Functional Writing

My students have had a great time learning about Functional Writing. In Functional Writing, the students have learned they need to include a topic, use transition words, draw a detailed, matching picture, and include lables. One of their favorite topics is to write "How to's" about things they can eat! So today, the students learned all about How to Make Breakfast Toast.
I modeled each step for the students and was sure to emphasize how good the toast tasted once I was done making it. Then, each of the students had to make their own piece of toast, following the steps they had seen me do. Once they returned to their seats, they wrote about what they did to make the toast. The best part was that, once their writing was done, they learned first hand just how delicious breakfast toast can be! Yum!

Diamond D Ranch

On Friday, November 18, our class went on our first field trip of the year to a wonderful country spot called Diamond D Ranch. The students had a chance to ride horses, feed cows and goats, see buffalo, go on a tractor ride, swing around in the barrel roll, watch the crazy fish get fed, and jump around in the bouncy houses! It was a very exciting day and the students looked so cute in their matching field trip shirts. Several of the students, exhausted from all the fun, even snoozed on the bus during the ride back to the school.
The friendly staff at Diamond D Ranch even gave us passes to come back for free horse rides. What fun!

Fun Times!

Here are some fun pictures from Learning Night and the Fall Festival (I can't get them to turn back properly, so you'll just have to turn your head to the side! Sorry!).

Learning Night & Fall Festival

We can't just learn, learn, learn all the time! :-)
So, once in a while we like to throw some fun into the mix. Last Thursday our school hosted Learning Night where students did various activities with Math, Reading, Writing, and Science. They also got to read with Maggie, win books on the book walk, and vote on their favorite literacy pumpkin.
Today our class had a fall festival where we let our creativity run wild! The students got to paint a pumpkin with a face like their favorite book character, create a fuzzy spider, decorate a delicious cookie, and practice their sight words while coloring a fall masterpiece.
Thanks to the parents who helped with the activities and who sent in supplies to make our fall festival a success!

Fun at the Art Parade and Paw Party

Start the Arts

Last Friday all the students in the school were able to participate in the Start the Arts parade. They went to various stations where they learned about different types of art: photography, film/video, music, dance, literature, and visual arts.
Students who wish to can enter the art contest in one of the six categories. They have to come up with their own idea, such as creating their own dance, and then submit their artwork!

Our class also reached their first goal of 25 paws. These are earned when the students walk quietly in the hallway and another teacher notices and comments on what a great job they are doing. Paw points can also be earned during resources. As a reward, we got to eat outside for lunch and have some delicious cookies.
Great job class!

Response to Intervention (RTI)

It's amazing to think that we are already completing our fourth week of school. Your children are quickly learning how to be independent thinkers and workers! Next week we will begin a process called RTI (Response to Intervention). It is a great tool for helping and enriching students in the learning process. For our RTI block of time, some of my students will go next door to Ms. Burns' room and some will stay in the class with me, joined by a few of Ms. Burns' students.
At TEAM NBE, we are always working together to help each child be successful and achieve great things. Be sure to ask your child about what they're learning during our RTI time and don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions!