Experimenting with Whole-Brain Teaching

Check out the pros on....
www.WholeBrainteaching.com

I am furthering my education right now through the University of Wyoming. My focus right now is an ESL (English as a Second language) endorsement. I will go on to pursue my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction. With that being said I am working hard to "MASTER" my craft. I am enjoying reading and researching new strategies to help kids learn. This is my latest obsession.
What do you think?
I would love some feedback....

Week 5 Griffin Gazette

Here we go...
This week we will have somewhat of an Apple theme to our learning. We will do it in honor of Johnny Appleseed and Fall. 
For Reading: We are reading FIX IT DUCK by Jez Alborough
Letter recognition: F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N
Comprehension Skill: Setting
Snap Words: Reteach I, AM
See your FAMILY times that comes home tonight for more.
*An exciting element beginning this week during will be the FIRST GRADERS coming in on Tuesday - Thursday for direct instruction. I am excited about this opportunity to co-teach with Ms. Pittel.
For Math: 
This week we will be wrapping  up Unit 1 with the following skills-
*Develop number sense and counting skills through an oral counting game
*Body Height Comparisons - practice and comparing lengths
*Finger counting fun
*PROJECTs: Numbers in our World...neighborhood walk on THURSDAY noticing numbers in our world, making our Classroom Telephone book and WHERE we live mural. Please help my letting me know which phone number you would like your child to memorize.
For Writing:
Wrapping up our Launching Writer's workshop Unit with Caramel dip and apples on Thursday. We will publish (small celebration) and share as a class.
Topics include:
Writing...using our Heart Map
Making Lists
More Functional Writing
Themework:
See Math Projects
Tree Counting and walk
FALL tree ART
APPLE puppets and poems
Apple prints
Other news:
POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT "BUS" ASSEMBLY on Tuesday
All grades will be testing this week (QUIET VOICES) 
WE came up with our CLASSROOM MISSION: We are Super Critters (in case you were wondering, Super Critters are kids who follow the rules, learn what is taught and fill people's buckets.) You may see super critters flying around our room. We decided that we would put a super critter "up" by something that needs to be learned. The kids are excited about their mask and star. Look for your super Critter outside our classroom door.

THE 4 B's in our class

Check out how we remember our rules!!!

Kindergarten skills

I PICK "GOOD FIT BOOKS" in my reading spot

Practicing my new skill: I PICK...it's tricky!

J.D....in his reading spot

OUR V.I.P this week practices his 1 to 1 counting

Exploring Volume...

It's like we're at the beach....

but not...:)

1 to 1 counting (Math Explorations)
And having fun while doing it...

Week 4 Griffin Gazette

This week during Reading Workshop we kick off our Scott Foresman Reading Curriculum while learning "ROUTINES" from the Daily 5. Please click on the links to learn more.

Preview our week: 

Concept question - How do we get to school?

READaloud - The little school bus by Carol Roth (rhyming story)

Comprehension skill: Character

Letter Recognition - A,B,C,D,E

SNAP words (words that your child should learn and know in a snap) - I, AM

Tuesday - Thursday (Your child will be bringing home a book on their level) to practice at home with you. I like to call them LAP books (so that your child sits in your lap and reads to or with you). 

DAILY FIVE SKILL - IPICK *good fit book

I - Choose the book

P- Purpose, Why do I want to read it?

I- Interest, Does it interest me?

C- Comprehend, Do I understand what I am reading?

K- Know, I know most of the words.

(Your child will learn this skill and practice it every day. Please help out at home by following the same guidelines when you are at the bookstore, the library, or in your own home. Children who learn to select good-fit books will no longer wander aimlessly in a library or classroom collection looking for a book.)

MATH  this week includes:

Volume (exploring with sand and water table)

Sound and Motion Patterns (exploring with Rhythm sticks)

Getting to know numbers (1-9)

Patterns with color

Coin comparisons

Give the next number game

Writer's workshop this week includes:

Practicing routines

Writing everyday about things we care about

Fish bowl shares

Watching "teacher" model THINK.DRAW.WRITE.READ

THEMEwork this week includes:

Tree parts learned during Tree Tag

Tree visits at the school

REDwoods Virtual Tour

Swimming at Green Canyon

Other news:

Class pictures on September 20th!!! Bring your smile!

Swimming on Friday 24th!!! Bring your suit and towel and 2.50.

OPEN HOUSE @ 6:00 pm...Come and learn about our school, get your handbook, and tour the classrooms.

