Mathematics.
Is this number sentence true or false?
4 + 5 = 6 + 2
The key point for the students to understand is that the '=' sign means 'the same as.' So I would first get them to say the sentence as it is written:
4 + 5 is the same as 6 + 2
Then we have to solve BOTH of the questions on either side of the equation and write the answer on the top:
9 8
4 + 5 = 6 + 2
Then we would say the sentence out loud to see if it makes sense.
9 is the same as 8
This is obviously not true so the answer would be FALSE! I would also be encouraging the students to write down every step that they take to shoe their working out.
We did start our unit on Shapes and Patterns and started off with looking at the difference between 2D and 3D shapes. We have also started making our own 3D shapes and most students have finished their first triangular prism!
Writing.
Micah came into the class and sat down.
We then had 'robot' Micah show what he did to arrive at class. We stopped him every so often to give a sentence about what he did. We came up with this:
Micah opened the door to the classroom. He went straight to the cleaning equipment and got the spray. He walked to his table and cleaned it. The put back the spray and sat down.
Taking these small steps helps the students pad out their stories without feeling overwhelmed to write details about the sentences they already have. It also helps to organise their work!
We also had a cross over lesson with guidance on Thursday as we talked about emotions (they brainstormed some in guidance) and how we could incorporate them into their writing. The students began some new pieces about a time that they were angry (furious, cranky, grumpy, gruff) and who they could show how they came to feel that emotion!
Reading.
Social Studies.
We then looked at situations that happen at school and how we could solve them. This gave me a chance to talk about 'big problems' and 'small problems'. We talked about how big problems require us to look for help from others or a teacher (someone falling down and hurting themselves very badly for example.) We then talk about small problems and how we could solve them ourselves (someone drops their pencils on the floor.) All of these were tied into our classroom agreements of We are responsible and caring. I even got to act out some of the problems using my trusted puppets Pyon-Chan and Utsubo-kun! Have a look below and ask your kids how they would solve these problems!