Busy, busy

Tuesday:
We began our day with M4T and Ohio Dailies and then in our meeting, we shared our favorite songs and for as much as these guys listen to music, they can't name their favorite songs! We played a little game of "Finish the song..." where someone would begin a theme song or any song really and the rest of us finished it. Then, in Science, we started by drawing a picture of a dinosaur then discussed how we were able to draw a picture of something we've never actually seen in person--fossils! and read a book about fossils. In Math Workshop, we took our post-test over unit 7 and our pre-test for unit 8. Most only needed to answer a few questions for the post-test as they did well on the check in we took before break. We had Art, lunch and indoor recess and then read more of The Fourteenth Goldfish. Today's reading was kind of blah to me. We're still learning more about Melvin (grandpa) and the relationships between him and Ellie and him and Mom and there are some funny parts but after reading such amazing and dramatic books earlier this year, this one is just kind of ok for me. Has your kiddo mentioned it? We read independently and then in Reader's Workshop, worked on inferencing with "Lost and Found" from StoryWorks. We analyzed the comparing/contrasting about the oak and birch trees and then improved the writing to make it "really good" not just "ok."

Wednesday:
This morning, we completed our M4T and Ohio Dailies and in meeting, shared what homework we did last night--some didn't do anything and others read while only 2-3 completed some math work and no one had started or worked on their book review writing yet... we played coseeki and it isn't much easier with less people either. In Math Workshop, we learned how to measure angles using a protractor and then went to Music, lunch and a beautiful outdoor recess. There was a substitute this afternoon but my plans were for them to read, Fossil Girl for Read Aloud, work on the theme in Reader's Workshop, write their own response to a reading in Writer's Workshop and learning about the branches of government for Social Studies.