Lesson Plans Index
notes
Reflections
Monday:
Few rules, many procedures. This day was about establishing procedures for getting a drink, passing papers, sharpening pencils, lining up, using the hall pass, getting lunches, putting books in the desks, returning books to the shelf, silent reading, quiet transitions, finishing work, putting work in the basket, cleaning up from lunch...I'll think of more as we go along.
Little schoolwork was done today, but I did get them to measure themselves for a time capsule, and to complete the first part of a math screening test.
Tuesday:
More procedures: hot lunch count, attendance, and inviting friends for lunch at the "party" table. (One table is open for friends to gather at during lunch - by lottery.), getting ready to go home...
students finished the math assessment, learned how to open the Alpha Smart and using the keyboarding program, they were introduced to the math reference book, learned about the orchestra program, and made self-portraits for the website.
Last year I was not as strict with the socializing during independent work periods as I should have been in the beginning. This year I've resolved to clamp down on that. In Sideways Stories from Wayside School, (which I'm reading aloud to the group) Mrs. Jewels puts the names of misbehaving (or not) students on the board. Using the book as an example of how that might work, I've started doing the same. Tomorrow, the class will discuss it and develop a set of consequences.
The difference between a rule and a procedure is in the nature of the consequence. Both are intended to preserve order, but with a procedure, failure to execute means confusion or disorder. With a rule, failure to execute results in harm and punishment.
Wednesday:
What do I do? Today we got through
most of the first math lesson - which was an introduction/scavenger hunt through the textbook, and involved literacy skills that are applicable to all subject areas.
New procedures:
- What do I do? (asked the little girl whose name was drawn to invite friends to the lunch table.)
- Where's the plastic spoons? (ie. How do we find things in this classroom?)
- The door is locked when we came back from recess!(What do we do when the door is locked?)
Jobs are being listed on the board for helpers to assist with
- attendance
- stowing the keyboards in the cart
- emptying the trash cans after lunh
- answering the phone
- keeping the date on the board
- passing papers
- managing recess equipment
- managing classroom supplies
It's time to address a few rules. The issues are raising their heads, and I'm going to let the kids participate in the assigment of consequences for various infractions. The trick here is to keep the rules simple, and the consequences easy to administer. There also needs to be a reward component to encourage the tempted and the forgetful.
- Rule for silent reading
- trash management
- lunch behavior
- interrupting/talking out of turn
Thursday:
Overheard during
Tangram intro:
- Is it possible?
- This is difficult!
- I can't...
Friday:
No Excuses Friday: This morning many of the kids came in to tell me why they couldn't/didn't do their homework. We wrote Freewriting paragraphs about homework, and the kids all heard from me about excuses, how meaningless they are. I told them that I'd rather hear, "I'll bring it in tomorrrow," than some tale of what happened because I can't do anything about what happened. I told them about the poison of ZERO in the gradebook, and I told them that no late assignment can get an A grade....
I began adding names to the board with consequences atttached...the "assertive discipline" behavioral management approach to classroom order. This doesn't work in the long run, but it may help to establish norms for behavior among the kids who want to please. I hate doing discipline, and grading, especially for homework. But it is a part of institutional culture.
Tangram Challenge (overheard)
I did it!
I solved ......'s!
Look, he's going to solve it in a different way!
I think this one is impossible!
Maybe we're missing a piece.
Hey, this one only has 14 triangles.
- Time capsule data:height, handwriting sample, first impressions of new classroom (four blocks drawing)
Students will learn about the Easy, Just Right, and Challenging rubric. They will choose a just right book and read for about 20 minutes. I will begin reading conferences. Students will respond to their reading on a journal page.
Regions: Mapping the Classroom :Students will develop a map of their room showing major features, include a title and desks on grid paper.
Sit quietly outdoors with a paper and marker. Mark all sound sources on the paper. Report back
Responding to Books: Teach students how to write about a book they are reading. Opening sentence. Details.