Happy Near Year everyone!
I had a fantastic day back with my 5th graders. I was a little nervous about returning. I have anxiety about preparing my students to the best of my ability for the PARCC assessment here in Louisiana. I know my students will do the best they can, and some will get it and some won't. I'm definitely frustrated with the PARCC assessment and our benchmark assessments. However, I believe in my students! I will teach them not only how to take these types of tests, but how to tackle comprehension questions, vocabulary questions, and writing prompts. I've been preparing my students all year. We've been focusing a lot on comprehension, text-based writing, and research projects.
Although I had a lot of nerves about the upcoming test practice, I really enjoyed seeing my students faces today. I was so excited to hear about their winter breaks. I assigned new seats to my students, so I did a team builder. I had my students do a Round Robin and share 3 things they received for Christmas, 2 things they enjoyed doing, and 1 thing they enjoyed eating. The kids loved it! We also went over their project requirements and read more from Number the Stars.
We are almost finished with Number the Stars. I'm not going to test them on the book any longer. We are on chapter 12. Once we finish the novel, I've decided to do a timed writing. The students will get to choose from three prompts relating to the novel. They will also be able to use the book to provide evidence for their writing.
Along with the enjoyment of seeing my students, I was also so excited to see some of my fantastic coworkers! I don't know what I'd do without my ELA cohort, Cheri. She is such a great friend, mentor, and teacher! I was also so glad to see my 5th grade team and any more!
I hope you all had a wonderful start to your new year and 3rd 9 weeks!
