Franklin Teaching Journal

September 8, 2009

Math lessons today included a game aspect to the lesson for the one section, and a practical aspect to buying things to insure you have the right amount.  Classroom culture is still very much low key with disruptions nonexistent. Students very much self-absorbed in reading when not directly involved with a classroom activity. I can see the second week that the shock and awe of week one has diminished and the new students are learning the routine and picking up their speed on exercise completion.  We did not listen to the Presidents speech on education as children this ager would probably not get very much if anything from it.

9:05 Announcements, Pledge, and instructions on fire drill later this morning.

9:10 Math - Again a split group.  Math is the only subject that we split the group.

10:00 Weekly book walk for students to get new books for the week.  Review again of Just Right books.

10:30 Snack

10:41 Recess

10:56 Active-vote was used for the 1st time this year on short quiz on Just Right books.  Children enjoy and all got through the technicality of using the voting eggs.

11:20 Wash hands

11:30 Lunch/Recess

12:20 Science - Introduction to plants.  Students made binders and did a Mind Map to link ideas together.

1:30 Library

2:00 Silent read.

2:33 Recess

2:43 Daily agenda, pass back, weekly homework packets handed out.  Student expected to work no longer than 20 minutes a night.  Note accompanied for parents to understand homework routine.  Pack-up

3:00 Read aloud done by me.

3:30 Dismissal

• Math exercise game was go fish math with 5 cards dealt to make 10.  2nd graders did money math and close to 100 exercise alone this time.
• Review again about Just Right books.  Read title, read back page, read 3-4 pages with 1-2 words on each page you do not understand.
• Ensure children are eating snacks if they brought them.
• Watched Discovery Channel movie on plants and did quiz at end.  I was surprised how they retained higher level science concepts.  Students did a turn and talk to compare thoughts on what they saw.  Asked to cite at least 2 things they learned from film.
• Brain Rest

After school all the interns met with our field instructor Jan Retag.  Last week in September there is no school but good time to observe other classrooms.

MT met with parents of prospective student for last seat in class.  Lael reviewed the Quest program with them and left them to decide if the program is right for their son.