Terrific Tuesday

This morning, prior to the announcements, I began my March informal reading assessments.  Then, after the announcements, we began our literacy block.

While  I met with individual students to conference on writing and complete the March reading assessments, and met with guided reading groups, the students worked independently on the following tasks.

First the students completed guided reading tasks.  Then they practiced their word work words by writing them across and down.  Next, a few students, completed and submitted their rough draft, which was due last Friday.  Finally, the children read about culture using Encyclopedia Britannica and completed a 3-2-1.

Orange and Pink:  I have now officially combined these two groups and they will now be known as the PINK group.

Pink:  Independently the students reread pages 4-7.  Then, in their RRJ, they created a t-chart and copied and answered two questions I posted, using the text..  In group we reviewed their lists of unknown words from homework.  Then we turned the headings on each page into questions and reread the text to discuss the answers.  Finally, we discussed the two questions they were supposed to answer in their RRJ.  It became evident that the entire group had not read the text carefully, and, therefore, written inaccurate responses.  So, we identified portions of the text to help us answer the questions.  After much discourse, the students returned to their seats to redo their assignment.  For HOMEWORK the students need to read pages 8-11 and list unknown words.

Green:  Independently the students turn the chapter title, on page 1, into a question.  Then they reread chapter 1 and answered their question in their RRJ.  In group we reviewed their lists of unknown words from last night's homework.  Then we shared the questions they wrote and their responses.  Many student ignored the clear expectation that they needed at least 3 complete sentences.  So, those students redid their assignment.  For HOMEWORK the students need to read pages 12-16 and list unknown words.

Blue:  Independently the students read up to page 20.  Then they wrote a headline to sum up and "sell" each chapter.  In group we reviewed their lists of unknown words.  Then we discussed both chapters by sharing the headlines they wrote and explaining their thinking.  For HOMEWORK the children need to read pages 21-37 and list unknown words on a sticky note.

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

When the students returned to class we began our math block.

During the small group, teacher-led, instruction we compared fractions with the same numerator but different denominators.  We learned that the larger the denominator, the smaller the piece.

During math with a partner, the students engaged in math discourse as they played a fraction board game called, "Are You My Equal".  This game had students visualizing fractions to determine if the were greater than, equal to, or less than, a target fraction (1/2, then 1/4).

Finally, during the technology rotation, the students watched a Learn Zillion lesson about comparing fractions with the same numerator but different denominators.  They took notes, in their math journals, about the review, a common mistake, and the core lesson.

HOMEWORK is posted on Google Classroom.

After math we took a much needed GO Noodle break and then began a social studies block.

First we read about the Aztecs to build our background knowledge.  Then we reviewed the various types of maps, including, physical, political, and transportation.  Finally, we read about the travels of the cocoa bean from Mexico to our neighborhood store.