Tuesday

This morning we identified the characteristics for writing a summary and made a list in our RRJs. I have instructed the students to review this list before writing a summary. After that, we learned, and practiced using, the new WOW word, eerie (weird or strange; scary).

While I met with reading groups the students worked on individual reading group assignments, they completed a WOW worksheet for eerie and they finished a two sided action verb worksheet.

Reading Groups
Crabs: We began a new book. First we talked about the concept of a diary. Then we discussed that this is a non-fiction book but at times it reads as a fictional story. In group we read the first two entries, Day 1 and Day 10, and reviewed the facts we learned. For homework the students need to reread both pages and get a parent signature in their binder.

In math we practiced calculating the area of a figure in square units. There is a practice worksheet for homework. While students worked independently, I met with several groups of students to practice converting ft and inches, as well as, yards and feet, to solve word problems.

After going to PE, the students enjoyed lunch and outdoor recess. Then Mrs. Howard did a lesson about respect and pride. While this lesson, as are all of Mrs. Howard's lessons, was a worthwhile use of our time, it did cut our reading block short.

After Mrs. Howard left, I introduced a new reading log that we will be starting soon. Students will be expected to read at least FOUR times a week for 20 UNINTERRUPTED minutes. THis can be done at hom or at school (depending on time management). They will record each session on a form, in a packet they will receive from me. Then, after reading for 20 minutes, four times in a week, the students will write a letter to me using one of the ideas listed in the packet. The letter will be done on lined paper in the packet. I will collect these packets once a week and respond to each students' letters.

We ended the day with a whole group social studies lesson. We completed a deiciosn tree together so that the students could better understand what a positive and negative point might be for the same choice. We will put this knowledge to use tomorrow in the computer lab.