Our Classroom Rules

1.)  Always treat others with dignity and respect.
2.)  Always do your very best.
3.)  Always raise your hand to ask for permission before leaving your seat.
4.)  Always have the necessary materials for successful learning BEFORE the lesson starts.
5.)  Always follow instructions.

Measurement Topic 14 (EnVision Math)

SPI 0406.4.8 - Convert measurements within a single system that are common in daily life (e.g., hours and minutes, inches and feet, centimeters and meters, quarts and gallons, liters and milliliters).
BrainPop Customary Units
BrainPopJr inches and feet
BrainPopJr ounces, pounds, and tons
BrainPopJr cups, pints, quarts, and gallons

Here's a Little Experiment/Hot Topic

Today I will give a piece of candy to anyone willing to give up 5 minutes of recess time in order to respond to today's Hot Topic.  You may use my laptop if you will give up 10 minutes of recess time in order to respond to today's Hot Topic. 

When you are done, please let me know.  We will not use our real names.  We will choose a pen name just like Houdini did.  Do you remember what Houdini's real name was?  Here's a hint: His initials were E.W.  Look at my picture on the right side of this page.  Beside my name you will find my pen name. My pen name is HolyGirl.                                     

Today's Hot Topic is:

Why do you think we need to take TCAP?

To help you along you may answer questions such as

1.How do you feel about having to take the TCAP assessment?

2. Can you think of another way students could be tested?

3. Should you be rewarded if you do well on TCAP?

4. What do you think your reward should be?

5. Do you have plans to help you be successful on TCAP?

6. What are your plans?
7. Would you rather take TCAP using pencil and paper or online?

WOW!!!!

(Week of January 30)

                          Word of the Week!

Perimeter

(noun) - the measure of distance around a figure

Blog Assignment

During my research of various educators using blogs in the classroom, I found that there are a plethora of creative ways a blog can be used.  Some of my favorite uses included: 1.) Journaling, 2.) A support measure for students who are absent, 3.) Promoting longer indept discussion on various topics where it would not be possible verbally in a classroom because of time constraints and pressure on some students who may be timid or hesitant to share their ideas, 4.) Promote research, and 5.) Communicate with students, parents, other teachers and/or administrators.
One way I might use a blog with my students is for journaling  because I fell in love with the idea.  Some of my students HATE to write.  They whine and complain that they can't think of anything, and that they don't know how to put the ideas together and make them come out right.  They use their famous line: "It's too hard."  However, they LOVE to use the computer.  I really feel as though I can convince then to write using this medium.   I'm fully aware that just sending a student with very little writing skills to a blog doesn't automatically make them a good writer; however, I feel that this method would be a motivator for them to want to learn to write and enjoy doing it.
I would know if my way of blogging with the class is effective with my students by the results I receive which serves as feedback.   If I see that the students are really excited about blogging and that they are actually participating in a beneficial manner and accomplishing something meaningful, then I know that this is effective.

Week of 01/30/12-02/03/12

Standards:


SPI 0401.8.2 -  Identify characters, setting, and plot in a passage.
SPI 0401.4.3 - Complete a graphic organizer (e.g., chart, web) organizing material collected from text or technological sources.
SPI 0401.1.13 - Recognize and use grade appropriate vocabulary within context.
SPI 0401.4.4 - Differentiate among the kinds of information available in a variety of reference materials (i.e., dictionary, thesaurus, atlas, encyclopedia).
SPI 0401.8.5 - Identify the forms of text (e.g., peotry, drama, fiction, nonfiction)


Formative Assessment Focus Skills:
Various: (extended passage)


Objectives:


I can identify characters, settings, and plot in a passage. (0401.8.2)
I can use a graphic organizer to organize information from text or technological sources. (0401.4.3)
I can recognize and use grade-level words within context. (0401.1.13)
I can differentiate among the kinds of information available in a variety of reference materials. (0401.4.4)
I can identify various forms of text. (0401.8.5)

Reading

Story for the Week:

The King in the Kitchen

Vocabulary:

• duke
• furiously
• noble
• majesty
• dungeon
• genius
• peasant
• porridge

Waltkes Web 4th Grade Unit 4
Play The King in the Kitchen Jeopardy
Download The King in the Kitchen Trifold
Quia Vocabulary Game
Practice Spelling Words at Vocabulary Spelling City

Wordle

Create your own Word Cloud (Wordle)

52 Ways to Use Wordle in the Classroom

In the near future I will be adding resources here about African-Americans in honor of Black History Month (February).  Until then here is a site to get you started!!!

Scholastic's "The Top Ten African-American Inventors"