Thursday - 3/26/2015

Today was a pretty good day for the most part....
Of course I had to deal with the constant interruptions and silliness of 4-5 of the boys who STILL have not grown up....
And yes, there were some problems at Gym and Lunch....
But for the most part.. in Room 401... it was a good day!

• 1st - ELA Test Prep "CIA K-9 Corps"... we read the article and then talked about what the prompt was asking them to write... today we focused on the 3 parts of an intro... and how most of it is FOUND right in the prompt... We did our hook (tell a story, ask a question, use an interesting quote, build suspense) - we decided on the "tell a story" option for our hook.  Then we did part two, inform the readers of the text we are using.  And finally, we look at the prompt and inform the reader what we will be discussing (which the prompt has already told us)... We color coded each part so the kids could really see how easy it is to write a strong and effective introduction.  We had just enough time after that to read a chapter in our class novel "The BFG".  It was a cute chapter about 'soda' in giant country - and instead of the bubbles going up they go down.. so you don't burp, but you "wizzpopple".  I really love this book because so many of the words are made up that the students have to really try hard to use context clues to find the meaning of the words.
• 2nd -ReadyGen 3b.5 - We read pages 23-28 and again practiced using context clues to understand unfamiliar words.  For writing, we read an article on Yellowstone Caldera (supervolcano) and in pairs they worked on making another Sun Graphic Organizer - Main Idea in the center, rays are all supporting information.  Then they volunteered to come up to use the document camera to share their results.  
  
• 3rd - Review of 8.1 - 8.4 by looking at the reteach of each section.  We then went and checked the homework (practice 8.4) and answered three questions they were confused on.  We then looked at section 8.5 (same as the earlier sections, now just with word problems).  We worked through the sections underlining and circling the clues the book gives you for how to solve the problems.
• 4th - Chapter 8 Review - I took the chapter 8 Test - version B and made slides.  We worked through the entire thing and the kids saw how very easy it was.  They are also finally getting the fact that they have to learn to multiply and divide with ease... memorizing facts allows you to do that... all of math is built around it...  Parents - buy your kids some flash cards for all their math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division).   Let them put those into their rote memorization and just have it.  Then when they try to do the processes we learn, they wont struggle with the numbers.   You will hear some people say that we shouldn't just memorize their facts... I say this.. did you start off spelling and writing, or did you learn your ABC's by memory first... it is the starting place so you can do things with them...  Chapter 8 Test TOMORROW!
• 5th - GYM with Mr. Hoffman.  I sat in the gym with them while they warmed up.  Everyone was doing well so I went to make copies.  It turns out that those 5-6 boys who like to play and goof off, as soon as I left, started goofing off.  :-(   NO BUENO!  
  
• 6th - Lunch - The kids got in trouble for the mess they made at the table.  Food all over, MILK was spilled on the floor.  When I asked the student who spilled it to get the mop to clean it up, he got very upset and did two swipes of the mop then sat down and refused to do it.  I finished it.  In my book, you spill something - no biggie, clean it up.  That is your responsibility as a human to clean up your mistakes.  Accident happen, just do the right thing an fix them.  Acting out and refusing is not the best option. 
• 7th - HIV Lesson #3 - Facts and Myths about HIV.  We did our lesson on the ways this virus is transmitted and then answered a series of True or False questions.  I told the kids to take the quiz home and test your knowledge tonight as well.   

Homework:

• ELA Test Prep #46
• Wrting - Article #2 - Yellowstone Super Volcano - read the article, highlight or underline important information, and finally create a sun graphic organizer to practice Main Idea and Supporting Details.
• Math - Chapter 8 End of Chapter Review 
• Math - Salamander Math - Multiplying Fractions by Integers Sheet #2

Scholastic Book Orders came in today for Dilenny and Albert.  I passed out the April order forms for 4th Grade and Arrow.  The due date for ordering is next Thursday.  This way, they can be back when we come back from Spring Break!  Right after spring break - ELA and Math State Tests!