We Met Our Kindergarten Buddies!!! @resvt #VTED #Community

Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/5b1ryVaZvpEurx1Nm8aNOQ

In Science, We're Learning How We Use Our Senses To Understand The World Around Us... @MysterySci @resvt #NGSS #VTED

...And how using more than one sense at a time, can help us make sense of optical illusions--like seeing a "hole" appear in your hand!

Summit Made a Video To Help Us Practice Mindfulness! @resvt #Mindfulness

I encouraged kids to play with WeVideo at home and create films.  Everyday, we practice mindfulness together.  Summit created a film that we can use when we want to feel more calm and centered.  It was so peaceful and amazing!  We loved starting our day by using his film to help us practice mindfulness!

Thank You For Helping Us Celebrate Our Story Slam With A Publishing Party!!! @resvt #Storytelling #PublishingParty #community

The treats were delicious & the party was AMAZING!

We Started Making Movies Today! We Had So Much Fun Exploring WeVideo!!! @resvt @WeVideo #Filmmaking #VTED #TechED

We began by learning about everything WeVideo has to offer!

Then we started to think about all the possibilities! 

And finally, we got to play!


Kids can access WeVideo at home!  They can make films for fun & build their skills!  Encourage your child to play, press buttons, make mistakes, learn & have fun!

We Love Reading & Writing!!! @resvt

We love to share our writing so we can receive compliments and feedback that help us revise our work & become better writers!


What are we up to in reader's workshop? Snuggling up with a great piece of fiction, of course!

We Are Kind, Happy & Hardworking! Movement Breaks Help Us To Be More Successful! @resvt @yoga4classrooms @VTPBIS #PBIS #MovementBreaks #Yoga

We were so excited to light the final bulb!  When the "RES" sign gets lit a second time, we will celebrate by dressing up as our favorite book characters!  We can't wait!

Movement breaks, especially student-led movement breaks, help us to be even more successful!

Link to Video: https://youtu.be/OUcSQ5_lheA

Understanding Arrays And How to Use Them When We Multiply @resvt @Inv3_Math #Math #UnderstandingArrays #MathematicalThinking

We are learning about using arrays to solve multiplication problems.  Students will use arrays for years to come and need to deeply understand them and how to manipulate them.  Watch this video with your child to understand how we use arrays to solve problems!

Click on the video:

Or try the link:
https://schoolcontent.pearsoned.com/eps/schoolcontent/api/item/6b3c03f6-fec7-4f2c-a27d-10a60e58be39/latest/file/inv3/sco/D0864562/player.html

Did You Know That Our Superintendent Is A Gifted Storyteller? We Were Lucky Enough To Hear One Of His AMAZING Stories! @SuptAlberghini @margaretmather3 @resvt #Storytelling #Writing #FindingYourVoice #BuildingCommunity

Experience the magical morning we spent with Mr. Alberghini:


Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/5gzJd8fL75f3s0nify97dw

Reading & Talking About Books On Fabulously Fun Friday... Is Just A Little More Snuggly & Wonderful! @resvt @LucyCalkins ‏@TCRWP ‏#ReadersWorkshop #Read #VTED

We Played "Bus Stop"!!! Building Community & Confidence Through Improv @resvt #ClassroomCommunity #Confidence

Last week for Fabulously Fun Friday, we played a favorite improv game called "Bus Stop".  The afternoon was devoted to building confidence and community while nurturing creativity!  It is so important for kids to learn how to find the inner strength they need to stand up and speak in front of their peers!  We also had a really awesome time!


Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/W8Y9KgPQUooykcANAEWoiw

Learning About Structures of Organisms & Their Functions for Survival @resvt @BirdsofVermont #Science #NGSS #VTED

Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/PYXHZD7S0rFUu1MvFC90Hw

Social Media Can Be A Very Powerful And Positive Thing--Like When You Get To "Talk" To One Of Your Favorite Authors! @kaaauthor @resvt #Connect

Katherine Applegate is the author of many beloved books, such as, The One & Only Ivan, Crenshaw, and Wishtree (A DCF book this year!).  This week, something magical happened!  We got to have a conversation with Katherine Applegate through Twitter!  Social media can be an incredibly powerful and amazing tool!

Katherine Applegate shared this on Twitter:

I had the pleasure of getting to know Jodi Carrigan, Ivan's former caretaker, as I was writing my book. I'm so thrilled that she's been helping with the film, and I'm delighted that she continues to share the real Ivan's story. https://t.co/CPhNRy4XeG

— Katherine Applegate (@kaaauthor) October 6, 2018

Of course, I celebrated her incredible news!  I was amazed when she wrote back.

