This past week our theme has been the power of words. Words are the essence of language, of how we communicate our needs, our concerns, our questions, and our passions. Throughout the week, we kept coming back to this idea that words can be powerful, purposeful, and meaningful. Believe it or not, I distinctly remember sitting in school for many years listening to teachers use words that I did not know. It was assumed that I did, but I didn't. So, I stayed quiet. My parents were told that I was so well mannered and listened so nicely. But deep down, I knew that it was really that I felt afraid and powerless. I did not want others to know that I lacked their comprehension. I did not have any tools to help me grasp the language around me. From the moment I started teaching, I took a vow to myself that I want each child to feel safe in my classroom. I want to give my students the tools needed express their thoughts, and ultimately the power to take ownership of their learning . As you read below, you will find many ways that we look at words and apply them to our studies and our lives.
During our book a day time, we listened to Noah Webster and His Words. It is about how Noah Webster created the first American dictionary. We also listened to Max's Words and Miss Mary Reporting: The True Story of Sportswriter Mary Garber. In all of these books, words are what give the characters a sense of purpose an a freedom to communicate and explore the world around them. Memorizing words can be difficult. We all have different strengths and sometimes rote memorization can be taxing. With that in mind, my colleagues and I felt it was necessary to start teaching students how to break down words as a means for understanding a word's meaning. So, we started "Word Part of the Week". Word Part of the Week is the study of one prefix, root, or suffix. We isolate one and recognize how by knowing the meaning of this word part, we can probably figure out the meaning of the word. For instance, the prefix "in-" means not. So if we know this then we know that "incorrect" means "not correct" and "incapable" means "not capable". By knowing just one part of the word, we have the power to figure out the meaning of the entire word. And once we do that, we have the power to apply that word! We also began our study of academic words. Every two weeks, the students will receive a new academic vocabulary list. The 12 words on the list are words that we are using everyday and that are embedded in the curriculum. By pulling out these words from our studies and highlighting them, students will start to use them regularly in their discussions with one another. Their understanding of the curriculum will heighten and they will see the purpose in understanding the meaning of these words. In addition to our academic vocabulary, the 4th grade team is honing in on 11 critical vocabulary verbs and nouns that are aligned with the Common Core State Standards. We are using common definitions from the book, Teaching the Critical Vocabulary of the Common Core. These 11 words are words that I am constantly using in our learning targets and in oral and written instructions. I want students to understand what they are being asked to do and to take that obstacle out of the task itself. Knowing the meaning of a word gives us the power to use it and apply it. Through jingles, cheers, and dialogue, the students are learning the meaning of these words and applying them in their work. Each week this trimester, the students will be practicing a new critical vocab word. I have a video of the students singing the "Summarize" jingle. Comments are closed.
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Welcome to Room 314!
Have fun following our fabulous 4th grade journey! Important Dates
August 22nd- First Day!
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September 2018
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