Apple Week! Using Schema to Make Connections

Ya'll! Septemember was busy, busy, busy. I can't believe it's officially fall and that October is already underway. Let's catch up :-) 

Two weeks ago we learned about activating our schema and how we can add new schema to our "file". It was September and we've all had apples before...so we started there!

We added our schema to an apple anchor chart. Then, for the next two days we added new schema as we learned more about apples. 

I like to have my firsties write about everything, so we added some of our old and new apple schema to this little apple craftivity from Michelle Hudgeons.

We found time to diagram an apple in our math and science intereactive notebook. 

We also read Arnold's Apple Tree and made this oldy but goody. We used glue and glitter to add snow to the branches, pink and white tissue paper to make apple blossoms, and pinky fingers dipped in red and green ink pads to add apples to our trees. My fabulous partner thought of the ink pad idea and it was soooo much easier than using paint!

And I can't believe I didn't take any pictures but we did an apple tasting! Not just apples, but apple sauce, caramel apples, Apple Jacks cereal, and apple juice too. The clear victor - apple juice is definately the favorite in my class. I voted for Apple Jacks (that was before I began Whole 30). 

Last week we used our schema to make text-to-self connections. We read some Kevin Henkes books including Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. We used Susie Q's All About Lilly freebie to make Lilly and I cut out purple and white purses so we could write our connection to the text in the purse. 

This week we will be making mental images as we read. It's bat week people! Sooo excited. I'll be back later this week with more on that. 

'til then...

Apples, Pumpkins, & Dinorella

Hiya friends,

I know...I know...I'm a bad blogger. I've been soooo busy. Three days of jury duty, preparing for a birthday, plus everything that comes with having four children like jazz, gymastics, preparing for a driving test, laundry, laundry, more laundry...

But, at last,  here is a quick review of what we've been up to the past few weeks:

We learned all about making connections. Below is a description of how we made text-to-text connections:

We read multiple versions of Cinderella and added the connections we made to our anchor chart. I like writing the name of the student who made each connection on our chart because a) it makes them feel special, b) during review the next day I can identify who made the connection, c) I have documentation of some of the connections the students made, d) I can add the pic to my teacher web site and parents can see what their children came up with during class.  One of the kiddos' faves this particular week was Dinorella, so at the end of the week we did a little guided craftivity. We made Dinorella and wrote about a connection we made between Dinorella and Cinderella.

Our anchor chart (I can't make it rotate!)

My example of the Dinorella craftivity

Student work

Student work

 After we had learned about making text-to-text connections we worked on text-to-world connections. We activated our apple schema, revised our schema, and added new schema all week long.  We discussed how schema are like files in a filing cabinet, information we store away until we need it again, which is why there is a file folder on our anchor chart.

Our anchor chart

Student work

Student work

We had to do a little taste testing too!

Let me toss in a little science review too. The kiddos loved our pumpkin investigation. Their absolute favorite part was getting their hands all slimy while counting the pumpkin seeds!

Pumpkin investigation

Last week was bat week and this week is spider week. We are learning that good readers ask questions before, during, and after reading. I'll try to post a summary and some pics soon :-)