Rainy Monday

Rain, rain, go away...

The students began their day with Mrs. Rose and Mrs. Dodson, in the media center.  They worked on identifying specific information, in text, to answer inquiry questions.

When they returned to class we jumped right into our math rotations.

The teacher rotation introduced the concept of measuring the area of a figure by counting up the squares needed to cover the space.  Students also learned how to write the answer correctly by writing the number and reporting it in square units.

Other rotations included using digit tiles to create and solve 3 digit subtraction problems with a partner and identifying balanced equations using the site Pan Balanced Numbers.

There is an area worksheet for homework.

We began the reading and writing blog by reading a portion of text from How Bikes Work, using the glossary to understand new concepts, identified examples of cause and effect. 

After that, I displayed a model paper for the inquiry project.  We read the model paper and identified the main idea of several paragraphs and the details with in the paragraph that supported it.  Students learned that the first sentence in a paragraph is called the topic sentence.  This sentence usually states the main idea.  The sentences in the rest of the paragraph states facts and details to support the main idea.

While I met with reading groups the students worked on individual reading group assignments and finished their research.

Sharks:  We reviewed words with the un- and re- prefixes and the -ful and -less suffixes.  Then we practiced reading and writing high frequency words and words in our text.  The five words we will focus on this week are; said, reason, time, expect and energy.  For homework the students need to write these words, 3 times each, in their RRJ and reread page 12 in National Geographic.

Following lunch and recess the students continued their independent work while I met with reading groups.

Dolphins:  Students located 5 words with the un- prefix and 5 with the re-prefix.  We discussed the meaning of these words by using our knowledge of the meaning of the prefixes.  Then we practiced reading and writing high frequency words and words in our text.  We also read the article, "Into the Rain Forest".  For homework the students need to write their words, 3 times each, in their RRJ and reread the article, "Into the Rain Forest".

Cheetahs:  The students worked together to watch a Learn Zillions video about using text features and repeated words to help identify the main idea in text.  This is called flipping a lesson--they are learning new concepts while I meet with other students.  To help process what they have watched, they completed a 3-2-1 summarizer listing 3 new ideas they learned, 2 ideas they will try and 1 question they still have.  We shared their 3-2-1 in reading group to learn from each other.  Then we read and discussed the article, "In Living Color" from their National Geographic.  For homework the students need to reread "In Living Color" and list repeated words on a sticky note.

Pandas:  The students completed their chapter 12 cause and effect from Friday and read chapter 13.  In group we discussed the chapter, as well as, examples of cause and effect.  For homework the students need to read chapter 14 and write one thing that surprised them and one question they have on a sticky note.

The day ended with a science lesson.  Students worked to identify what factors and variables can be changed on a surface and how they can affect the speed at which an object travels over it.