So it is another week closer to the ISTEP and this is what we are doing to prepare for the test. As a district we have mapped out what concepts in Math and Language Arts need to be covered based on our past experience and standards. The following is what has been planned, please understand that it is fluid, meaning if one concept is mastered or students are struggling we will adjust our plan time accordingly.
Math:
Language Arts:
This information can be further explained through the website Smeken's Education. I created a link for you.
Math:
- U.S. Customary Units of Measurements
- Metric Measurement
- Area, Perimeter, and Volume (revisit some of the units of measurement)
- Fractions
- Elapse Time and Temperature
- Money: counting, making change, and decimals
- Problem Solving: what operations are they asking me to use
Language Arts:
- QAR (Question, Answer Relationship): Determining what the question is asking us to do to find the answer. There are two types of questions: In the Book or In my Head. In the book questions are either "Right There" meaning the answer is in one place and we can point to it or a "Think and Search" meaning there are several correct answers and they are found in a few different places in the text. I tell the kids a Right There takes on finger to point to and a Think and Search takes several fingers to point to. The In my Head has two different types of questions as well. The first type is "Author and Me" meaning it takes what they have read and some of what I know to answer the question. The answer is not directly found in the text. This is the most popular type of question asked on a standardized test. The second is "On My Own", where the question is answered by what the students knows/has experience with and is not found in the text. It is all about making connections to the reading.
- ISTEP Packets: Each week the students will take home an ISTEP packet that will be do on the Friday of the week. This packets was written by the same company that writes the ISTEP test. It gives the students exposure to the format that test is set up as and gives them repeat practice. This is a graded assignment in reading and writing.
- Constructed Reading Responses: After taking the information learned from QAR and determining what kind of question they are asking, we will work on how to properly respond. There are several steps we will take time learning about. All of the students know about a 6 point response, these lessons will take it a step further.
- Understand the task
- Restate the Question
- Provide a General Answer
- Skim the Text
- Cite Multiple Author Details
- End with Why the Evidence fits.
- Reread just your response to see if it will stand alone
This information can be further explained through the website Smeken's Education. I created a link for you.
This week in Room 209:
Math:
We are still moving through measurement. Last week we finished U.S. Customary Measurement and took the unit 14 assessment. Well...we did not do that great on the application part of the test. The students can measure using tools, they have difficulty knowing the different units and which one they would use for certain jobs. We are going to review these concepts again in smaller groups and still press forward with Metric Units.
Please use the following websites to assist at home:
Frontrow (link above)
Compass Learning (link on the Hobart Web Page)
ABCYA (www.abcya.com) (link below)
Learning Goal:
3.M.1: Estimate and measure mass and volume of objects and solve problems.
3.M.2: Use correct unit and tool to estimate and measure length, weight, and temperature.
Math:
We are still moving through measurement. Last week we finished U.S. Customary Measurement and took the unit 14 assessment. Well...we did not do that great on the application part of the test. The students can measure using tools, they have difficulty knowing the different units and which one they would use for certain jobs. We are going to review these concepts again in smaller groups and still press forward with Metric Units.
Please use the following websites to assist at home:
Frontrow (link above)
Compass Learning (link on the Hobart Web Page)
ABCYA (www.abcya.com) (link below)
Learning Goal:
3.M.1: Estimate and measure mass and volume of objects and solve problems.
3.M.2: Use correct unit and tool to estimate and measure length, weight, and temperature.
Reading:
In small groups we have been working on QAR. While I meet with two groups a day, twice a week for 20 minutes each meeting, the students are responsible for independent work. This week's independent work is due on Friday. They do have class time and should finish if they use their time wisely. If not, they are instructed to take the assignments home with them.
Daily 5 Independent work for the week of Jan. 26
Students will be responsible to read the story and complete the assignments. There will be a Reading Comprehension (open book), Vocabulary, Grammar, and Phonics assessment on Friday, along with their Spelling and Sentence tests. (I know)
Learning Goals:
3.RL.1: With support, read, and comprehend grade level literature.
3.RL2.1: Ask and answer questions about the main idea and key details.
3.RL.2.2: retell story with key details/demonstrate understanding of central message, moral or lesson.
3.RV.1: Use age appropriate vocabulary to respond to text and build/apply new vocabulary.
3.RV.2.2: Identify relationships among words, including common synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, homophones, and multiple meaning words.
3.RV.3.1: Recognize why authors use words an phrases in stories, including figurative language, literal and non-literal.
3.RV.3.3: Recognize the meaning of idioms in context.
I have found a wonderful teacher who has shared her hard work. She has taken each story from our Journey's reading and created a link for each story, along with videos, spelling words, vocabulary words. It is worth a peek and I use it in class too.
In small groups we have been working on QAR. While I meet with two groups a day, twice a week for 20 minutes each meeting, the students are responsible for independent work. This week's independent work is due on Friday. They do have class time and should finish if they use their time wisely. If not, they are instructed to take the assignments home with them.
Daily 5 Independent work for the week of Jan. 26
- Read to Self: Read the story Tops and Bottoms a trickster tail on page 430 of the Journey's book.
- Read to Someone: Work with a partner to reread the story and complete page 179 & 180 in the Reader's Notebook
- Word Work: Reader's Notebook page 183, 184, 185, & 186
Students will be responsible to read the story and complete the assignments. There will be a Reading Comprehension (open book), Vocabulary, Grammar, and Phonics assessment on Friday, along with their Spelling and Sentence tests. (I know)
Learning Goals:
3.RL.1: With support, read, and comprehend grade level literature.
3.RL2.1: Ask and answer questions about the main idea and key details.
3.RL.2.2: retell story with key details/demonstrate understanding of central message, moral or lesson.
3.RV.1: Use age appropriate vocabulary to respond to text and build/apply new vocabulary.
3.RV.2.2: Identify relationships among words, including common synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, homophones, and multiple meaning words.
3.RV.3.1: Recognize why authors use words an phrases in stories, including figurative language, literal and non-literal.
3.RV.3.3: Recognize the meaning of idioms in context.
I have found a wonderful teacher who has shared her hard work. She has taken each story from our Journey's reading and created a link for each story, along with videos, spelling words, vocabulary words. It is worth a peek and I use it in class too.
Meet Edward Tulane
We are reading one of my favorite books, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. It is about a self-centered china rabbit, that goes on a journey through the lives of other characters and learns how to love. Each day we read a chapter or two and then write a response to what we have read. We learn about character traits though this assignment and learn how readers pay attention to what they have read.
We are reading one of my favorite books, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. It is about a self-centered china rabbit, that goes on a journey through the lives of other characters and learns how to love. Each day we read a chapter or two and then write a response to what we have read. We learn about character traits though this assignment and learn how readers pay attention to what they have read.