Class Picture

My adorable kiddos... and me (just barely taller than them!)

Oobleck!

We love Oobleck!

Prepped the desks

Made the oobleck

Got into groups

Started learning

Played pass the oobleck

Got our hands really dirty!

Filled out the worksheet

Wrote poems

Experimented some more

It was so much fun and I heard the kiddos making some wonderful connections about matter, solids, and liquids. :)

Math Stategies

I think that one of my most important jobs as a math teacher is to teach strategies. I don't want my kiddos counting on their fingers, or drawing tally marks forever! 

I gave them whiteboards and told them to bring their hundreds charts, and number lines.

Any time we use the whiteboards, it is so much extra fun! I wish I had more markers because my kiddos go through them so quickly!

I had Rachael show me how long it takes to do tally marks. 

It took a lonnng time!

When they use their hundreds chart for problems, it goes much faster!

I have them put an X on the number they start on, and circle the answer they end up on.

We spend a lot of time talking about how adding tens means we can just jump down. 

Math Strategies I want my kids to use:

• Counting on
• Doubles (Doubles plus one)
• Hundreds Chart
• Tallies
• Ten frames
• Unifix cubes
• Ten frame cubes 
• Manipulatives
• Number line
• Memorization

Matter

I showed my kiddos my teeth whitening pictures. We oohed and ahhed over the differences.
We talked about how scientists probably went through many experiments to figure out what worked.
We talked about using both light, and chemicals in the trays.
We even mentioned how scientists made the lipstick that I'm wearing in the last picture.

(To the tune of Farmer in the Dell)
An inquirer I will be,
An inquirer I will be,
Asking questions helps me learn.
An inquirer I will be!

Today in science we had so much fun working with our solid and liquid tea.

I love watching my little inquiring minds at work. They put together such wonderful ideas about the differences between the two.

Rachael is WAFTING the smell towards her.

Tea 1 and Tea 2

Mike working hard on recording his DATA.

Beck with his finished worksheet. 

My sweet class right before we compared and shared. 

I was so proud of the things they came up with!

Look at my little scientists using words like flows, forms to cup, pours, slides, crunches, cube, form, shape...

We also made similes about them! 

The matter vocabulary that I expect my kiddos to know are:

• classify
• flexible
• texture
• magnetism
• freeze
• change
• matter
• gas
• liquid
• solid
• physical state
• physical properties
• evaporate
• melt
•  volume

Learner Profile

A huge component of the IB program is the Learner Profile. I want these words included in my classroom daily, and utilized at home!!

Here is where you can find the cute definitions.

Inquirers- They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.

Knowledgeable- They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

Thinkers- They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators- They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

Principled- They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.

Open-minded- They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring- They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Risk-takers- They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Balanced- They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Reflective- They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

IB Program

I am lucky enough to be teaching at an IB school. I'm constantly getting questions about what exactly that means. This morning I went to a half-day meeting for all new to IB teachers. I took a ton of notes, and I feel like I got a lot out of it.... 

Here are some of the things I learned (for those of you who are interested).
If you want to check out my IB Packs, check out the link. For the black and white polka dot version, click here.

Spicewood's vision:
Spicewood aspires to be a community of caring, global-minded thinkers. 

IB Mission Statement:

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

Education for international-mindedness relies on the development of learning environments that value the world as the broadest context for learning.

An IB education is unique because of its rigorous academic and personal standards. IB programmes challenge students to excel not only in their studies but also in their personal growth. The IB aims to inspire a lifelong quest for learning hallmarked by enthusiasm and empathy. To that end, the IB gathers a worldwide community of supporters who celebrate our common humanity and who share a belief that education can help to build a better world.

We want a community of learners to engage with global challenges through inquiry, action and reflection.

Inquiry- Curiosity

Action- Learning by doing

Reflection- Analyzing one’s own thinking and effort

Inquiry-

·         Exploring, wondering, questioning

·         Experimenting and playing with possibilities

·         Making connections between previous learning and current learning

·         Making predictions

·         Collecting data and reporting findings

·         Clarifying ideas and reappraising perceptions of events

·         Deepening understanding through application of a concept

·         Making/testing theories

·         Researching/seeking information

·         Taking and defending a position

·         Solving a problem a variety of ways

6 Themes:  Who we are, Sharing the planet, Where we are in place and time, How we express ourselves, How the world works, How we organize ourselves.

The IB learner profile brings to life the aspirations of a community of IB World Schools dedicated to student-centred education. IB programmes promote the development of schools that:

•          create educational opportunities that encourage healthy relationships, individual and shared responsibility and effective teamwork and collaboration

•          help students make informed, reasoned, ethical judgments and develop the flexibility, perseverance and confidence they need in order to bring about meaningful change

•          inspire students to ask questions, to pursue personal aspirations, to set challenging goals and to develop the persistence to achieve them

•          encourage the creation of rich personal and cultural identities.

Check out this entry to see the learn profile traits. They deserved their own entry because they are so important! 

Portfolios are a great part of the IB program because they show what the children have learned in every grade level.

2nd Grade Portfolios will contain:

• A variety of student work including:
• A piece of work that demonstrates the student’s development of one transdisciplinary skill as well as a reflection on that skill in relation to the selected piece
• A student selected piece of work from any discipline from each nine weeks


• The summative assessment and reflection from each unit

Transdisciplinary skills are so important to teach and encourage because these are skills that my students will be using their entire lives! 

The skills are: social skills, communication skills, thinking skills, research skills, and self-management skills.

We also have 8 concepts to provide a structure for the exploration of significant and authentic content. 

These concepts are:

·         Form (What is it like?)

·         Function (How does it work?)

·         Causation (Why is it like this?)

·         Change (How is it changing?)

·         Connection (How is it connected to other things?)

·         Perspective (What are the points of view?)

·         Responsibility (What is our responsibility?)

·         Reflection (How do we know?)

Doubles

Today I started teaching my kiddos the beloved DOUBLES SONG. 

I want them to sing it in the car, in the shower, walking to school... all the time!!

I have a ton of fun activities for my kiddos in my doubles pack.

I have hand movements with my doubles song as well so if you want to watch the video... I was crazy enough to put it online... This is how much I love my kiddos.