Wednesday December 16th, 2015

Last class of 2015!!

What a year! The semester flew by, but our class completed many objectives. Our class focused on strengthening our reading comprehension, visualization, and writing skills using worksheets, challenges, prompts, class discussion, and assigned reading. Overall the class progressed nicely, and I am looking forward to our Spring 2016 semester to help students continue their progress. 

Vocabulary

1. snowman
2. building
3. winter
4. favorite
5. stocking
6. present
7. celebrate
8. holiday
9. family
10. wrapping 

Reading

Five Minute Reading Challenge "Finish the Snowman, Tell the Story"

Students read a short, incomplete paragraph about a snowman. The exercise requested students to read the story, finish the ending of the story, and illustrate the story in the space provided. Exercise help students strengthen their comprehensions and visualization skills. Student also instructed to use 4 vocabulary words in their writing and follow our class writing checklist.  

Class Reading

Continued reading; "Magic Tree House: Night of the New Magicians" by Mary Pope Osborne - Chapter 4. 

Writing

Five Minute Creative Writing Challenge: "Happy Holidays!"

Students took 5 minutes in class to creatively write. They used a holiday themed worksheet to enhance their creative writing skills. Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization skills are not the focus of this challenge! Students have five minutes to dig deep into their creative minds and write about what they see! 

Class Writing Activity

"Is Winter Fun?" 

Students followed a writing prompt that asked if they thought winter was fun. Instructions requested students to describe if they liked or disliked winter, and explain why they do or do not like winter. Students were requested to include the following in their writing:

• Complete sentences
• Beginning, middle, and end format 
• Correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization. 
• Legible handwriting
• 3 vocabulary words (underline vocabulary words)

"Holiday Paper Chain"  

Students created paper chains using holiday themed sentences and phrases. 
They used cut out strips of paper to write their holiday sentences and phrases on. Students then began to construct each strip together to form a paper chain. Students glued and stapled their chains together so they may be used as holiday decorations! Students were requested to include the following in their paper chains: 

• Complete sentences
• Beginning, middle, and end format 
• Correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization. 
• Legible handwriting
• 3 vocabulary words (underline vocabulary words)

Monday December 14th, 2015

Last class of 2015!!

What a year! The semester flew by, but our class completed many objectives. Our class focused on strengthening our reading comprehension, visualization, and writing skills using worksheets, challenges, prompts, class discussion, and assigned reading. Overall the class progressed nicely, and I am looking forward to our Spring 2016 semester to help students continue their progress. 

Vocabulary

1. snowman
2. building
3. winter
4. favorite
5. stocking
6. present
7. celebrate
8. holiday
9. family
10. wrapping 

Reading

Five Minute Reading Challenge - "Finish the Snowman, Tell the Story"

Students read a short, incomplete paragraph about a snowman. The exercise requested students to read the story, finish the ending of the story, and illustrate the story in the space provided. Exercise help students strengthen their comprehensions and visualization skills. Student also instructed to use 4 vocabulary words in their writing and follow our class writing checklist.  

Class Reading

Continued reading; "Magic Tree House: Night of the New Magicians" by Mary Pope Osborne - Chapter 4. 

Writing

Five Minute Creative Writing Challenge: "Happy Holidays!"

Students took 5 minutes in class to creatively write. They used a holiday themed worksheet to enhance their creative writing skills. Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization skills are not the focus of this challenge! Students have five minutes to dig deep into their creative minds and write about what they see! 

Class Writing Activity

"Is Winter Fun?" 

Students followed a writing prompt that asked if they thought winter was fun. Instructions requested students to describe if they liked or disliked winter, and explain why they do or do not like winter. Students were requested to include the following in their writing: 

• Complete sentences
• Beginning, middle, and end format 
• Correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization. 
• Legible handwriting
• 3 vocabulary words (underline vocabulary words)

"Holiday Paper Chain"  

Students created paper chains using holiday themed sentences and phrases. 
They used cut out strips of paper to write their holiday sentences and phrases on. Students then began to construct each strip together to form a paper chain. Students glued and stapled their chains together so they may be used as holiday decorations! Students were requested to include the following in their paper chains: 

• Complete sentences
• Beginning, middle, and end format 
• Correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization. 
• Legible handwriting
• 3 vocabulary words (underline vocabulary words)

Wednesday December 9th, 2015

Vocabulary

1. before
2. around
3. inventor
4. evil
5. sound
6. magic
7. telephone
8. iron
9. famous
10. crisscross

Reading

Five Minute Reading Challenge

Students listened to a passage Miss Adrienne read out loud in class for specific details, so they could illustrate what they heard. Students encouraged to use creativity while strengthening their listening and comprehension skills. 

