Where the Wild Things Learn
8:25-8:45 Morning Routine Students enter the room and get situated, 5 kids (lowest 5 in Reading and Math) get on the computer for extra intervention, everyone else works on morning work such as silent reading or math word problems.
8:45-9:20 Whole Group Reading We meet together on the carpet and discuss our reading skill or strategy for the week. I model reading using a skill or strategy. We think-pair-share and model together.
9:20-10:10 Small Group Reading The students work in small groups, with partners, or independently to complete reading tasks for the week. At this time I have two sessions on the computer (Reading Plus, Squla, Moby Max, and Lexia) and two sessions with me, each for 25 minutes. Reading tasks vary each week, but typically include independent reading and reflection depending on their skill, non-fiction reading and activities, and word work.
10:10-11:00 Language Arts The only thing we have time for in 4th grade in Florida is FCAT Writes. Narrative, expository, narrative, expository. My whole 50 minutes revolves around these two concepts. I try to squeeze in a couple of minutes in a mini lesson for grammar and spelling concepts, but it's so hard!
11:00-11:30 Reading Intervention Students meet with their literature circle groups to read books at their level and discuss literature! My ESOL and ESE students are working on Lexia for intervention, and I meet with another small group!
LUNCH FINALLY!!!
12:00-12:35 Whole Group Math We start on the carpet with "math talk" where we work on mental math, multiplication facts, and patterns in numbers. This takes about 5 minutes. After that I introduce students to the problem of the day. This is our challenge! We talk about how we may solve the problem. Then I teach them (5-10 minute mini lesson), the I-do part of our lesson. We do a couple more practice problems together using manipulatives, math journals, or dry erase boards. Then it's formative assessment time, typically an exit slip but sometimes we have more fun and play Snowball fight or Moving On Up (I can explain later!)
Specials- Art, Music, PE, STEM, Writing, Media, or Science Lab
1:20-1:40 RECESS
1:45-2:05 Small Group Math Students have 4 stations- Me, Independent Work, Games, and Computers- they see two stations a day, for about 10 minutes each. (We usually go over in this part of our day)
2:05-2:35 Math Intervention Students work on one standard every two weeks, reinforcing concepts that have already been taught (or supposed to have been taught). I typically meet with a large small group (about 10 kids) while other students work on games, worksheets, and assessments pertaining to that standard.