Spelling Words (Week of Sep. 7)

 Below, you will the spelling words that students in Room 3 will be working on next week, and also a needlessly long explanation about spelling practice. If your child was in my class last year and you know all this, feel free to skip to the bottom.

 

My approach to spelling is meant to help students learn common patterns that will allow them to accurately spell familiar and unfamiliar words when writing, as well as those high-frequency 'need to know' words that may not follow common patterns. 

They will also develop their ability to work towards learning goals through regular practice and study, as well as some basic test-taking skills in a low-pressure, low-stakes environment.

 

Students will have the opportunity to choose ONE spelling list to focus on each week. In the classroom, we have talked about how to effectively choose a list that is a 'good challenge' - not so easy that it won't teach you any new spelling concepts, but also not so difficult that it's overwhelming.  

 

Most weeks, the spelling lists will focus on specific letter sounds, blends, or patterns, as they appear in words of different complexities. For example, the practice words last week were all intended to review short-vowel sounds, though the words on List A were simpler than those on List C. This approach lets me teach the whole class the same spelling concept, but give the students an opportunity to apply that concept at a level that works best for them.

The main goal of spelling practice is not to memorize words, but to learn a wide range of common spelling patterns, which will then allow students to attempt to spell unfamiliar words more accurately. For example, a student who learns to spell 'hot' and 'rob', would hopefully be able to spell the unfamiliar word 'rot' as well, even though that specific word was not on their spelling list. There will however be some weeks where we just really focus in on high-frequency sight words (the, said, they, where, and, etc.), that you just need to know how to spell. I’d like to address those early in the year.

 

At the end of each week, we will have a Spelling Quiz. These quizzes are meant to be low-pressure opportunities for students to showcase their learning, and experience what it is like to study for and take a test.  I do not use the marks in my report card grades! However, seeing how students perform helps me to teach better. If many students perform badly on a spelling quiz, it tells me that we need to spend more time on that concept. If an individual student has a tough time with a quiz, we might review that concept a bit more one-on-one.
Practicing for quizzes at home is completely optional. We will practice throughout the week in class. However, if you want to also practice at home, that can be a great way to boost your child's confidence and reinforce their learning. It's totally up to you. I will post the words each week on Friday.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Spelling List A (Sep. 5 – 12)

the	and	look	my	I
come	here	me	we	for

 

Spelling List B (Sep. 5 – 12)

when	with	they	have	like
said	there	good	all	want

 

Spelling List C (Sep. 5 – 12)

would	could	should	done	myself
because	made	walked	talked	watch

This week's spelling words are high-frequency words from the Dolch Word list. I'm going to try focusing on these kinds of words throughout the month of September in the hopes that it will help students reduce the amount of corrections they'll have to make in their day to day writing work.

Good luck!

Zac

Friday, September 5

 Hi parents,

Today was a great way to end our first week of school. The students had a long work period in the morning to finish work from earlier in the week, and then we had our practice spelling quiz, which went super well, especially considering we only had two days to study. Starting today, I will be posting the weekly spelling words on the blog, so parents have the option to practice with their children at home. We will practice the words in class either way.

The students received their visual journals (sketchbooks), and we did an introductory activity around reflecting on the first week of school. Mostly the purpose of this task was to show kids how to use rulers to divide their page into equal sections, and practice using pictures and words together. This format is really useful for science and social studies activities so it's nice to introduce it with an easy task.

We met with our Buddy Class (Ms. Adamson's Grade 1/2 class), and then ended our day with Gym.

Stay tuned for next week's spelling words, and have a nice weekend!

Zac

Thursday, September 4

 Hi parents,

We had a great day today! Today was the first day that felt like a typical school day. In the morning, we had work period time, and the class finished up work we'd started earlier in the week. We had a sharing circle around the question, 'what is your favourite game?', and then the students wrote about that same topic in their journals.

We went to a welcome back assembly in the gym, and then had Music and gym. Looking back, it was a pretty easy morning for me, maybe that's why I think the day went so well...

In the afternoon, we did Mindfulness, and more buddy reading for Daily LA. 

We practiced spelling, and then did a Montessori math lesson on Place Value, using the golden beads and whiteboards. That ended up sparking a really cool discussion about how numbers never need, infinity, and the universe. And then whether or not monks could live forever. 

Have a nice night,

Zac

Wednesday, September 3

 Hi parents,

We had another good day today. in the morning, we had a sharing circle to get to know each other better, and then wrote about our summer breaks in our journals. 

