Reading for Meaning with Debbie Miller!

I'd like to introduce you to Debbie Miller!
Author, Teacher, Mentor. In the world of elementary teachers, she is somewhat of a goddess!  We revere how she teaches us that little children can be deep thinkers of their reading.

On the left is one of her books that I have studied and worked from as I teach reading.  On the right is wonderful book that she taught from today during her visit to our room.

Today's lesson: Synthesizing!
It goes like this. As you read a book your thinking grows bigger and your thoughts about the story change.
Here Debbie is helping Chase learn to share his synthesizing by saying, "First I was thinking this....But now I am thinking this..."

After Debbie read this book and taught us how to synthesize the children were sent off to practice this in their own books. Some of them used sticky notes to mark their thinking.  Debbie stayed to confer and support our first attempts at this new reading tool.

What a gift Debbie is to the world!
Even more than what she knows about reading, it's her sweet spirit and tender heart that moves us all to tears.  And we are forever changed from her touch.
Thank you Debbie.  You've changed our lives!

Castlewood Canyon Voyage 2015

Every year when we walk up to the rock wall I can feel the children's hearts start beating a bit faster as they look up.
I can only imagine how big it looks to 6 and 7 year olds and certainly different than the climbing they have done inside!

But proudly each child was determined to do their personal best and they came away feeling empowered by the challenge.  We had a wonderful day playing together.

Spring Expedition: The Garden System

One of my students came up with the definition of the garden system.  I couldn't have explained it better myself! As we learn more about the system of the garden we are adding to this wall.  

Here is how our study is rolling out:

1.  Worms and how they help the soil.

• We began our study with a mystery piece...the kids thought they were just studying soil but soon discovered the soil had worms in it!

• We built a worm farm and have been keeping a journal as we observe them in this habitat.
• We conducted worm experiments and measured earthworms.

• We began a circle of learning, adding what we thought we knew about worms to what we now know about worms.

•  We read expert text about worms in small groups, practicing communicating, collaborating, critical thinking and creating. Then we presented our learning to the crew.

• Finally, we used pictures and words to explain what we know about the interdependency of worms and soil. The children have learned so much!

2.  Planting the garden

• With the help of Ms. Marla in kindergarten, we have begun planting peppers and tomatoes indoors.  We are journaling about the plants as they grow.  In May we will plant a salsa garden outdoors.  

3. Bees and how they help the garden

• We have begun studying bees and Mr. Leo helped us to begin understanding how the bees and garden depend on each other.  Honey bees are our friends!

Wow!  Expeditionary Learning is awesome!

Stay posted for more on bees and the garden.

Spring Indoor Climbing 2015

Wow...isn't always so amazing to see 6 and 7 year olds take on such amazing personal challenges?
Enjoy these photos of our climbing week.  I tried to get everyone in a picture! Thanks to all of our parents who were able to come and belay.

Becoming Mathematicians....Amazing Ribbon Worms!

As we study earthworms in the garden system, we came across the fact that there are many species of worms. One that amazed us was the 115 foot green ribbon worm that lives on the ocean floor.  Here is a video that I found to show the children.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kj0JkkdAM4

So I decided this was a great opportunity to work out a math problem.  

We measured the average student in our class and and found out that most first graders are around 4 feet tall.  I asked them to use this as a measurement.  They would not be given any other measuring tools. (non-standard measurement:  Common Core standard:)

 Next I gave them time to talk at their table groups about how we could work this out using our bodies.
(Communication, Critical Thinking, Collaboration!) 
We came together and debriefed as a whole group and 3 students came up with the idea of laying our bodies end to end to see how long a ribbon worm might be.

So the kids laid down on the carpet end to end...and they were shocked that they wrapped around the room with a bit of overlap! 

Then we had the task of figuring out how to solve how long we were as a crew and were we as long as a ribbon worm?

 Here is the thinking of one of my students...she broke the 4's down into 2's because she knows how to count by 2's.  Wow.  She came up with 96 ft.

Then I showed the work of another child's thinking which looked like this.  He also got 96 feet long.
We were giddy by this time...the room buzzing with learning.  We were so energized by doing math together!

We ran out of time but tomorrow we will finish by figuring out the difference between 115 ft and 96 ft. to determine how much longer we needed to be to be as long as a ribbon worm.  How many more kids would we need in the room to reach this length?

Winter Voyage 2015

"I just love outdoor ed"...
This is something I heard today from one of my students.
"I noticed what kind hearts you all have...you really took care of each other today".

This is something I heard from the director of the Outdoor Ed center as she spoke to our crews at the end of the day. So proud of all of first grade!

Taking on outdoor challenges and collaborating and problem solving together is such a wonderful gift to all of us. 
For me, the best part was watching them play, laugh, and love each other in the process...sigh...I love my kids!