This page includes subject reference material, upcoming assignments, quizzes, and assessments in literacy for the 1st term. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch via my Contact page.
09/23/09:
Oral Language: Objective: Introduce and discuss question of the day: Does it seem good to want to be isolated and alone? Why or why not?
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Examine the features of email. Compare and contrast across texts.
- Read Visiting Another Country pp.86-87
- Discuss and use comprehension strategies throughout story
- Review vocabulary words
- Practice Time Checklist
- Read Ch. 3 and 4 of “The Giver” and discuss the story to this point. Give comprehension quiz.
Fluency:
- Sight words
Notes/Reflection:
09/22/09:
Oral Language: Objective: Introduce and discuss question of the day: What do you think will happen next after the story ends?
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Review compare and contrast, summarizing, and character skills while reading the story.
- Read Viva New Jersey pp.78-84
- Discuss and use comprehension strategies throughout story
- Review vocabulary words
- Practice Time Checklist
- Read first two chapters of “The Giver” and give comprehension quiz.
Fluency:
- Sight words
Notes/Reflection:
09/21/09:
Oral Language: Objective: Introduce and discuss question of the day: What do you think Lucinda will do with the dog?
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Use context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.
- Introduce and discuss the concept of using context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.
- Read The Traveler p.69
- Discuss strategy for using context clues to comprehend words not known
- Independent exercise on context clues
- Introduce/teach vocabulary words: mongrel, persisted, pleas
- Practice Time Checklist
Fluency:
- Sight words
Notes/Reflection:
09/18/09:
Due to Power Hour today, students just worked on their Practice Time Checklist and sight words.
Notes/Reflection:
09/17/09:
Oral Language: Objective: Introduce and discuss question of the day: How do we learn to connect with others in a new space?
- Read aloud: Felita. 66m
- Build concepts 66I
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Compare and contrast information. Summarize to help compare and contrast information.
- Introduce and model compare and contrast
- Read This New Town p.67 reviewing summarization skills
- Compare and contrast guided practice
- Compare and contrast independent exercise
- Review vocabulary words
- Introduce/teach vocabulary words: corridors, destination, groping, menacing
- Practice Time Checklist (finish 2nd Mastery)
Notes/Reflection:
09/16/09:
Oral Language: N/A
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Comprehension assessment on Mother Fletcher to include vocabulary. Work on Practice Time Checklist
Fluency: Sight words
Grammar: Grammar stations in the computer lab.
Writing: Constructing a summary paragraph to add to the priviously given writing assignment.
Notes/Reflection: Students should complete their second Mastery Friday. Reminder: assigned poem due this Friday.
09/15/09:
Oral Language: Objective: Introduce and discuss question of the day: How can creative and artistic forms of expression sometimes help us understand each other more effectively?
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Examine features of expository nonfiction. Practice a test-taking strategy. Compare and contrast across texts.
- Introduce and discuss expository nonfiction
- Read The Harlem Renaissance pp.64-65
- Have students who read summarize what they read
- Introduce and discuss symbols
- Practice Time Checklist
Fluency:
- Sight words
- Model tempo and rate
Writing: Work on body of writing assignment.
09/14/09:
Oral Language: Objective: Introduce and discuss question of the day: Why do you think Officer O’Brien lied to Mother Fletcher about the invitation?
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Teach and discuss the skill of summarizing what is being read for improved comprehension. Understanding characters by examining their words and actions and the way other characters act toward them.
- Introduce and discuss the concept of summarizing
- Read Mother Fletcher’s Gift pp.54-62
- Understanding character exercise PB p.7
- Practice Time Checklist
Fluency:
- Sight words
Writing: Discuss the elements that make up the body of an essay and apply those concepts the the given writing assignment.
Notes/Reflection: Students had a hard time summarizing what they read in the text. I will work on this comprehension skill some more tomorrow.
09/11/09: We primarily worked on our practice time checklist because of Power Hour.
09/10/09:
Oral Language: Objective: Introduce and discuss question of the day: Do you like Mother Fletcher? Why or why not?
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Use word structure to determine the meanings of words with Greek and Latin roots.
- Introduce and discuss the concept of word structure and clues to the meaning of words from their suffixes, prefixes, and roots.
- Read Saving the Past p.45
- Read Mother Fletcher’s Gift pp.46-53
- Review fact v. opinion using examples from the story
- Practice Time Checklist
Fluency:
- Sight words
Writing: Finish up the introductory paragraph on given writing assignment.
Notes/Reflection:
09/09/09:
Grammar: We spent most of the day in the computer lab getting setup to do grammar workstations and reviewing our grammar skills.
Writing: Worked on writing an effective introductory paragraph.
