Marvelous Monday

This morning, after reading quietly or practicing keyboarding skills, we began our math rotations.

During the small group instruction we identified patterns in the 9s basic facts.  Math with a partner had the students playing a game called Corners to work on memorizing the 9s facts.  Finally, during technology, the children visited Sumdog and selected multiplication and the 9s times tables to, yup, you guessed it, work on the 9s basic facts.

For HOMEWORK the students need to cut apart the triangle fact cards, for the 9s, and then use them to memorize their basic facts.

Following math we took a quick Go Noodle brain break.  Then I reviewed our independent literacy tasks.

Students will complete independent reading group tasks which involve writing about the theme of poems we worked on last week in group.  After that the students will watch tow videos; The 3 Little Pigs and The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs.  Then, in their RRJ, they will draw a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two fairy tales.  We will be using this in reading groups, alter this week, to introduce the idea of character's point of view.  Next the students will watch two Brain Pop Jr lessons; one about verbs and the other about tenses.  After that, they will write 3 sentences using the verb eat, using the word in past, present and future tenses.  Finally, the students will practice reading fluency and comprehension while reading plays with partners.

Tigers: First, we reviewed verbs and -ed endings.  Then we whisper read the poem, "Falling Asleep in Class" and discussed the beginning, middle and end.  After that I reminded students that the theme in literature is inferred and is one to two words telling the big idea...it is closely linked to the lesson.  Then we reviewed the common themes in literature.  For HOMEWORK the students need to reread the poem, "Falling Asleep in Class", twice, working on fluency.

Following lunch and indoor recess, Mrs. Allaire, the media specialist, visited us to do a lesson about research and note taking for the second marking period inquiry project.  Students have already selected a tool to research.  They will be  finding information to help answer the driving question; what are the relationships between human needs, wants, and the development of technologies?  The note taking organizer has three sections:
What is the purpose of the tool?
What need or want did it meet?
What did the first technology look like?  What did it do?

Mrs. Allaire modeled doing the research and taking notes, using the organizer, with the tool of a refrigerator.
Then the students worked on gathering facts, using digital and print resources, while Mrs. Allaire and I helped.  Before she went back to the media center, Mrs. Allaire gathered the students to clarify expectations and all the children to share some of the facts they had learned.

After that, the students continued working independently on the tasks we began this morning while I tried to meet with more guided reading groups.

Panthers:  The students wrote about the theme of "Mummy Slept Late...", using examples from the poem to support their thinking.  In group  we read two poems; "The Haircut" and "Katie Brown's Mother" and shared inferences we made and possible themes.  For HOMEWORK the students need to reread both of these poems, out loud.

Leopards:  The students answered a BCR (brief constructed response) about the theme of the poem, "Jessica Jean".  In group I reviewed the format for answering a BCR, which includes a topic sentence, followed by naming evidence from the text and then EXPLAINING the text support, and, finally, a conclusion.  Then I modeled a response using a silly theme.  After that, the students paired up with group members to reread and revise their responses, before handing them in.  For HOMEWORK the students need to read for 10 minutes, free choice.

Lions: The students answered a BCR (brief constructed response) about the theme of the poem, "Jessica Jean".  In group I reviewed the format for answering a BCR, which includes a topic sentence, followed by naming evidence from the text and then EXPLAINING the text support, and, finally, a conclusion.  Then I modeled a response using a silly theme.  After that, the students paired up with group members to reread and revise their responses, before handing them in.  For HOMEWORK the students need to read for 10 minutes, free choice.

The students ended their day in music with Mrs. Guerra.

Remember the students have their first journal writing entry due Friday.