Spirit Week

As a busy 1st quarter is soon coming to an end, Spirit Week sure helped to boost our spirits and give us that little extra zest in our days this week.  I loved seeing all the different festive attire this week!!!

Here is a summary of what happened in our classroom:

​In Langauge Arts...

• Response to Intervention (RTI) started this week.  Basically, this is class time devoted to small-group instruction and also for differentiated and targeted instruction for students' various needs. ​ During RTI, students are learning how to participate in small-group instruction.  Using leveled readers, 5 to 6 students work together in a group at a time.  During this time students are engaged in pre-reading activities, this may involve activating prior knowledge, setting the learning objectives, going on a picture walk before reading, predicting, asking questions, etc...  Then students are asked to read the text quietly to themselves.  We stop from page to page to discuss comprehension and other specific skills a reading group is working on or focus on a specific learning need.  I may tap a child "on and off" during their reading just for me to listen into.  This is to check for fluency.  Students may volunteer to read out loud for the group if the objective is to model fluency, otherwise, taking turns reading out loud is not a common practice during small-group instruction in D103.  (Research has shown that round-robin reading has no student benefit.  Students end up doing less of the reading themselves (since they're listening-in much of the time), student should be accountable for the entire text, and it can be a humiliating experience for many.)​
• As an extension from last week's Wonders curriculum, students revisited the following essential question:  How do we care for pets?  Students read an interview with an animal shelter employee and asked and answered questioned using AVID strategies.  ​​

​​In Math...

• Reviewing the doubling strategy, students were introduced to near-doubles like 4+5, 9+8, and 7+5.  Applying their knowledge of double facts, students practiced to fluently add near-double facts when solving word problems.  When problem solving, students also practiced using the C.U.B.E.S. strategy: Circle the numbers, Underline the question, Box the keywords, Evaluate and draw, Solve and check. 

​​In Social Studies...

• In triads, students shared their family trees and questionnaires.  They talked about  where their families came from, holidays or traditions their families celebrate, and special foods and cultures their families have.  Students had lots of fun, not only sharing about themselves, but also learning about their classmates.  Later, they created a double bubble map to make comparisons with themselves and some of their classmates they shared with.  Students learned that even though many of them have different cultures, many of them share similar holidays and traditions.  

• Students had a blast on their field trip!  Check out the photo page.  They got to see what life was like living on a plantation years ago.  Student explored homes, got to dress up in traditional clothing, played musical instruments, and played a popular milk cover game the plantation kids played called pogs...if you're a local here, you know what they are!  

REMINDERS AND ANNOUCEMENTS

• A Parent/Teacher Conference appointment form went home last Thursday.  If you have not turned it in, please do so ASAP.  Thank You!
• Parent Involvement Forms are now overdue, if you can make it and have not submitted your form, please do so on Monday so we can have an accurate count for supplies for our event on Thursday 9/27 at 8:15.  Thank you!
• Students have resources classes on Monday due to the Friday schedule change.  They will be having PE.  Please have them dressed appropriately.
• Assessment folders went home on Friday.  Please review the two assessments that were included, sign the top, and return them with the folder on Monday.  Thank you!