Thrilling Thursday

Reminder - Tomorrow is individual picture day.  We are scheduled to have our pictures taken AFTER lunch and recess, at 1:15.

This morning, after the announcements, we reviewed how to use the main idea and supporting details to summarize non-fiction text.  Then the students summarized a paragraph about baby rattlesnakes.  After that, they worked on the Native American Indian webquests.

Then, the children had 15 extra minutes of recess, which they had earned as a Dojo reward last week.

Next, we switched for math and took a Go Noodle brain break.

During the small group instruction we practiced solving multi-digit subtraction problems involving the decomposition across zeroes.

During math with a partner, the students engaged in math discourse as they solved multi-digit subtraction problems that involved decomposing across zeroes.

During the technology rotation, the children completed a Ten Marks assignment practicing the addition and subtraction of multi-digit numbers.  If they finished early they could choose between doing a Jam Session on Ten Marks or practicing basic facts using Xtra Math.

After math, the students enjoyed lunch and outdoor recess.

When we returned to class we began our literacy block.  After having students add their names to our class Trello chart ( an app we will use to keep track of where each students is in the inquiry writing process), I did a mini-lesson about using context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words in text.

Then, while I met with guided reading groups, the students completed their planning sheet for the historical fiction story they are writing for this marking periodś inquiry project.  After that, they did a practice activity to reinforce my mini-lesson about context clues.  Next, those who had time, completed another WTW practice activity and worked on the social studies web quest.

Pink:  First we practiced reading their site word flashcards.  Then I introduced their new book, What is Soil? and we took a look at the -oi vowel pattern.  After reading several words with that pattern, we were introduced to some content vocabulary from the book.  Then we read pages 2-6 and identified the main idea for pages 2 and 3.  HW:  Practice flashcards and reread pages 2-6.

Blue:  First we discussed how to summarize non-fiction text, using the main idea and supporting details.  Students were told that a summary should be short than the original text, written in their own words, and include only the most important facts.  Then we read pages 12 and 13 and wrote main idea statements.  After that we read pages 14 and 15 and wrote main idea statements.  HW: Reread the book, Wolves.

Orange:  We reread page 27 in Hurricanes and discussed the main idea.  Then I collected their books and handed out a new one, What Are the Properties of Matter?  Before defining the concept of matter, I reviewed the expectations for summarizing non-fiction text; state the main idea and important details that support it, using your own words. HW:  read pages 2-5.

Green:  We reread pages 14 and 15 and shared main idea statements.  Then we discussed strategies to infer the main idea of non-fiction text, including using the heading and repeated words and phrases.  HW:  Read pages 16 and 17 and write a main statement, using the heading and repeated words.

After our literacy block we began a science experiment.  We put two pieces of bread into separate baggies.  One piece was freshly baked and the other was from a processed loaf.  Then we put five drops of apple juice on each.  The students took note of todayś date and wrote observable features of each piece of bread and drew a diagram, too.  We will observe the bread, over the next two weeks as it begins to decompose.