We are going to be starting pen pals with a class from Donovan Elementary School in Randolph, MA. As I explained to the students in the classroom, I used to teach at Donovan so I am familiar with many of the students, their siblings, and a little of their background. A lot has changed in the past 3 years since I worked at the school. So I am really looking forward to correspondence between students. Check out our pen pal's class website. Below is an episode of Arthur that teaches about pen pals. Although we didn't watch the whole episode in class, it may be worth watching to see the conclusion of Arthur's experience of having a foreign pen pal. To watch an episode of Arthur about pen pals, either click the link or watch the YouTube video below.
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We are beginning a new venture in the class, KidBlog. Get excited!!! In class, we will be using KidBlog in Literacy. Students will be writing about their reading, science experiments and other activities in school. Check out the link for more information. Below is a YouTube video the explains how KidBlog has been used in other classes. Please check in with your child and ask questions about KidBlog in the classroom. Last night I spent a great deal of time reading. Reading what you wonder? The news. Yup, the news. I feel like I could bring back the newspaper business all by myself (not really, but it would be nice). Although I spent a good deal of time reading about politics and weather patterns, I was also able to get brought up to speed on the events that are happening in the Middle East.
I also spent some time getting caught up on some Children's Literature. Most of my students have read, are currently obsessed, or are missing out on reading a book by Rick Riordan. Those are the reasons that lead me to pick up Mark of Athena. I've read the other books in the series and the fast paced action hasn't let me down. I'm not done with the book yet, but, I feel safe recommending this book to any student who loves adventure, heroes, action, and a little mushy love story. I've really have enjoyed setting aside a half an hour to read every night. I find that the time spent reading is what I look forward to most in the evening. I know that the kids will be tucked away and asleep in bed, I'll be able to curl up and read without getting interrupted. It is nice knowing my time won't be wasted while I aimlessly watch TV. Spending time reading is more important that filling out the reading log. But how can I, the teacher, ensure the students spend time reading and thinking? Book Review by Hannah C. Overall I would say Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney is a great book. If you like funny chapter books, this is the right book for you. I would say it's a balance between realistic fiction and fiction. Some of my favorite parts are when the main character, Greg, wants to stay inside all summer long. But his mom wants to take him to the town pool. So one of Greg's fears is public places. And Greg was asked by his mom to go into the bathroom with his little brother Manny. Greg sees sights he wouldn't want to see. WORST DAY EVER! And how could it get any worse? Many goes and pees in the pool. Gross! For more information about the book, check out Jeff Kinney's website. Last night I completed the Tuesday row in my reading log. No need for a standing ovation or fun and exciting music. Why none of the fanfare? Because I am supposed to be reading every night. However, last night I over came lots of excuses and challenges. One such challenge I overcame was I really wanted to watch the Democratic Debate. Although I'd had enough screen time this weekend with all the football I watched, how could I turn down the opportunity to learn more about the potential future president of the United States of America? Knowing that I was expected to fill out the reading log, I buckled down, turned off the TV and laid down to read. It wasn't too hard for me to get lost in my book. Usually I am sucked into the story by the end of the first page. It must be because I am very impressionable. But last night, it took me about a sentence to get sucked into the Kingdom of Wisdom from the book The Phantom Tollbooth. I was almost done with the book so it was easy for me to keep reading until I finished. Once I finished reading The Phantom Tollbooth, I took ten minutes to rock my screaming baby back to sleep and started working to complete another book. I began reading The Orphan Master's Son. Knowing that I expect my students to read at least thirty minutes of a book in one sitting made my leap into the text worth while. I've been reading The Orphan Master's Son for a couple of weeks. Not because I was bored with the story. Not because I didn't have the time to complete the book. I had been reading the book for a number of weeks because I didn't want the story to end. I wanted to live the story for as long as possible. Setting aside the time to read really was enjoyable. I finished two books that were really good. One was a classic children's literature tale and the other was a Pulitzer Prize winner. Without having the dedicated time to read, I doubt I would have finished either one of those books. Now the question for tonight is, what book should I read? At back to school night a parent asked me how do we help our kids on homework. I answered the question by saying, "Ask you child to show you their process." However, A few days ago a student put my words into friendlier fourth grade words, "When I get stuck, I start with what I know." Give your child multiple chances to work or tinker with the problem and explain their thinking. See the chart below that is a good way for you to assist your child.
When I looked at the graphic, I realized the graphic doesn't just represent how to help your child with homework, it will also help you build an independent learner who is able to take risks. Try thinking about how you solve a difficult problem. Do you feel yourself going through the same steps? If so, then you can relate to your child and show the importance of persistence. The students are embarking on new and uncharted territory in fourth grade. Today the students were given two different writing assignments that will be due this upcoming Friday, October 16th and Wednesday, October 21st. Long term assignments have presented difficulty for many students in fourth grade. Things parents could do to help students be successful in this endeavor are:
FAQ "Mr. Bruff, do I really have to complete both assignments if I've already done one book review already?" Yes. "Which assignment is due first?" Which ever you'd like to complete first. If you haven't finished a book yet, I'd start with the summary about your reading to be turned in on Friday, October 16th. Then, I'd finish reading a book and write the book review to be turned in on Wednesday, October 21st. "Could I make an iMovie or trailer for the book I've read?" Of course, have fun. What is most important is students spending time thinking about their reading. "What is a book trailer?" See the YouTube video below for the book trailer for The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. Click the link to see a student book trailer for The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. It has been a long time since I've had to fill out a reading log. In fact, the last time I had to fill out a reading log as a student, it didn't really go very well. Partly because I didn't do it. I always thought it was pointless. Why do I need to fill in these empty boxes? What page did I start at? Am I ever going to see this reading log again?
Maybe I was never used what my teachers taught me about reading logs while I stared out the window of my elementary school. Now I use Goodreads in multiple different ways to act as my reading log. It doesn't accurately show the time I spent reading daily or anything like that. I use it to help me chronicle books I've read, get better recommendations for books to read, and I use it as a way to connect with other readers. My hope is that filling out the reading log along with the students this week will add some much needed structure to my reading life. For me it is easy to make excuses for why I don't set aside more time to reading. With two young kids, planning lessons, coaching basketball, and procrastinating about doing odd jobs around the house, it is easy to find other things to do than read. So it is easy for me to understand where my students are coming from when they say, "Mr. Bruff, I didn't have time to read last night." If I can really understand what it is like to carve out reading time and stick to it, maybe it will give me some insight into a fourth graders mind during their reading time. Generally, I am super pumped and motivated about starting a new challenge. Filling out the reading long this week is a challenge that I am extremely excited about. Although I am motivated to do the reading, I am not very motivated to fill out the reading log. It is most important that fun, critical & independent reading is done. Fitting it in has always been the issue. Now that I will be creating the time to do the reading, I'll have to spend a few minutes recording the reading I did. It sounds like a drag now, but this week I will write about the experience and hopefully I'll look back to see if my feelings stayed the same or improved. |
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July 2016
A Noteworthy 4th Grade Bowman Blog
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