Monday, November 16, 2015
12:30 - 1:30; 60 min.
Science:
The animal kingdom intro -
Samantha was shown how the taxonomy of the animal kingdom starts with two divisions; the invertebrates and the vertebrates. This division is strictly associated with the presence or lack of a backbone. Samantha was tasked with identifying the characteristics that define an animal. She listed the seven animal characteristics: they must get food from another (heterotrophic), they have multiple cells with no cell wall and not chloroplasts, they move, they breathe oxygen and exhale CO2, they react, they poop, and they reproduce. She was then asked what kind of eating strageies animals use: herbivores, carnivores, omnivores. We also listed the vocabulary words associated with this unit in her text: symmetry, invertebrates / vertebrates, herbivores/carnivores, and muscular / nervous tissue.
Samantha began the session by creating two four digit numbers. She was asked to manipulate the number cards based on place value. Then she had to find the difference between the two numbers. She did a great job on this and seems very comfortable with place value. Samantha then continued to work on geometric models and identifying patterns. She experienced some difficulty with them. We will continue to work on this concept. The final aspect of the lesson involved using money to solve algebra problems. To be continued tomorrow.
Sam started class showing me the folder of Hoot work from PBDA. I asked her to complete the Chapter 3-4 multiple choice questions sent from her other school and after multiple attempts, she did not complete them by the end of class. We also entered her vocabulary words into Quizlet and sent home a paper on how to reach them online for practice. From what it appears, List 1 is also a spelling list and List 3 does not mention spelling. The various Quizlet "games" will practice both spelling and definitions. She played Quizlet:Scatter once on List 1 during class. After that, we returned to her room and team-read (every other paragraph) the About the Author page and I showed her how we do a quick summary at the end of every paragraph, even easy ones, as to have that as a habit for more difficult text. Homework was assigned.
Assignment
Complete the About Florida page
Session Minutes
60
Minutes Student Attended
60
Lesson Comments
As mentioned in person, her Hoot curriculum is terrible and she was reluctant VERY reluctant and evaded work the majority of class. She said she liked my class before but not now, I had comprehension questions and discussion questions as well, but today she wanted me to read them to her and I refused. She can read just fine. She will complete tomorrow in class or for homework if she refuses again. She does NOT need them read. Also…. She said at her old school when she messed up a word, the students would YELL the word out correctly and she hated it and wanted to go under a desk. In my opinion, that's poor leadership in the classroom. The teacher did not make that a safe place for her and that's why she hates reading. I explained that what she does is common and not a big deal at all, and everyone has things they are strong and not-so-strong and I feel reading is a strong point. Mistakes are no big deal, her fluency and inflection and the meaning of the passage are not hindered by her mistakes. (2-3 per page, she sees a word and substitutes for a similar word, or she reads a proper noun incorrectly, neither uncommon.)
Today we worked with Watch What Happens - working on reading the words and rhythms. There are many very quick words in this song, which makes it so exciting and engaging to Samantha. We sang through the song and isolated those parts with tricky words. I noticed Samantha running out of air towards the end of the song and so we also worked in hissing to streamline the breath. Inhaling for 4 counts, hissing out for 8 counts, for 16, can you make it to 20? Etc. Training the breathing muscles to "remember" how to support the voice will help her when she gets to the end of "Watch What Happens" where she has high notes that are sustained. Nice work today!
Friday, November 13, 2015
12:30 - 01:30; 60 min.
Science:
The food chain and energy lab-
Today we used beakers, an eye -dropper, and food coloring, to explore how energy moves through the food chain. First I had Samantha make labels for each of the actors in the food chain; producers, first level consumers, second level consumers, third level consumers and decomposers. We then filled one beaker with 50 ml of water, for each label. Samantha was tasked with placing 10 drops of food coloring in the producer beaker to represent the energy plants convert from sunlight. She then took a dropper and placed 10 drops from the producer beaker to the first level consumer beaker. She then took ten drops from that beaker to add to the next and so on. She took ten drops from each beaker to place in the decomposer beaker to represent the energy that us collected by the mushrooms and worms that decompose all dead plants and animals. Sam was astonished to see how the energy (or color) diminished at each consecutive step. We discussed how and why it is important to eat plants and herbivore to have the most energetic diet. We also discussed why it is silly to eat wolves, sharks or eagles, who are all third level consumers.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
2:45 - 3:45; 60 min.
Science:
Flower and sun energy -
Samantha and I examined some hibiscus flowers from the school garden. By dissecting the flower we discovered that there were parts that were full of nectar. We tasted some nectar and Sam was pleased to find how sweet they taste. We also saw that the flower had quite a bit of brightly colored and very sticky pollen, I explained how the nectar attracts insects, and these critters get pollen all over their bodies, as they move from flower to flower. This is how the flowers communicate and exchange genetic information. We discussed how plants use water and sunlight to make sugar, and animals need that sugar to use for energy. The discussion progressed to examine how all energy in the solar system comes from the sun, and moves through the food chain.
Monday, November 9, 2015
12:30 - 1:30; 60 min.
Science:
introduction -
Samantha and I took some time to get acquainted. We discussed several areas of science and looked at some parts of the science book. I used this hour to assess her knowledge and determine where in the text our lessons should begin.
Sam and I went over the steps that are involved in baking. We started with the importance of cleanliness. We also went over safety in the kitchen. Then we moved on to measuring and how accuracy is the key to baking. Sam measured and mixed all of the ingredients together for her chocolate chip cookies. Then we baked them and tried the finished cookies.
