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Lor - good evening all
Marie/Ont. - Any Canadian Gr. 1 teachers out there?
wick - anybody teach a combination k-1?
BizzyJoan - Wow, wick... do you? How does that work?
Marie/Ont. - How do you individualize math for higher level students?
BizzyJoan - Is there a topic tonite?
wick - BizzyJoan it is very stressful. I have an assistant but its hard to cover what you need to.
Maggie - I am struggling with math for two higher level students this year, too.
basil - I'm from canada
BizzyJoan - Of all the years.... K and 1 need so much attention... I can't see combining them, but it's a possibility for us next year...
Marie/Ont. - CR, What kinds of things do you give to the higher level ones once you determine their level?
Maggie - i include them in as many lessons as appropriate and always have their work on the sam skill, althought at a different level
nicolle - Does anyone know any good web sites with ideas for teaching wether?
kaus - I've looped K to 1
nicolle - weather, I mean
CR - Depends--I've had K students who were ready to multiply. I use center self-checking activities
Maggie - when we do addition there work may include regrouping, etc. what do you do, marie?
wick - Well, I was suppose to have just 1st but we had an overload of K's so I got them. I have a couple of kids whose birthdays came late in K and one who can do 1st grade work.
Marie/Ont. - By self-checking activities, do you mean worksheets and they check the answers?
Marie/Ont. - Maggie, I have recently tried to group 5 kids together and work on problems that they have to solve in a math journal.
nan - I'm interested in guided reading and what books people are using at this time of the year with their first graders.
CR - Can be worksheets or activity cards. Also use manipulatives for regrouping and have pictures of result.
CR - They can also do story problems (read some, write some).
nicolle - A great book about guided reading is, On Solid Ground.
Marie/Ont. - Thanks, CR. For GR, I use the Nelson series. It is Canadian
Marie/Ont. - The Nelson series doesn't really say so, but it seems to support the 4 Block approach.
wick - We use the Saxton math for K -3. Also use the Saxton phonics.
Marie/Ont. - Does anyone else use Nelson? We're only in the 2nd book so far (Level B)
nan - Nicolle, thanks I have that book and like it. But, I'm trying to build a collection of books so that each student has the same text . I have been buying Scholastic and Trumpet books and wondering what books people might be able to recommend.
Marie/Ont. - My higher level kids are reading some of the Magic Tree HOuse books. They love them. They are at about a 2.0 reading level.
wick - There is also the Stautan?-Vaughn books. They are really neat.
CR - I think it's Steck-Vaughn
Marie/Ont. - Does anyone read Junie B. Jones books to their kids or have them read them? My kids love them, but I'm not really crazy about the incorrect grammar. Any comments?
CR - I agree that the grammar model is important.
Maggie - i feel that way about junie and the grammar and even the choice of words. there are so many other good books to read.
Kimber - My kids also love JunieB. Sometimes I do correct the grammar(subconsciously).
Lor - Marie/Ont.-My students really like Junie B books, some my students (especially the better readers) have picked up that Junie doesn't use correct grammar
wick - CR you're right. Had a mental block. We also have quite a collection of Scholastic books. When we have the Scholastic fair our parents buy books for our classroom from a wish list.
Marie/Ont. - So do you avoid Junie B.?
Maggie - I'm in the minority I'm sure but I don't read them.
Tsmith - Hi everyone. I just logged on and this is my first time entering a chatroom. I'm kind of trying to get used to the whole thing. If I seem to be out of sorts then you know why.
nan - I'm using The Mitten this week and am planning to do Tacky the Penguin soon. Any other titles you might recommend?
wick - Anybody use the Sunshine books, etc.
wick - nan, try The Hat by Jan Brett. The kids love it.
Kimber - How about Penguin Pete?
Tsmith - I have read Junie B. books to my class and they enjoy the book. We make sure to correct Junie B's language when she uses inappropriate language in the book. It's nice to see that the children pay attention to that sort of thing.
Maggie - Little Penguin's Tale
Lor - I agrre TSmith
Marie/Ont. - Amy Loves the Snow by Julia Hoban is a cute story that they can read.
Tsmith - Is anyone else evaluating reading texts for adoptions? Which programs have really caught your eyes?
