In the Groove

Have you been in Room 5 lately?  If so, you may have noticed that we are in the groove!  There is a palpable vibe of learning in the classroom.  The kids are into their learning, the parent volunteers are providing consistent and valuable support, and I am able to focus in on individual instructional needs each day.

My favorite moments over the past month have been the times when I pause, step back, look around, and notice each and every student engaged in a learning project of some sort.  Usually there are no fewer than four activities going on at any time.  It’s noisy at times, and seemingly chaotic, but there is a special synergy evident in the classroom.  To me, it is MAP Room 5 at its best.

Here’s a little sample of what the kids have been working on lately:

·         Writing poetry about the sun

·         Singing songs about outer space

·         Reading books about the solar system

·         Sharing unbelievable facts we’ve discovered about objects in space

·         Sorting word study words

·         Reading with classroom volunteers

·         Recording information from our class solar system chart

·         Drawing out-of -this-world art with oil pastels (thanks Eric!)

·         Discussing the plotlines of stories by Chris Van Allsburg and David Weisner

·         Practicing for our class play, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”

·         Searching for words in the dictionary

·         Writing stories with friends

·         Playing math games

·         Making symmetrical paintings

·         Making creations from objects in the Creation Station

·         Learning new skills from one another in student-led centers and during share time

·         Reading our favorite books together (we love Junie B. Jones!)

This is what I love about this time of year.  The kids know the routines and expectations and we can get into things. 

Come on by and join us someday soon!