Primary Pumpkins

First we used oil pastels to make outlines of pumpkins and leaves.  Then we used paint in the primary colors and mixed them to make orange and green to paint our pumpkins and leaves.  When then cut out these and glued them to black construction paper, adding pastel chalk vines, moon and stars.  We used the lesson from Deep Space Sparkle.  

Kinds of Sentences

After learning about the four kinds of sentences we practiced them.  I put students into groups of four.  They each got a different color sticky note.  Each color represented a type of sentence.  Together they had to write an example for each of the four different kinds of sentences and put them into the correct spot.

Cubby Covers

       Every year my students make a cover for their cubby.  This helps to keep some of their items secure and private.  It also provides an attractive art display for our room.
       We used white paper, folded it so there would be sixteen squares.  We then wrote our names, using one letter per square and repeating the name until we ran out of squares.  To finish it we painted each square with water color.

Cliff Hanger

As a class we read Cliff Hanger by Jean Craighead George.  We had Mr. Ian McRae come in and teach us about rock climbing gear.  It helped us learn vocabulary from the story.  Thanks Mr. McRae!

A New School Year

August is here and the wheels are turning towards the first day of school.  The dreams have started and the plans are under way.  The excitement as the days close in is high.  I look forward to getting to know my new class and the days ahead of learning and adventure!  I sent out this welcome letter to introduce myself to my students.

 View Class Introduction letter here:

Multiplication Flashcards

We are working on memorizing our multiplication facts.  Here is how we are organizing the facts we know, from the ones we need to learn.

Raven's Day

Story telling for culturally responsive literacy.  Two years ago Brett Dillingham, a wonderful story teller from Juneau, came to my class.  He helped me learn an excellent process to help students write and tell their very own stories.  We started off by watching a video of B. Dillingham telling a story and analyzing what makes him a great story teller.

Here is Brett Dillingham's telling of Raven's Day.