Mrs. Tabaka's Coding Resources
Monday, December 4, 2017
Hour of Code
We celebrated Hour of Code with our buddies today! Everyone coded in the Library. Check out Mrs. Tabaka's amazing library website for coding activities for your child. Everyone enjoyed themselves. Click this link to find the fun:
Mrs. Tabaka's Coding Resources
Mrs. Tabaka's Coding Resources
Friday, December 1, 2017
Newsletter 12/1
Happy December!
We set up our new calendar today and discussed all the exciting events to come this month.
In Reading Workshop, we "shopped" for Just Right books for the first time this week. We learned new reading routines: sitting back-to-back for private reading and then hip-to-hip for partner reading. We also learned the difference between a Just Right book and a "Look Book" (that is too hard to read independently, but a good book just the same). We also learned that Super Readers pay attention to punctuation while reading. We hunted for punctuation marks and had fun adjusting our voices to reflect the marks.
We read two versions of The Gingerbread Boy, compared them, and then gingerbread kids of our own!
In Writing Workshop, we went through our old writing to see what we could re-read and what we couldn't. Then, we made a chart listing what makes our writing readable. We are using this chart to guide us every day. We also learned that authors are constantly rereading their sentences and a pencil can be like a magic wand! An eraser helps be a pointer for rereading and then we flip the pencil to write the next word!
In math, we continued to examine, form and extend patterns using various tools. We played a game with a partner called "What comes next?" and we made pattern snakes to display. We also played many math games with our Gaming volunteers on Wednesday. THANK YOU so much for coming in!
We had an amazing assembly this week by a group called Infinite Roots. Ask your child about the drumming!
In our science lessons, we gathered November's weather data and discussed what "unseasonable" weather is. We had an "unseasonably warm" November!
We did a Second Steps lesson in social studies this week and we learned how looking at a friend's facial expression AND paying attention to the situation, can help you understand how another is feeling. We played a game called "What's My Feeling?" to work on these skills.
News and Notes:
We set up our new calendar today and discussed all the exciting events to come this month.
In Reading Workshop, we "shopped" for Just Right books for the first time this week. We learned new reading routines: sitting back-to-back for private reading and then hip-to-hip for partner reading. We also learned the difference between a Just Right book and a "Look Book" (that is too hard to read independently, but a good book just the same). We also learned that Super Readers pay attention to punctuation while reading. We hunted for punctuation marks and had fun adjusting our voices to reflect the marks.
We read two versions of The Gingerbread Boy, compared them, and then gingerbread kids of our own!
In Writing Workshop, we went through our old writing to see what we could re-read and what we couldn't. Then, we made a chart listing what makes our writing readable. We are using this chart to guide us every day. We also learned that authors are constantly rereading their sentences and a pencil can be like a magic wand! An eraser helps be a pointer for rereading and then we flip the pencil to write the next word!
In math, we continued to examine, form and extend patterns using various tools. We played a game with a partner called "What comes next?" and we made pattern snakes to display. We also played many math games with our Gaming volunteers on Wednesday. THANK YOU so much for coming in!
We had an amazing assembly this week by a group called Infinite Roots. Ask your child about the drumming!
In our science lessons, we gathered November's weather data and discussed what "unseasonable" weather is. We had an "unseasonably warm" November!
We did a Second Steps lesson in social studies this week and we learned how looking at a friend's facial expression AND paying attention to the situation, can help you understand how another is feeling. We played a game called "What's My Feeling?" to work on these skills.
News and Notes:
- Book sleeves are due Monday. All students who return their book sleeves will receive new books.
- Our pajama drive continues through the 15th. Please consider sending in new pjs for local children in need.
- Please pack a snack every day next week. The cafeteria will not be selling snack.
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| Math games |
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| Building and extending patterns |
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| Our current anchor chart for Writing Workshop |
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| Infinite Roots assembly |
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| Sitting back-to-back and reading Just Right books |
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| Rereading with a pointer finger |
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| November's most popular pies! Collecting and organizing data |
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| sight word practice |
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| Different ways to make a sum of five |
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| Letter story puzzles |
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| Some of our pattern snakes! |
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Friday, November 17, 2017
Newsletter 11/17
We activated another super power in Reading Workshop this week: PATTERN POWER! Sometimes we can find word patterns within texts and that can help us read. We hunted for sight words and patterns that would enable us to read fluently, instead of sounding like a slow robot. We read poems and books about Thanksgiving this week, too.
We began a new unit in Writing Workshop: "Writing for Readers". This unit will teach us how to write true stories that are easy to read. We learned how to plan our story across a packet of 3 pages, planning out the beginning, middle and ending. Ask your child about his/her story.
We have learned all of the "Starting Corner Capitals" in our handwriting lesson. Look for the practice sheet coming home today.
Social Studies is all about Thanksgiving these days! We began by learning the history, why the Pilgrims came over, where they landed, how the Native Americans helped them learn how to plant, etc. Then we formed our tribe! Everyone gave themselves a Native American name. We worked on our feast costumes all week long.
We took apart a new Exemplar in math this week, comparing amounts and showing how we know the answer. We built manipulative models with color tiles to help us solve the problem and it was so interesting to see how various strategies (see photos) all came up with the same answer! Then, we made a diagram to show our thinking. Lastly, we learned how to use a ten frame to solve the problem as well.
