Week 29 is stormin' in...

WEEKLY OVERARCHING TOPIC (social studies):  

What's a "hero" or "heroic act"?

WEEKLY WORDS/VOCAB:

perserverance

obstacles

endure

overwhelming

ordinary

MATH:

A continuation of multi-step real life problems (directly from the smarter balance practice test), in this we have been approaching both basic operation skills, logical inference, critical thinking, patterns, charting, and all sorts of fun math stuff.  We typically dissect the problems together, with the expectation that each student writes notes down, and attempts a part of the problem.  It's been going great!

Wow, the weather has us inside and full of energy!  Things are going well today.  We had a long presentation of the weekend from the kids.  

We than had an excellent group.  We role played various "emotional" words.  The students had to charade the words and/or describe a scenario.  It was difficult but inspiring to see the students do this.  It brought up some deeper feelings and we also had some fun laughs.  

Some of the emotion vocabulary that we acted and came up were:

scared

angry

abandoned

left-out

jealous

envious

disappointed 

overwhelmed (this was a very difficult one to guess)

devastated

ignored

unimportant

This allowed us to address emotions that students struggle with and smom that are present in the classroom.

OUR AFTERNOON WILL INCLUDE:

Silent reading

A read aloud, that focuses on biographical stories.  We will have a brainstorming poster activity focused on our weekly topic, a short educational video.

Wednesday
Block 1 Morning Math "Smarter Balance" Whole word problems...
Snack/recess
Block 2 The Writing Lab (Weekly Topic)
Class Break
Lunch Recess
Silent Reading & Sharing
Block 3 Close reading (weekly Topic)
Level Incentives

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are 14 billion pounds of trash is dumped into the ocean every year.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Block 1 Morning Math "Smarter Balance" Whole word problems...

Group 1) 2 students
Based on yesterdays review, 2 students will play a multiplication review card game.

Group 2) 3/4 students
Dissect a smarter balance math problem.

Independent Workers) 2 students
Practice Smarter Balance Test & Khan Academy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Block 2 The Writing Lab (Weekly Topic)

http://visualmelt.com/Andy-Goldsworthy

A part of being an artist is having a "purpose".  We will look at Andy Goldsworthy and investigate his purpose as an artist, which is connected both to the environment and art.

Some of his purpose, Natural sculptures by Andy Goldsworthy.

"Andy Goldsworthy is an extraordinary, innovative British artist whose collaborations with nature produce uniquely personal and intense artworks. Using a seemingly endless range of natural materials—snow, ice, leaves, bark, rock, clay, stones, feathers petals, twigs—he creates outdoor sculpture that manifests, however fleeting, a sympathetic contact with the natural world. Before they disappear, or as they disappear, Goldsworthy, records his work in suburb color photographs."

LAB ASSIGNMENTS:

Option 1:  Choose one of Andy Goldsworthy's images (andy goldsworthy in google images), post the image and describe what you think of the image, what it makes you feel, whether you like it or not and/or create a "6 word poem" associated with the image. 

Option 2:

Create an artist statement.  This will include your reasons for your art.  It will have details about a new "series" you are going to create.  You will talk about what inspires you to do art and what you want your art to "say" to others.  

• Are you making art for a cause?  
• Are you making art to focus on a technique?
• What type of story do you want your images/art to tell?  
• What subject are you drawn to?

Option 3:

Create a story bird (www.storybird.com).  This storybird will talk about the environment and connect to an issue you have looked up.  You can think of it as a "children's book" explaining why some part of the earth is important to you (animals, oceans, forests, etc.).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Block 3 Close reading (weekly Topic)

Monday
Sharing...
Block 1 Morning Math "Smarter Balance" Whole word problems...
Snack/recess
Block 2 Group
Class Break
Lunch Recess
Silent Reading & Sharing
Block 3 Introduce a weekly Topic (Video Learning)
        Vocabulary
Level Incentives

Math:

Nicky has 4 packs of pencils. Each pack contains 15 pencils. In each pack, 5 pencils are blue and the rest green.

Create a bar graph to show how many of each color pencil Nicky has.

Click the graph to show where the top of the bar should go.

https://sat2.sbacpt.tds.airast.org/Student/Pages/TestShellModern.aspx

WEEKLY TOPIC

Oceans and Waterways

http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/Discover_Planet_Ocean/70208791?trkid=13752289

http://ca.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/1e3a8e34-9912-4542-b739-f40033665bcd/1e3a8e34-9912-4542-b739-f40033665bcd/

F. Funnies, Student Activity, Game, Drama, Fun Frrrriday

Happenings...

Meets & Greets (Funnies a la student)
Block 1  Student led activity 
            Game
Snack/Recess
Block 2 Drama->St. Paddy Day Style
Class Break
Lunch/Recess
Silent Reading & Sharing
Block 3 Fun Friday (Weekly Behavior Incentive!!)

Leprechauns Everywhere!!

