Marvelous Monday

While I definitely enjoyed my time off last week, it was AWESOME to come back to this class!  These children make my days so much fun!!!

Today the students got to experience one of those "life lessons"--sometimes things don't turn out as planned, so you need to create a new plan.  When I arrived at school, our Promethean board was not working.  Therefore, we were unable to utilize one of the main tools on which I rely.  We briefly discussed this and I shared my Plan B--using the white board, the old fashioned way.  :-)

But first, the children visited the media center.

When they returned we rolled right into our math rotations.  Our focus, in all 3, was meeting the goal of memorizing the basic multiplication facts by the end of the school year.

During the teacher we played a game where we matched basic facts with broken down, easier, facts.  For example, 8x6 might match 4 groups of 6 plus 4 groups of 6.  The guided practice rotation allowed students to play a multiplication basic fact card game to help with the memorization process.  Finally, the children play Invasion of the Moon Monkeys, on the iPad, to help with learning those pesky facts.

There is a worksheet for homework that follows up from the teacher lesson.


After math, I read the Chinese Folktale, White Wave, to the class and we identified the plot of a story as the events leading from the problem to the solution.

I will be leaving early today to take my boys to the pediatrician.  So, Mrs. Sennewald, our substitute, will meet with reading groups while the students complete independent assignments.  These activities include rereading White Wave, watching King Midas, a traditional tale, on the iPad and responding to comprehension questions about effort and motivation, reading about how natural resources (chocolate, vanilla and rice) are turned into goods that humans want and need and capturing how each begins, is processed, and what it's used for, on a worksheet.

Reading Groups:

Sharks:
They will reread White Wave and identify the plot through oral discussion.

Dolphins:
These students will review the -ight pattern and read Jack and the Beanstalk.  They will also identify the plot through oral discussion.

Cheetahs:
They will reread White Wave and identify the plot through oral discussion.

Pandas:
They will reread White Wave and identify the plot through oral discussion.

The day will end with science.  After reviewing the 3 types of natural resources, the students will play a memory game matching natural resources to how they are used by humans.