Pen Pals

Earlier this year, a fellow teacher asked if I wanted to be pen pals with his class.  I thought this would be a fun and great way to teach my students how to write letters.  We have written back and forth 3 or 4 times each and the students just can't get enough of it.  

We are writing to another first grade class, which helps the students relate easily.  There are often times that students write about something I have no clue about, but they always know what the student is referencing.  Thank goodness!  This is one of the many reasons I love writing these letters.  It is ALL about the students!  They write what they want and often add their own opinions about the topic!  I love seeing this side of my students!

Of course, I need to relate this back to the standards in some regard, so my main goal with these letters is working on conventions.  My students now know what a comma and question mark is.  In every letter, they must start with a greeting followed by a comma.  At first, they would write a period because that is what was most natural to them.  Now, I often catch them using commas in other writing assignments.  Granted they are not always used properly, but at least they are trying!!  

As for question marks, well, they knew what they were, but never really appropriately used them.  I would say that now most students use them correctly at least 75% of the time or at least can recognize when they should have used one before I ask them to check it.

All and all, I am loving this project and plan to continue and start earlier in the school year next time!  I can't explain how much this has motivated my students!!

Here are some sample letters from a while back!

Dear Jessica, I like to read books.  My favorite book is Magic Tree House.  Did you do Jump Rope for Heart?  Do you have a dog?  From, Aspen

Dear Aleah, No, I don't have an iPod.  I like dogs.  What is your favorite movie?  My favorite movie is Sponge Bob.  Your friend, Mya

Dear Jonathon:  I used to have a dog.  Her name was Dolly.  I do not like rain.  What do you do when you are sad?  Your friend, Damian

State Testing

Our school started our state testing this week.  Although testing does not take place in my classroom, we are all very aware that testing has begun.  A few weeks back, I read a post somewhere (can't find it now), about how the primary students who are not testing provide the intermediate students with a small note on each of their testing days.  I thought this would be fun for my students to do with our 5th grade reading buddies.  Since I couldn't find my original source, I decided to create my own.  Here is what I came up with...

My students were so excited to complete this project!  They surprised me with their good wishes for their reading buddies.  I just assumed they would write something like 'good luck' or 'do your best.'  Instead, here are a few messages my students will be delivering tomorrow morning...

I still haven't come up with the second card we will use, but on their final day of testing my students will deliver a card with the saying "Yay! You are O"fish"ally done!"  I will attached yummy swedish fish to this tag.  I sure hope this will inspire these kids to work hard and relax during their testing!!!

Colleen

Long Time No Talk

I know my last entry was similar in that I hadn't posted in a loooong time.  Well, I don't have excuses to explain my absence other than time is flying by and life is quickly changing!

On the school side...

As you all know, I LOVE my class this year!  They work hard and have come so far as little learners.  Not only do my homeroom students work hard, but my reading group has also been a ball to work with.  While I loved having them to myself, it was time to change it up.  

As we returned from spring break this week, I began working with both our intensive and strategic/benchmark groups.  It has been a change for me in that I had daily 5 up and running so well I almost didn't need to be there.  While I am transitioning, my team has been a wonderful support!  I am excited to introduce and work through Daily 5 with our strategic/benchmark group.  Once they are ready to work more independently, I will be able to pull kids and develop more individualized skills.  It will be a blast to get these kids up and over the hump!!

As for the intensive group, well what a 360.  I was teaching schema and text-to-self connections to my advanced kids.  With these intensive kids, we are back to basics - letter sounds, vowels, etc.  I may not sounds thrilled for this change, but I am!  I think it will be good to change it up and dig in deep with these kids!  I will keep you posted with my progress!

As for home...

We have been busy cleaning and getting life reorganized for our BABY who will be arriving in August.  So far, we have been very fortunate and moving through this pregnancy fairly easily!  We have chosen not to find out the sex of our baby, leaving it a surprise to the end!  Nate and I are so excited and thrilled to be taking this next step in our life!

Hope all is well with everyone else!  I promise to try to post more often as we wrap this last trimester!

Colleen