Seabury School challenges gifted children in a community that cherishes each individual and fosters a love of learning, discovery and creativity.




Friday, September 23, 2011

The Daily News

Two Sharks today did a news and weather report for the community of Back City.  Please watch!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

What Math Looks Like for the Sharks

Prior to Seabury, I taught in public schools where I was required to teach a specific lesson on a specific day regardless of my student's abilities with the concept.  Some days it felt like throwing a ball at a target, hoping that most of the kids were comfortable with the lesson to move on.  Even worse, those who were above the level I was teaching wasn't allowed to work ahead, because, if they moved to another grade level in math, then what were they to do the next year?  There was very little flexiblity with advancing students who were ready. At Seabury, there is no glass ceiling to what your child can do.  I preevaluate each child's abilities and stretch them as far as they can, not as far as the math book will allow.  In the next few years, they will continue to recieve what they need, regardless of the level of performance.

I have two different math groups that I lead twice a week.  These groups are flexible and will change as new skills are introduced.  So, if your child is strong with place value, but struggles with basic facts, they will get the instruction they need at their level.   Currently, I am pulling resources as high as the third grade text and beyond! 

The girls are making 4 digit numbers in a game of Snap!  Here they are to make the largest number possible with the numbers they draw.
 
Using counters to show equations that equal 10.

TV and VK are using place value dice to compare numbers in a game of "Who Has More?".

Who Has More? Gameboard.  This game can be place with single digit to six digit numbers, and math facts.

JT and I are using addition facts to "bump" each other off the game board in the game of Bump.
In math groups, I believe in using manipulatives and hands-on games to teach and reinforce mathematical concepts. It makes learning the concept fun and more concrete than just doing worksheets. Base 10 blocks, counters, and several types of dice are just a few items in my suitcase of math fun.  I send home math worksheets on Tuesday and Thursday that review what was done in math groups. If you are seeing their homework becoming difficult, please let me know right away! Homework should be practicing previously taught skills and concepts and not intended to have your child struggle.

In addition, other skills are being practiced and learned in a real-world application setting.  One example from today comes from our Literature Circles.  Students were building houses with a variety of materials.  Money and telling time will come into play very soon as the students are developing a community.  Already, we have a fish store in the works, as well as a swimming pool (memberships start at $50 :) ).

AM is marking lines in her cardboard house.

JT using a measuring the height of his "house" with a tape measure.


Wednesday, September 14, 2011

The House that Jack Built

We had our first cross-grade level Literature Circle on Tuesday with the Superstars and Ladybugs.  This year, our three classes are studying the concept of "interactions."  We are meeting to share literature that we can do activities together, as well as branch out and interpret the stories at different levels in each class.  The Ladybugs are learning about themselves and their family, the Superstars are learning about their families and community helpers, as the Sharks will learn about different communities and how to be good citizens in our community. 

We are starting with this book:

We met together as we each designed our own idea of a "cool" house.  Later in the classroom, the Sharks wrote an advertisement so that their house can be "listed" in our community.  Here are what their listings looked like: (sorry, the pictures of the houses did not turn out, you'll have to come to Curriculum Night to see)

My house is pretty. My house is only $400! It is tall and there is a pool in the backyard.

Call AS for details.
Cool living room! Free TV! Humungous Garden! Only $300,000,002
Call JL for details.
My house has an oven, an elevator and a secret entrance! Buy for $900,000,000.99
Call CH for details.
Six story house with 2 big TVs, big living room, neat bedrooms, separate meeting rooms and 2 bird feeders.
Buy for $100,000,000
Call VK for details.

This house is 10,000 square feet and furnished. This house has a hot tub. All new inclusive designing. Rent for $569 a month!
Call LR for details.
KID FUNHOUSE! TV, toy box, fan, telescope, toy cars, scooter, square legos, and pool. 1bath, 1bedroom, 1 laundry, 1 slide, kitchen, 2 chairs,1 remote control, elevator. Price $50,000. Includes: coffee maker
Call JT for details.

Awesome hammock. Cool beanbag bunkbeds. The couch is really comfy. Price: $120,000
Call AM for details.
My house is cool. Has circles on the windows. There’s a nice garden in the back. Price: $100,000
Call GH for details.

It has a slide and only two windows. Stairs to the backyard full of toys. Price: $150
Call TV for details.

A really scary face on the house to scare your neighbors. Hot tub at the bottom of the house. Inside, a beautiful dining room and a tower where you can ring a bell. Price: $8,020
Call CW for details.






Friday, September 9, 2011

A "snapshot" of our Day

This week I have been building in ongoing routines such as reading and math groups, as well as introducing our concept for the year.  With every topic we discuss, we will be looking through at the "Interactions" that occur.  For the Fall trimester, I am introducing the idea of community, and more specifically how each one of us are a part of it.  Below is a concept web that we created together as we pooled our ideas of community.
From this, I can begin to see their understanding and interests and build in the idea of community integrating math, writing, reading and science.  In literature, we will be reading "The House that Jack Built" along with the Superstars and Ladybugs as we begin to make our own connections at the different developmental levels.  A few field trips are currently being scheduled to get the students out in the community and bring in more experiences and questions to be studied.

Every morning, the Sharks are also working on computation and number sense.  I have a number of the day in which each child has to create 5 number sentences (equations) that equal that number.  They can add, subtract, multiply and/or divide, and use a combination of more than one.  Of course, the highlight is to write their favorite on the smart board.  Here is a snapshots of today's work:
I have done this activity for years and it caters well to each child's computation skills.  As the year progresses, the equations tend to get more elaborate and longer, using multiple operations.  I will post a snapshot of this monthly to watch the growth.

I'm sorry I don't have any photos of your kiddos this week!  I have really enjoyed getting to know each of them and look forward to the many new adventures that lay ahead.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Meet the Sharks!

Welcome to a new year at Seabury! We've had our first fun week together establishing new friendships and learning our classroom routines.  One new item in our classroom this year is our smartboard, which the students have been using each day.  It's hard to share though, as only one person at a time can use it, so we are also learning patience and taking turns :).  The Sharks are also loving the back part of the room, which is where our classroom library and the infamous Shark tent resides.  Last week and this week I am assessing your child's abilities in reading, writing and math to provide them the appropriate instruction in those areas, and will share my results during our fall conferences in October.  Sign ups will be available at curriculum night, as well as information about what we will be studying over the year.  Please check back weekly to see what we are doing every week!
Using our smartboard on day 1.  We were writing equations that equaled 1.

Several Sharks enjoying our classroom library!

Looking for addition equations that equal 10.