Under the Sea

                                                     
This week included tons of research and lots of learning as well as excitement. We began our week talking about author's purpose. The kids learned that the three reasons authors write are to persuade, to inform, and to entertain.  Each student created a flip book that included the three reasons why author's write and examples of books that go along with each purpose. The kids enjoyed finding books in the Scholastic Book Order that were written to either persuade, inform, or entertain. After understanding author's purpose the students were ready to apply their knowledge to the text that went along with our theme. After our read aloud, Rainbow Fish, the students had to write a reading response of what the author's purpose was for the story and how they knew that was the author's purpose. Later in the week the students read in partners about turtles or crabs. After reading about these sea animals each pair of students used a web to help them gather facts about the topic. Then, they used the important details to infer what the author's purpose was to their reading.

            

We continued our informative research and writing on Thursday and Friday. The students read, Sea Animals in their journeys book independently, and then as a class we used the information we read about to create a web. The students then got to choose based on this text if they wanted to do further research on one of the four Sea Animals: turtles, fish, sharks, or coral reefs. After picking their topic of interest, each student created a web of facts using various informational books. The students worked collaboratively to read and find various facts to help support their main idea. After finding facts, the students used their web help them write an informational writing piece. In their writing they had to include a topic sentence and at least three details. Some students wrote more than three details and even included an ending sentence. After writing their informational pieces, the students presented their writing to the class. I was so impressed by the kids hard work on this project and their excitement!

In math, we began place value. We focused this week on the importance of using place value to help us count on and compose numbers. At the beginning of the week we practiced making groups of 10 and counting on. The kids inferred how much easier and faster this was then counting one to one. We also spent time building various numbers using a place value chart. The students used their own place value boards to build numbers 10 to 20. In addition to building number we also learned how numbers are made. For instance, 16 is not 1 and 6. It is really 10 and 6 that make 16. The students practiced using the correct vocabulary this week as they composed numbers. It is important that students see that a number, such as 16, is really 1 group of ten and 6 ones. This concept is so crucial as we begin comparing numbers next week.