1) Our Interactive Reading notebooks are rocking! I love using notebooks in this class. Now that I don't have to deal with making the foldable basic designs, I am loving how my students are using them! We have finally broken into reading groups, and we are practicing our jobs using other Chris Van Allsburg books.
In my unit we use: Two Bad Ants, Polar Express, The Widow's Broom, Jumangi and Queen of the Falls. I love all of the perspectives and uses that Van Allsburg writes with. Although is not a solid focus, I take time when each group meets to talk about perspective, and biographical sketches. I'm hoping my students will use these books later on when they have to make text to text connections and they can cite evidence because it is in the notebook! LOVE!
2) Our Interactive Math notebooks are getting a pretty good workout as well! This week we are working through the properties and learning about Least Common Multiple and Greatest Common Factor. This is one of my favorite topics because I can bring a little bit of literature into my math classes. Have you ever read The Librarian Who Measured the Earth? This is a great story that mixes Social Studies and Math. Erathosthenes was a librarian in Ancient Greece. He is probably most famous for his accuracy in measuring the circumference of the earth, but he is also responsible for discovering that all of the numbers we use can be broken down into a set of prime numbers. I do an activity on a hundreds chart with my smarties before I show them how to use a PRIME LADDER to find the LCM and GCF. No more factor rainbows. I use a product that I created with a foldable. You can check it out {HERE} if you are interested.
3) In social studies we are also making great strides using our Interactive Notebooks. Currently we are looking at River Civilizations. I am teaching a reading skill with each unit that we do, and this unit is Cause and Effect. A lot of essential questions revolve around how the river affected life during Ancient Times. Right now we are focusing on Mesopotamia. I never realized all of the inventions that we use that came from Mesopotamia, including improvement of the wheel and sailboat, as well as the idea that there are 60 seconds in a minute, and 60 minutes in an hour. Here is a look at our Cause/Effect charts. The circled words are the vocabulary words with the unit. We tried to add as many as possible to the foldable to keep reinforcing them.
4) My Little Man is a soccer player extrodinaire. He joined a new soccer club this year, and one night we went up with his team to Syracuse University and he was a "mascot" for the team. Basically, this means he got to walk out on the field with the players, and then play on the field at half time. This was really cool for him, but even more for me. The goalie for SU is one of my former students! It was so awesome to see what an amazing player he has become. Although, I must admit, seeing him made me feel a little OLD! Lol
5) I finally managed to finish Divergent by Veronica Roth.
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| photo from AMAZON.. link will take you to AMAZON.com |
Have you read this book? My daughter read it a few weeks ago and has been hounding me to get it read so she can talk about it! I wasn't disappointed. This was a great Dystopian novel! I have to read Insurgent next. If you have read these books, let me know what you thought!
Sounds like lots of good stuff is going on in your classroom with Interactive Notebooks. I started playing around with them last year and the kids really liked them, but there's been so much other stuff going on this year......
ReplyDeleteHaven't read Divergent yet, although it's on my list. I just finished Ungifted, which was fun, and have started The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer. It may be a little much for 6th graders - very scifi. Need to finish it before I can make that decision!
Marion
MentoringintheMiddle
The children I taught in my first year of teaching are now in University - it makes me feel old!
ReplyDeleteAlison
Teaching Maths with Meaning
I have read Divergent and was very surprised that I liked it. I find it to be a cross between Hunger Games and The Giver, but more descriptive than Hunger Games. I am starting the second book today! I also enjoyed your comments about notebooks. I have tried this with my classes, but need to work on it a little more! Thanks fro sharing!
ReplyDeleteCarol
Teachers Are Terrific!
Your notebooks look wonderful! We have been using our notebooks everyday and loving them too:). I just wish I had snagged more comp books when they were on sale this summer!
ReplyDeleteInsurgent is as good as Divergent. I have to admit; I binge-read them both in just a few days. I love me a good distopia:)
ReplyDeleteBrandi
My Teacher Friend
I have read them both and am anxiously awaiting the release of Allegiant on the 22nd. It has been sooooo long between releases of books that I have pretty much forgotten what happened! I do remember that I absolutely love them though. Especially Tris and Four! Love your blog, also!!
ReplyDelete