As we write this note, the blustery wind blows leaves off the trees, puddles remain on the pavement after a rainy night and grey clouds cover the sky. It seems as if Fall has indeed started, right on cue. As Autumn settles in we can take a moment to reflect on how far the middle kids have come already. They are doing a great job with homework, coming to school well-prepared for the day and becoming more and more independent.
In Reading Workshop all the kids have chosen their first book of the year. They have worked hard to pick a “just right book” and many are now working on making a good prediction for this book. This week we will be focusing on word attack strategies: what to do when you do not know how to read a word. Even as adults we sometimes encounter new and challenging words so this is a skill we revisit throughout the year. We will also begin a short reading assessment of each child. We will be looking at fluency, word recognition accuracy and comprehension. We can discuss these results during the upcoming teacher/parent conferences.
In Writers’ Workshop we are revising and editing our short memoir writing in preparation of publishing and sharing. We have been focusing this memoir writing on a time we got in trouble, so you parents may find these little stories quite entertaining! In topic work, we will learn about the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs and compare and contrast this civilization with the Incas.
Enjoy this first week of fall!
Here are a few shots of the Middle Kids enjoying their first day on the new pirate ship! It was worth the wait![nggallery id=14]