In math we practiced identifying slides, flips and turns. We also used symmetry to complete pictures. For homework there is a Geometry Riddle worksheet to help the children practice the vocabulary that is prevalent in this unit. There will be a quiz on Friday!
We began reading by revisiting June 29, 1999. Today our focus was identifying examples of personification. Personification is another type of figurative language where inanimate objects are given human characteristics.
Then the students worked independently on reading group assignments, searching for -augh words and cursive handwriting, while I met with small groups.
My Two Families: Read the new book and marked any unknown words on a sticky note. Reread in group and answered the question, "What made Alex change her mind?" in their RRJ.
Lion and Mouse: Reread story and listed questions they wonered about. We made a group list, too.
Ooka: Continued sharing places marked as U or UF. Then answered the focus question independently, in preparation for reading group tomorrow.
Following lunch and recess we will continue working on the assignments from this morning and writing persuasive writing pieces. Then we will make multi string instruments and identify ways we can change the pitch.
Please check planners for additional homework assignments!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
An Adjustment
Just a few updates before I run down the day...
FASTT math groupings will be changing this afternoon. The reason for this? SO we can make better use of our instructional time. I have grouped the children according to reading groups. This way, during FASTT math, I can meet with reading groups or work on writing.
Also, I have finally scored the baseline persuasive writing samples. They are in your child's binder in the LA section. Please look it over!
OK...here we go with today...
In math we completed a practice MSA BCR. The children worked on it independently. Then we discussed it. Finally, the students had the opportunity to adjust their answer. This activity has a picture of a stapler on it. It probably will not come home tonight but please look for it this week and review it with your child.
Then we identified the movements of shapes...slides, flips and turns. There is a practice worksheet for homework.
In reading we discussed figurative language as a tool used by writer's to make their writing more interesting and more vivid.
Today we discussed alliteration...sentences/phrases where most of the words start with the same beginning sound. Think: Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Peppers. Then we read June 29, 1999 by David Weisner. We identified examples of alliteration in the story and discussed how this affects the mood of the book.
Following art, lunch and outdoor recess the students will meet with me in reading groups and go to FASTT math.
Fair Swap: Discuss beginning , middle and end and then begin writing a summary.
OOka: Share questions and places they marked F and UF. Then answer the discussion question independently to prepare for the next group meeting.
Shoemaker: Discuss why they think the Shoemaker gave the gold back and what they would have done. Prepare for next story.
Independent activities will include:
looking for augh words
writing alliteration
handwriting practice
WE will end the day with a book exchange in the media center.
FASTT math groupings will be changing this afternoon. The reason for this? SO we can make better use of our instructional time. I have grouped the children according to reading groups. This way, during FASTT math, I can meet with reading groups or work on writing.
Also, I have finally scored the baseline persuasive writing samples. They are in your child's binder in the LA section. Please look it over!
OK...here we go with today...
In math we completed a practice MSA BCR. The children worked on it independently. Then we discussed it. Finally, the students had the opportunity to adjust their answer. This activity has a picture of a stapler on it. It probably will not come home tonight but please look for it this week and review it with your child.
Then we identified the movements of shapes...slides, flips and turns. There is a practice worksheet for homework.
In reading we discussed figurative language as a tool used by writer's to make their writing more interesting and more vivid.
Today we discussed alliteration...sentences/phrases where most of the words start with the same beginning sound. Think: Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Peppers. Then we read June 29, 1999 by David Weisner. We identified examples of alliteration in the story and discussed how this affects the mood of the book.
Following art, lunch and outdoor recess the students will meet with me in reading groups and go to FASTT math.
Fair Swap: Discuss beginning , middle and end and then begin writing a summary.
OOka: Share questions and places they marked F and UF. Then answer the discussion question independently to prepare for the next group meeting.
Shoemaker: Discuss why they think the Shoemaker gave the gold back and what they would have done. Prepare for next story.
Independent activities will include:
looking for augh words
writing alliteration
handwriting practice
WE will end the day with a book exchange in the media center.
Friday, February 6, 2009
TGIF
I have to leave early today to take my youngest to the doctor. So below is a brief update to keep you in the loop! :-)
In math we are taking a quiz and then we will use the shapes we constructed yesterday to identify vertices, edges and faces on solid figures.
In reading we will take a spelling test and then read and discuss an issue of Time for Kids.
Following music, lunch and recess, the children will be working with a substitute.
