Beginning!

The first week of school is flying by.  We are off to a great start with nine wonderful, bright, charming students! 

Every year many adult community members join us on the playground to ring in the new school year.  This year Donna and I decided to ask the adults to share inspiring words, phrases and sentences with the students to send them off for a great year.  We recorded the words, phrases and sentences and read them out loud to the students before they entered the school.  It turned into a pretty nice poem, huh?

We began the day with an extended morning meeting where we talked about behavior expectations for circle time. 

The students were then introduced to their new teams. 

In teams they created new team names.

We couldn't finish morning meeting without a dance, of course!

Then students were each introduced to their new sketch diaries. 

Last year these kids went through so much paper with their amazing doodles and drawings that this year we decided to give them each their own sketchbook where they can keep a record of their spontaneous art work. 

They got right to work decorating the covers of their books and working on their first sketches. 

Next it was time for our first DEAR--Drop Everything and Read!

This is a daily routine, and students love it!  Little do they know how much their reading improves with this daily practice!

Students can choose to read independently at their individual reading levels, or they can choose to partner read.  When they partner read the students take turns reading out loud to each other, practicing their oral reading skills. 

We had a very full first day of school and everyone was ready for a nap by the end of the day!