Following the Star
Literacy Lift Off
Literacy Lift-Off is in full swing in Mrs Meeneghan’s first and second class. Literacy Lift-Off is an intensive programme which gives the children lots of opportunities to read books at their own level of competency and gradually lift the complexity of what they can do both in reading and writing. The programme uses specially graded “PM+” readers which were purchased by the Parent Association. New reading, familiar reading, phonic work, word work and writing are stations that the children visit each day under the guidance of Mrs Meeneghan, Mrs Mulhern, Martin, Mr O’Boyle, and Mrs Cawley.
Soil is Not Dirt Workshop in Kilglass House
The boys and girls in Mrs Meeneghan’s 1st and 2nd Class went on great trip to Kilglass House today as part of Science Week. The children had a super time in the gardens of Kilglass House. They really had lots of fun in the hands-on “Soil is Not Dirt” workshop. The children were full of joy as they learned about nature and the web of life.
Music Generation
On Tuesdays, over the next 12 weeks, Catherine McGlinchey from Music Generation will be sharing her fantastic musical talents with the children in First and Second Class.
She is introducing First and Second Class to the world of rhythm, beat, tempo and percussion. Lots of the clapping and rhythmic games are already zooming in on our listening and responding skills. We are learning all about rhythm syllables (ta, titi) and staff notation (crotchets and quavers) in a fun and engaging manner.
It is great to hear music wafting down the corridors of the school once again; music is such a powerful medium to promote well-being, encourage connection and foster personal development.
Building Bridges
Comprehension strategies are being explicitly taught to the children in 1st and 2nd Class. It is important that we think about what we are reading and to construct meaning. We are busy predicting, questioning, visualising and making connections in First and Second Class. We will be adding to our comprehensions strategies during the year.
Predicting is like being a detective.I can make predictions before and during reading.I think about the information I know from the cover, pictures and the story.I think about what will happen next and listen to the author’s clues.It doesn’t have to be right!!“I predict that …”Explains whyUse prior knowledgeUse evidence and cluesWhat has happened so far?What is the reason for your prediction?Why do you think that?What clues are you using to predict?What will happen next because of this event? Why do you think this will happen?
We can ask questions anytime!They help us to think more about what we read.Sometimes we can find answers to our questions in the story or using our background knowledge.Sometimes the author leaves us wondering!Asking questions helps us to “solve” the story by putting all the pieces together.“I wonder …?”“Here” questions have obvious answersWhat? When? Where? Which? How?“Head” questionsUse your own thoughts, feelings and opinionsUse prior knowledge to make connectionsWas it something that happened that made you think that?Do you need to infer?“Hidden” QuestionsTry to use all the clues from the story so far.Think about the characters in the story and the things they are doingWhy do you think he did that? How do you know?Why do you think she felt that way? How do you know?Why do you think he said that? How do you know?
Picture / movie in your headWe use our “movie” to help us picture the story inside our heads. Smells, sounds, taste and touch can make your movie better.The words are like the script.Change your movie as you get more information.Everybody will have a slightly different movie.Are you connecting with something?My picture is slightly different …Why did that picture come into your head?Can you describe what you saw in the film of you head while reading?Can you describe something you could see? / feel? / touch? / hear?
We can make connections at any time.You think about something that happened in the story that reminds you of something else in:The Story – Text to TextYour Own Life – Text to SelfThe World – Text to World.Our background knowledge is very important here.It makes the story come to life and you can imagine it better.“It reminds me of …”Did you make a connection with this text?Did it remind you of anything?What type of connection is that?
This strategy encourages readers to constantly ask themselves what is important in a sentence, phrase, paragraph, chapter or whole text.I can understand the main ideas of the text and what the author’s message is.The text was mostly about…The important details were…I will underline the key words ….I think … and … are importantWho, what, when, where, why …Famous Five Key Word SearchWhat’s Your StoryMain Idea Pyramid
Summarising is the ability to reduce a larger piece of text so the focus is on the most important elements of the text.When I summarise I can think about what I have read and then focus on the most important elements.First, next, finally, then…I think the purpose of this text was to…I can think about the most important parts and retell them in my own words…