Jigsaw, Partner Reading, and Balance Scales

It has been a great start to the week! On Monday in reading the students learned a new group strategy called Jigsaw. In this activity students number off 1 to 3,  this group of students numbered 1 through 3 becomes the students home group. Students were then given a comprehension question to answer based on their number. After answering the question, number groups met and discussed their answer and where in the text they found their answer. (Number groups mean all the students who were number 1 met, all the students who were number 2 met, etc.) Students then want back to their home group ( The group they started in.) and shared what they learned in their numbered group. It was the first time we did this cooperative learning strategy this year and the students did a great job.

         Caroline shares with the other "ones" where in the text she found her answer

                              The "twos" get together to discuss their answer

                   Caroline returns to her home group to share what she learned

In math on Monday we switched gears from elapsed time to mass with the metric system. Students learned about grams and kilograms. In math students used a balance scale and rice to figure out how many grams it takes to make a kilogram. The students learned it takes a 1,000 grams to make a kilogram. Groups made their one kilogram in different ways. Some groups made ten 100 gram bags and combined them to make a kilogram. Another group made five 200 gram bags of rice to make a kilogram. It was a great hands on math lesson. I love seeing the students get excited about learning math!

                                          Ben and Riley make a great team!

                                Cole tries to determine if the scale is balanced

                               Caroline decides to add more rice to the scale

                                    Chris, Hunter, and Jenaily measure and weigh their rice

                                                      " Is it balanced?"

Today in reading we continued reading and learning about the Wampanoag. Today the students learned about  how the Wampanoag lived throughout the year. What was the same about their life in the spring/summer compared to the winter/fall? What was different about how they lived in the spring/summer than how they lived in the fall/winter? Students are reading to answer those questions and use what they learn to create a Venn Diagram.

In reading the students read using partner reading. Partner reading is different from buddy reading, where two students just read together. In partner reading each student is actively engaged in the text and thinking about what they are reading. In partner reading students take turns reading and summarizing what has just been read. For example, partner one reads a paragraph, partner two summarizes what partner one just read, then the students switch roles. As I walked through the classroom I was impressed with how well the students were summarizing what their partner just read.

                                     Jack reads as Ben follows along

                                Stephanie summarizes what Caroline read

                                    Cole reads as Kaisac follows along

                                           Hunter reads while Chris listens

In writer's workshop we looked at our checklist for informational writing to see what good writers do when they write non-fiction text. Students spent the rest of the period writing their informational text.

Today in math we continued with mass, grams, and kilograms. Today students were estimating weight of objects in the classroom.

Thank you to those parents who were able to send in items from the classroom wish list. Your donations are greatly appreciated. (Especially the Kleenex, it is cold and flu season!) Thank you! :)

Remember Scholastic book orders are due Friday. This is the last book order before the holiday season.

Have a great night!

Here are a couple of pictures that really made me smile.