What fun!

We have been so busy today!  This was the first day that we really started getting into the nitty gritty of first grade.  We spent some time today talking about what readers do when they are thinking about their reading.  We talked about how readers get their minds ready by looking at the cover of a book and how taking a book walk helps us predict what might happen in the story.  Using our schema really helps us with our understanding of the text when we read. 

Today we also started our math journals.  After we played Collect 20 with a partner, the class received their math journals and were given tubs of pattern blocks.  I asked them to explore the blocks and write about their noticings in their journals.  Oh my gracious!  What a wonderfully articulate bunch of mathematicians I have on my hands!  I'm looking forward to tomorrow!

Phew!

Oh my goodness!  What a wonderful, tiring, busy, and exhilerating day we have had today!  I woke up at 3:30 and just could not go back to sleep ~ I was far too excited about starting school today!  I promised some pictures so here are the 'before-the-kids-come' pictures:

Some things have changed.  Most noticably, I have kids in my room now!  I will not be sharing photos of them until I have permission from all my parents.  Hopefully we will have that soon.  I hope your children had a great time today ~ I know I did!  What a special class we have this year!

Oh my goodness! Only 5 more days .....

I cannot believe that school is starting next Monday!  while I have been coming into school off and on all summer, this is the first week back for all teachers in the district.  We have inservice days for a week and then the babes come back on Monday.  I am going to post pictures of our room in a little while ( have to clean off the table messes first!) so that you can see how ready we are to fill this room with little ones and their great thinking! 

Yesterday, I started thinking a lot about my own personal goals for this year.  I think the biggest one I have is to maintain this blog and use it as a tool to inform and engage my families this year.  Oh boy!  I'm getting more and more excited!!!  :o)