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Class Schedule~2009-2010~

Time

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

 7:45—8:20

Morning Work, Check Homework, Attendance, Pledge

Daily Editing  

Morning Work, Check Homework, Attendance, Pledge  

Daily Editing

Morning Work, Check Homework, Attendance, Pledge  

Daily Editing

Morning Work, Check Homework, Attendance, Pledge  

Daily Editing 

Morning Work, Check Homework, Attendance, Pledge   

Daily Editing 

 8:20—9:50

9:50—10:00

Math

Differentiated Math--

Snack-Bathroom Break

 Math

Snack/Bathroom Break

Music—9:50—10:30

Math –8:20-9:40

9:40-Snack/BB

Art—9:40-10:20

Math—8:20—9:50

             —Snack/BB

 

Math-- 

Differentiated Math-

Snack/BB

 .

10:00—10:58

10:30—Word Study

      Language Arts-

   Whole Group Lesson

Language Arts

Whole Group Lesson

Language Arts

Whole Group Lesson

Language Arts

Whole Group Lesson

Word Study Test

 10:5811:28

Lunch 

Lunch 

Lunch 

Lunch 

Lunch 

 11:2811:35

Bathroom Break 

Bathroom Break 

Bathroom Break 

Bathroom Break 

 Bathroom Break

11:35—12:50 

Language Arts

Making Meaning             

Flex groups

Language Arts

Making Meaning/Word Study             

Flex Groups

Language Arts

Making Meaning/Word Study

Flex Groups

Writer’s Workshop

Language Arts

Word Study

Flex Groups

Writer’s Workshop

 Language Arts

Flex Groups

Writer’s Workshop

 12:50—1:30

Content Area

Social Studies/Science/Health

Content Area

 

     

     Content Area

 

         Content Area

 

Content Area

 

1:30—2:20

Physical Education

Physical Education

Physical Education 

Physical Education 

Physical Education 

 2:20—2:30

Closing

Closing 

Closing  

  Closing

Closing

 

 

   

DRA Testing- I have completed my DRA testing on all children and have placed each child into his/her appropriate differentiated reading group.

Guided Reading is an approach where the teacher works with a small group of students who can all read similar levels of texts and demonstrate similar reading behaviors. Each session lasts 30-40 minutes and begins with the teacher introducing a book, eliciting prior knowledge, and building background. The goal of Guided Reading is for students to become fluent readers who can problem solve strategically and read independently.

Guided Reading Parent Helpers

Mrs. Sisler and Mrs. Sriraman have volunteered to assist with guided reading groups this year.

Thank you for your dedication and commitment to the success of our children.

I appreciate your support. See you each Thursday.

Word Study

The first month with the new Word Study program has been a success.

Please remember to review your child’s nightly Word Study homework. I have placed a copy below and on our HW section of our web page. Children also have a copy in their folder. Thank you for your support with this new program.

 

Weekly Word Study Homework:

Monday—Cut words and sort them into categories like we did in school. Write them (in categories) in your homework notebook. Be sure to put the rule at the top of each list. Save your words in a baggy at home.

Tuesday—Take the words out of the baggy and sort them as fast as you can. This is called a Speed Sort. Then choose 5 words and write them in sentences in your homework notebook.

Wednesday—Assist your child with a word hunt. Look for words in books or magazines that have the same rule of the week. Write the 5 new words in your homework notebook. Put them under the correct rule.

Thursday—Ask someone to call out your words while you write them in your hw notebook in a written sort. Write the words in lists according to their rule. Label the rule at the top. Check and correct any mistakes.

 

Unit Skills— The following will be reviewed

 nouns, adjectives, verbs, comparing and contrasting, steps in a process, descriptive paragraph writing, following directions, asking questions, sequence and point of view, understanding/reading a chart/table, proper nouns, plural nouns, possessive nouns, review of nonfiction genre, and understanding poetry and poetic devices..

 

Use of reference materials will also be reviewed this grading period.

 

Individualized Daily Reading--

Individualized Daily Reading is a structure for classroom independent reading in which students read books at their appropriate level for at least 30 minutes daily. I will be conferring with individual students to monitor and support their reading comprehension. An IDR library has been created in our classroom to institute proficient comprehension of text.

