Monday, December 1, 2014

Welcome back...Marvelous Monday!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend!!  

This morning, after reading quietly, exchanging books in the media center, or practicing keyboarding skills, we changed classroom jobs and began our math rotations.

During the small group, teacher led instruction, we completed the multiplication chart by focusing on the 7s facts.  After that, we reviewed the attributes of a rectangles and the formula for calculating its area.  Finally, we practiced using the formula to determine the area of a rectangle.

For HOMEWORK the students have been given the last set of triangle fact cards.  This set is for the 7s facts.  As in the past, the children should cut apart the cards and use them to memorize the basic facts.

After math we reviewed the independent tasks for our literacy block.  All students began by watching a Brain Pop Jr. lesson about reading non-fiction text and completing a 3-2-1 note taking page in their RRJ. After that, they watched an Educreations video, created by me, modeling and explaining how to draft the introductory paragraph for their technology tool inquiry project.  Then they wrote their own paragraph using the front side of the graphic organizer.  Next, the children watched a Brain Pop Jr. video about affixes to build some common background knowledge.  Then they viewed a flip chart about building a house and created a t-chart in their science journal identifying the materials and processes used in the presentation.  This was to reinforce the identification of natural resources and processes used to change them in order to fit human wants and needs.

While the students worked on these assignments I met with reading groups.

Panthers:  In group we shared what the students learned from the Brain Pop Jr. lesson about reading non-fiction text.  Then we reviewed common words used to begin questions such as, who, what, how, list, explain, etc.  Next we practiced using a heading, and a question word, to identify a question that will guide our reading.  I modeled doing this using chapter 1 in the book Death Valley.  Finally, the students wrote a question, in their RRJ, using a question word and the heading for chapter 3, on page 8.  For HOMEWORK, the students are to read chapter 3 in Death Valley, on pages 8-11 and answer the question they wrote in their RRJ.

Leopards:  We began group by reviewing new and important ideas the students learned from watching the Brain Pop Jr. lesson about reading non-fiction text.  After that I explained that good readers formulate questions, using text features, before reading a section of non-fiction text in order to guide their reading and increase comprehension.  After that we opened the literacy page in Google Classroom and, using the link provided, accessed the text titled, Kenya.  We reviewed the table of contents and the question/heading on page 4.  For HOMEWORK the students will read pages 4-5 and answer the question in their RRJ.  The students are aware that the paging is tricky.

Lions:  We began by reviewing and sharing ideas the students learned by watching the Brain Pop Jr. lesson about reading non-fiction text.  After that we practiced using question words to create questions.  Then the students accessed the book Kenya through the Google Classroom literacy page.  I explained that we will work on using text features to create questions that will guide our reading and help us identify the important information in non-fiction text.  Today's section has a heading that is a question, though.    We reviewed the weird structure of the online book, Kenya.  For HOMEWORK the students will read pages 4-5 and answer the question, Where is Kenya, in their RRJ.

Tigers:  Unfortunately we ran short on time.  So, I met with the students briefly to pass out a new guided reading book.  For HOMEWORK the children need to read pages 2-3 and list unknown words on a sticky note.  

After our literacy block it was time to go to music!!

As an aside--reading groups were a bit wacky today...I will be regrouping this evening to make adjustments.  Tomorrow will run much smoother!!

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