Photo Credit: from Always 13’s photostream on Flickr.com\

Overall, this was a hard week for a couple of reasons. First, I spent the prior weekend at a conference/traveling, which was fun but takes a bit out of me. Next, halfway through the week (Wednesday to be precise) we went to minimum days for parent conferences, adding the chaos of a schedule change to my life. Last, there was a holiday inconveniently placed neither at the beginning, nor end of the week. I made good use of the time off, but it was disconcerting to come back…for one day.

First Grade

I am still floundering about how to proceed. I did a series of activities, and videos on short vowels, and started to approach long vowels, then I couldn’t figure out how to proceed. I’m back to short vowels next week because I just don’t have great material to work with on the long vowels? I think maybe I just need to put on my big girl panties and go for it. I usually find I get it together after I write this post, so thanks for indulging me.

Second Grade

Kevin Jarrett and I did a rush job trying to get together individual VoiceThreads for the pair up of our two classes. Because of the change in schedule in both of our schools for parent conferences, we won’t be meeting online in Skype until after Thanksgiving. I’m moving onto friendship from manners and etiquette in our unit about Kindness.

Third Grade

We’re digging into habitats, and vocabulary around this more deeply. I’m using a nice organizer with pictures to do this. I think I’m going to put it up on their Web page this week. I’ll try to share it then.

Fourth Grade

Still circling around the “formula” for unit pricing and comparing on that basis. This week they tried to decide which painters tape roll was better to buy based on the amount they needed.

Fifth Grade

Finishing up watching a video on Galileo in preparation for a writing assignment they will start next week. I did have a group do notes online as we were watching the video in a chat program. I need to have them look it over and see whether that worked, and maybe edit and share it with the class. Too much to do, too little time (the periods are cut to 35 minutes from 45 during minimum days).

Sixth Grade

Started a lesson on rights by sharing a video I had made about the Rights of the Child, then having them write about a right they thought children should have. They did a really good job. Last time I did this (with fifth graders), they wanted to write about obligations, rather than rights they should have. I’m pleased. They will be using this as the base of a persuasive writing assignment.

Here is the video I showed: