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One of the key skills in Mathematics is that of problem solving. Being able to solve real-life problems in word form is soooooo important! One of the strategies we use is a bar model. I had attended some workshops on Singapore math a couple of years ago, so I have some knowledge of the strategies. I love teaching bar modeling, it makes so much sense. The students did so well on their understanding that I had some of them explain their thinking.  We have been practicing our oral reading abilities with a terrific kit from Lakeshore Learning, called Readers' Theatre. The students absolutely...LOVE...it! It is a kit with several different topics. Each topic has four cards with four different speaking parts (already highlighted for each person, Neat!) We are always working on the FACES of being a good reader (Fluency, Accuracy, Comprehending, Expanding our vocabulary, and Stamina), these kits are fantastic for that. First the students do a "cold" read. A cold read is when you read something you have never read before. You are decoding and chunking and slow. Next the students do a "hot" read. A hot read is when you have read something before, and you are able to fly through it. Some of the students took it a little further and added a little "flair." I swear...some of them are ready for the bright lights of Broadway!  We did several activities to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this past week. First we did a Q and A, or rather an A and Q. I put a poster with the answer "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." in the middle of it. The students had to show their knowledge of MLK Jr. by writing a QUESTION that would have the answer of MLK Jr. The students did awesome! They came up with a lot of detailed questions that showed how much schema they had about MLK Jr.  Then we did a Poem Party. I gave each of the students a line from a poem about MLK Jr. I did not tell them the idea or theme of the poem. They had to meet with a partner to discuss their line and then move on to another partner. By the time they had switched a few times, they were starting to get the idea. We then read the poem as a whole and discuss the meanings of the stanzas and lines. We read the book, Martin's Words, as a wrap up. It's a powerful book, focusing on the words of his, such as dream and live and peace.  |
Mrs. Pamela WandersenHello there! Archives
June 2020
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