This year, I am planning on doing morning work a little differently. Your child will be working in stations and choosing activities that they would like to work on to begin their day. In order to do this, I am going to have several stations that will need supplies donated so that the children will have the items they need to keep them engaged and learning, while having fun. Here are my ideas for stations:
Choice 1 – Artistic Expression. The students have the option to paint, draw, or color at this choice. Students will have the entire week to complete their creation, or two. At the end of the week, their artwork is framed and hung up on a wall in our classroom, giving the students a sense of ownership of their learning space and they are proud that everyone who enters the classroom gets to observe their success
Choice 2 – Problem Solving. There are a variety of different problem solving activities at this choice for students to choose from and can be completed independently or together. These activities include, Balance Beans, Mastermind, Rush Hour. All activities encourage students to challenge themselves and use critical thinking skills to complete a task or create a design.
Choice 3 – Computer Time. As students choose this choice, they enhance their math fluency skills by supporting our school wide program – Study Island. Within this program, students are able to choose math concepts that they would like to work on to earn "Blue Ribbons". At the end of the year, their blue ribbons can earn them beans for bean economy.
Choice 4 – Collaboration. At this choice, students use Legos, Wedgits, or Magnatiles to design and build different structures. Students can either create their own or look at a task card and complete the task to the best of their ability. Sometimes students will also challenge each other and race to see who can be the first to successfully complete the task.
Choice 5 – Leadership. One goal I have for my students this year, as they are in their final year of elementary school, is to feel a sense of leadership. They are the oldest students in the building and I strive for the rest of the students, faculty, and staff to view them as leaders as well. One way I hope to achieve this is by teaming up with a kindergarten classroom to have some of my students review sight words with them or read them stories in the morning. Not only does this help the kindergartners grow and learn, but my students are challenged with devising creative ways to help them reach their success!
Choice 6 – Game Time. This choice promotes good old fashioned fun and teamwork by playing games with one another. There is an independent game for the first student that arrives. However, once more classmates arrive, students will engage in games such as Headbanz, Guess Who, and Trouble - all games in which critical thinking and problem solving are required for winning.
Also, it was great to get to tell you that your student is going to be switching classes this year! I am so excited to teach math to everyone! If you haven't already seen our schedule you can go to the welcome page to see it for the year.
Many parents picked an apple from our tree to help stock our centers, but I am also creating an Amazon wishlist that you can go through whenever you would like to find amazing items that I'm sure your child will love to use in our class. I have also put on some Math books to help me keep your child interested in the math that I will be teaching them as the year goes on. Thank you so much for being so supportive, it is going to be a great year!