They will use the graphic organizer they developed yesterday to begin writing a persuasive writing piece. Then they will discuss the 5 rights granted to US citizens in the Constitution during social studies.
Have a great weekend!
In math we are taking a quiz and then we will use the shapes we constructed yesterday to identify vertices, edges and faces on solid figures.
In reading we will take a spelling test and then read and discuss an issue of Time for Kids.
Following music, lunch and recess, the children will be working with a substitute.
They will use the graphic organizer they developed yesterday to begin writing a persuasive writing piece. Then they will discuss the 5 rights granted to US citizens in the Constitution during social studies.
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Thursday
This morning I attended a three hour meeting in our building. During that time Mrs. Benson taught my math class. The children constructed different solid figures. Tomorrow we will use these figures to create a chart listing the names of the figures and the number of edges, vertices and faces each figure has. There is a worksheet for homework and a quiz tomorrow.
When I returned to class we read the book The Old Woman Who Named Things and discussed how the mood changed in the story. We also identified aspects of the story that indicated that the mood was changing. Additionally, we discussed how mood and setting can be related. When the children went back to their seats they worked on various reading group activities and cursive writing.
Fair Swap: reread story and marked main events with a sticky in order to summarize in reading group.
Shoemaker: Reread the story and answered the question, why do you think the shoemaker gave the gold back to the rich man?
Ooka: reread the story and marked places with an F where they felt Ooka was being fair. They also marked places with a UF where Ooka was being unfair.
Following lunch and recess in the gym we discussed the art of persuasion. Students talked with partners about a time they successfully persuaded someone to do something. Then the children worked on a graphic organizer, in their writer's notebook, that charted a position (for ex. I want to eat ice cream for breakfast), three arguments (ex. milk) and then explanations for each argument (milk has calcium). This took longer than I anticipated, so we ended the day by sharing our work with each other!
There is a spelling test tomorrow and spelling homework is due, too!
When I returned to class we read the book The Old Woman Who Named Things and discussed how the mood changed in the story. We also identified aspects of the story that indicated that the mood was changing. Additionally, we discussed how mood and setting can be related. When the children went back to their seats they worked on various reading group activities and cursive writing.
Fair Swap: reread story and marked main events with a sticky in order to summarize in reading group.
Shoemaker: Reread the story and answered the question, why do you think the shoemaker gave the gold back to the rich man?
Ooka: reread the story and marked places with an F where they felt Ooka was being fair. They also marked places with a UF where Ooka was being unfair.
Following lunch and recess in the gym we discussed the art of persuasion. Students talked with partners about a time they successfully persuaded someone to do something. Then the children worked on a graphic organizer, in their writer's notebook, that charted a position (for ex. I want to eat ice cream for breakfast), three arguments (ex. milk) and then explanations for each argument (milk has calcium). This took longer than I anticipated, so we ended the day by sharing our work with each other!
There is a spelling test tomorrow and spelling homework is due, too!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Hump Day
In math we identified parallel, intersecting and perpendicular lines. There is a worksheet for homework.
We read Miss Nelson Has a Field Day in reading and discussed how the mood can change within a story. Then the students started to answer the following prompt in their RRJ:
How did the mood change in Miss Nelson? Use specific examples to support your answer.
MOst students need to finish this for homework. A couple finished, which was surprising...I tried to persuade everyone to complete this task at home...there was not much time in class to formulate a great response. So, if you r child said they finished...you might want to speak top them about effort!
Following PE, lunch and indoor recess I worked with small groups while the others went to FASTT math. While in small group we discussed identifying what a question is asking AND how to compose an awesome response. Part of the discussion focused on drawing conclusions at the end of your answer...so naming your answer, explaining how you got to that answer (using info from the text) and THEN explaining that because of this....
Finally, we ended the day with a science lesson. First students had to respond to three questions in their science journals. Then we experimented using string to produce a sound!
We read Miss Nelson Has a Field Day in reading and discussed how the mood can change within a story. Then the students started to answer the following prompt in their RRJ:
How did the mood change in Miss Nelson? Use specific examples to support your answer.
MOst students need to finish this for homework. A couple finished, which was surprising...I tried to persuade everyone to complete this task at home...there was not much time in class to formulate a great response. So, if you r child said they finished...you might want to speak top them about effort!
