklist includes things such as making sure there is detail in the words and pictures, the story makes sense with a beginning, middle, and ending, and making sure that it is beautiful work that the author is proud of. It is not an expectation that students will always publish/make a final draft of their books, rather they will choose this only for stories they have a special connection to and feel strongly about. I feel so proud that our class has taken such an interest in such an important life skill!

Tags: story workshop, writing

As a part of our perspectives unit, Mrs. Clark and Miss Cegielski’s classes are having a Literacy Celebration during Reader’s Workshop on Wednesday at 11.  We have been impressed by the depth of the students’ understanding through our discussions, so each of them will share one insight at the celebration.  It will give our two classes a chance to collaborate further and hear their peers’ ideas.  Parents are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served by volunteers from First Book, a local organization that promotes giving books to children!

Today I set out some plastic forms and beads for the children to decorate. Once they were finished we ironed them so the beads stayed together once off the plastic form. We had so many friends working on this both at morning choices and at free choice. Only two got finished so on Monday we will continue to work on it.

Heaven for the past couple of weeks has been working on creating her own puppet book and show. This past week various friends were helping her with making the puppets, the set, etc. Today they started videotaping the show. I love to see how children are inspired by our project work!

In Story Workshop the students are engaged in their first drafts of their author’s study books.  We have started to talk about critique and making improvements to our work.  Chairo went back to the Grouchy Lady Bug by Eric Carle and found more ideas for his story.  He began working on his second draft.  I have been impressed by their stamina for writing these stories and focusing on critique and revision.

In Math Workshop we explored the question “What is an octagon?”  The students worked in partners and used geoboards to create octagons.  We have agreed that octagons have eight sides just like an octopus has eight legs.  We are still debating the other properties of octagons.  The conversations happening between partners and during share were rich with the students’ theories.  We will continue to build on our understanding of these geometry concepts next week.

I’m sure that you have heard about Abraham Lincoln, slavery, Harriet Tubman, and Rosa Parks.  We have been exploring different perspectives of characters by reading books rich in history from the time of slavery and the civil rights movement.  We have had discussions about the perspectives of the North and the South during the time of the civil war.  The students have been making applications while they are reading on their own during Reader’s Workshop.  They have been very interested in these influential people and many students are choosing to read and learn more during free choice.