Terrific Tuesday

This morning, after the announcements, we began our literacy block.  I took some time to remind students that they are not finished with their Genius Hour research until they have the information necessary to answer their driving question AND create a final product to share it.  Then, I explained that they will need to write an informational paragraph telling me about an aspect of their genius hour project.  I modeled looking at my driving question, and my research, to identify a topic I could turn into an informational paragraph.  After that, I showed the children how I took my research and completed the organizer for the informational paragraph.  Students were reminded a number of times that they will need to write a topic sentence and then name and explain three facts to support it.

While I met with guided reading groups the children worked on the following tasks.  First, all groups reread The Banza and marked places where Cabree was afraid (A) and courageous (C).  After that, they practiced their word work words by writing them across and down.  Finally, the children continued their Genius Hour research.

Pink: We shared the places the children marked in the text and discussed the reasons for their markings.  For HOMEWORK the students need to reread The Banza and highlight or circle the words; astonished, demanded, and intently.

Green:  We shared the places the children marked in the text and discussed the reasons for their markings.  For HOMEWORK the students need to reread The Banza and highlight or circle the words; astonished, demanded, and intently.

Blue:  We shared the places the children marked in the text and discussed the reasons for their markings.  For HOMEWORK the students need to reread The Banza and highlight or circle the words; astonished, demanded, and intently.

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

When the children returned to class we began math with a Train Your Brain, calculating elapsed time.  Then the students took a quiz covering telling time to the nearest minute using an analog clock and calculating elapsed time.

The quizzes have been scored and returned to the students.  Look for them in home folders tonight.

HOMEWORK is posted on Google Classroom.  We are behind so there is math homework even though we had a quiz.  Sorry!

After the quiz we took a movement break and then took some time to prepare for the PARCC.

I am not one for teaching to the test.  That is not what we did.  Instead we took a peak to see what the questions look like and to learn how to use the online tools.