Wonderful Wednesday

This morning, after the announcements, we began our literacy block.  I explained to the class that I am aware that many students need help with their inquiry project.  Therefore, when I meet with reading groups we will focus on that.

While I meet with groups the students worked on their inquiry projects independently.  Then they completed a text feature scavenger hunt, using their guided reading book, which focused on how common text features help the reader comprehend non-fiction.  Next they practiced their word work words by writing them using one color for vowels and another for consonants, or by doing a meaning check.  Finally, they answered questions about our government as they viewed a Discovery Education lesson.

Orange:  We met and I gave them support as they completed the organizer for their inquiry informational paragraph.

Pink:  We met and I provided support as they completed their organizers.

After meeting with the orange  and pink groups, I realized it would be more efficient to meet with the students according to their inquiry topic, as opposed to their guided reading group.

So, I then spent the rest of the literacy block working with the various topic groups and helping them complete their organizers.

After our literacy block the students enjoyed outdoor recess and lunch.  When they returned to class we began our math block.

Today, during the small group, teacher-led, instruction.  We reviewed representing and determining the area of a rectangle using addition sentences.  Then we learned about the relationship between repeated addition and multiplication.  During math with a partner the children continued to roll two dice and construct a rectangle using those dimensions.  Then they wrote a repeated addition sentence to represent the area of that rectangle.  Finally, during the technology rotation, the students viewed two lessons from Khan Academy about determining the area of a rectangle.  Then they practiced those skills using a game on Khan Academy.

Group 1, 2, and 3:  We practiced tiling rectangles with 1 inch squares.  Then we wrote repeated addition sentences to represent the tiling, or the area, of the rectangle.  Finally, we made the connection to multiplication.

We WILL have a math QUIZ tomorrow covering representing and measuring the area of a rectangle using addition sentences.

After math we continued our science lesson from yesterday.  The students tested various surfaces to deter,mine how it affects the speed of a ball.  After they explored the different surfaces and recorded their observations, we shared our findings and identified reasons we may have had different results.

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