Reader's Workshop; Informational Text Students worked hard researching the answers to their questions in their research teams for their weather/natural disaster topic. They summarized the information, revised, edited, and published it. Then they worked with their group members to create a poster that would teach more about their topic using various graphic and text features. Each group presented their project to a kindergarten or 2nd grade class last week. They received rave reviews from both students and teachers. Students continue to work on honing their skills in summarization of informational text by working in small groups, sharing, and using their rubrics to evaluate and lift the level of their work. They have been identifying various craft moves made by authors and thinking about why an author might choose to show information in a particular way. They have also been working on analyzing the importance of parts of a text in comparison to the whole, and synthesizing across texts. Additionally, I introduced students to the three BIG questions readers of nonfiction should ask themselves as they read. They come from Kylene Beers and Robert Probst's Notice & Note Nonfiction. Students stop and think about places in the text that surprised them, challenged, changed, or confirmed what they knew, and where the author assumed I knew something. The result has been increased close reading and deeper conversations of what students are reading. Writer's Workshop; Opinion/Persuasive Essays Students continue to strengthen their understanding of the structure of this genre of writing by using their rubric and revising the content. They wrote several opinion pieces about people, places, objects, and activities that were important to them. They recently chose one to publish. They are moving into the more persuasive writing model by choosing a topic of importance, taking a stance, and using facts, information, and quotes to help convince the reader to take the same stance. Additionally, students continue to learn about different types of figurative language and how they might incorporate it into their own writing. Math Workshop; Multiplying and Dividing Multi-Digit Numbers We ended unit 3 with a performance task based on the popular video game Minecraft. Students worked in pairs using their math skills to solve multi-step problems. As they moved through the task, the math became more challenging. They did a great job persevering, talking with one another, and problem solving. Students spent several days reviewing multiplying by multiples of ten and one hundred moving from concrete representation, to pictorial, to abstract. They have learned and practiced how to multiply using the area model, and most recently, partial products. They practiced this skill in isolation and then embedded in word problems. Next, they will learn how to divide using partial quotients. Although these methods take longer, it helps to teach and reinforce place value skills, and develops a greater understanding behind the traditional algorithm which will be taught in 5th grade. Examples and explanations of these different methods was sent home last week. Please let me know if you need another copy Social Studies/Science; Veteran's Day & The Water Cycle We read The Poppy Lady by Barbara Walsh and students each made paper poppies to pass out to the veterans at our assembly. Then a group of students performed a reader's theatre version of the story for the audience. Students were treated to a cultural arts assembly about Egyptian animals. They saw, learned about, and in some cases got to touch a ferret, cat, snakes, lizard, and tortoise. They learned about the history and significance of these animals in Egypt. Students have been learning about the water cycle. We used QFT (question focus technique) to generate their own questions on the topic and then prioritize based on what they wanted to learn. They conducted an investigation called "Cloud in a Cup" to gain a better understanding of what happens when clouds become so heavy .with water droplets that they then are pulled to earth by gravity causing precipitation. They had a lot of fun as you can see below. FY.I/Dates to Remember in December!
Thurs. 12/3 @6:30 - Pajama Party Tuesday, 12/8 @6:30 - 4th Grade Chorus Concert & Select Chorus Friday, 12/11 - Report Cards go home Mon. 12/21, Tues. 12/22, Wed. 12/23 - Students work on "Genius Hour" independent projects Wed. 12/23 - half day of school Thursday 12/24 - Fri. 1/1 - Holiday break (return Mon. 1/4) Comments are closed.
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