I'm going to post pictures to tell the story of our week...
What I wish every desk in every classroom could look like this EVERY day...
oh, how I LOVE the COW!!
Mrs. Humerick's class joined us to research Maryland...it was the state we used to model taking notes and finding specific information using the online resource CultureGrams.
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This week we continued listening to different versions of Cinderella. On Thursday, Ms. Johnson read Bigfoot Cinderella...definitely a favorite! Each student has read two to three versions independently and heard at least three others...we have dissected Cinderella like never before...we've discussed perspective, alliteration, theme, author's message, and every element of a short story...this coming week they will begin to write their own!
Then it was time to choose a state of their own to research. Each student chose a different state! Their end product is a brochure encouraging others to visit their state. They must include facts about physical geography, climate, and natural resources. They must have text and pictures. They must have a map and flag of their state. I can't wait to see their final products!
I introduced a second source for gathering information. After using CultureGrams we went to Encyclopedia Britannica for Kids and found new information there! The kids were very excited to visit different resources and gather information...you've never heard the room so quiet!! ;-)
In these photos, many kids are wearing headphones...they could listen to their state bird while researching their state. This was a BIG hit!
What else did we do? Well, one of my favorite lessons wasn't even planned. (I love it when that happens!!) We had headed to specials without putting away the computers, so when we returned from recess and lunch they still had them on their desks. I decided we'd use them for math. Each student used CultureGrams and visited the "population" page to look at the bar graph representing the percentages of ethnicity/race in their state. We had a great discussion about these bar graphs and then did a gallery walk to see how the different states compared and differed. THEN the kids found the population of their states...they wrote that very big number on a file card, and WITHOUT any talking, they lined up from smallest population to largest population. We made a circle around the room and then each student read the number aloud and told us the name of their state...from Rhode Island to California...our populations varied greatly!
I've been running different groups in math as we've delved into different strategies to use when solving multiplication word problems...I am so impressed at the work I'm getting out of your kids!
I hope you are warm and dry and having a great weekend!
We start Science this week...kids will be so excited!
