August 30- September 3
For great math fact practice web links check out: Math Web Links
Social Studies
We are starting our first main group project. Each table group is working on one topic:
- Native American Governments (especially Cherokee)
- Native American Foods
- Native American Music
- Native American Art
- Native American Houses
- How horses changed Native American life
The groups will research the topic, decide how they want to present their learning on the wikispace, and decide who will do what.
The project is fairly open-ended. I want to see what kind of work the groups will do if I do not put limits on what is expected.
Social Studies Test: Thursday, Sept. 2. Students can use Social Studies Guide #1 (in the Three-Ring Binder aka 3RB) to study. There will also be some information on the test that is not explicitly stated on the study guide. The study guide is only meant to be a helpful tool to guide the studying of content.
Reading Calendar Starts Wednesday!
Science
As we become better scientists, you can become more aware of the world around you. Pay attention and observe closely; ask questions and conduct research; poke, probe, prod, and play. Get down close and watch a fly or notice the texture of a blade of grass.
Why Poetry Friday?
Several reseach studies seem to indicate that there is a correlation between a student's fluency and comprehension when reading. However, training a student to read more fluently does not automatically mean he can comprehend better, at least not in my experience or in any research study I have been privvy to. What seems to be the case is this: the more fluently a student can read, the more energy she can put towards comprehending the text. If reading fluently is difficult, it seems all the student's energy goes into decoding the words, and not much attention is left to what is actually being read.
We do Poetry Friday for two main reasons. First, it gives students an opportunity to develop their fluency and comprehension. Before Friday comes, each student should have practiced a selected poem at least ten times out loud. And when it comes to poetry, we don't simply want to read it fluently; we want to read it with prosody -- all the inflection and intonation and variations in rate and volume changes that make poetry so fun to read aloud. To read with prosody, a student really must understand what she is reading. The second reason is that I love poetry so much and enjoy it on a regular and personal level. I hope to ignite an interest in poetry in each of the students, including the boys.
Mrs. Newton's class keeps a poetry notebook, which she is going to share with us and we are going to include as a part of our Poetry Friday routine.
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