Sixtieth Day of School

In Writing, we used a red pen to edit our work. Our process was:

• Circle words which may be spelled incorrectly. Use a spelling strategy to try and correct.
• Look for and add periods which may be missing.
• Look for capitals which may be missing.

Fifty-Ninth Day of School

In Writing today, we began the revision process (normally a 2 day process). On day one, we follow this procedure:

1. Reread
2. Act it out. (Pantomime steps to see if we've included all necessary information.)
3. Add information if necessary.

On day 2 we add even further information in the form of:

• Hint:
• Tip:
• Optional:
• Remember:/Don't forget:

Fifty-Eighth Day of School

In Writing today, we added our introduction and closing. The introduction for a 'how-to' is a way to pull our reader into our writing with a tantalizing question or promise ti learn something. The closing might contain some well-wishing or encouragement to try out what they've learned.

Math Test Results

Of the 18 students taking the math test, 14 passed with an adjusted score of 10 or better. The high score was 16.

Fifty-Seventh Day of School

In Writing, we took some extra time, went back and performed the folowing steps:

• Referred to our 'brainstorm list', chose a topic
• Touch and talked our 'how-to' idea
• Quick-sketched our plan
• Gave each step an imperative
• Drafted each step

Fifty-Sixth Day of School

In Writing today we added transitions/time order words to our steps. After review of the students' work so far, we will need to go back to square one and begin again.

Fifty-Fifth Day of School

In Writing, with our imperatives in place, we drafted the steps of our how-to.

Fifty-Fourth Day of School

In Writing today, we learned about the imperative voice and generated a list of imperatives to use in our writing. We nicknamed imperatives, the "bossy words," or commands such as: get, put, cut, stir, etc. The idea will be to put an imperative under each box as the first step of the drafting process.

Depending on attendance, we will try for a reading, language, and math test tomorrow.

In Health, we discussed safety at school.

Fifty-Third Day of School

In Writing today, we quick-sketched our writing plans. Parents: each box represents a step in the process you are teaching. If more boxes are needed, turn the paper over and draw more boxes on the reverse. Four to 6 steps is a good number for 1st grade writing. When you quick-sketch your plan, remember that it is specifically not called a drawing, but a sketch. Each box should take no longer than 2 minutes. The first box can be filled with your list of supplies/tools/ingredients. The sketches may also be labled like a diagram.

Math Test Results

Of the 20 students taking the test, 15 passed with an adjusted score of 7 or better. The high score was 13 points.

Fifty-Second Day of School

For Writing, look for the informational writing-"how-to" template writing paper which went home today. Our lesson today was to touch and talk our "how-to" plan.

Our filming studio is set up and nearly ready to go. Make sure to send candidates and interviewers to school without any green or yellow in their outfits.

Fifty-First Day of School

Due to some last minute scheduling conflicts, our filming will need to be postponed until Wednesday. So, let's save the special, no-green/yellow outfits and president speeches for Wednesday.

In Writing, we chose a "how-to" topic from our list and wrote out a list of items/ingredients we would need in our to make/explain/teach our "how-to" topic. In our next writing lesson, we will simply be touching and talking the steps of our 'how-to".

In Music today, we examined beat as an element of music and how artists utilizing music in performance have to pay attention to and take cues from musical beat.

Fiftieth Day of School

In Science, we observed a substance which has such a high viscosity that it almost seemed like a solid. But we had to conclude that it was a liquid after all as it eventually assumed the shape of whatever container in which it was placed.