We are also working on patterning in math. We made patterned Native American noodle necklaces with pasta!
News and Notes:
We began a new unit in Writing Workshop: "Writing for Readers". This unit will teach us how to write true stories that are easy to read. We learned how to plan our story across a packet of 3 pages, planning out the beginning, middle and ending. Ask your child about his/her story.
We have learned all of the "Starting Corner Capitals" in our handwriting lesson. Look for the practice sheet coming home today.
Social Studies is all about Thanksgiving these days! We began by learning the history, why the Pilgrims came over, where they landed, how the Native Americans helped them learn how to plant, etc. Then we formed our tribe! Everyone gave themselves a Native American name. We worked on our feast costumes all week long.
We took apart a new Exemplar in math this week, comparing amounts and showing how we know the answer. We built manipulative models with color tiles to help us solve the problem and it was so interesting to see how various strategies (see photos) all came up with the same answer! Then, we made a diagram to show our thinking. Lastly, we learned how to use a ten frame to solve the problem as well.
We are also working on patterning in math. We made patterned Native American noodle necklaces with pasta!
News and Notes:
- please let me know if your child will be missing any school next week. I want to make sure that everyone has their costumes for Thanksgiving with you.
- please note, due to space limitations, guests/parents are not attending our feast on Tuesday. Only the two volunteers will be there, but I promise to take a lot of photos!
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| Working with our sight word rights with our partners |
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| A manipulative model of our Exemplar, organized by height |
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| A graph of our Exemplar, organized by height |
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| Searching for sight words in poetry |
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| Painting our Native American vests with symbols and patterns |
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| The first, unorganized (on purpose!), visual model of our Exemplar |
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| Reading just right books about Thanksgiving |
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| Writing about a story we read |
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| Matching rhymes |
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| Making a patterned, Native American noodle necklace |
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| Fun during Choice Time! |
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| Using a 10-frame to solve our Exemplar |
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| Various diagrams to solve our Exemplar |
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| The Exemplar we worked on this week |
Friday, November 10, 2017
Newsletter 11/10
We did a lot of social studies lessons this week, learning about Election Day and Veteran's Day. We learned that the United States is a democracy and we get to vote on our leaders. We learned what a veteran is and why we should be thankful for veterans services. A friend shared photos of her grandfather, who is a veteran and came for the breakfast, and we got to ask her questions. Lastly, we sang to the veterans at their special ceremony.
Mrs. Farson, the school psychologist, visited on Friday to teach us a lesson about personal space. We read a book about a boy who goes to Personal Space Camp and learned how to stay inside his own space. We also learned when and where it's ok to get into someone's personal space "bubble" (hugging a family member, etc.). We all got certificates from Personal Space Camp!
In reading workshop, we learned more super powers! We activated our PERSISTENCE POWER! This power helps us to use multiple powers when we get stuck on a word. Sometimes, picture power doesn't work, so we need sound power. We also have partner power to support us. Super readers never give up!
We finished our Looking Closely writing unit and celebrated by sharing our pieces with Dr. Trifiatis' class. In this unit we learned to examine an object and write about it in detail, including its color, shape, size and texture. Our published pieces will be hung in the hallway for all to see.
We continued our unit on comparing in our math lessons this week. This week, we studied the length of our names. We used cubes to measure how long our names are, and then we searched for friends with longer and shorter names. Lastly, we organized the names by length from shortest to longest. After studying our names, we played a card game where we pulled four cards from a deck and put them in order from least to greatest.
We continue to learn more sight words and sounds in phonics and we're learning how to form uppercase letters in our handwriting lessons. We're about halfway through the alphabet.
News and Notes:
Mrs. Farson, the school psychologist, visited on Friday to teach us a lesson about personal space. We read a book about a boy who goes to Personal Space Camp and learned how to stay inside his own space. We also learned when and where it's ok to get into someone's personal space "bubble" (hugging a family member, etc.). We all got certificates from Personal Space Camp!
In reading workshop, we learned more super powers! We activated our PERSISTENCE POWER! This power helps us to use multiple powers when we get stuck on a word. Sometimes, picture power doesn't work, so we need sound power. We also have partner power to support us. Super readers never give up!
We finished our Looking Closely writing unit and celebrated by sharing our pieces with Dr. Trifiatis' class. In this unit we learned to examine an object and write about it in detail, including its color, shape, size and texture. Our published pieces will be hung in the hallway for all to see.
We continued our unit on comparing in our math lessons this week. This week, we studied the length of our names. We used cubes to measure how long our names are, and then we searched for friends with longer and shorter names. Lastly, we organized the names by length from shortest to longest. After studying our names, we played a card game where we pulled four cards from a deck and put them in order from least to greatest.
We continue to learn more sight words and sounds in phonics and we're learning how to form uppercase letters in our handwriting lessons. We're about halfway through the alphabet.
News and Notes:
- It's cold! Please teach your child to zip/button the winter jacket or coat that s/he will be wearing most this winter.
- Please make sure to LABEL all winter items with your child's name
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| Student generated list on what we learned in our Looking Closely writing unit |
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| Sharing our finished writing pieces with friends! |
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| Singing to veterans |
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| Multisensory "Wet, Dry, Try" lessons in handwriting |
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| Comparing the length of our names |
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| The comparing work we've done in our math workbooks |
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