« March 2006 | Main | May 2006 »

April 26, 2006

Brusha Brusha

Everyone brushes his or her teeth, but could you describe the process to someone that had never done it before?

List the steps to tooth brushing then compile the steps into an expository paragraph.

What were the results of your description?

Students followed the assignment above. The directions are mighty sparse you might say. Yes, that's true and for a reason. As we begin our expository writing unit, it is important for students to realize how explaining the steps to a process need to be very clear and specific.

This was made very clear when I took out my toothbrush and a large mug of water and tried to follow the directions written by a variety of students. Not one of them had specified that the paste goes on bristles; they just instructed the reader to put water and paste on the toothbrush. They were mighty shocked when I put water on the entire toothbrush and the paste on the handle. Their next assignment is to rewrite their paragraphs with more detail and specific information.

Posted by Krodman at 02:18 PM

April 24, 2006

With testing behind us and five more weeks of school remaining, it is time to squeeze in as much learning as possible. Math students will be making a subtle change this week. Seventh grade students will begin working in the Saxon 87 book and sixth graders will move up to the 76 book. Everyone seems excited about the change and the challenge.

Posted by Krodman at 04:03 PM