Magnificent Monday

It's always a wonderful start to the week when your team blows out the opposition...even if they aren't very strong.  A win is a win, right?  LOL!

Following on the heels of a great day of football, we got off to a great start in school, as well!!!  We really seem to be settling into our routine.  In fact, we got started on math right after the morning announcements. This is a first for this year!!

During the small group, teacher led, instruction, the students used the partial sums model to create addition problems where composing a ten or a hundred is required.  We had a lot of discourse surrounding how we knew if composition was needed to solve the problem.

Math with a partner had the students working together to solve addition problems using the partial sums model.  These problems were recorded in math journals.

Finally, the students visited Sumdog (this seems to be a class favorite) to practice adding multiplies of 10 to a three digit number.

Math HOMEWORK this evening is on Google Classroom.  The students will analyze an addition problem to determine whether it is necessary to compose a ten or a hundred.  They will solve the problem and explain what they had to compose and why.

Following math we did a quick Go Noodle brain break.

Then I introduced the independent work for today's literacy block which included guided reading group assignments for the first time.

Independent Work for literacy block:
Read to Self:  Read assigned section of guided reading book.  In your RRJ, list 3 interesting words, 2 things you liked and 1 question you are wondering, from your reading.

Work on Writing:  Watch the LZ:  Write a Conclusion Using Dialogue lesson posted on the 3rd grade web site.  Students were encouraged to watch it more than one and to stop and rewind the lesson as needed.  Then, when they understand what a conclusion is and how to use dialogue, they are to add both to the rough draft of their personal narrative.

Listen to Reading:  Listen to the Junior Great Books story, Ooka and the Honest Thief, which is posted on the third grade web site.

Inquiry Project/Social studies:  Students are to continue exploring the organizations that were introduced last Friday and to begin thinking about which one they will choose for their inquiry project.

Please understand, I do not expect all students to complete all tasks today.  As I get a feel for how the group works, I will begin to assign some tasks as must be done today, and others as must be done by Friday.

While the students worked independently, I met with guided reading groups.

Lions:  I met with this group first and we began by picking our group name, Lions.  After that we looked through their book, Dear Mr. Henshaw, and discussed what we noticed about the format of the book.  This story is told solely through letters exchanged by a student, Leigh, and an author, Mr. Henshaw.  Then we went over their independent work assignment which is to read pages 1-11 and, in their RRJ, list 3 interesting words, 2 things they enjoyed as they read, and 1 question they have.

After enjoying lunch and recess the students continued working on their independent literacy assignments while I met with more groups.

Tigers:  The first order of business was to pick a name,  which they did!  After that we did some word work.  We reviewed the vowels and the rule that when two vowels go walking the first one does the talking.  Then we found and shared examples in our guided reading book.  After that the students began whisper reading pages 4-15 in, Taking Medicine, as I listened in and supported them.  For HOMEWORK, the children are to reread pages 4-15.

Panthers: After picking our group name, I gave a quick synopsis of their book, Saturday at The New You.  Then the students shared activities they like to do with an older relative to help build motivation for reading the book.  Next we reviewed the interesting words the students identified.  After that we shared parts of their reading assignment that they liked.  Finally, we discussed the title of the beauty parlor, The New You, and analyzed whether or not it was a good name.

Leopards:  After picking a group name we analyzed the picture on page 15 to gain information from it.  The we reviewed their interesting word choices and shared and discussed the questions they identified in their RRJ.

Reading HOMEWORK for ALL groups tonight is on Google Classroom.  Students need to watch the read aloud of Ooka and the Honest Thief even if they watched it in class today!

After our literacy block we reviewed words we use to describe position. Then the students worked collaboratively, in table groups, to change the motion of an object given a specific instruction, such as, change in direction, or change the speed.  The students were SO creative!!  I had a blast and I think they did, too!!

The children ended their day in music!

I thought today was a great day!  We got so much accomplished!