Terrific Tuesday

This morning, following the announcements, we began our literacy block.

As I met with guided reading groups, the students worked independently on the following assignments.  First, they completed an assignment to prepare them for their new guided reading text.  Then they worked on a formative assessment covering defining words using context clues, answering questions, and identifying examples of cause and effect.  After that, some students completed the opinion organizer.  Then the children cu apart their new word work words, put their initials on the back, and completed a header sort.  Finally, if there was time, they practiced writing the letters P, B, and R, in cursive.

Orange:  The students had time to cut apart their word work words and write their initials on the back.  Then I modeled doing a header sort.  Students received an extra copy of their words and a header sort chart to take home.  After that we reviewed facts we learned from our last book about trees.  Then we previewed our next book, also about trees.  We read the introduction and shared new facts we learned.  Finally, we reviewed how to use the pronunciations guides to read the words chlorophyll, deciduous, and conifers.  For HOMEWORK they need to read pages 4-6 and be prepared to discuss the meaning of the three words in bold print on page 5.

Pink: Independently the students created a chart in their RRJ listing facts they know about sky diving and questions they still have.  Then, in group, the got a few minutes to begin cutting apart their word work words. After that I modeled doing a header sort with the new word work words.  The students learned that plural nouns are words that are more than one person, place, or thing.  They also determined that words that end in sh, ch, s, or x, have an es added to the end to make it plural.  Words already ending in an e only get an s added to the end.  Next we reviewed the facts they learned and questions they still had about sky diving.  Finally, I handed out their new book, we discussed the format (question and answer), and read the introduction.  For HOMEWORK the students need to read pages 4-6 and prepared to discuss the meaning of static line.

Green:  Independently the children copied sentences from the text and meanings form the glossary for vocabulary from their new text, Influenza.  Then, in group, they had a few minutes to begin cutting apart their new word work words.  Then  I modeled a header sort and reviewed unknown words.  Next we discussed the assigned vocabulary.  Finally we read the introduction of the book and determined the author's purpose for writing the book.  For HOMEWORK the children need to read pages 4-8 and be able to explain what the flu is.

Blue:  Independently the children copied sentences from the text and meanings form the glossary for vocabulary from their new text, Influenza.  In group we discussed the new word work words which contain the suffixes, er, or, ian, or ist, which are most commonly added to verbs to make a noun meaning "doer" of...  After that we discussed the vocabulary for their new text.  For HOMEWORK the students need to read pages 4-8 and be prepared to discuss what the flu is.

After our literacy block the students enjoyed indoor recess and lunch.

When the children returned to class, we had a heart-to-heart talk. In short, many students are struggling to make good choices during independent work time.  Regardless of the structures I have put in place, the same students continue to socialize and find other ways to entertain themselves while I meet with small groups.  Therefore, they are not completing their tasks.  Something has got to change.

So, moving forward, students who do not complete their work, and have not requested extra help, will be graded on what I see.  If nothing is done, I will be forced to give them the grade they earned, an N.  Obviously if a student needs help, and asks for it, they will be given more time to complete their assignments.

After our talk, we created a word splash of important vocabulary for our current math unit, fractions.  Then we began our math rotations.

During the small group, teacher-led, rotation the students partitioned shapes into a given number of equal parts and then labeled each part with the correct fraction.

During math with a partner, the students completed a worksheet which required them to partition a whole int equal parts and then correctly label the parts.   If they finished early, they played Fraction Bump or a fraction matching game.

During the technology rotation the children watched a Khan Academy lesson about numerators and denominators and then played a game to practice what they had learned.  If they finished early they played a game called Fraction Shoot to practice identifying fractions.

HOMEWORK is posted on Google Classroom.

After our math block we took a Go Noodle break and then began a social studies lesson.

Today we reviewed the 9 Wonders of Africa and the students evaluated each to determine whether it is a natural or human-made geographic feature.