Marie/Ont. - Amy Loves... is Reading Level 1
nan - Wick and Kimber - thanks! We got 6 packs of Little Celebrations book this year and I like them alot. But 6 packs don't work for large group comprehension activities.
Dee - nan, I found great lesson plans on The mitten and The Hat posted on this net's lesson plans.
Kris - We're evaluating math series. Anyone else piloting the new McGraw-Hill?
wick - nan, Jan Brett has a website. - http://www.janbrett.com/
nan - Dee - I know - me too. Have you gone to JanBrett's web site for masks and animal pictures?
Tsmith - We adopted the Silver-Burdett series. It goes along well with our standard course of study. In our district, we give quarterly tests and it correlates well with it also.
betmn - Jan Brett sends the best packets of info out to teachers.
lee - jan brett's web site is really interesting
Dee - nan,yes. I have a felt board that I let the kids tell the story with the characters. They love it.
wick - I played the audio of The Hat for my class today from her website.
Dee - wick, how'd ya do that?
betmn - I got her teacher packet and it came with postcards, book reviews, coloring pages etc.
lee - the children love to act out the mitten
Tsmith - I didn't know that Jan Brett sent packets to teachers. What's included in them? Does anyone have information on any grants, helpful sites, etc.?
nan - What a great idea with the felt board. I also had the children make huge mittens, paint the outside , paint differnet animals to put inside the mitten and make addition sentences for their mitten.
betmn - have you done the mitten lee with a big old sheet cut like a mitten?
wick - Dee, go into her website and go on the site map. There is oodles of stuff and you will eventually see "audio".
Dee - lee,me too.
CR - If you need storybooks to practice phonics, you might look at Ready Reading--They're pages you duplicate.
lee - do you need to download something for the audio
wick - We made a class book in the shape of a mitten. Each child wrote a sentence on a mitten shape and illustrated it.
Dee - betmn. did you have the kids act it out by getting in the sheet. Cute.
wick - Dee, we had to download the player on our computer. Only took a couple of minutes. She tells how she came to write the story. It's not very long.
betmn - has anyone copied the mobile from her site? it is great!
lee - i forgot the sheet today, but will bring one tomorrow
lee - is the mobile in color?
betmn - yes dee, we made masks too
betmn - the mobile is in color and two sided lee
Dee - My school have so many security systems built in I feel I am in prision.
Victoria - I bought several pairs of mittens at the dollar store and added various words to the palms, the children were then able to put them on and make their own stories.
wick - I wasn't too thrilled with the coloring pages. Except for the rabbit there wasn't much for the kids to color.
Amy - i need help we are starting space and i need to do a bulletin board any ideas?
Dee - I mean when I use my comuter.
lee - you mean on the computer dee?
CR - Space BB--a big space ship with windows where students draw their faces or miniature astronaut pictures.
nan - Thanks for your ideas everyone. I have to go.
sher/nd - tell me more about Ready Reading
wick - Amy, I don't know if you have a teacher store where you are but there is a primary book with reproducibles, projects, and everything on space. We made rockets last year from paper towel rolls.
Amy - i'd like to incorporate a writing element
Dee - Victoria, do you mean they made sentences? Bye Nan.
CR - Ready Reading website is readywork.com
Victoria - Amy....have you thought about a solar system made with halves of styrofoam balls that the kids paint....I am a science teacher, and the kids absolutly loved making the board!
Victoria - oh sorry...yes sentences
betmn - the k teacher at my school had a woman knit her two white mittens for the story, one is huge for the end of the story. she keeps it hidden until the end and surprises the students with it.
CR - It has systematic phonics lessons and there is a storybook to go with each lesson to practice that letter.
lee - Incorp. Soc sci, have students write about what they would need on the moon
Dee - betmn, that's a hoot.
betmn - is anyone using the new houghton mifflin a legacy to literacy for reading?
wick - Could write if they were an astronaut..... Brainstorm with them or use prompts.
Mary - Our kd make paper filled planets
Dee - What are ya'll doing for the 100th day. I reallllly do not want to do Hundreds of pieces of candy etc. this year.
Mary - or cherrio o necklaces. Guess I have to read all those ideas I've saved.
betmn - dee, do you do the books for each student where they stamp ten objects on each page until they reach 100?