Thee Day

Meets & Greets
Block 1 Katniss Quote Assignment and Choice Projects
Snack/Recess
Block 2 Literature Groups
Class Break
Lunch/Recess
Silent Reading
Block 3 ART/SCIENCE ->Borax Crystals! Shamrocks!
Level Rewards

Block 1 Katniss Quote Assignment and Choice Projects:

  Student's have chosen a quote from our reading that represents and reveals character traits of the protagonist.  This morning they will post them in Edmodo and write a description or opinion about what it reveals about Katniss, why they used it.

 Choices: When finished, students can do an independent project (storybird, smarter balance assessment,Edmodo, Blogs)

  

Block 2 Literature Groups:

Lit groups have been rolling right along! We are doing some awesome reading, analyzing text, or group Rave-O is building those skills!!

Block 3 ART/SCIENCE ->Borax Crystals! Shamrocks!

http://www.thediscovery.org/PDF/Borax%20Mineral%20Activity.pdf 

The Write Wednesday

 Thee awesome day...

Meets & Greets (two sharers)
Block 1 Morning Math
Snack/Recess
Block 2 THE LAB!
Class Break
Lunch/Recess
Silent Reading
Block 3 Stations with Ms Jessica
Level Rewards


The odds of finding a four leaf clover are about 1 in 10,000.

 






















Math Reasoning

Yesterday, we had a in depth discussion on a sample math problem from the "smarter balance" assessment, that involved: rounding to tenths, decimals, chart graphs, understanding order, and how to explain differences when a math operation is changed.  We'll start by review what we went over and then will move on forward in the testing process.

https://sat1.sbacpt.tds.airast.org/Student/Pages/TestShellModern.aspx

THE LAB, DA NA DA NA NAh

Introduction to the character Katniss (and her persuasive qualities?)

Whole Class: Read Aloud
Partner Reading
Edmodo Assignment, poem, song, or paragraph that clearly defines your opinon on Katniss the character.  Is she persuasive?   What qualities make her persuasive?  If she's not to you, convince the reader why.

Throughout the next two novels, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, Katniss becomes the symbol of a rebellion for the twelve districts against the Capitol's oppression.

REBELLION->

the action or process of resisting authority, control, or convention.

"an act of teenage rebellion"

synonyms:

defiance, disobedience, rebelliousness, insubordination, subversion, subversiveness, resistance

In Katniss Everdeen we see one of the more intensely emotional characters to be held up as a hero in contemporary pop culture. But she is not emotional in the neurotic or hysterical sense nor is she a victim of self-absorbed “drama.” It is real, raw emotion in the face of relentless hardship that pushes her to her absolute physical and emotional limits. All throughout Catching Fire she cries with sorrow. She screams with pain. But her naked display of vulnerability is not a sign of weakness. On the contrary, it is proof of her strength. For it takes great courage and strength to strip away the many layers of emotional armor and falseness that we become accustomed to wearing.

 

Half Day Tuesday, Just Math and Literature (JUST?!)

Thee Tiny Day, 
 Meets & Greets
Math (Review times grids & practice fancy word problems from smarter balance)
Snack/Recess
Literature Groups (3 Now, Rave-O, Warriors, ?)
Class Break

See ya tomorrow!





The first U.S. theater was established in New Orleans.

Comparing Art of New Orleans

M. Math. Group. Literature

Monday, Monday, Thee general schedule...


Meets Greets Images and Sentences
BLOCK 1 Math (Critical Thinking and problem solving)
Snack/Recess

BLOCK 2 Group with Tana (therapy/emotional management/social skills)
Class Break
Lunch/Recess

BLOCK 3 Readers Theatre (Persuasive)

New Orleans is where opera was first performed in the U.S., back in 1796.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2014/03/carnival_and_mardi_gras_2014.html

BLOCK 1: Math ((( + - / X )))

Five swimmers compete in the 50-meter race. The finish time for each swimmer is shown in the video.

Explain how the results of the race would change if the race used a clock that rounded to the nearest tenth.

http://sampleitems.smarterbalanced.org/itempreview/sbac/index.htm Mark Item for Review 42959 Students are running in a relay race. Each team will run a total of 2 miles. Each member of a team will run  of a mile. How many students will a team need to complete the race? Choose the correct number. You may use the number line to help find your answer.

Block 2: Therapy Group/Social Skills/

We've been working on various strategies to improve our student's emotional and behavioral health.  Last week, we discussed how to "take ownership of one's behavior".  We had an icebreaker, then discussed what it means to take ownership of our behavior.  The student's actively shared examples.  We then did an activity where they created scenarios with marshmallow characters and tried to show a character "taking responsibility for their behavior.  This is an extremely important concept for our students, many struggle with honesty to behavior and misunderstand the importance behind accepting responsibility for negative behaviors.  It's imperative for our students to progress in relationships by understanding this concept.  We will continue working through this topic.


Block 3: Reader's Theatre

Continuing with persuasive writing and thinking, we will look at some examples and read out a reader's theatre "The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs", then watch the video version and have a discussion and write up to follow.