This is so exciting and wonderful!❤️ #TheOneAndOnlyIvan had a deep impact on me, my children and my students! Thank you for all of your wonderful work throughout the books you write @kaaauthor #write #MakeADifference https://t.co/6U2unWHeRU

— Katie LeFrancois (@kblefrancois) October 6, 2018 

Katherine Applegate responded:

Thank you for your kind words, Katie. It means so much to hear that. ❤️

— Katherine Applegate (@kaaauthor) October 8, 2018

I shared this exciting news with my students.  And they decided that we had to send her a written & video message, because we love her!

We started our day by reading your tweet! Thank you for taking the time to respond! You made our day! Thank you for all you give to the world through your work!❤️ @kaaauthor @resvt pic.twitter.com/bO5lVMogZK

— Katie LeFrancois (@kblefrancois) October 9, 2018

And then... Katherine Applegate responded to my students!!!!

Oh, my goodness! Fourth grade, this absolutely made my day. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the movie when it comes out. In the meantime, happy reading!

— Katherine Applegate (@kaaauthor) October 9, 2018

Now, all we want to do is read her incredible books and connect with our favorite authors on Twitter!!!  We are so grateful to Katherine Applegate for taking the time to connect with us!

Find out more about Katherine Applegate through her website: http://katherineapplegate.com/

Did We Just Learn How To Tell Stories From A Professional Storyteller? Yes We Did!! The AMAZING Sue Schmidt Came Into Our Classroom And Taught Us The Art Of Storytelling!!! @sschmidtcomedy @resvt @TheMoth #SayItForward #Storytelling

Last year, I had the honor of being asked to be a keynote speaker at Dynamic Landscapes, a tech conference in Vermont.  I was told  that I would be coached by a professional storyteller in how to tell a story about using technology in my classroom.  Little did I know, that accepting that request would lead me to make some very special friendships.  One of those friends was Sue Schmidt!

My students had the honor of meeting and learning from the INCREDIBLE Sue Schmidt, a professional storyteller & comedian!  We have taken all that she taught us to heart!  We can't wait to finish our stories and show her how far we've come!

To learn more about Sue Schmidt and all that she offers the world--(and how you can see her in action)--Check out these links! 

Link to Sue Schmidt's Website: http://www.sueschmidtcomedy.com/

Here is a link to a beautiful article & video about Sue and the incredible work that she does:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-storytellers-of-vermont/

Here's a glimpse of our awesome morning with Sue:

Link to video: https://animoto.com/play/ukomKVMXd9DC3sTWVJEvdw

What Is It Like To Run... When You Can't See? Building Trust With Our Writing Partners @resvt #VTED #Trust #BuildingCommunity #WritingPartners

So much depends upon our ability to trust!  For Fabulously Fun Friday, we did an activity that would help us build trust with our writing partners.  Students took turns being blindfolded while their partners challenged them and kept them safe.  We started by walking together holding hands, that lead to skipping and running, and then finally reaching a place where we could let go and run through the darkness.

This experience was so powerful, we decided to do it again and again with different friends!

After this experience, students shared how they started off feeling nervous and maybe not trusting their partners fully.  But now, on such a beautifully deep level, they know they can trust one another.

All year, we will rely on each other for support and encouragement.  The trust we now have will enable us to work together in more meaningful ways.  The trust we gained is something we will always be able to hold onto.  It was a beautiful way to end our week together!

Watching the kids encourage & support one another was magical!


Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/YB3yc4ygeSM0KRuZcZWqdw

Parts of Speech & Sentence Structure: Getting Verbs Into Our Muscle Memory @resvt #FramingYourThoughts #MultipleIntelligences #Verbs #WordStudy @WeVideo

In word study, we reviewed how to write a complete sentence.  Because every sentence needs a verb to be complete, and because understanding how to use strong verbs to make our writing more deliciously descriptive is so important, we decided to act out verbs! Now we know what verbs are and how to use them in our sentences!

Subject predicate.

Also known as: Noun verb.

When we learned about verbs, of course we went outside and acted them out!  Now verbs are in our muscle memory!  We have been learning & having so much fun in word study!!!

 

Link to Video: https://youtu.be/NwCbxhbnRQY

Making Our Poetry Anthologies & Celebrating Our Incredible Writing!!! @resvt #Poetry #PassionateWriters #PublishingParty #Write #VTED

I am so proud of this incredible group of writers!  They have come so far so quickly!  Feelings of pride & accomplishment filled the room during our entire publishing party!  We are so excited to dive into our narrative unit! 💛💜💛

Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/lILo0jrgpP3fNIwPTSVi0Q