CR - 100th Day Activity centers (parents help) ball bounces, scooter slalom, jump rope, etc while counting by 1's, 2's, 5's, 10's
Dee - Yes, tired of those ole cheerio necklaces too.
wick - We made hats. Like a top hat. I set up stations with different things like stickers, etc. The kids put ten of each at each station and wrote 100 across the band in the front with glitter glue. The high school students helped me.
Victoria - /cp To incorportate writing on the board I had the students write paragraphs on the important facts about each planet...on dark blue background it was really cute.
Mary - what is a scotter slalom?
CR - 100 fingers--cut out hand prints,
lee - we use colored froot loops and count by tens
CR - Read 100 words, write 100 words
Mary - we line up 100 kids and then group by 5, 10 etc.
Mary - they do like the special 100 day hats.
Darcy - that's a big project, to line that many kids up.
lee - how do you do the hats
CR - Potato roll (with noses on the floor--100 inches or cm
Dee - I plan to read the wolf story with the 100 chickens and hide 100 cut out yellow chickens in the room. Numbered and let them find them and put in order.
wick - This year I'm going to make vests and do the same thing. Good old grocery bags.
lee - what is the name of the story with the wolf?
Mary - we use gym or hallway, the kids are not that big. They each hold a number on paper. 1-100
Darcy - I'm going to have my class count the books in the class library to see if we have 100.
Mary - Hey great ideas people!
Dee - Mary, I like the idea of counting by 2'setc. Still don't know what a
betmn - dee, please tell me you have a die cut machine for the chicks
Darcy -
wick - Dee-I'll try to explain because you have to see the picture but you make a wide band out of poster board and then cut a tall rectangle that will fit nine rows - the tenth being the 100 and staple or glue on the band. We took pictures of the class when they were finished for the year book.
Dee - betm, you didn't think I'd cut them out by hand. No way>
wick - Get the catalog "Really Good Stuff" They have all sorts of things for 100th day.
Mary - Any other titles? I read 100th Day of school and one more but can't remember.
lee - enjoyed your ideas, have a good night
wick - Nice talking to all of you. Don't work too hard.
chilllly - can anyone tell me where I can get the directions on how to build an igloo out of milk jugs?
betmn - hi chilllly, have a unique idea for the 100th day?
Mary - anyone doing a penguin unit?
Dee - still thinking on the 100th day titles.
chilllly - I m in the middle of a penguin unit
Mary - it was on a list can't remember which one but a search might help.
Mary - what kind of things are you doing?
chilllly - I want to move on to the North Pole...polar bears...igloos
Mary - I just stick with the South Pole, lots of great sites. We like watching the live cam.
Dee - Chilllllly, one of my teacher friends told me she was attempting that. I think she found that in Copy Cats 2000 .
chilllly - Our school is planning on making a huge 100 banner that the students have to go through an 0 to enter the building.
betmn - Dee i saw one in the dec. scholastic book order about a girl who couldn't think of an idea for a 100th day collection, but i can't remember the name.
chilllly - copy cat 2000...online?
CR - Counting money to 100 in different coins is a challenging activity.
Mary - we do 100 thumb prints, making a dollar using 1 cent,5,10 and quarters
chilllly - draw your teacher as she/he would look at 100 years old
Dee - I've got my scholastic order,betmn, I'll look at it.
CR - (Some of my kids think I AM 100 so the pictures would look like me now!!
Dee - Chillly, CopyCat newspaper. Have you not heard of it?
betmn - that scares me chilly, i'll probably still be teaching
Mary - or what you would buy with a 100 dollars
Dee - Cr, you are funny!
chilllly - stop what you are doing every 100 minutes and do jumping jacks for 100 seconds
betmn - have you made the 100 day group, 100 pretzles, one hundred m&m's, one hundred raisins...
Mary - we have no peanut school so food is scary
Dee - Betmn, yes, what a messs.
chilllly - Copy Cat archives for my igloo. Any idea where I can get ahold of it? Can you hear the desperate tone? We have been saving jugs since Sept. They are driving me nuts...When can we make out igloo...It' s winter.
betmn - i want to ask again, anyone have houghton mifflin's new a legacy of literacy?
chilllly - I think that is what I am suppose to be using.
betmn - supposed to??
chilllly - Well... I didn't like it when we previewed it...So, I do my own thing
betmn - i had companion reading until last year and this new series has a lot of errors because it's so new.
