Omega World News

LAST WEEK
Reading, Writing, and Science
Last week in reading, I continued conducting reading assessments. I taught reading lessons in conjunction with science. We focused on strategies for reading non-fiction in preparation for research—finding the main ideas and supporting details; asking questions and reading for answers (reading for a purpose). The lessons on main idea and supporting details integrated well with writing lessons on paragraphs.

Along with these lessons students are learning about the three kinds of rocks(igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic) and minerals. Rocks are made out of minerals, which come in many different forms. We also read The Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth, which talks about the layers of the Earth in relation to the three types of rocks.

Spelling
All students are working nicely. Some have already finished their first set of words and have started another.

Personal Safety
Last week we talked about I-statements vs. You-statements. We also discussed the first three steps of problem solving: ABC. A = Ask a question to engage the person with whom you are having a conflict; B = Brainstorm solutions; C = Choose a solution and give it a try. The students made posters to illustrate this process.

THIS WEEK…
…is geology week!
Fran’s friend, Char, from UVM has been coming to Schoolhouse this week to teach us about geology. On Monday, Char introduced us to the three types of rocks, the geology time line (the earth as we know it has only been around a very short time in relation to the history of the earth), and radioactive dating of rocks. Today we had a fabulous field trip to North Beach and Salmon Hole. The students learned how the ripples in rocks are created by ripples in the water. The ripples mirror the shoreline. They also saw fossilized trilobite “footsteps” in rock at Salmon Hole. We are excited for the coming days. Wednesday’s topic is the layers of our planet and igneous rocks. Thursday is bring a rock to school day. All students should bring one rock to school, and Char will identify it for them. On Friday we have another field trip. We will be going to Lessor’s Quarry to learn about fossils. Each student will be allowed to take one rock home.

Literacy
We are continuing with literacy as normally as possible this week. I am trying to finish up reading assessments while moving kids forward with spelling. Students are also working independently with spelling, penmanship, quiet reading, book reviews, and free writing. The reason reading assessments take so long to complete is that I administer it to each child individually. I can only get through two kids each day, three if I’m really lucky. Students who perform at a certain level on the first assessment do at least one additional assessment. My goal is to find their independent and instructional reading levels and to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses. Then I can begin small reading groups that focus on specific reading strategies and skills. We will also begin literature circles when assessments are completed. I don’t want to overload the kids with literature circles and research, so I’ll keep you informed about how that will happen.

IN THE NEAR FUTURE
I have a couple of notes about what’s going next week.
*Monday at 11:00 we will be brainstorming topics for research. All students will have homework of choosing topics and ordering them from first to last pick. I will also be sending home information on display requirements for Omega Ones and Twos.
*Tuesday at 11:00 we will pick short courses.
*Wednesday at 11:00 we will pick topics for the science display.
*Thursday at 1:00 we will pick another round of short courses.

*Tuesday, October 14, I will be leaving at 2:00 for my doctor’s appointment. He will x-ray my foot and determine if the cast can come off and what my next steps are…next steps…get it? Haha

*I will be out of town Friday, October 17 and Monday, October 20. My dad is turning 60, and the family has been planning a surprise gathering for some time. Dew will be my sub for one of those days. Toby will be returning as my sub for the other.

Sage Literacy Lounge

We have been focusing on reading strategies and corresponding tasks that students will need to know to participate in literature circles. Kids have been asking when we are going to start them. We have just a couple more lessons before I present books and kids get to make choices. I will have three literature circle groups. The groupings are loosely based on students’ reading levels and what they are interested in reading. I do not select the humongous sci-fi or romance type books that many kids read independently. My goal is to give students exposure to genres and authors they typically don’t read independently. It can sometimes be challenging to select books that they have not already read and that they will enjoy. If you have any suggestions, please suggest away! I prefer books under or around 200 pages that are not in the genres of sci-fi and romance.

Spelling is well under way. Some students have already moved on to their second set of words. Some students will be doing vocabulary work as part of their spelling assignments this year. All students will do vocabulary work as part of literature circles. Students have word boxes to collect vocabulary words, words they like, and words with which they have trouble. We will work with definitions, synonyms and antonyms, using the words in context, and using context clues to figure out unknown words.

I also want to tell you that I am so totally enjoying teaching the Sage/Sager group. They have gelled well, work well independently and together, and participate appropriately in lessons. They are a pleasure!