Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Terrific Tuesday

I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend!!

When the students came in they used a Google Slides presentation to label 6 human made features on a map of Maryland.  Then  we took a footprint map of our building and added human-made and natural features to it.  Eventually, we will be using this map to show  water run-off and the direction in which it flows.

After social studies we switched for math and took a Go Noodle brain break.

In math we continued working on rounding, subtracting, and estimating multi-digit numbers.

During the small group instruction, we used rounding to estimate a reasonable answer for a multi-digit subtraction problem.  Then we completed the subtraction problem and identified the exact difference.  Finally, we checked our subtraction using addition.

During math with a partner, the students engaged in math discourse as they  estimated and solved a multi-digit subtraction problem and check their answer using addition.

Finally, during the technology rotation, the students completed an assignment on Ten Marks, practicing the addition and subtraction of multi-digit numbers.

Any student in my math class, who did not finish the Ten Marks assignment in class, MUST do it for homework this evening!

After math, the children enjoyed lunch and outdoor recess.  Then they went to PE with Mr. Smith.

When they returned to the classroom we began our literacy block.  Today I introduced our word work program, Words Their Way, to the class.  Many students were already familiar with it because we used it last year.

Each fourth grade student has been placed in a group based on an assessment that was given a few weeks ago.  From there...here are the important things you (and they) need to know:

  • Each word list will be a 2 week cycle (words assigned today will be practiced this week and next).
  • Day 1: ALL students will receive a word list to cut and glue, sorted according to the lesson, in their WTW (Words Their Way) journal.  They will be expected to use a Youtube lesson that will be linked in Google Classroom.  They can watch the lesson and then sort their words, they can sort their words and then watch the lesson, OR they can watch the lesson as they sort the words.  
  • Over the course of the next 2 weeks they need to practice their words DAILY.  They will be given time in school, either during morning work or literacy block.  If they do not have enough time in school, they will need to practice at home, for homework.
  • There are 2 different practice menus (choices of how to practice their words) in the Ă„bout" section of their Google Classroom.
  • They MUST complete at least 3 written practices, for their words, over the course of each cycle.  The rest can be written or using technology.
  • On the last day of the cycle, students will be assessed on the spelling and meaning of 5-10 words from their list, that I choose.  They need to know the spelling and meaning of each word on their list.
As you can imagine, setting this up and getting it running took a large portion of our afternoon.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent on completing their first word sort and working on the two informative paragraphs naming and explaining human-made and natural features, used by their Native American tribe, to survive.

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