Terrific Tuesday

As usual, the students began their day by reading quietly, practicing keyboarding skills or exchanging books in the media center.  After that we began out math rotations.

Today, during small group rotations, the students practiced drawing a model, and writing a repeated addition sentence and a multiplication sentence, when presented with a multiplication situation (word problem).  During math with a partner, the children played Multiplication Bump to improve their basic multiplication fact fluency.  Finally, during the technology rotation, the students repeated the task from yesterday, since we experienced difficulties.  They watched a Learn Zillion lesson connecting arrays to area and then used their digit cards to create a multiplication expression, represent it by drawing an array on graph paper, and then identify the product.

Tonight's math HOMEWORK is on Google Classroom.

There is also a writing (Language Arts) assignment on Google Classroom.

After math we took a quick Go Noodle break and then began our literacy block.

While I meet with groups today, the children will work on independent guided reading group tasks.  They will also complete the rough draft of their informative paragraph.  Then they will review it by underlining the hook and conclusion in green, the word they defined and embedded definition in yellow, and facts from their research in blue.  After that they will view a lesson about opinion writing and take notes using a 3-2-1 format.  Next, they will read about services provided by local governments, on the computer, and complete a capture sheet naming and describing these services.  Finally, they will listen to reading, using the Internet, to improve fluency.

Tigers:  First we reviewed the vowels and the 2 sounds each makes.  Then we practiced identifying vowels through word chains.  After that we looked for and defined the word scarce.  Then the students whisper read pages 2 and 3 to find out why polar bears have a layer of fat.

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

Panthers:  Independently the students were supposed to watch the Main Idea Song on the third grade web site  Then read pages 10-11 and listed unknown words.  In group we reviewed last night's homework of examples of cause and effect.  Then we decoded and defined unknown words from today's reading.  Next we listed text features we use to identify the main idea in text.  Then we worked together to write  a main idea statement for pages 10-11.

Leopards:  Independently the students did a vocabulary (to teach about multiple meaning words), in their RRJ, for the word wind on page 14.  In group we reviewed their entries for format and to make sure they chose 3 synonyms with different meanings--they didn't, so we discussed this!  :-)  After that we shared and discussed their main idea statements from last night's homework.  Finally, I collected their guided reading books.  They will get new ones tomorrow.

Lions:  Independently the students reread pages 24-29 and wrote a main idea statement in their RRJ.  In group we shared their examples of cause and effect, from last night's homework, and their main idea statements from independent work today.  They are doing very well with both of these comprehension skills.

After our literacy block the students took a quick Go Noodle brain break.

Then we turned our focus to writing personal academic goals.  First the students were given a data sheet with their scores in reading and math.  They were instructed to look them over and identify there relative strengths and weaknesses.  then I collected the data sheets because I wanted them to remain private.

After that, we listed specific skills/concepts within the academic areas of reading, writing and math.  After some discussion, students identified an area in which they wanted to improve.

Finally, each student identified what they do well and an area in which they want to improve.  This will eventually be turned into a personal academic goal.

After that, we turned our attention to science.  First we defined and discussed the concept of variables in an experiment.  Then the students worked collaboratively to plan an experiment that will help them compare the distance two objects travel over the same period of time.

Students did not receive reading group homework tonight.  Remember they have a math and a writing assignment on Google Classroom.