2012+Planing

Start of School Planning Unit 1 Planning Unit 2 Planning Unit 3 Planning Unit 4 Planning Unit 5 Planning 2012 Pacing 2012 Technology Planning

Miscellaneous Info

 * Teachers can return to site starting Monday 8/13
 * On class meetings, do not let students fill out agendas after recess and lunch. Hold meetings before recess to lower conflict level
 * CPT meetings for upper grade will center on writing. Our first Grade 4-6 meeting will be 9/13. We'd like to meet on the fourth Thursdays as a grade level in addition to this. This will ensure we meet the CPT hours required.
 * Implement the SOAR binder system with students

Math/Board Math

 * Board Math should be up for students to look at all day; this means that if we have students work on it during math period and we are doing a swap, we need to put up the same problems;
 * Need to find a bank of problems. Julie will asks friends at Pony Express;
 * We will send students to other class with a math folio, which will have a composition book for notes, a dry erase sheet at the center of folio, and they should bring a pencil and dry erase marker.

Reading Strategies

 * Pick stick read 2-3 sentences (fast pace, kids need to stay alert)
 * SNAP: when teacher snaps switch from single reader to whole class
 * Group read, have them read in small groups. Have them write about a concept as proof of thinking
 * Consider having them do just a section, or page with group read
 * Recharge and write for small group discussions (like Think-Share w/Quickwrite
 * Pencils go in center of group to "recharge" while everyone discusses what was read,
 * Grab pencils "charged" by discussion, and everyone writes what was learned,
 * Share writing.

Writing

 * Students are generally able to write 5 paragraph essays. Rather than extend length, attention this year should be on organization, sentence structure (complexity) and word choice. More quality than quantity. Attention should also be paid to revision, and structure/organization rather than fluency.
 * Added writing pacing and genre covered in each unit to 2012 Pacing
 * It was suggested that we do mini-lessons before having students do writing.
 * It was suggested we start by honing in on the various sub-genres of expository writing.
 * We should come to agreement on WHAT common writing will be done w/each unit, and share/compare in CPT.
 * Lucinda will share some Step Up to Writing materials that are better for upper elementary/middle school.
 * The writing prompt for the first week is important, as we will be sharing student work at our first upper grade CPT meeting on 9/13. The prompt is from Write Tools and is "What is a paragraph". There was a modification made for sixth grade because most student will be doing this for the third time, but it did not make the notes from the May 2012 meeting. We need to settle this before the start of school.
 * We need to decide on the Unit 1 writing assignment that we will give all sixth graders. It will be narrative genre. Suggestion, write about a time you or someone else showed perseverance. This should be decided at the 6/27 CPT meeting for sixth grade.