In math, the students filled in blank hundreds charts, as a means of reviewing numbers up to 100, and we also discussed skip-counting patterns that the hundreds chart can help with. It's especially good for visualizing skip-counting by 10's, starting at different places.

We did a trial run of 'buddy reading' as part of Daily LA, and the class did really well with this. We might switch up the buddies and do another round of it tomorrow just to be safe, because Buddy Reading is often the station with the highest potential for silliness once the kids have more independence. 

I introduced the students to the 'spelling' routine, which I will post about in a lot more detail at the end of the week. Basically it's the same as last year. There will be weekly words of varying difficulty, focused on a specific letter blend / spelling pattern, and the students will practice those words several times over the course of the week. We'll have a low-stakes quiz at the end of the week. Starting next week, I'll also be posting the words on the blog, but this week, we're just taking it easy and working on them in class.

We read three more stories from Wayside School - the students are really enjoying it.

Have a nice night,

Zac

Tuesday, September 2 (First day of school)

Hi parents,

First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to read the Blog. It is the #1 best way to stay caught up with what we're doing in class. I will do my best to update the blog every day with a brief summary of what we did in class that day, as well as reminders about upcoming dates and events, and volunteer opportunities. Please do not feel obligated to check it every single day - once or twice a week is great, but if you are ever curious about something your child was sharing about their day at school, checking the Blog can be a great way for parents to continue the conversation at home and understand the context of everything we're learning. 

We had an excellent first day back at school. We spent a lot of time going over classroom and school expectations, getting to know each other and the space, and just adjusting back into 'school mode'. Today was a pretty easy day in terms of academics, but it followed the general structure we'll be using for the rest of the year. Students completed work independently, and then were able to move on to responsible work choices, which they then got to practice cleaning up. Work, RWC, Clean-up is how most work periods go in a Montessori classroom, and I think its really important that kids get familiar with that pattern early in the year so they can gradually take on more responsibilities and complete more advanced work as the year progresses. 

We started out our day with Morning Math, which is basically an opportunity for students to practice whatever math concept we're learning about. Today it was a review of Grade 2 / 3 math facts. Once students finished that, they were able too explore the classroom and try out some of the many responsible work choice options, while also getting to know their classmates. 

We had a sharing circle to officially meet one another, and then did a 'two truths and a lie' journal writing task. 

Then, the students created colourful name tags to label their cubbies.

In the afternoon, we did Mindfulness, which is another routine we'll be doing every day after lunch, and is an opportunity for kids to practice some self-reflection and emotional regulation. This is probably my favourite part of the day.

After that, we did Quiet Reading, the first step in our 'Daily LA' literacy block, which eventually will be the time of day when students independently engage in a variety of reading and writing activities, while I read with small groups.

We played no-outs kickball in gym. At the end of the day, we learned how to shake hands properly, and then read the first story from Wayside School. 

Have a nice night!

Zac

Thursday, June 26 (Last day of school!)

 Hi parents,

Today was a great way to end another fantastic school year. We had a year-end assembly and reflected on all the good times. We watched one of the best Arthur episodes of all time - "The Short, Quick Summer" - and wrote summer to-do lists. We cleaned the room, and did our final spelling quiz of the year. We went outside and watched one last talent show entry. And the students received special journals with our school logo that they can use over summer! Then they all signed each others journals to practice cursive. Ironically, this took a long time, and we ended up missing our cursive lesson... so apologies that many students still do not know how to write a p, x, or z in cursive. I promise we'll do it much earlier next year.

I want to thank you all for reading the blog and supporting me and the class this year. The class community this year was unlike any other. We worked together on so many cool projects, like the Grinch movie, and our safe drop-off movie, and the kids came up with some of the most imaginative games I've ever seen during responsible work choice time. I've never had so many 'creations' left out on display. The building materials shelf was generally a disaster to look at but it was incredibly heartwarming to see the kids working together to invent their own games and worlds. We were a very tight-knit group. Near the end of the year we got a little bit too laid back on some work expectations, but the kids never stopped treating each other, and me, with the utmost kindness, and for that I am so grateful.

Our 'lost in found' isn't too bad this year! If you recognize any of these items, please come pick them up tomorrow (Friday, June 27). If you can't come in but don't want the items to get donated, please send me an email and I'll be sure to hang on to them until next year.

Thanks again for an unforgettable year, and have an amazing summer break!

Zac

Tuesday, June 24 (Sports Day)

 Hi parents,

Sports Day was a big success today. The weather was perfect and the kids had a great time doing activities in the morning, and watching the kickball game in the afternoon.