How does the wolf persuade the reader?  Look below and tell me if you think the wolf has a valid argument?

FF, Choice Work, Theatre, & Behavior Rewards!!!

Gotta  Love Fridays

Morning meets n Greets
BLOCK 1 Choice Lab
Snack/Recess
BLOCK 2 Drama Time (Problem/Solution)
Class Break
Lunch/Recess
Clean up/JOBS
BLOCK 3 Behavior Incentives

th, Book Fair, MATH!! , Art Session

“The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.”
― Jack London

Le Schedule...
BLOCK 1 BOOK FAIR!!!
 Meets & Greets
Student work share (blog, storybirds, etc)
Snack/Recess
BLOCK 2 Math, Math, Math
Class Break
Recess/Lunch
Silent Reading and Book Presentations
BLOCK 3 Art Block
Level/Behavior Incentives



“Don't raise your voice, improve your argument."

[Address at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton, Johannesburg, South Africa, 23 November 2004]”
― Desmond Tutu

Guest Artist possibility:  http://www.theshoesurgeon.com/

Thee day!
Meets & Greets
Morning Math-> Smarter Balance practice!  Let's do this!
Snack/Recess
The Writing Lab (and reading)
Class Break
Lunch Recess
Silent Reading
Read Aloud
Choice Work time?? (Literature or tech writing) & Ms. Jessica
Level Rewards

+-X/+-X/MATH+-X/+-X/

Smarter balance practice!
https://sbacpt.tds.airast.org/student/

Testing the test system, parents: information will be sent home.

http://www.smarterbalanced.org/resources-events/faqs/

The Writing Lab

Introducing "Persuasive Writing"

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1a Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1b Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1c Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically).
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1d Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

What does it mean to persuade?

Think Candace from Phineas and Ferb!

WHOLE CLASS: Brainstorm words associated with persuasion and arguments.

per·suade~

pərˈswād/

verb

verb: persuade; 3rd person present: persuades; past tense: persuaded; past participle: persuaded; gerund or present participle: persuading

1.

cause (someone) to do something through reasoning or argument.

"it wasn't easy, but I persuaded him to do the right thing"

synonyms:

prevail on, coax, convince, get, induce, win over, bring around, coerce, influence, sway, inveigle, entice, tempt, lure, cajole, wheedle; More

So what we're trying to do is...

convince an idea

persuade someone to believe something

and sometimes just argue or side or point

Writing Lab Assignment Choice:

Choice 1: EDMODO CHARACTER POST


Find a character from TV, a book, or the movies whose primary role is to persuade.

Paragraph 1)


On Edmodo post a description about their traits (what they say, what they do, how they act) and using details (at least one example) write about why they are a persuasive character.  Try using some of the terms that go with persuasion (examples given).

Paragraph 2)

Write why you like or don't like the character you described.  State your opinon on whether you think they are good at being persuasive or not.

Then, find a video or image that shows them being persuasive (like the Candace example).



Choice 2: SCHOLARSHIP LETTER FOR THE BOOK FAIR

Write a persuasive paragraph to earn bookfair money.  This is like a letter for a scholarship.  The letter would be at least 2 big paragraphs to be considered for any amount.  

First paragraph)

Describe why you deserve the book, point out things that you've made progress on, ways that you contribute to class, and anything else that honors who you are.  (Do not just put "I am awesome", you have to describe why).

Second paragraph)

Describe why books are important.  Give reasons why books in general are important or why you want a specific book (details on why the book is so cool).

Third paragraph)

Tell me what you will do in the future to work towards and earn the scholarship.  Will you help in class more with jobs?  Will you be a positive role model?  Will you do a daily job for a week?

Literature Read Aloud

(persuasive example)

Choice/or Station

1. Work on persuasive project
2. Blogs
3. Storybirds
4. Ms Jessica
5. Creative project

M. Sharing, Vocabulary fun, Group, Quick Math (SB), Reading

Thee Day, 

Morning Greets & Meets
BLOCK 1Apples 2 Apples (Vocab Activity)
Snack/Recess  (Rainy likely)
BLOCK 1Therapy/SS Group (Anger Management...)
Class Break
Lunch/Recess (Rainy likely)
Silent Reading & Sharing
BLOCK 3Smarter Balance Math Practice
                Literature (Whole Class)
Go over Homework
Level Rewards

BLOCK 1:AM VOCABULARY
Apples to Apples
We will use appleS2apples to look at vocabulary and pick out descriptive words.  ONCE each student earns a "green card", they will then do a vocab exercise throughout the week for that word.  This will be the student's word of the week!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLOCK 3
Math in block three will be two parts, one is practicing multiplying decimals up to the tenths (money value), by doing the first line of their homework.  Next, we will try one smarter balance math question (the new test for students coming out).  We will walk through this as a class.


 Info about smarter balance:

http://www.smarterbalanced.org/parents-students/