09/08/09:
Oral Language: Objective: Introduce and discuss question of the day: Why do you think Officer O’Brien lied to Mother Fletcher about the invitation?
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Teach and discuss the skill of summarizing what is being read for improved comprehension. Understanding characters by examining their words and actions and the way other characters act toward them.
- Introduce and discuss the concept of summarizing
- Read Mother Fletcher’s Gift pp.54-62
- Understanding character exercise PB p.7
- Practice Time Checklist
Fluency: Sight words
Writing: Instruction and guided practice on writing an introductory paragraph for the given writing assignment “My Favorite TV Show.”
Notes/Reflection: Students had a hard time summarizing what they read in the text. I will work on this comprehension skill some more tomorrow.
09/07/09:
Oral Language: Objective: Introduce and discuss question of the day: Do you like Mother Fletcher? Why or why not?
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Use word structure to determine the meanings of words with Greek and Latin roots.
- Introduce and discuss the concept of word structure and clues to the meaning of words from their suffixes, prefixes, and roots.
- Read Saving the Past p.45
- Read Mother Fletcher’s Gift pp.46-53
- Review fact v. opinion using examples from the story
- Practice Time Checklist
Fluency: Sight words
Writing: Students watch Pres. Obama’s speech followed with a class discussion on what we can do to benefit society.
09/04/09:
Oral Language: Objective: Introduce and discuss question of the day: Why should we care about people we don’t know?
- Read aloud: Us and the Wind. 42m
- Build concepts 42I
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Analyze character. Summarize to help analyze characters.
- Introduce character summarization
- Introduce/teach vocabulary words: apparently, fixtures, flimsy, incident, subscribe, survive
- Practice Time Checklist (finish-up 1st Mastery)
09/03/09:
Oral Language: Objective: Introduce and discuss question of the day: How can we protect the ones we love?
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Comprehension assessment on Old Yeller to include vocabulary. Work on Practice Time Checklist.
Fluency: Sight words
Writing: Introduction to multi-part sentences
09/02/09:
Oral Language: Objective: Introduce and discuss question of the day: What factors would you want to consider in getting your own dog?
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Examine features of expository nonfiction. Practice a test-taking strategy. Compare and contrast across texts.
- Introduce and discuss the concept of expository non-fiction
- Read A Dog’s Life pp.38-41
- Discuss strategy for reading nonfiction
- Use a Venn diagram to compare the qualities and characteristics of Old Yeller and their chosen dog
- Practice Time Checklist
Fluency:
- Fluency check
- Sight words
09/01/09:
Oral Language: Objective: Introduce and discuss question of the day: What lesson does Arliss learn about wild animals?
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Teach cause and effect concepts; direct and inferential. Reinforce the concept of identifying the setting.
- Have students finish reading Old Yeller
- Introduce the concept of cause and effect; direct v. inferential and discuss
- Have students reread p.30 in text and identify two more cause-and-effect relationships
- Independent practice exercise for cause-and-effect concepts (Practice Book p.6)
- Reinforce setting comprehension skill (Practice Book p.7)
Fluency:
- Fluency check
08/31/09:
Oral Language: Objective: Introduce and discuss question of the day: How are animals important in Arliss’s life?
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Examine word structure to determine how word endings affect the meanings of unfamiliar words. Identify and describe the setting of a story to increase comprehension. Visualize to help identify and describe the setting.
- Discuss strategy for word structure, and have students read story on p.21 of their texts
- Independent practice exercise for word structure in Practice Book p.5
- Introduce Old Yeller by Fred Gipson to include genre, predictions, and setting
- Read first page to model and then have class take turns for oral reading practice and observation from pp.22-27
08/28/09 – Objective(s): Introduce concept question for Unit 1: What draws us to people and things around us and makes us care? Introduce and discuss question of the week: How can we help protect those we love?
Oral Language: Objective(s): Build vocabulary by finding words related to the lesson concept. Listen for details about setting.
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Read aloud: “Munchkin,” 18m
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Listening comprehension 18l
Comprehension/Vocabulary: Objective(s): Identify the setting of the story. Visualize the setting of the story. Teach vocabulary words.
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Introduce setting
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Guided practice for setting “High Plains Childhood“
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Independent practice exercise for setting (Transparency and worksheets)
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Teach vocabulary words: lunging, nub, romping, rowdy, slung, speckled
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Independent practice exercise for vocabulary words
08/27/09 – Objective(s): Give pre-assessment to benchmark improvement in vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension during the year. Glad to have everyone onboard and to get started! No homework tonight. In fact, there will not be a lot of homework in this class for the foreseeable future. However, I STRONGLY encourage parents to have their child read to them orally every evening for a minimum of 20 minutes. This will make a big difference in helping to improve thier reading skills.