Feeling Good Friday!

Thankfully this was a more "normal" week since we had all of our campers from Goodfellow plus no early dismissal.  It was nice to get into a regular routine.

This week we focused on No Put Downs.  We got into some good discussions and had several activities for them to do during the week.

Several quotes shared this week:

• Only you can decide how you are going to act.
• Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
• If you can't say someting nice, Sh!  Say nothing.
• Never criticize someone else until you've walked a mile in his moccasins. (Native American Saying)

Language Arts for All:   We began pre-assessing each grade level before teaching. Even though I stressed and maybe even you stressed, that these are no big deal . . . no grades are taken . . .I could see that many of them still wanted to do well.  It's what they're used to!  Even though the assessments are time consuming and not fun for the students, it's such a great way to see where all of my students are starting out AND where I need to take them.
When they finished up with the last assessment for the week, I had them read a book somewhere around the room.  They enjoyed this.  
All grades except first will continue with the pre-assessments next week, but I will for sure break it up with a mini SmartBoard lesson or two.  They will be excited!

• First Grade's Theme is Signs and Symbols:  Connections for Making Meaning. They did a concept and persuasive writing pre-assessment.  First is finished with their pre-assessments!  Whooohoooo!!!!
• Second Grade's Theme is Connections of the Heart.  They did a grammar and concept pre-assessment this week.  Next week we will finish up with a pre-assessment of persuasive writing before digging into the lessons.  
• Third Grade's Theme is The Changing Faces of Story.  They did a pre-assessment of grammar and informational text.  We will finish up next week with a pre-assessment of concept and writing.
• Fourth Grade's Theme is Change-people have the power to make a difference.  They did a grammar and informational pre-assessment this week.  Next week we will finish up with a pre-assessment on concept and writing.

Fourth Grade:  We started off with a quick review of place value and expanded form.  I also reviewed "values" of a digit in a number.  We worked together using the doc cam and a die to plot how to make the biggest number.  They then paired up using "button buddies" to compete over who could make the biggest number.  Ask them who they played against and their strategy.  Our Problem of the Day coincidentally went with yesterdays lesson on place value. We then used the Smartboard to "Think, Pair, Share" using place value blocks.  I even threw a couple where they needed to re-group.  Couldn't fool them.  Love using technology!

Second Grade:  We "colored in the 100 chart" in math.  I gave them a total of fifteen math clues they were to color in.  For example, the numbers between 25 and 75 with a 5 in the ones place.  We did the first one together, talked and touched base as we went.  Then they spread out so I could see them figure it on their own.  It's not only a math activity, but a listening one too!  After our Problem of the Day, we followed up with a Smartboard lesson with a huge 100 chart.  Ask them what we did with the extra time we had.

Third Grade:  We discussed the various multiplication models . . . equal groups, array and number line.  We first did a cup and bean activity where they rolled a die.  They worked on their worksheet to show the ways to represent repeated addition and multiplication.  It took some a while to get that the cup equaled the number and the beans were how many times they added.  Many switched it up on the representation.  They will get the same answer, but according to the model, it's a certain way.  After our Problem of the Day, we used the Smartboard to show the array model.  With a roll of the die in a die they wrote a multiplication problem on the board.  Ask them what we did with our extra time.

First Grade:  We started off reading from the book Chrysanthemum.  We pointed out how her name has 13 letters which is HALF of the letters in the alphabet!  We then worked on graphing our names using sticky notes.  Ask them which letter had the most students. We then analyzed our data looking at our large graph displayed in our room before moving onto the Smartboard. They really enjoyed a number sequence activity.  They had to figure out the pattern.  It increased by ???  Then touch the board and drag the numbers to the right place.  They begged for more, but time was up!

I'm really enjoying your children!  They are excited when they enter our classroom and can't wait to find out what we're doing today.  That's priceless!

Now that we're underway . . . I usually alternate the pics from week to week. . . one week is LA and the next is Math.  

Have a wonderful weekend!
~Mrs. Koedyker