Thriving Thursday

This morning, after practicing keyboarding skills or reading quietly, we heard about a new project that will be headed up by the WWES SGA.  Students will be making valentines to deliver to a nursing home or

After that we began our math rotations.  When working in small group instruction, students used pattern blocks to identify and name unit fractions.   During math with a partner, students identified the meanings of vocabulary for the fractions unit and then drew illustrations for each.  Finally, during the technology rotation, the children watch a strand of 4 lessons, using Learn Zillion, entitled, "Understand a Fraction 1/b as Part of a Whole Partitioned into b Equal Parts".

For HOMEWORK there is an assignment on Google Classroom, the homework page.  We will NOT have a formative (quiz) tomorrow.

After taking a Go Noodle brain break, we reviewed today's literacy block tasks.

Students will first complete an independent guided reading task.  After that, they will use my written feedback to finalize the first two paragraphs (informative) of the inquiry project.  Then, they will add their opinion paragraph to their Google doc BUT this is still in rough draft form.  Next, they will practice writing the letters a, d and g, in cursive.  Afterwards, they will view the 4 , "How It's Made..." videos thinking about how heating and cooling processes change a material into a usable object.    Next, they will listen to the BES nominee, Martin and Mahalia, and rate it on their sheet.  Finally, they will complete any unfinished work and practice reading and/or keyboarding.

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

Tigers:  The children whisper read pages 13-15 as I listened in and provided support as needed.  After that, we used real life examples to understand cause (why) and effect (what happened).  Next we used our book to identify an example of cause and effect.  I gave the students the cause, they explained the effect.  For HOMEWORK the students will reread their entire book and try to identify one cause and effect on the t-chart we began in class.  We will review these tomorrow...so, encourage your child to take a risk and do their best, but not to worry if they aren't confident in this skill...try it and we will discuss what they did well and learn from their mistakes!!

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

Panthers:  The children read pages 7-9 and listed unknown words before meeting with me.  When we got together as a group, we reviewed the meanings and pronunciations of the words they identified as unknown.  After that, the students whisper read pages 7-9, with specific questions in mind, to focus their understanding.  Finally, we reviewed the cause and effect examples, from page 6, that the children identified for homework last night.  For HOMEWORK the students need to reread pages 7-9.

Leopards:  Independently, the students reread page 16 and identified an example of cause and effect on the t-chart in their RRJ.  In group we shared and discussed the cause and effects the students identified independently.  Then the students read the first paragraph on page 17 and added a new cause and effect to their t-chart.  Finally, we shared and discussed their answers.  For HOMEWORK the students will read pages 19-23 and identify one surprising or interesting fact and one question they have on the sticky note I provided.

Lions:  Independently the students reread pages 22-24 and added an example of cause and effect to their t-charts.  In group we discussed the examples of cause and effect they identified independently.  All of the students were able to identify an example of cause and effect.  Some of the group, however, need to work on their wording.  For HOMEWORK the students need to read for 15 minutes, free choice.  We will begin a new book tomorrow!!  :-)

After our literacy block, we began comparing cities long ago and today.  First we observed some photographs of the ruins in Zimbabwe and identified geographic characteristics.  Then we did the same with the more modern city of Harare, Zimbabwe.  After that we discussed what geographic characteristics might encourage people to move near the more modern city.

The students ended their day in art with Mrs. Daniell.