Third grade language students are practicing formulating and writing complete sentences using correct noun-verb agreement. The sentences need to contain a subject and verb (predicate). The students will organize their sentences in the correct order to form a brief narrative. They will be introduced to transition words (first, next, last, also) that help them to sequence ideas.
Older students continue to focus on support and elaboration. The fifth graders have used graphic organizers to brainstorm reasons, examples, and supporting details in response to a prompt. Next week they will be introduced to various strategies for putting these ideas into words when writing.
This week students at the jr. high discussed text related to topics they are studying in science and social studies. For example, seventh grade students read notes from Mr. Little's blog and listed reasons that colonists settled in the New World. They gave the reasons and then provided evidence or examples and interpreted their significance. This group identified how the early settlers were able to accomplish their goals. The groups used colored post-it notes to differentiate between evidence and interpretation, and organize ideas.
