Thrilling Thursday

After the morning announcements we had a discussion about making good choices and being respectful to adults and each other.  Then we began our literacy block.

WHile I met with guided reading groups the students began with a reading group assignment.  All groups turned a heading in to a question and then used the text to answer it.  After that, they continued working on their inquiry project, either completing paragraph 1 or finishing the organizer for the second paragraph.  Once that was done, they chose three common roots and wrote sentences using words formed with them, demonstrating understanding of their meaning.  Students who completed these tasks went on to practice their word work words, and the letters H, K, and X, in cursive.

Orange:  We practiced identifying facts in text and writing a green question to match.  For HOMEWORK the children need to reread the entire book, working on fluency and stamina.

Pink:  Independently the children turned the heading on page 14 into a question and then used the text to answer it.  In group we shared these questions and answers.  Then we read and evaluated paragraphs to identify the most important sentence in each.  By combining these two strategies, we determined the main idea of the section of text.  For HOMEWORK the children need to reread the entire book, working on stamina and fluency.

Green:  Independently the students turned the heading on page 22 into a question and then used the text, in that section, to answer it.  In group we shared their questions.  Then we determined the most important sentence in each paragraph of this section.  Finally we used the heading and the identified sentences to determine the main idea of this section of text.  For HOMEWORK the children need to reread pages 18-23.

Blue:  Independently the children turned the heading on pages 21 into a question and then used the text to answer it.  In group we shared their questions.  Then we began to determine the most important sentence in each paragraph.  Unfortunately, we ran out of time.  For HOMEWORK the students need to reread pages 21-30.

After our literacy block the students enjoyed indoor recess and lunch.

After recess we began our math block.

During the small group, teacher-led, instruction, the first two groups reviewed determining the area of complex figures by breaking it apart into smaller rectangles.  The final group worked on the third compacted math task.

During math with a partner, the children worked collaboratively, engaging in math discourse, to determine the area of various rooms on a floor plan of a house.

During the technology rotation the children used Math Facts Pro to increase their basic fact fluency.

We went to art during the second rotation.  When we returned, the group, as a whole was completely unfocused and not following directions.  After several failed attempts to deliver meaningful instruction in small group, I collected papers and returned the class to their seats.

At that time, the children practiced math skills using Sumdog and pulled a group of 4 students to work on the compacted math task.

HOMEWORK is posted in Google Classroom.  We will have a formative covering determining the area of rectangles.

Also, interim reports are coming home this evening.  These are yours to keep.