Terrific Tuesday

This morning, prior to the announcements, some students took the math quiz they missed on Friday and a few worked with me to determine the area of a complex, or rectilinear, figure.  After the announcements, we began our literacy block.

Today, as I met with guided reading groups, the students began by reading a portion of their text, identifying a fact, and writing a green question to go with it.  After that, they used their paragraph 1 organizer, and my feedback, to write their informational paragraph.  Then they identified the meaning and 2 examples of common roots we use in words.  Students who finished early used 10 more of their word work words in sentences and practiced writing the letters N, M, and W, in cursive.

Orange:  The students began group by rereading the first half of their book.  After that we reviewed asking and answering questions as something good readers do automatically to better understand text.  Then we reviewed vocabulary for the second half of their book.  Next we began reading the rest of the text, stopping to identify facts and write green questions, for each page.  For HOMEWORK the students need to reread pages 12-24.

Pink:  Independently the students read pages 10 and 11, identified a fact from the text and wrote a green question that matched it.  In group the students read the second half of their book, pages 10-15 and then we reviewed their lists of unknown words from homework.  After that we shared and attempted to answer the questions they wrote for the facts on pages 10 and 11.  Many are still struggling with this.  For HOMEWORK the children need to reread pages 10-15.

Green:  Independently the students reread pages 12-23.  Then they identified a fact from pages 12-13 and wrote a green question to match it.  In group the students reread pages 12-23.  Then we shared their questions and attempted to answer them using the text.  For HOMEWORK the children need to reread pages 12-23.

Blue:  Independently the students reread pages 18-30.  Then they revisited pages 18 and 19, and identified a fact and wrote a green question that the fact would answer.  In group we shared the student's green questions.  Then we worked on turning the heading on page 18 into a question.  For HOMEWORK the students need to reread pages 18-30.

After our literacy block the children enjoyed outdoor recess and lunch.

When they returned to class we began our math block.

During the small group, teacher-led, instruction, the students practiced skip counting to solve multiplication equations.  Then we reviewed calculating the area of a rectangle.  Finally, we used multiplication and addition to find the area of a complex, or rectilinear, figure.

During math with a partner the students played multiplication war to increase basic fact fluency.

During the technology rotation the children watched a screen cast reviewing yesterday's small group instruction and then completed a follow up worksheet.  After that they practiced math skills of their choosing, but on their level, using Sumdog.

HOMEWORK is posted on Google Classroom.

After math we took a much needed GO Noodle brain break and then began our first social studies lesson for this semester.

First I drew circles to explain the scope of where we live, from smallest  to larger outer layers (Clarksburg, Montgomery County, Maryland, United States of America, North America, Earth).  Then the children were split into groups and given  cards with pictures and definitions of various characteristics which geographers use to distinguish areas from one another.  The groups were instructed to sort the cards, given two rules; no groups of one and they had to have a reason that cards were grouped together.

After sharing their groups, we then reorganized the cards into natural (or physical) features and human-made features.  Finally, we discussed the concepts of natural and man-made features.