Thursday, August 21

ELA - We completed our daily grammar work and moved onto writing.  Today we focused on setting our peer review parameters.  As 5th graders, they're expected to give meaningful peer reviews and move beyond the "I like your paper" type comments.  Our current central idea is about how we use processes and procedures to create order so we applied that principle to how we function when we write.  Students worked with table groups to come up with leveled comments that were aligned with our 1-4 grading scale.  Then I passed back the homework so they could practice using what they wrote during the week.  Students wrote three peer review comments and completed a 10 minute free-write to make changes to a part of their story.  A small number of students in each class didn't turn in their homework, so they did a round robin writing activity that helped them practice narrative strategies.

Notes from both classes

SS - I started my new informational writing unit titled, Preview to the Civil War:  People, Events, and Conflicts.  The first few lessons will focus on identifying and understanding informational text features.  That being said, I need a baseline of what the students already know.  Together we read "A Woman Named Truth" from A History of US:  Liberty For All? 1820-1860.  Students worked with a partner to identify informational text features, ask pre-reading questions, answer post-reading questions, summarize the text, and find factual evidence.  Based on what I saw, students need practice in identifying evidence and summarizing texts.

The social studies assessment is tomorrow.  Students should know the Bill of Rights and the Amendment Change Process.  They can use their study guides or the quizlet to study the Bill of Rights.  Many students also took home their notebooks to study the Amendment Change Process.  If they didn't, the notes are below.  

We have new recess equipment...TETHER BALL!

I was also proud of the kids, they set up their turn-taking procedures quickly and equitably.

Españoles de clase con la Señora Speed es maravilloso.