Terrific Tuesday

After reading quietly, exchanging books in the media center, or practicing keyboarding skills, we began our math rotations.

During small group instruction we used the patterns identified yesterday to help us practice the 9s facts.  Then we used visualization, drawings and equations, with a variable representing the unknown, to solve word problems.  With two of the groups the word problems were "messy"...there weren't always equal groups, so the students were forced to evaluate how this might effect their answer.

During math with a partner, the children played a game called Condition, that helped the students work on memorizing their 9s facts.

Finally, during the technology rotation, the children practiced the 9s facts using either Sumdog or That's a Fact.

For HOMEWORK there is a problem posted on Google Classroom, homework page, that is modeled after a typical question on the PARCC assessment.

After a quick Go Noodle brain break, I reviewed today's literacy tasks.  Students had independent reading group assignments.  Then they finished researching facts for the front side of the graphic organizer for their inquiry project.  After that, they watched two different versions of the 3 Little Pigs and compared and contrasted them using a Venn diagram, in their RRJ.  Next they will watch two Brain Pop Jr. lessons about verbs and tenses and write 3 sentences using a form of the verb eat, one in past tense, one in present and the final one in future.  Finally, the students will work on fluency and comprehension as they read plays with a partner.

While the students worked on the above tasks I met with guided reading groups.

Tigers:  First we reviewed verbs and -ed endings.  After that, the students wrote words ending in -ed, from their poems, on sticky notes.  Then we sorted these words according to the sound the -ed endings made.  Next, I explained that we would be working with plays and began to go over some of the structural differences in a play.  For HOMEWORK the students need to read pages 22-23 in the play Rumpelstiltskin and, on the sticky note provided, answer the question, what is the problem?

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

Panthers:  Independently the children chose two of their poems to compare.  In group we switched our focus to plays.  First we discussed the differences between a seeing a play and reading a story.  Then I passed out a reader's theatre script for the play, "The Pumpkin in a Jar".  The children were given a few minutes to preview the play and then we reviewed the general structure of a script.  Finally, we selected parts and read the play out loud.  For HOMEWORK the children need to reread the play out loud, working on fluency.

Leopards:  The students got a copy of the play, "The Apple Dumpling" and practiced reading through it.  In group, we discussed the similarities and differences between reading a story and seeing a play.  Then we briefly reviewed some of the structural format of a play.  After that, we each got parts and read through the play.  For HOMEWORK the students need to reread the play, out loud working on fluency.

Lions:  Independently the students worked with a partner from their group to revise and rewrite their BCRs about the theme in the poem, "Jessica Jean".  In group we switched genres to plays.  We began by discussing the similarities and differences between reading a book and seeing a play.  Then we briefly reviewed the structural format of a play.  Finally, I gave the students a copy of the script for, "All for a Pansa".  then we read through the script.  For HOMEWORK the students should reread the script out loud, working on fluency and thinking about a character that could be added.

After the literacy block, the students enjoyed another Go Noodle break...they had certainly earned it for working so well!!

Then we defined and reviewed the two TASS (Thinking and Academic Success Skills) that we are focusing on this marking period; evaluation and metacognition.  Students evaluate when they are asked to justify their choices, rank or order options, when they ask questions regarding facts or claims and when they demand evidence.  Metacognition is practiced when students think about what they already know, think about how they learn best, ask for help when they don't understand, choose a strategy that works best for them, and explain their thinking.

Next, the students worked collaboratively to evaluate a set of social studies vocabulary words and sort them into groups based on criteria of their choosing.  The only rules were there had to be a rule (or criteria) and there had to be more than one word (picture) in each group.

After sorting the cards based on their group's criteria, each group shared their results.  Then we defined and identified examples of both natural and human-made features.

Finally we used the satellite function on Google maps to look at Clarksburg and identify some of the geographic features.