Mrs. Holman's Third Grade: Marvelous Monday

This morning we began our day with a class meeting. First we had a group share. Students were invited to share a thought beginning with, "Being honest..." Then we shared compliments.

After that we turned our attention to the behavior management system (the clips) that the children had developed earlier in the year. The students offered feedback as to what they thought was working well and what wasn't. For the most part, the class felt the current system wasn't as effective as it could be. Students expressed that when they had to move their clip for the not following directions, they often felt badly about themselves. I will consider the feedback shared and determine our next steps.

Finally, we discussed the importance of being honest. I shared that there is nothing that drives me crazier than when someone is not honest with me. I told the children that I make a HUGE effort to reward honesty with positive attention, even when it is about a poor choice.

After our class meeting, we shared background knowledge about popcorn. First, the children discussed how popcorn kernels can change. Then we watched a 1 minute video explaining how popcorn changes from a kernel to a white fluffy thing. Finally, we looked at a diagram of a popcorn kernel and used our background knowledge and the diagram to determine the meaning of a new word, hull. This is a skill that can be used across different curriculum to learn new vocabulary.

Next, we reviewed the difference between a fact and an opinion and we practiced identifying statements as either fact or opinion. Then I told the children we would be writing opinion statements about who would benefit from the tech tool we researched. However, before doing that, we would revisit our tech tool writing piece and list the facts we used in it, in our writing journals.

So, while I meet with small groups today, the children will complete individual reading group assignments, they will list facts they discovered during their research, about their tech tools, and they will choose 10 words from our class word wall to write correctly, in cursive...this will help practice both spelling and cursive!

Sharks: I shard my disappointment over the effort (or lack thereof) put forth by the majority of the group on the suffix word map they completed, in class, last week. Then we reviewed suffixes and base words using words from their reading group book. Next we read and discussed chapter 3. For homework the students need to reread chapter 3 and draw a picture of the events in the chapter, in their RRJ.

Yellow Jackets: The children completed the interpreting Words activity (vocabulary section) in their packet.

Cheetahs: Reread their story to prepare for the discussion we tried to begin today. ;-)

Snakes: These children wrote about a fear they have in their RRJ.

In math we began identifying fractions of a whole, using Cuisennaire rods. The lesson can be viewed here. There is a fraction worksheet for homework that is a review of material learned in second grade.

Following lunch and recess Mrs Howard visited us to do a lesson about fairness.