Terrific Tuesday

The sun is shining and the air is crisp!  I love this weather!  :-)

The children began their day in art where they are making some fabulous fall pictures out of cut construction paper.

When they returned, I went over the rotations for math today.  The teacher rotation focused on constructing arrays to solve multiplication situations.  The second rotation gave students time to finish their zoos.  After that, they were given picture cards to use to copy into arrays in their math journals and write multiplication equations to math.  Finally, the technology rotation, had students visit the web site Multiplication Board to create arrays.  Then they wrote an equation for the array in their math journal.

For HOMEWORK there is a multiplication worksheet.  Students need to write an equation and draw an array to each word problem.

The reading and writing block began by revisiting the worksheet, "Is This the Meaning of the Word Mint?" and using a digital resource, dictionary.com, to correctly identify the actual meanings and parts of speech for each.  Mrs. Santa Maria spent a great deal of time going over the information included n a dictionary entry. After that, I showed the students how to use the "speak" feature on the iPad to have it read text out loud.  Some of the web sites we are using for research can be challenging to read.  So this feature can really help students be successful.  I also showed the students a new web site, for Jump Rope for Heart, that was added to the third grade web site.

While I met with reading groups, the students worked on individual reading group assignments and continued revising their research and writing their opinion paragraph. 

Sharks:  Since we were short on time, we used text features to ask questions and make predictions about the article, "In Living Color".  Then we began echo reading page 4.  However, it soon became clear that the students didn't need that support.  We then changed to whisper reading, so I could lean in and listen to each student.  For HOMEWORK the children need to reread page 4.

Following lunch and outdoor recess the students continued working independently while I met with more groups.

Dolphins:  The students practiced reading and writing their 5 focus words for the week.  Then I did a book talk for pages 14-22.  After that they whisper read pages 14-22, while I leaned in to listen to each student.  For HOMEWORK the students need to reread pages 14-22.

Cheetahs:  The students wrote about the main idea for pages 3-7 in their RRJ.  In group we discussed how to state a main idea. Then the students read and discussed pages 8-12.  For HOMEWORK the students need to reread pages 8-12.

Pandas:  First, the children reread "Aquarius" and listed 3-5 content words that were repeated, again and again, in the article.  Then they watched an Educreations lesson, which I made, about creating vocabulary entries, to define new words, in their RRJs.  Finally,in group, we shared their lists of repeated words and noticed which words were repeated on our class list.  I explained that these would most likely be part of the main idea statement.  For HOMEWORK the students need to reread the article, "Aquarius".

We ended the day by trying to understand the Elementary Design Process packet and relate it to our upcoming project to design a vehicle.  There was a lot of confusion.  I promised I would get more information and clarify it tomorrow.