Flip Flop Thursday - Spring Chorus Concert

Since today is flip flop day we began by finishing up yesterday's math rotations.

The small group teacher lesson focused on solving word problems involving mass measure in grams. During guided practice the students continued working on their family vacation plans, using their knowledge of elapsed time. Finally, the students watched Learn Zillion lesson focusing on understanding mass during their technology rotation.

For HOMEWORK every student has some problems to complete on a worksheet but their are two different papers and some children are expected to complete the entire sheet, while others are to do the circled items.  If nothing is circled in pink, the student should finish the entire worksheet.  We will have a quiz tomorrow covering word problems and the basic multiplication facts (rote memory).

After math, the class went to music.

When they returned we reviewed each of this week's independent work assignments.  During this time, I explained that the students needed to select a large portion of text, not just one sentence, to illustrate, from Walter Anderson's logs.  Also, I reiterated that the purpose of the illustration is to prove they comprehended the journal entry.  We also debriefed/reviewed what they had learned about specialization from the video clip they had been assigned to watch.  There was some confusion about this concept.  I clarified it and suggested that students rewatch the clip before writing about it in their social studies journals.

So, to refresh your memory, the tasks this week are:

1. Students will work in small groups to create root word flashcards. They will define a root word and then identify the meaning of three other words that are derived from it.
2. Students will revise their inquiry project drafts to enhance word choice and replace general nouns and verbs with those that are more specific.
3. Students will reread the first journal entry from the Logs of Walter Anderson and use a dictionary to identify the meaning of unknown or confusing words. Then they will illustrate the entry to show they comprehend the text.
4. Students will view a video about specialization. Then they will define the meaning of the word and explain its benefits, in their social studies journal.

While the children continued their independent work I met with small groups of students to review their root word flashcard activity.  Then I met with reading groups.

Pandas:  We met first today since sometimes this group gets short changed on time.  First, we shared the one word each student selected for homework that represented Tiger.  After that, we discussed the portions of the text that "spoke" to us.  Finally, we began reading chapter 4.

Following lunch and outdoor recess, the students had some time to work independently before we were called down to see the Spring Chorus Concert.

Unfortunately, I was unable to meet with more reading groups.