We also had a bit of time for work period, and to learn three new cursive letters. I regret leaving cursive till the last minute! Next year we'll start it much earlier. But, we're still on track to learn every lowercase letter by the last day of school.

Tomorrow is Clean-Up Day! Please send your child with a bag. They have a lot of stuff to take home tomorrow - all of their workbooks, cubby contents, and any work I haven't yet handed back is all going home, and it may not fit in a backpack.

Thursday, June 26 is the last day of school, and it is a half day. Students won't need their workbooks for that day, but we'll still be doing some fun 'last day of school' activities, and more importantly, saying our goodbyes for the summer.

Have a nice night,

Zac

Monday, June 23

 Hi parents,

We had a busy and fun day today. As you know it was Fort Day and the Talent Show. We put little talent show breaks throughout the day, and the students did a fantastic job. I loved seeing the huge range of performances, from taekwondo to dance, piano, art, magic, and even science. It was really cool. We've got a lot of talent in Room 3, and I was so happy that so many kids felt comfortable sharing in front of their classmates!

In math, we finally revisited the dreaded polygon / geometry quiz from earlier in the year. This was a great experience for everyone. For some kids, it was a perfect opportunity to refresh vocabulary and skills that were just starting to fade, from not being used much (polygon terminology doesn't come up much on a day to day basis). For other kids, it was an opportunity to learn these terms for the first time, as we did this unit during the time of year when a lot of people were on vacations. 

We did a writing activity that was basically a reflection on the school year - the field trips, work choices, friends, celebrations, you name it. I hope that the kids will look back someday on this one and remember things about the year they might have forgotten.

We did Daily LA and met up with our buddy class to watch their readers' theatre performances.

We watched the infamous "Music Festival" Arthur episode, and now a whole new generation of kids will have 'library card' stuck in their heads for the next 30 years.

Tomorrow is Sports Day! And it's a full day ordeal, so please help your child make good choices about what to wear on their feet.

Have a nice night,

Zac

Spelling Words (Last Week of School!!!)

Words EVERY Grade 3 Needs to Know (June 20 – 26)

they	because	were	about	said
went	also	going	walked	take

 

Words EVERY Grade 4 Needs to Know (June 20 – 26)

they’re	could	shouldn’t	house	without
why	laugh	light	their	wanted

 

Words NOBODY Needs to Know (June 20 – 26)

quoth	bethink	betwixt	apothecary	VCR
bumbershoot	Fax	flimflam	methinks	landlubber

Here are the last spelling words of the year. We're going to practice really hard this week because I really do believe every Grade 3 and 4 would benefit next year from having those 10 words mastered. 

As for 'List C'.... never has so much challenge yielded so little reward.

Good luck!

Friday, June 20

 Hi parents,

We had a pretty good day today! Our school celebrated National Indigenous Peoples' Day today, and we went on a long walking field trip with our buddy class to a park deep within the heart of Lake Bonavista.

When we got back, we had our spelling quiz. The kids did pretty well with this week's words. Not everyone took their quizzes home today though.

We went back to our Buddy Class and watched their Readers' Theatre productions. 

Then, we ended our day with Daily LA.

Monday, June 23 - Talent Show AND Fort Day

Monday is a very exciting day for our class! Thanks to everyone who reached out about the Talent Show. I'm really looking forward to seeing it! The students have also earned a Fort / Stuffed Animal Day, which they've been asking for for a long time now. Students are welcome to bring 1-2 blankets and a small stuffy, as well as a flashlight. Last Fort Day went really well so I'm confident this one will too.

Tuesday, June 24 - Sports Day 

Dress for a full day of outdoor activities!

Wednesday, June 25 - Clean-Up Day 

Please send your child with a bag so they can take home the vast majority of their stuff! 

Stay tuned for next week's spelling words - the LAST spelling words you'll have to practice for a long time - and have a nice weekend!

Zac 

Tuesday, June 17

 Hi parents,

We had a pretty good day today! In the morning, we talked more about Free Verse poetry, and the students took another shot at writing an original free verse.

In math, we talked about polygons, and angles. We talked about how the four angles in quadrilaterals will always add up to 360 degrees, and how angles can be classified as right, acute, reflective, and obtuse, within a given polygon. The students traced polygons and labelled the angles in each one.

In Gym, we started learning the Cadillac ranch dance, just to make sure everyone is Stampede-ready.

We learned 3 new letters in cursive, and the students wrote 30 words, using only the letters we've learned so far (l, u, I, e, t, r, c, a, g, d, f, h, y).

Room 3 Talent Show - June 23

Please let me know if your child is interested in participating! It will help me organize the day.

Have a nice night,

Zac