What's Important?

This week we worked on most important word summaries with non-fiction.  As we read a piece of non-fiction text, we chose the most important word or phrase from each paragraph.  Then we use those words to help us construct a summary of the text.  This strategy was a bit challenging and awkward at first, but once we got it, it proved to really help us understand what we were reading.  Finding only one word or phrase is challenging at first and the students really had to talk it out with each other to be sure they had the correct and most important one. 

After practicing this, we used this strategy as we took the October Tungsten test.  One of the articles was on symbiosis which is a concept that we are not entirely familiar with, making this month's test challenging.  Students were required to use the summarization strategy before they answered the questions for that part of the test.  This seemed to help.  Many students kept their scores in range of where they were last time or rose them--both a great sign for a test as challenging as this month's was.  Take some time to look over your child's Tungsten with them and discuss their answer selections--both right and wrong.  Ask them to explain how/why they answered the way they did.  If you need a reminder, the web address is linked to this post--all you have to do is click on the post title and it will take you straight there.  I will place it in Places to Investigate links too.  Your child should know their user name and password.  If not, please let me know and I will e-mail it to you.

assessments.edisonlearning.com

I am so proud of the work I see each and every day from your children.  They are so ready and willing to stand up to whatever challenge I give them.  In fact, it is so obvious that they come to school everyday hoping to be challenged.  Thank you for all you do to support them.  I hope you have had time to check out the student blogs to the right.  The kids work hard and really want to be heard.  The best way to show them they have been heard is by offering them feedback to grow from.  Ask them questions and share what they are doing with your family, friends and neighbors.  All of their work has been self motivated with the exception of the literary histories and that proves how much they want to be heard.

For next week, be on the look out for our first poetry challenge.  George has challenged me to write a poem about underwater.  I will be posting both of our poems on the class site for voting.  They will be anonymous, so you won't know whose is whose.  May the best writer win.  Make sure you read them and vote.

Read over the weekend.  Don't forget your reading goals!