March 18, 2015

We had a wonderful Wednesday in Grade 3/4 today!  Here's how it went down:

1. Opening Exercises - we did independent reading.  Some of the students are having a tough time sticking with one chapter book.  By this point in Grades 3 or 4 they should be able to read an entire chapter book (at varying levels depending on the student of course).  If your child would enjoy it, why not plan a trip to the public library over the break?  There are so many books there, and I'm sure many would appeal.
2. Math - the Grade 3's did some estimating and measuring with measuring tapes and the 4's worked on estimating area and then measuring using pattern blocks as units.
3. Grammar - we worked on commas in lists, as well as commas after Yes, No, and Well, when they start a sentence
4. DPA - guess what?  The majority of the class wanted to play Dungeon Ball again!  
5. Music - with Mr. Banman
6. R.W. - we read the remainder of Chapter 1 from These Are My People and worked on some comprehension questions, many of which pushed the children beyond the first level of Bloom's taxonomy of thinking (knowledge) and into comprehension and even a bit of analysis, which was challenging for many.  I'd like to continue pushing some of their current limits in thinking and encourage them to realize they can answer these types of questions if they take the time to truly reflect, reread if necessary, and apply themselves.  Sometimes the answers aren't just black and white, but more of an opinion or synthesis, which I know all of these children are capable of. I'll get off my soapbox now. :)
7. W.W. - we worked on the lab today, as some of the students are onto their published copy of their Typical Day writing, which is typed.  
8. S.S. - Today we learned about the pioneers encounters with the First Nations, and talked about how it it might have felt from both sides.