Magnificent Monday

The students trickled in quietly this morning.  It appeared everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. 

However, they quickly got down to business!  First, they visited the media center where Mrs. Rose and Mrs. Dodson helped the students with their research for the technology inquiry project.

Upon returning to class we immediately jumped into our math rotations.

During the teacher lesson, the students worked on identifying the products of 7 in the multiplication table.  We quickly filled in the facts we knew and then discussed how to determine the rest.  After that the students were guided to use basic facts to identify the lengths of a rectangle with an area of 36 inches squared.

At guided practice the students rolled two die to identify factors.  Then they multiplied the factors to get the product.  At this point the students had a fact family.  Finally, they wrote an additional multiplication sentence and two division sentences to complete the fact family.  They recorded their answers in their math journal.

Finally, the students visited the site Shape Surveyor to practice multiplying the length and the width of a rectangle in order to calculate the area.

For HOMEWORK there is a 7's multiplication table worksheet,

In order to maximize my ability to individualize instruction and reach students at their level, I am trying to get rid of the whole group reading lesson.  Instead, students will receive the instruction, in small groups, using a text on their level.  Eventually I'd like to do this with writing, too, but I am taking baby steps.

So, we began the language arts (LA) block with a writing lesson.  I reviewed the concept of a writing hook (used to grab readers attention) and listed, explained and provided examples of some, such as, beginning with a question, a bold statement, an interjection, or using onomatopoeia.  After that, the students discussed, with elbow partners, possible hooks for their introductory paragraph for the inquiry project.  Then I modeled writing an introductory paragraph.  I had planned to capture this using Educreations but ran into difficulties using Apple TV.

Today, while I meet with small groups, the children will work with their groups to view video clips about putting on a play.  Then they will use this new knowledge, a list of dramatic terms and a non-fiction text to list the steps necessary to put on a play.

After that, they will complete their research for the inquiry project and begin drafting their introductory paragraph.

Sharks:  We met and tried to discuss the theme of The Chalkbox Kid.  Unfortunately, they had turkey on the brain and struggles to retell the end of the book.  So, we reread chapter 9.  Tonight, for HOMEWORK, the children need to reread chapter 9 and identify the theme (or lesson) of the entire book, on a sticky note.  We will use their ideas to begin our discussion, in class, tomorrow.

Following lunch and outdoor recess the students continued working independently.

Dolphins:  In group we began watching video clips to list the steps needed to put on a play.  They continued this, independently, with the help of Mrs. McAllister.

Cheetahs:  The students had reread chapter 10 and watched video clips in order to list the steps needed to put on a play.  In group we retold chapter 10 and reviewed the list of steps necessary to put on a play.  For HOMEWORK the students need to read chapter 11 and identify the main event of the chapter on a sticky note.

Pandas:  The students reread chapter 10 and watch video clips in order to list the steps needed to put on a play.  In group we shared and discussed the steps needed to put on a play.  Then we retold chapter 10.  For HOMEWORK the children need to read chapter 11 and identify the main event in the chapter on a sticky note.

We ended the day by creating a mixture of sand, salt and rocks.  We also definied mixture as a combination of materials in which the components' observable characteristics do not change.