Day 4: Thriving Thursday!

It was awesome seeing so many of you last night!!!  I hope you found my presentation useful and informative.  If you have any lingering questions, feel free to e-mail me.

This morning the students began practicing keyboarding using Typing Club.  Each morning, for morning work, the children will choose between keyboarding, reading silently, or exchanging books in the media center.  After the announcements we reviewed our morning routine and the TASS skills for this morning period.

After that, I introduced explained and demonstrated my expectations for setting up paper...where to put the title, their name, and the date.  Then we took a spelling inventory.  I will analyze these to create spelling groups.


Next we moved onto independent work for our literacy block.  This was our first chance to practice this, so the tasks were pretty basic.  First, the students read to themselves, silently, for 15 minutes.  Then, using a t-chart we worked on together and a model I created for them, the children made kites identifying 1 behavior and 2 academic goals they are setting for themselves.  After that, they listened to the story, Enemy Pie, using Storyline Online.  Finally, they had free choice where they could pick reading to themselves, reading with a partner, practicing keyboarding using Typing Club, or listen to a story using Storyline Online.

As the children worked on these assignments, I had a meeting, in the building, to attend.  When I returned to class I continued with my informal reading assessments.

After our literacy block, the students enjoyed indoor recess, followed by lunch.

When they returned from lunch, we began a math pre-assessment.  I will use this to create initial math groups. During the asssessment we went to art with Mrs. Daniell, and upon their return, they completed it.

Finally, we ended the day by identifying the need to know the rules/expectations during in task or in a particular setting.  I put the children into groups, gave each group 2 dice and told them to play the game...I never gave them rules!  After struggling for a few minutes, the groups created their own game...but I went around and changed the rules on them!  :-)  Finally, we debriefed and discussed how they felt as they attempted to play my game...their responses included nervous and frustrated.


There is no homework this evening.  I plan to begin homework on Tuesday of next week.