Costa Rica

Just returned from a great trip to Costa Rica. Went zip lining and hiking in the Arenal - Lafortuna  rain forest area. All I can say is "Simply amazing!" I saw howler monkeys, sloths, snakes, frogs, parrots, toucans and a whole array  of the most gorgeous flowers and greenery that I have ever seen. I took some great pictures and video to share with my students. Below is a picture of the Arenal volcano. I was mesmerized by its power and beauty. From where I was staying, it looked like the "perfectly" shaped volcano...just as if one of my students had drawn it. 

Nonfiction Writing Process Chart

My students are currently engaged in a nonfiction book club unit of study. They absolutely enjoyed series book clubs and giving them the opportunity to talk about their nonfiction books is becoming an even bigger hit! 

Because I always like to link my reading and writing units, students will continue with nonfiction writing as well. This is the nonfiction writing process chart that I put together. It is adapted from the chart included in the book Nonfiction Matters by
Tony Stead. I put different pictures on it and added a couple of bullets of my own. I like to use this chart when the kids are working through nonfiction reading and writing units. It contains editing and revising points that are easy for the kids to follow. They each have one in their writing folders. They are laminated and the kids use a wet erase marker to track their progress through the steps.

Class At A Glance

Hi Everyone! 

Hooray! Hooray! It's a snow day today!

We got 31 inches of snow from this storm!

Below are the tracking forms that I put together to keep track of the different types of writing my students have been engaged in during our work in the Persuasive/Opinion Writing Unit of Study.

Teaching word problem strategies in Math this week...I have the kids writing their own "Math Stories" and sharing them with each other. They are really enjoying this work. 

We started with developing an anchor chart recording the operation and the key words that go with that operation. They came up with all that was needed...I then had to get them to use these "key words" in their stories. 

We wrote one together in the meeting area and then they went off to work with a partner. Tomorrow they will create their own. Below is the paper I will have them publish on.