Dee - Chilllly previewed what?
Dee - What is companion reading, betmn?
chilllly - Yes.. I noticed. I did try to use it and I still do; but, I do a lot of my own thing.
Judy - I am going to try the same for the first time. Found a web site that had instructions and pictures.
chilllly - igloo..not yet...Where are the instructions: Help
betmn - i can't think of the company but you do a direct instruction where the students repeat back the words to you, then on their own, they read with a companion or partner and then do a skillsheet . Affective, very affective but dry as dirt.
Judy - Build an Igloo: http://www.members.home.net/kosfam/BuildAnIgloo.htm
Dee - Judy, that's great!
Judy - Has anyone done this before?
chilllly - THANKS!!!!!
Dee - betmn, is this something new?
Judy - The instructions seem really clear, but experience can be a much better teacher!
Dee - No. I haven't built an igloo.
Judy - I am in Florida, which makes making an igloo really fun!
betmn - no dee, it's been around a long time, i hate to see it go but you have to jump in with both feet!
buzy1 - We have a heck of time teaching seasons. Last week I had my air conditioning on.
buzy1 - I am finally getting rain now, or else they wouldn't know it was winter
chilllly - subject change...Flat Stanley...have you ever done that project?
buzy1 - yes, last year-great
chilllly - I am doing it now...Won't do it again.
JoDee - I can understand betmn many of my students have never seen snow.
Dee - Georgia had snooow! I told the kids months ago when we kept getting ants that it would be a cold winter.
buzy1 - why don't you like the FS
betmn - Jo Dee, I'll send you a truck load after i get my driveway cleared
Judy - So, what's the pros and cons of Flat Stanley. I was real close to doing that this year, but too many other "new" things to add something else. Very interested though.
Dee - What's with Fat Stanley?
chilllly - I had 5 show up at one time
buzy1 - We just had someone send us a 3' flat student, and we gave it a home for 1 month.
Dee - chillllly. 5 what?
buzy1 - I also made it a school logo t-shirt to wear back, and a suitcase full of Calif stuff
chilllly - I sent out 10...all over the globe... I got 3 back...Explain that to a class of little ones
chilllly - 5 Flat Stanleys
JoDee - If anyone would like to send me a FS, I'd be happy to give it a home. I teach in Pakistan. I promise I'd send it back.
buzy1 - they just used butcher paper, and traced each member of her class
buzy1 - then she asked for volunteers on AOL and I signed up
betmn - Wow JoDee, are you from there originaly?
buzy1 - i would rather do it around Oct, so you could add Halloween stuff
chilllly - There is a site for Flat Stanley to post and get addresses.
JoDee - No betmn, I am from Alberta, Canada. I've been teaching here for 5 years.
betmn - culture shock JoDee?
JoDee - Big time, but I'm used to it now.
buzy1 - How did you get a job?
betmn - I would love to pen pal with your class!
JoDee - I went to an ISS fair in San Diego.
JoDee - How many students do you have betmn.
chilllly - married?
betmn - don't fall over... 14.
JoDee - Uh huh, two children.
JoDee - I have 15
Dee - betmn, got ya beat===11
JoDee - And a full time TA
chilllly - I have 14 in first and 5 in second
betmn - had 15, one move to Texas during Christmas break
buzy1 - talk to everyone soon-enjoy the snow !!!!
Judy - No Fair! I have 24!
betmn - Dee, you get a gold star, you lucky!
Dee - ::I have 10 all day 1 in resource. No TA Bye buzy1
betmn - bye buzy1
Dee - Poor Judy. Do you have a TA
JoDee - Where do you teach Judy?
Judy - Part-time TA to help with SRA only.
chilllly - gotta go too...checking out an igloo site. Thanks for the chat. 2 more days til the weekend!
betmn - Ii like this group, is there a regular schedule for first grade teachers to chat?
Judy - Chilly, good luck with igloo - and Flat Stanley.
Dee - Bye chilllllllly!!!!!!
chilllly - do you belong to the mailring?
chilllly - thanks
Dee - Me tooo.
JoDee - I'd but it's sooo hard to get through all the messages each day.
