Fabulous Friday

This morning, after reading quietly, exchanging books in the media center or practicing keyboarding skills using Typing Club, the students took their first math formative for the second marking period.  These have been scored and will be returned to the children this afternoon.  Please look for them in home folders this evening.

After our quiz, we took a Go Noodle break.  Then we began our literacy block.

We began the literacy block by reviewing the characteristics of a narrative poem.  Then I modeled how to plan for the writing of a narrative poem.

After that, I reviewed the independent tasks that needed to be completed during today's literacy block.  First, students need to complete the beginning, middle and end for Casey at the Bat.  Then they needed to finish the 3-2-1 for Physical and Chemical changes.  After that, the students had to write 3 similes.  Finally, they needed to plan for their narrative poem by completing an organizer and a storyboard.  Finally, they could practice reading poetry with a partner to practice fluency and comprehension.

While students worked on these assignments, I met with guided reading groups.

Tigers:  First I collected their books.  Then we reviewed the sound that the -ai pattern makes.  We practiced reading some words with the -ai pattern.  Then I passed out a poem and the students highlighted words with the -ai pattern in the poem.  We practiced decoding those words.  Then I reviewed some vocabulary, from the poem, with the children.  Finally, we practiced whisper reading the poem a couple of times.

Following lunch and outdoor recess the students continued working on their independent work while I met with more guided reading groups.

Panthers:  We began group by sharing the pictures they drew of the images that were in their head as they read the poem, "What is Life Like in the Hood?".  After that we discussed the author's message.  I explained that writer's want to get a message across to readers...this is not explicitly stated but, as good readers, we have to infer it.  As a group we decided the author wanted us to appreciate our own neighborhoods, because the one in the poem wasn't as nice as our own.  Then we discussed if we would want to live in the 'Hood and used details from the text to support our thinking.

Leopards:  We began by reading the poem, Honey, I Love," out loud.  Then the students reread it and, using the list at our reading group table, thought about the theme of the poem.  As a group, the students decided the theme was not one listed on our chart.  Instead, they thought the theme was love and they used support from the poem to support their thinking.  We then reviewed the poem and noticed that in each stanza the author could have complained about the situation but instead found a positive to appreciate and accept.  After that we discussed the author's message of looking on the bright side.  Finally, I asked the students how they felt about the poem.  The entire group said they liked the poem better now that we had discussed it!  That made my day!  :-)

Lions:  The students shared the pictures they drew for homework last night of the images they had in their head as they read the poem, "The Amazing Teacher's Lounge".  As they shared, they automatically revisited the text to identify support for their illustrations.  Three was even some respectful disagreement among group members as they discussed their images.  It was really a great discussion...oh, and one more thing,  the students tossed about the word "infer", using it appropriately, through out their discussion!

After our literacy block, we reviewed the meaning of observable properties.  Then the students worked in collaborative groups to identify 3 observable properties of 5 different objects.  Then they identified one physical change they could make to each and reason they might make that change.

Finally, we had our regularly scheduled class meeting.  During our group share students named one thing they did, during the first marking period of school, that would make their parents proud.  After that we exchanged compliments and thank yous.  Finally, we began brainstorming reasons that students are being responsible during independent work time AND what we can do to change that!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Remember, dismissal on Monday and Tuesday is at 12:35!!