Read passage from "Magic Tree House: Night of the New Magicians"

Class Reading

Continued reading; "Magic Tree House: Night of the New Magicians" by Mary Pope Osborne - Chapter 3, part 2. 

Writing

Five Minute Creative Writing Challenge: "King" 

Students took 5 minutes in class to creatively write. They used an  image they selected off of https://storybird.com for their creative inspiration. Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization skills are not the focus of this challenge! Students have five minutes to dig deep into their creative minds and write about what they see! 

Class Writing Activity

• Write 6 complete sentences using beginning, middle, and end format. Include correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization. Please make sure I can read your essay.
• Use 3 of the daily vocabulary words in your writing; please underline your vocabulary words.
• Tell me what happened in the story with your own words. Be sure to include the following answers (in complete sentences) in your essay:

1. Who is the magician of sound and how was his voice hard a thousands miles away?
2. Who do Annie and Jack think the sorcerer is  

Monday December 7th, 2015

Vocabulary

1. before
2. around
3. arm
4. evil
5. sound
6. magic
7. head
8. give
9. hood
10. plan

Reading

Five Minute Reading Challenge

Students listened to a passage Miss Adrienne read out loud in class for specific details, so they could illustrate what they heard. Students encouraged to use creativity while strengthening their listening and comprehension skills. 

Read passage from "Magic Tree House: Night of the New Magicians"

Class Reading

Continued reading; "Magic Tree House: Night of the New Magicians" by Mary Pope Osborne - Chapter 3, part 2. 

Writing

Five Minute Creative Writing Challenge: "King" 

Students took 5 minutes in class to creatively write. They used an  image they selected off of https://storybird.com for their creative inspiration. Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization skills are not the focus of this challenge! Students have five minutes to dig deep into their creative minds and write about what they see! 

Class Writing Activity

• Write 6 complete sentences using beginning, middle, and end format. Include correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization. Please make sure I can read your essay.
• Use 3 of the daily vocabulary words in your writing; please underline your vocabulary words.
• Tell me what happened in the story with your own words. Be sure to include the following answers (in complete sentences) in your essay:

1. Who is the magician of sound and how was his voice hard a thousands miles away?
2. Who do Annie and Jack think the sorcerer is  

Wednesday December 2nd, 2015

Welcome back from break students!! 

Vocabulary

1. guide
2. exhibit
3. tour
4. dragon
5. village
6. veils
7. goddess
8. arches
9. whistle
10. structure

Reading

Five Minute Reading Challenge

Students listened to a passage Miss Adrienne read out loud in class for specific details, so they could illustrate what they heard. Students encouraged to use creativity while strengthening their listening and comprehension skills. 

Read passage from "Magic Tree House: Night of the New Magicians"

Class Reading

Continued reading; "Magic Tree House: Night of the New Magicians" by Mary Pope Osborne - Chapter 3, part 1. 

Writing

Five Minute Creative Writing Challenge: "Saltifera Sodiumicus!" 

Students took 5 minutes in class to creatively write. They used an  image they selected off of https://storybird.com for their creative inspiration. Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization skills are not the focus of this challenge! Students have five minutes to dig deep into their creative minds and write about what they see! 

Class Writing Activity

• Write 6 complete sentences using beginning, middle, and end format. Include correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization. Please make sure I can read your essay.
• Use 3 of the daily vocabulary words in your writing; please underline your vocabulary words.
• Tell me what happened in the story with your own words. Be sure to include the following answers (in complete sentences) in your essay:

1. Why did Jack and Annie get on the sight-seeing train?  
2. Describe the train ride Jack and Annie took. What extraordinary exhibits did they pass by? What countries had exhibit displayed? What did the exhibits look like? Describe as much as you can about each exhibit Jack and Annie saw on the train ride. 
3. Why was the Eiffel Tower built? What was it built for?  

Vocabulary Baseball

Baseball to strengthen writing skills and vocabulary comprehension!

Student sat at "home-base" with pencil and paper. 

Teacher "pitched" a vocabulary word to student. Student wrote a complete sentence using the "pitched" vocabulary word. A hit occurred when if the sentence was complete and the vocabulary word usage was correct; a strike occurred when the student did not use a complete sentence or the word was used incorrectly. Students were also thrown out on base if they were unable to use the thrown word correctly.