The library consists of several titles that include a balance of fiction and nonfiction.  As students practice reading books at the right level, they increase their fluency and academic vocabulary and become naturally able to comprehend more challenging text over time.

 

            

 

Making Meaning~ Strategies that build comprehension and community~

 

What is Making Meaning?

The Making Meaning program combines the latest research in reading comprehension with social development strategies that foster students’ growth as caring and principled members of the classroom community. Reading comprehension strategies are taught directly through read-aloud experiences. The students learn to use these strategies to make sense of their own reading through guided and independent strategy practice.

 

The following comprehension strategies are taught directly in the Making Meaning curriculum.

~Retelling~

~Making Connections/Using Schema~

~Visualizing~

~Questioning/Wondering~

~Making Inferences~

~Determining Important Ideas~

~Understanding Text Structure~

~Summarizing~

~Synthesizing~

 

Research has shown that proficient readers tend to use these strategies naturally as they make sense of text, while weaker readers tend not to use them. All readers will benefit from this program; weaker readers get stronger by learning to use the strategies to understand their reading, and stronger readers learn to recognize when they are using them.

                                                           (~Developmental Studies Program)

Ask your child to share each read-aloud with you. We are already achieving significant results in reading comprehension, cooperation, and learning how to be a respectful classroom community.

 

http://teach.fcps.net/talk/activities/sniffy_fluffy/MakingPredictions/activity1makingpredictions.htm

Making Predictions –Whole Group Activity

 

 

 

We have started unit 4 in our math series. In this unit, addition and subtraction number stories are used as a vehicle for developing mental arithmetic skills.

Below are the lesson objectives:

4.1—change to more number stories

4.2-Parts and Total Number stories

4.3—Explorations—Exploring Temperature, Money, and Shapes

4.4—Temperature Changes

4.5—Estimating Costs

4.6—A Shopping Activity

4.7—Explorations—Exploring Length, Area, and Attributes

4.8—Paper and Pencil Addition Strategies

4.9—Partial Sums Addition Algorithm

4.10—Progress Check

 

 

Kings and Queens of Addition—please visit our Kid’s Corner Page to see how your child is doing…

This in- class activity enhances students recall of basic addition facts. Children are given a series of addition problems to complete in a

set amount of time. Once the student completes all 50 problems( three times) in the 3 minute time frame, he/she will earn the title of King or Queen and will also earn a special recognition on our class web page. This activity will begin after we have reviewed all math strategies in addition. We will carry this activity over into subtraction, and multiplication.

I can’t wait to see who my first kings and queens will be…!!

          

Accelerated Math Group

I will be working with a small group of children on accelerated math skills and concepts. Children in this group will differ from time to time based on abilities and strengths. There have been times in previous years where I’ve had 5 children in this group and then ended up with 9 or 10. There is not a cap on the number of children that can participate due to individual needs and abilities.

I plan to begin this group by the end of October. A list of participating students will be added to this section of the web-page. All skills and concepts we review will also be included.

 

This Accelerated math group meets two times a week for 30 minutes each day…

 

Accelerated Math Group—The following students are participants in the accelerated math group thus far…

 

Shaughn

Meghan

Sydney

Skylar

 

Skills we have reviewed in the Accelerated Math Group:

                                                Plotting Points on the X and Y axis

 

 

 

 Challenge Math Students –Plotting Points on Graphs

 

 

Everyday Math EM Games Link~

Great Job- boys and girls… Keep playing those math games~

Our Everyday Math series includes a link for children to visit for reinforcement of basic math skills.

I have placed the link below.

Please have your child log in using his/her password…

Passwords have been given to your child.

https://www.emgames.com/index.html

 

 

     

 

Map Skills—

Our next unit of study in social studies is map skills. Students will become familiar with the tools used to study the Earth and parts of a map.

We will also review the seven continents (ask your child to sing our lovely continent song) and the 5 major oceans.

We will review the countries in North America and look closely at our United States map.

We will learn about the Mississippi River, James River, and Rio Grande River. We will also review the five great lakes and be able to identify each one on a map. The Appalachian and Rocky mountains will also be reviewed.

Children should be able to identify the continent they live on along with their country, state, city, and community/neighborhood.

