Learning Together

We had a lot of writing this week. After learning about the steps in a process, in Reading, we had our first "constructed written response" or CWR. For each week of learning, on the fifth day, we have a writing activity that utilizes our learning from the week. We've been learning about main idea and details. On Friday, we wrote our own main idea and detail paragraphs.

It started with a graphic organizer. We call this the "CWR Main Idea Prewriting". We wrote a topic or main idea in the center. It was something we were really good at, something we know about, or something that if we daydream, we like to think about. There were boxes for four details. We needed to fill in at least four. We had time to share and talk with people at our tables, because maybe they shared a detail about where we do the activity or the materials they use for their main idea, and we could tweak that idea for our own writing.

Then, together, we get organized. We take out our Writing notebook, side-by-side with our prewriting paper. We write our names on the top, right corner. We write the assignment title on the top left corner. We write our title on the top center. Our title is likely the main idea we wrote in our organizer. We prepare to indent. We review "hooks" (ways to entice readers to want to read our paragraph). Ms. Leom gives us time, and she helps students who need support getting started. Then she explains and models a topic sentence. We have a few to choose from or can write our own. She models how we write detail sentences, eat following immediately after the previous punctuation mark. As we work, she continues to walk around the room, supporting students who need help. Finally, she introduces the closing sentence. Students have extra work time to finish up.

With each class, we go through these steps. As Ms. Leom was teaching Mr. Greninger's group, we were excited to welcome our principal, Mr. Voshell in the room. He was quietly walking around and supporting student learning! We love how our our administrators are available and e
engaged in our classrooms, involved, supporting, ad working with students for learning!

In our flex reading groups, and Ms. Leom tries to include every student in a group at least once each week (ideally several times), she breaks down the steps, writing one at a time with modeling.

We are working together. The learning, expectations, and how-to is carefully shared with students, responding to their needs and supporting their individual success.

If your child says they are struggling, please ask them about what they are doing as the learning is happening. The opportunities are many and available to students who participate.