I'm hoping that the forecast for snow midweek doesn't silence the early morning chirpers I've begun to hear! It's a sweet reminder that spring, indeed, is in sight. Also in sight, for teachers' long term planning at least, is the end of the year and our final work together--so hard to believe! We basically have another choice book, poetry reading and writing, and Greek mythology to take use through June.
Today we visited the library to get a choice book to read with a self-chosen partner or group. Most students have chosen to read fiction, and a few have selected narrative nonfiction. Students will be reading independently, and they will meet as a pair/group four times throughout their reading to discuss their books. Topics will range from elements of fiction to connections students make to their books to language the authors use.
Students have been taking their essay writing skills to a new level by drawing evidence from multiple texts to support a thesis. They practiced this skill in their "Little Red Riding Hood" essay as well as one on honeybees. It reflects the writing expectation of the newest version of MCAS, which students will be taking in the first week of April.
There will be a short quiz on punctuation and capitalization this week (Thursday), and we will also dive into a new vocabulary list starting tomorrow.
Listen for the songbirds...and enjoy the snow if we get some!
Homework:
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday: read a bit each night to finish chunk #1 for Friday's group meeting.
Thursday night, write three ideas/comments/questions/wonderings/etc. that you can bring to your group discussion.
Punctuation/Capitalization quiz Thursday.
Vocabulary List #9
