Wednesday, Star of the Week.
Thursday, March 1, class pictures.
Friday, Pajama Day, $2.
iPads:
- I’m still missing a couple of signed consent forms for your student’s email account.
- Student iPads will not be going home until additional security filters are placed on the devices.
- Students are using their iPads to write daily in their newly created “blogs.”
- Check your student’s email account and blog often.
This week, in preparation for the fourth grade’s TCAP (formerly CSAP) testing, students will be taking mock CSAP exams in reading, writing, and math to acclimate themselves to the process.
As previously stated, we have made changes in how we’re working in the classroom:
- Reading. Some students are working outside the classroom one-on-one with an instructor, in small reading groups, and/or using a computerized reading program. Other students are reading selections at home and commenting on what they’ve read. Most students do these tasks in addition to their weekly Open Court reading.
- Testing. Students will alternate between weekly written tests and completing a study guide related to the story in order to enhance their note taking and research skills. Study guides are emailed to me, commented upon, and returned to your student via email.
- Spelling. We are not doing traditional spelling tests this month. Instead, students will either handwrite or “blog” 20 sentences employing the week’s spelling list, or use the spelling words to create a story. This provides me with a weekly writing sample of at least 200 words.
- Vocabulary. Most will use flashcards created on Quizlet.com to study the week’s vocabulary words. Others are tested upon vocabulary used in their reading outside the classroom.
- Daily Oral Language (DOL). Students use an annotation app to make editing marks on their weekly practice sheet (ask them about the Neu.Annotate and Sketchbook apps). They email me their completed sheets. I correct them online, then email them back to the student.
- Math. The routine is to pretest to see if what is being covered in the lesson has already been mastered by the student. Next, unmastered or new concepts are (re)taught. Finally, they test to determine if they have indeed mastered the concepts. Testing informs me where learning gaps exist, e.g., lack of mastery with multiplication facts and how to divide. There is daily introduction and review of math concepts. We use the iPad for quizzes and reinforcement, i.e., Khan Academy. CSAP tests released from prior years will be used in class to familiarize your student with the type of questions they can anticipate on this year’s TCAP test.
- Science. With the exception of a science biography they will write in April, and occasional reading and video viewing on a science topic, all work will be done in the classroom.
A punctuation reminder
- Flashcards. In the box.net sidebar to your right, “Week 27” includes Quizlet.com links to flashcards for:
- Open Court vocabulary, and
- multiplication facts
Please check this blog and their planners each night:
Math. All Tapes, and some Keyboards, will pretest this week. I’ll be reteaching concepts to select groups again this week. All students need practice on multiplication facts and how to divide.
Keyboards and Tapes should practice their multiplication facts daily at http://quizlet.com/421821 .
Daily Oral Language (DOL). Students edit two sentences daily in class using neu.annotate, an iPad app. Additionally, students will edit two similar sentences weekly for a quiz grade (to see if they can apply their newfound editing knowledge).
Spelling. Students are now copying their spelling words into their planners on Mondays:
- NOTE: everybody has the same spelling list this week
- NOTE: they will be doing sentences that incorporate their spelling words, therefore, NO SPELLING TEST this week
Vocabulary. All students take a five word vocabulary test every Friday.
All testing in my classes will occur this Thursday as follows (again, you can download printable study guides for reading and language arts at “Week 27″ in the sidebar on the right):
- Daily Oral Language (DOL). They’ll practice test on some of the sentences edited each morning in class. Look for:
- –Practice sentences, and
- –Answer key (available Monday night)
- Spelling.
- –Spelling list (available Monday night)
- Vocabulary.
- –Vocabulary words (available Monday night)
- Open Court. The reading comprehension exam will be comprised of short answer and multiple choice questions. It is always an “open book” test.
- –“The Big Wave“ (the story is NOT available online)
Teacherman 