Wednesday in Room 304

I can't say that the talking was any better today.  The social bug has hit Room 304 and Mr. McDougall is NOT HAPPY about it.  We have to pull it together because we have two more weeks and we cannot afford to lose any instructional momentum.

• 1st and 2nd - Math Block
• Today was our last day of assessment for Chapter 5.  Today we did the performance task for chapter 5.  To make sure that the students had every possible chance of performing well, I went over question by question, reading the question to them, underlining important action words and tasks... helped them set up the tables, underlined exactly what the had to do... The only thing they had to do was think about the process and do it.  Sadly, many students have still not worked at learning their multiplication facts.  
• As students finished their performance task, they moved to Chapter 6 and did the "Show What You Know" for that chapter.  The kids looked nervous that we are moving into division now.  I told them, if you learned your multiplication facts, division is JUST THE REVERSE.   5 x 5 = 25 turns into 25 / 5 = 5.  Same facts - just reversed.  Time to study!!

• 3rd/4th - Literacy Block
• Today during literacy block we worked on how illustrations and words can contribute to understanding of the text.  We focused on "descriptions" and "dialogue" and how they contribute to understanding.   We also focused on how these descriptions and actions can show us the mood of the story.  We watched a short video that helped them start thinking about MOOD!
• We read Chapter 9 and 10 of the Year of Miss Agnes.  We summarized and used the text to answer questions about the characters and the changes that are taking place.  Chapter 9 was about how the village is changing because winter is coming and people are leaving to go hunting.  Because the people were leaving, that means some of the older kids had to leave or help at home.  Miss Agnes showed her dedication by meeting them at night and giving them assignments to complete while gone.   The reading also showed that the community was relying on Miss Agnes to learn as well.  The last chapter talked about the celebrations taking place and MOOD of the village.  The students were able to find several examples of how the village was HAPPY!   They were also able to state their opinion about a comment one of the characters made about "knowing everything she needed to in life".  
• 5th - Lunch
• 6th - Gym (Mr. Hoffman is absent - Gym in class with Ms. Galan and Sub)
• 7th - Social Studies
• We read the second section of Unit 2 on Nigeria.  

Homework:

1. Math
1. Finish "Show What You Know"  pgs 299-300
2. Study vocabulary Cards after Show What You Know
3. Study Division Tables (Backwards Multiplication)
2. Reading
1. RWJ page 97
2. Read your IR book 30-45 Minutes
3. Writing
1. Lesson 2A.8 - Written Response