Thursday

This morning the students worked in small groups to create checklists reflecting the necessary step to correctly answer BCRS. After sharing the individual group checklists we came up with a class checklist...
*read article
*read question-underline key words
*answer question in the topic sentence
*name and explain the supporting details
*concluding sentence
*reread question and answer

While I meet with reading groups the students will use the checklist to revise and edit their Panda BCRS (from earlier this week) using a blue marking pencil.

After creating our checklist, we reviewed the idea that every sentence must have a subject and a verb. We also identified a predicate as the doing part of the sentence that begins with the verb. This is all a review from the beginning of the year.

While I meet with reading groups the students will complete a follow up worksheet identifying sentences and fragments.

In math we reviewed and practiced constructing polygons and circles given certain specifications such as number of sides or measurements. I also introduced an anchor activity to reinforce symmetry and one for congruency. Mrs. Benson worked with a small group who struggled with last night's homework. I worked with individual students struggling with the class work. There is a polygon worksheet for homework and we will have a quiz tomorrow.

Following art, the students enjoy lunch and indoor recess.

After recess I spoke to the group about slowing down and answering the question asked. This seemed necessary after reading and scoring their Grandma BCRs from yesterday. After spending over a half hour of instructional time focusing on this piece of text and BCR, many students scored below the benchmark score of a 3. Therefore, it seemed necessary to review the checklist we constructed this morning, in hopes that today's BCRs are more on target!

While the students worked independently I met with reading groups.

Crabs: We reviewed their lists of unknown words from homework and then tried to discuss the change in mood in chapter 4. Unfortunately, it became apparent that most of the students either didn't understand the chapter or didn't really read it. All but one student didn't realize that Justin's house had been sold and there was a picture of it on the last page of the chapter. So, I sent the students back to their seats to reread the chapter and draw a picture of the beginning, middle and end of the chapter, and write 1 sentence for each, in their RRJ. If this is completed in class, there is no reading homework.

Lions: We read and discussed chapter 5 and then reviewed the entire book. Most students handed in the book. We will begin a new book next week. There is no reading homework this evening.

Bears: We read and discussed chapter 6, paying particular attention to Kyle's internal struggle. We also connected this to the mood of the chapter. There is no reading homework this evening.

We ended the day by sharing our community rules iPad projects.