Reading PartnersStudents interviewed their reading partners to get to know each other as readers. Reading partners will keep each other accountable for working towards their reading goals. Author VisitJackson Pearce, author of Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures, visited Westchester and spoke to all of the 2nd and 3rd grade classes. She told many hilarious tales from her childhood and helped the students see how these experiences later became a part of her books. Georgia Regions Research TeamsThe students have been doing research on the five regions of Georgia--Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal Plain, Swamps & Marsh, and Atlantic Ocean. They've been learning about each region's land features, animals, and plants. On Wednesday they formed research teams and shared their information with each other. Each research team will become experts on one region, focusing on the adaptations that the plants and animals have that allow them to survive in that region. This research will be a part of the first case study in our fall expedition, which begins at the end of the month. Book DiscussionsIn preparation for the book clubs we will start when we come back from fall break we practiced having book discussions using picture books, short stories, and poems. Each book club had a leader who facilitated the discussion using prompt cards. Students used "talking sticks" to make sure everyone had the opportunity to participate in the discussion. The Shoe GreetingEvery morning we begin our day with a Morning Meeting. This ritual helps students transition from home to school and creates time for us to gather as a classroom community before starting another busy day. Every Morning Meeting begins with a greeting. The students' favorite greeting so far is the Shoe Greeting. During this greeting everyone places one shoe in the center of the circle and sits so that no one can see the shoe they are still wearing. One student at a time chooses a shoe and greets the friend who s/he thinks is the owner of the shoe. This continues until every student has been greeted and every shoe has made its way back to its owner.
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AuthorMrs. Yoo teaches 3rd grade at Westchester Elementary School, home of the Wolves. Archives
February 2017
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