5 for Friday 8.30

Hey bloggers!

I'm joining in with Kacey over at Doodle Bugs Teaching for her Five for Friday linky!

Here are some pictures from our first full week :)

{click on pictures for a bigger view}

1. Writer's Workshop Contract

We wrote & signed our writer's workshop contract this week. {I used this last year too!} I have been impressed with their beginning skills as writers and decided we were ready to jump in full force! We talked about what our classroom should look like & sound like during writer's workshop time as well as what everyone's job is during this time. I referred to the contract all week and it worked out extremely well! We are already working hard as first grade authors! :)

2. Sharing in Partners

This week we also started working with partners. In the pictures above, you can see 2 students reading a book together and 2 sets of partners reading their writer's workshop stories together. We spent a lot of time talking about what partners look like & sound like when they work together (they sit side by side, they take turns, one person talks at a time, they show each other their work, etc). We definitely still need more practice, but they were really excited to get to work together!

3. Sharing in Groups

Another aspect of our share time that we explored this week was group share. In the pictures above, the students are sharing their writer's workshop stories in their desk groups. Each group was shown where their group would meet, how they should arrange themselves (so that everyone can see & hear) and what their bodies should look like when it is not their turn (criss cross legs, hands to self, story behind you so that you aren't playing with it, eyes on the reader, etc). The loved this...so we will keep practicing!

4. Word Work Stations

We always start the year reviewing the kindergarten "bubblegum words." That is what our school refers to as the required kindergarten sight words. We focused on these words as a whole group all week and today they got to use these words in some fun stations. In the pictures above you can see each of the stations (rainbow words, computers, magnetic letters, & shaving cream). I monitored the shaving cream station :)

I love that writing high frequency words in shaving cream made this "the best day ever!" (which was heard being said by multiple students)...ahhh, to be 6 again! :)

5. Pedicure!

Okay, so this isn't exactly school related. Last week I posted a picture of my disgusting, swollen, pregnancy feet. The heat index here in Illinois has been over 100 this week...so they have only gotten worse and NONE of my shoes/sandals fit! My mom treated my poor feet to a pedicure this week. I considered wearing the pedicure sandals to school...but found some comfy slippers at Walmart instead :)

We had a great first week...and now I'm looking forward to my 3 day weekend :)

How was your week??