even the genius asks questions

any old school 2-Pac fans out there? anyone?

second grade science

i usually teach two science content units and then one social studies. since this is an esol pullout group, i focus on reading and acquiring the vocabulary. they are assessed on the content, but also on understanding and using the vocabulary. so after teaching the three units, we go back and review.

this week, life cycles are up!

here is the vocabulary tied to life cycles that the standards say my kiddos need to know:

click HERE to grab it.

we review this vocabulary through the use of Prezi. i know a lot of people use them as a companion for their instruction. but after i do that with mine, it becomes my mini-locos resource. they use it, talk about the words, quiz each other, look at it for spelling and writing - it's all encompassing.

this is one of my third graders working on our timeline

but also, we play headbanz. do y'all use this game? it is too fun.

we use the headbands and my vocabulary card. the kids each have a vocabulary word on their head (they don't know what word it is) and use the clues from other students to guess what word it is. so the student guessing needs to understand the word as well as the student giving the clues. 

this is what it looks like:

fourth/fifth grade reading

i teach my kiddos about identifying extraneous details in reading. it's a fifth grade standard for my mini-locos. but I have found I fall more in love with it every time I teach it. it's a conversation that is needed for reading, but i find that i bring it up more and more in writing as well. there is also a process to finding the details that requires the conversation of main idea and details.

i teach as if we are police officers working a case, looking for a group of criminals called the Extraneous and Irrelevant Detail gang. I created a packet of ten short stories and anchor signs:

purchase it HERE at TpT.

here is a freebie short story from the packet:

click HERE to grab it.

third grade social studies

we are still working on those nine historical figures that third graders in georgia need to know.

please don't read that as if I do not agree these important historical figures should be studied, absolutely! but in total, we end up with about 60 minutes per figure. that is not enough time for my students to understand the importance of Susan B Anthony and Frederick Douglass.. but, i digress.

my mini-locos finished up their freedom quilts today.

click HERE to grab your mats and fraction cards.

I'll be back with more tomorrow!!