Following PE, lunch and indoor recess I worked with small groups while the others went to FASTT math. While in small group we discussed identifying what a question is asking AND how to compose an awesome response. Part of the discussion focused on drawing conclusions at the end of your answer...so naming your answer, explaining how you got to that answer (using info from the text) and THEN explaining that because of this...
Finally, we ended the day with a science lesson. First students had to respond to three questions in their science journals. Then we experimented using string to produce a sound!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Tuesday
This morning the children attended a cultural arts assembly while I went to a meeting.
After that they reviewed point-of-view and read examples of books written in the first person point-of-view and the third person point-of-view.
Following lunch and outdoor recess the children worked on an RRJ response, cursive writing and spelling while I met with groups. The RRJ assignment was to identify a character from Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and to explain how the story would be different told from that character's perspective.
We will end the day by reading and discussing an article about protecting your hearing and using our eardrum models, again.
Report cards are coming home tonight. Please keep everything inside the envelope, sign the outside of the envelope and return the envelope to school tomorrow!
Book orders are due Friday!
After that they reviewed point-of-view and read examples of books written in the first person point-of-view and the third person point-of-view.
Following lunch and outdoor recess the children worked on an RRJ response, cursive writing and spelling while I met with groups. The RRJ assignment was to identify a character from Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and to explain how the story would be different told from that character's perspective.
We will end the day by reading and discussing an article about protecting your hearing and using our eardrum models, again.
Report cards are coming home tonight. Please keep everything inside the envelope, sign the outside of the envelope and return the envelope to school tomorrow!
Book orders are due Friday!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Monday Morning
Well, the Skins didn't win last night....I sat in my family room in my Riggins' jersey and waited to cheer them on but they weren't playing!?!?! However, the Cardinals seemed to have borrowed some plays from their playbook...and NOT in the good way! ;-)
Hopefully, this week will allow us to hit the ground running into the third marking period. In math we practiced identifying symmetry in figures, as well as, congruent figures. There is a worksheet for homework. Following math we had our class picture take.
Upon returning to the classroom we discussed point of view in fiction. I used the Three Little Pigs as an example...the pigs thought the brick house was great, it protected them...the wolf didn't like the brick house so much!
Then I introduced the concepts of First Person point-of-view (the narrator is a character in the story...the word I is used) and third person point-of-view (someone not involved in the story is narrating).
Following art, lunch and outdoor recess the children will return to class and work independently on finishing their writing to persuade baseline sample, cursive and going to FASTT math. During this time I will meet with reading groups...some children's groups have changed. Please ask your child what they are reading!
Fair Swap: I began reading the book to them. They are to finish reading to determine if it was a fair swap. They were also to note any "new" words on a sticky note for reading group.
Richman and the Shoemaker: I read the story to them. They were to return to their seats to reread the story. Additionally, they were to mark any surprising or interesting events on a sticky note for discussion during our next group.
Ooka and the Honest Thieves: Discuss the concept of an honest thief and then do the first reading of the story.
We will end the day with a book exchange in the media center.
Homework: Math worksheet, spelling is due Friday AND each group needs to reread their story from today.
Book orders are due BY Friday!
Hopefully, this week will allow us to hit the ground running into the third marking period. In math we practiced identifying symmetry in figures, as well as, congruent figures. There is a worksheet for homework. Following math we had our class picture take.
Upon returning to the classroom we discussed point of view in fiction. I used the Three Little Pigs as an example...the pigs thought the brick house was great, it protected them...the wolf didn't like the brick house so much!
Then I introduced the concepts of First Person point-of-view (the narrator is a character in the story...the word I is used) and third person point-of-view (someone not involved in the story is narrating).
Following art, lunch and outdoor recess the children will return to class and work independently on finishing their writing to persuade baseline sample, cursive and going to FASTT math. During this time I will meet with reading groups...some children's groups have changed. Please ask your child what they are reading!
Fair Swap: I began reading the book to them. They are to finish reading to determine if it was a fair swap. They were also to note any "new" words on a sticky note for reading group.
Richman and the Shoemaker: I read the story to them. They were to return to their seats to reread the story. Additionally, they were to mark any surprising or interesting events on a sticky note for discussion during our next group.
Ooka and the Honest Thieves: Discuss the concept of an honest thief and then do the first reading of the story.
We will end the day with a book exchange in the media center.
Homework: Math worksheet, spelling is due Friday AND each group needs to reread their story from today.
Book orders are due BY Friday!
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