I've used the metaphor of a Broadway show when I talk about the school day, but today seems more like a sports game. It's the holidays and children will be thinking about the fun to come. It's also a time where I want to close a few units before Thanksgiving, hence timing, energy, and focus will have to be good.
We'll start the day with a math vocabulary activity as morning work. The activity is quite easy and a good review so students will likely get right to work. After school assembly and as students snack, we'll review the vocabulary and the multiple/factor card activity. Snack n' Math assures a quiet, thoughtful audience. Then students will return to completing multiple and factor cards 1-100, together we've completed about 25 so hopefully we can complete another 25 today. Then it will be quick transition to math RTI where I'll continue to review rounding with my small group.
Lunch will bring a short rest, then a quick 15 minute transition where we'll play "What's My Rule" altogether, then off to gym (while students are at gym, I'll prep the room for the "green screen" filming). After gym is reading workshop, and that will be a tricky time as I will support the play group's dress rehearsal while finalizing two book groups with a meaningful discussion. We'll film the "green screen" version of the play with the rest of the class as a quiet audience (and my college son as the helper) after reading workshop then move into a short recess and then a film about animal adaptation to prep for an upcoming field day focused on that topic.
Yes, a busy day with many important transitions and lots of key learning points and experiences. I'll wear clothes I can easily move in as it's important that I'm quick too. Is this good learning? At this time of the year and this point in each learning experience, yes.
The day in the elementary school classroom is jam packed with multiple initiatives going on at once--it's a joyous, engaging day when orchestrated or strategized well.
Thanks for joining me in this visualization. Now I'm off to start the "game."
