We enjoy learning in our class!
In our class your child will learn to read for pleasure, enjoy reading with classmates, and talk about and enjoy books. Your child will also learn about different book genres and how to analyze and answer questions about what he or she has read. I read aloud to my students every day as a way of building their fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies.
Read aloud books also serve as mentor texts for our budding writers! Our students learn to write strong paragraphs and enjoy writing stories of their own, as well. They especially enjoy sharing their own writing from our Author’s Chair! Students learn songs and chants that help them remember parts of speech, grammar rules, phonics, and much more.
Math lessons are interactive and in-depth. Students work through math concepts alongside the teacher, using math manipulatives when applicable. Students are supported in their math learning daily through the gradual release of responsibility. This enables the students to move from the guided instruction phase of learning to independent practice. Math learning is also supported through the use of online math tutorials and practice activities students can access from home.
Projects and field trips are closely aligned to the curriculum to support what we are learning in class…especially in the areas of science and social studies. Academic field trips occur regularly throughout the year. During the years spent in our class, our students have opportunities to visit places such as Turkey Creek, Aldridge Gardens, Ruffner Mountain, Red Mountain Park, Birmingham Children’s Theatre, Birmingham’s Civil Rights Institute, and the American Village. Our field trip rotation also includes participation in Tannehill’s Creek Kids program and Moundville’s Native American Festival. Through hands-on experiences such as archeological digs, using dip nets to explore aquatic life, and harvesting food from a garden to make our own hummus and salad, students develop an experiential knowledge of ecology and the world around them that makes science, history, and learning fun!