Marvelous Monday

We began our day with a class meeting.  After having a group share, where each child shared what they did over the weekend, we jumped right into planning our holiday action project.  We decided we would definitely make cards for the patients.  Then we brainstormed a list of ideas for the craft part of our project.

In reading, we received a new play called, "The Calabash Kids".  We began reading through it and suing the text to form inferences and make predictions.  We will finish our read-through tomorrow.

Next, we read through a "mentor" piece of writing which we will use to guide both our research and our informative writing about our tech tool.  We analyzed the purpose of the introductory paragraph and noted what questions we would need to answer while conducting our research.  These questions included; What was the tool like?  Who invented it?  When?  Why?  What were the challenges that required technology to invent something to replace it?

While I met with reading groups the students worked on independent reading group activities, continued researching their tech tools and practiced writing a, d and g in cursive.

Sharks:The children reread pages 4-5 and named 2 examples of technology that surprised them.  Then we discussed this in group.  After that we read pages 6-7.  For homework they need to reread pages 6-7 and explain how computers have changed, on the sticky note I provided.

We began math with our usual warm up.  After that, I introduced a basic fact and logic game called Ken Ken.  Then we visited the book fair in the media center.  When we returned to class, we played two games of Ken Ken as a whole group.  For homework, I would like the children to visit the Ken Ken site and play 1 game.  Children who can not access the Internet should have a parent write a short note and sign it, in their planner.

Following lunch and recess, the children continued their independent work, while I met with more small groups.

Yellow Jackets:  These students read the Bath time section and wrote a main idea statement in their RRJ.  Then, in group, we read and discussed the Fall of Rome.  Tonight they need to compare/contrast at least 2 characteristics of the Roman Empire to present day using at least 2 words from the glossary correctly.  This should be done in their RRJ in a paragraph.

Cheetahs:  They read chapter 2 and answered the question, "What is mighty important?" in their RRJ.  Then we read chapter 3 in group.  For homework they need to read chapter 4 and draw the beginning, middle and end in their RRJ.

Snakes:  We read up to page 11 and answered questions using the text.  Tonight they need to reread pages 4-11 and write words with the long e sound, from those pages, on the sticky note I provided.

We ended the day with a science lesson!!!  We defined the concept of observable properties and actions that we can take to change some.  Then the students chose an item around the room and identified an observable property.