Kindergarten Campground

Just some fun things in no particular order!!!

We love the "BIG SCREEN"...here we are watching "BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR"

yum yum....carrots are so yummy..

                                                                                                               

VOLUNTEER SPOT

Click here to see and PRINT the Volunteer schedule for October!

Griffin Gazette...week 3

This week in Reading we will be reading BROWN Bear, BROWN Bear to review our colors, numbers, animals and enjoy one more relaxed week before we kick off our READING workshop. 
Community Building this week will include reading "Chrysanthemum" to the class and doing some "NAME" activities. We will be talking about our names, where they are from, what they mean, if we like them, nicknames, initials, and name puzzles.
We will continue to pick up where we left off last week in "Launching Writer's workshop"...building routines such as writing daily and independently, learning how to generate topics, practicing "THINK, DRAW, WRITE, and READ"
Everyday math includes:
Getting to know numbers (1-9) *Reading Chicka, Chicka 1,2,3
Intro to sorting
Sand and Water Play
Birthday graphs
THEMEwork - WEBquest about TREES (learning the parts of a tree)
Playing Tree Tag


Other News:
Andi Ross (our school nurse) will be here on Thursday after lunch to teach us about Scrubby Bear...and doing a "HAND WASHING lesson"!


Swimming on Friday: Please send goggles if your child has a pair and a hat to wear after swimming.


SEPTEMBER 20th - Say cheese...it's PICTURE day. 

SEPTEMBER 23rd - Open House 6pm, please make arrangements to be at school   for this Informative Evening.

griffin gazette

WEEK 2
We have a busy week planned at the Alta School. Kindergartners will meet the school counselor (Nial Overby) Tuesday morning. She will be teaching "social skills" every Tuesday   morning.
We will also be meeting Mr. Hoffman (our new PE teacher) Tuesday as well. 


This week during READING we will be completing a unit on Chicka-chicka Boom Boom. Our unit will include Alphabet recognition and fun with letters. Be prepared to hear all about it. Our THEMEwork this week ties right in with TREES. We will be discussing trees through the seasons, drawing trees, and visiting ALTA school's 19 new trees that were planted last year. We will be LAUNCHING Writer's workshop this week too. If you clicked on Writer's workshop then you can read about our week in a nutshell. Everyday Math this week includes the following: introducing measurement comparisons through a partner activity, introduction to pattern blocks, introducing counting and one-to-one correspondence, counting down to zero. 
Remember you are your child's first teacher!


Happenings:
Back to school night in Mrs. Griffin's room: Thursday 3:30-4:00pm
First SWIM DAY - Friday, September 10th...We leave school around 11:45ish and head to Green Canyon. Feel free to meet us there if you'd like. Let me know if you would like to VOLUNTEER.

More from the first week.

WE were busy last week...check out what we did.

The first week is "ALL about ME" week and we do lots of sharing...

More Brown bag sharing

Painting "ourselves" for the hallway

You should of heard my mini-lesson on finger painting...and what to do when you are done.

We put in some OUTSIDE time..being the WINTER is around the bend...we took advantage of the warm weather...

We went to Literacy lake during READING centers...

Learning about consensograms..

Learning the HANDWRITING center

Reading center

Check out this buddy reading pair...ps-I didn't tell them to do this...

The first day...

Well, we all survived. What a fun and crazy day. I am sure their little brains were just loaded with NEW information. They did so well though and were such awesome listeners.

A brief summary of our day includes:
Bellwork- came in and worked on our September packet while kids trickled in. Put name tag on.
Learned how to STOP, LOOK and LISTEN.
WHOLE school assembly led by Mr. Starkey and staff: Welcome, rules, NEW lunch routine
MORNING meeting- learned jobs, calendar, played name game and sang songs and I introduced KINDERGARTEN CAMPground theme

READING: First Day Jitters/Consensogram *All kids were Excited about today...not nervous or scared
SNACK: Apples and Veggie bootie
RECESS - talked about playground/Played...Critters were a bit overwhelmed out there
TOUR of classroom/TOUR of school
RULES talk: Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Friendly

LUNCH in the gym
RECESS
STORY and RELAX: read Mercer Mayer and more Kindergarten books

FIRST day of KINDERGARTEN handwriting activity
SHARE circle

SNACKS: honey bunnies
CENTERS: Introduced Math, Writing, and Reading

The Kissing Hand activity with stickers and sugar cookie
Rose/Thorn and Dismissal.

Super day....bummer my camera wasn't charged....oh well, guess there's tomorrow.