Why Do Elephants Have Trunks? Sentence Building

Our sentence building question for this week was: 

Why do elephants have trunks?

Some favorites this week:
If they didn't have trunks they would not look like an elephant.
If they didn't have trunks they couldn't breath.
Elephants have trunks because the crocodile pulled it that way.
Elephants have trunks so they can paint.
Elephants have trunks so they can spray themselves with water.

Lesson objectives:

• Review adjectives-how using describing words create better sentences for the reader
• Review synonyms
• Use the online dictionary to find synonyms
• Create a colorful list of words to add to our vocabulary
• Have fun while learning

I learned that elephants can paint! My students repeatedly said that elephants have trunks so they can paint. I asked them, "Are you sure"? Well, they schooled me this week. Check it out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZxSPSWxwjI

Why Do Pirates Wear Eye Patches? Sentence Building

A very quick sentence practice that we are doing in our class. 

(Question found on Pinterest)

Day 1

Directions:

1. Answer the question with 1 complete sentence. Explain why we do not start a sentence with because.
2. Edit with "Gimme 5"
3. Present your answer to the class before adding it to the board (practicing our public speaking skills!)

Students can "Gimme 5" or tell me the 5 things a sentence needs:

• Capital Letter
• Subject
• Verb
• Makes Sense
• Punctuation

Day 2
The following day we discussed ADJECTIVES. I love describing words! We played a game from the Florida Center for Reading Research, where there was an item in a bag. We needed to use our describing words to see if our partner could guess what it was.
We then filled out describing words for common things like Moon, Dinosaurs, Cats and Dogs.

Day 3 
Directions
1. Review ADJECTIVES
2. Grab your sticky note sentence and highlight the subjects or nouns
3. Add the nouns you choose to the boxes and add 4 describing words
4. Transfer your adjectives to you new sticky note and improved sentence.
5. Present your new and improved sentences

Our new and improved 7th grade sentences!! We are shooting high since we are 4th and 5th graders. What do you think? 

The students loved it..and wanted to create the next few questions. Look forward to: Why do elephants have trunks? and Why do Ninjas have swords?

Common Core Standards:

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1a Introduce a topic or text clearly
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1b Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1b Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.

Exit Ticket with Movement

In my quest to be a great educator, build lifelong learners, follow research best practice and to utilize what I am learning in my technology cohort class..I am trying some new things.

After listening to a webinar (BretfordUniversity) about movement and looking at the research, I created an exit ticket outside my door that was a review using a hopstotch game. This webinair discussed how, "Movement is an essential factor in how people learn".

Students reviewed 2 strategies that help us become better writers. 

Gimme 5- 5 essential elements to a sentence

• Capitalization
• Subject 
• Verb
• Makes Sense
• Punctuation

MINTS-When do we capitalize

• M- Months, Days, and Holiday
• I- When the letter "i" is alone 
• N- Names
• T- Titles of movies and books
• S- Sentences

The students had a fun time and increased their speed in saying what things go in a sentence and what things we capitalize with each time they did the hopscotch. They even asked if they could do it during lunch!!

Homophones and Multiple Meaning Words

My students struggle with homophones and multiple meaning words. So they are creating a super visual to remind them of the difference. I found an amazing online site that has researched based activities that I have been using and the students love. The Florida Center for Reading Research has an amazing intervention page and has activities by grade level and reading subject click here.

 We reviewed that a multiple meaning word is 1 word (like a bug has 1 head), 1 word that has multiple meanings. Example for our bug is the word Bug: 1) an insect 2) to annoy someone

 We are looking for multiple meaning words/bugs to add to the ground at the base of our tree.

 Our homophone tree began with a pair of pears. Students have really been thinking about homophones and will even stop while we are reading when they make a discovery!! "Hey, I found a homophone." Anyone can add to the tree as long as the word or pair of words is not already there. We also are using this as our exit word wall reading practice.

It will be full by the end of the year!!...actually I couldn't wait to show you how much the kids have loved this..in just a couple weeks. The students come in at recess because they have found a word to add to the tree!!!

And because we want another way to remember what 2 words that mean the same thing..homophone pairs on a pear tree..pairs of shoes..we wore our homophones on our feet!!