 

 

 

Weather is our next unit of study in science.

Children will learn about the water cycle (we have a song for this too)

We will also review weather words and types of clouds. Children will learn about different kinds of storms and the difference between a drought and a flood.

Our class will understand the different weather instruments and how they are used.

We will also learn how weather affects us everyday…

 

Language of the Discipline:

Cumulus, cirrus, stratus, drought, flood, thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, thermometer, rain gauge, weather vane, anemometer, barometer, evaporation, condensation, precipitation, water cycle, temperature, water vapor

 

Children will engage in many forms of writing this year. We will practice basic writing skills through lessons taught in our basal and through daily practice. Cursive will also be introduced to the children in April.

Paragraph writing, letter writing, and journal writing will be reviewed on a weekly basis. Students will be introduced to resources such as dictionaries, and thesauruses to aid them with word choice and creative writing. We will publish our very own books during Writer’s Workshop and hold an Author’s Party for our parents to attend.

I have also implemented an Accelerated Thinking Program which encompasses the 4 highest levels of Blooms Taxonomy. In this program children are encouraged to write in many different forms to describe a selection they have recently read. I started this program two years ago and my former students have absolutely loved it.

 

Children will also be exposed to many different poetry forms and poetic devices. We will have a special Mother’s Day Poetry Reading in May.

 

I am thankful writing pieces…

 

Update on Accelerated Thinking Program:  

This program has started. Each child has received an AT folder of their own.

I’m pleased with the amount of participation we have already received! What a great way for your child to become a fluent and more capable writer. Please review the letter that came home.

 

 

       Word Study

Word Study

 

This year, we are using a developmental spelling program in our Language Arts classes. The program is called “Word Study” and was created at the University of Virginia.

Your child has already been given a spelling inventory that determined his/her stage of development.. This screening also allowed me to identify the exact spelling pattern/sounds that your child has mastered and those features that he/she is in the process of developing. There will be a spelling list each week for your child based on his/her level of development.

 

Your child will be bringing home the list of spelling words each Monday that has been introduced in his/her Word Study group.

Each week, he/she is expected to do different activities to assure that these words and the spelling patterns they represent are mastered. I have sent home a WEEKLY WORD STUDY HOMEWORK SHEET for you to refer to.

 

We will test each Friday and get new sorts each Monday.

 

Lions Group : Nate, Tabitha, Mark, Clayton, Marco

Wolves Group: Mikah, Cole, Sahara, Skylar, Meghan, Sydney, Matt, Jamarian, Elise, Victoria, Blake

Snakes Group: Serene, Shaughn, Kyle, Ellie

 

 

~Math Links~

Math –Addition and Subtractions Facts

http://kids.aol.com/homework-help/junior/math/addition

 

Everyday Math Resources

http://www1.center.k12.mo.us/EDTECH/edm/2.htm

 

Counting Coins

http://www.hbschool.com/activity/elab2004/gr3/5.html

 

 ~ Geography Links~

Seven Continents~

 

http://www.gokidding.com/learnworldnew.htm...

 

WORLD FACTBOOK SEARCH--

http://kids.yahoo.com/reference/world-factbook/country/us--United+States

 

 

~Language Arts~

 

Choice of Activity—awesome site

http://www.mckennasmousepad.com/websites%20for%20kids.htm

Reading and Writing Fun

http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us/kids/readwrite.html

Nouns

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/basketball/index.html

Grammar Gorillas

http://www.funbrain.com/grammar/

Maggie’s Earth Adventures—Grammar Fun

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/adventure/index.htm

Proofreading Makes Perfect—

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/language_arts/pmp/interactive_guide/g02/g02home.htm

Capitalization

http://a4esl.org/q/j/ck/ed-caps.html

Spelling

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/word_builder/level1/1_10.html

Tales and Such

http://www.storyplace.org/eel/other.asp

Grammar Blast

http://www.eduplace.com/cgi-bin/hme-quiz-directions.cgi?Grade=2&Unit=1&Topic=The+Sentence

 

 

 

 

Critical Thinking Links:

Math Cats:

http://www.mathcats.com

Aunty Math:

http://www.auntymath.com

Awesome Analogies:

http://www.quia.com/cb/7146.html