To go along with our new computer we have a new video monitor and speakers which we connect to our new computer to show video clips.  We are still awaiting having our screen moved into place but for now we are showing the clips onto our bulletin board.

We gave this system an inaugural run on Friday afternoon by viewing part of the movie, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.  This treat is a follow-up to our having completed the oral reading of the book on Thursday.  Students have enjoyed hearing the book being read – and improving their vocabulary – and are now doing a comparison of the book and the movie.  We will finish up the movie in two more installments next week.

Our daily schedule has been slightly altered.  We have added another PE block on Tuesdays during Mr. Phelps’ time in the room (between Recess and Lunch).

There is also a change with our weekly spelling lists/tests.  Mr. Phelps will now be doing the Words Their Way programme with the class – also during his time slot.  This week he is doing assessments on the students to determine their spelling groups.  Beginning next week the students will have a spelling list glued into their Planners.  They will do activities with these words throughout the week and will have their spelling tests on Fridays.  Mr. Phelps will mark these and then they will be sent home.

If you have any questions about Words Their Way, or PE, please feel free to contact Mr. Phelps.

This afternoon I read the story, “The Polar Express” by Chris Van Allsburg, to the students.  Many were already familiar with this story.  Over the next week or so we will be exploring this book through a variety of activities including: class and small group discussions, sequencing the events, and illustrations.  We hope to watch the movie as a wrap up to our ‘mini-unit’.

While some students are off at ESL the rest of the class has been working on improving their writing and developing their sense of story.  Students write stories and, once they have a few completed ones, they then choose one to ‘publish’.  The stories are edited by the students (and with the teacher), covers are made, stories are written on ‘good copy’ papers, an ‘About the Author’ page is completed, and the books are ‘published’.  Students then get to read these to the whole class – similar to our ‘Guest Reader’ visits.

Beginning next week, ESL students will be staying in class during our Writer’s Workshop times.  I look forward to working through this process with them so their stories can be added to our growing collection of student written/published books.

For the past few months we have been sharing some of our favourite books (and showing our greatly improved reading skills) to the class during our “Guest Reader” times each day.  Students choose books, practise them on their own and with a friend, read the book to me, and then share it with the whole class in the ‘seat of honour’ – the teacher’s pink chair!

We are currently on Round 4 (each student is now reading their 4th book to the class).  Once the student has finished reading their book the other students share their thoughts on how the student did – including their choice of book, their volume level, and the clarity of reading.

It has been a great opportunity for shared reading and enjoyment of a variety of books.