Feb+1+2010

Understanding = U Informing = I Recommending = R Deciding = D ||
 * =**Grade 4 Team Meeting **= || Date: Monday 1 Feb 2010 || Starting/ Ending Time: 7:45 - 8:45 || Place: Sheena's Room ||
 * Facilitator/Timekeeper: Steve || Recorder: Steve || Purpose:

D || What will international day look like? || Kristen will explain the schedule for international day including possible grade level shared lunch. 10min ||
 * **Task** ||  **P** || **Guiding Question** || **Background/ Process** || **Person/Time** ||
 * Propose ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * International Day || I
 * Each teacher will organize a lunch or snack celebration for their own class. Teachers will liaise with their room parents directly. Asking parents to provide a snack on either Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday is a popular suggestion
 * Poetry - it is suggested that each class arranges a poetry lesson around the theme "It's a Small World."
 * Discussion about the best ways to give students choices about which countries they visit whilst making sure they are supervised || Kristen
 * Influence Unit Reflection || **U** || What are the successes, challenges and suggested improvements for the influence unit? || The team will split into 3 groups:
 * Each group highlights successes, challenges and improvements and makes suggestions for any resources needed for next year.
 * Each group feeds back comments to Ralph for consideration for next year.
 * Successes**
 * The lesson plans were clear and well thought out
 * Resources were excellent - wiki, links etc
 * Technology was much smoother this year
 * Timing was easier this year, partially because everyone started at slightly different times
 * Kim's support was excellent, and having two people helped
 * Not having students being pulled out for Language Arts really helped give flexibility for whole class learning
 * Introducing Voice thread at the beginning of the year
 * Challenges**
 * The assessment wasn't well connected to the learning experiences and as such was challenging for kids
 * Keeping the students focused on the assessment - often the kids tended toward tourist information
 * Think about how we can better match the learning to the students developmental stage and their own lives


 * Suggestions for resources**
 * Use a fictional country so that students can focus more on the influences rather than factual knowledge
 * Having good models for the assessment
 * Assessment - give some information about a fictional country. Provide pictures of possible types of housing, clothing, food etc and ask the students to explain which pictures match with the fictional country and why. Think about giving more choices.
 * Finish the assessment before Christmas
 * Have real examples of topographical maps

Mary will talk to Teresa about our discussion regarding the assessment || Ralph 30 mins || Team to come up with most important activities to be displayed for a week of virtual school. **Math games ** - these are already on the porta portal * || Peach 15 min ||
 * Virtual School || D || What should be displayed on the 4th grade virtual school page? || Peach to lead discussion on most important features of 4th grade virtual school.
 * **Reading logs** - Should we have one available online? Not necessary.
 * **Writing** - The students ill write every day. Do we want them to use the writing process and require them to publish a piece? Yes - if school is closed for a week, it is reasonable to ask them draft 3 entries, choose one to revise and edit and publish.
 * **Reflection on learning ** - one reflection at the end of the week. Peach has a format that he will attach