Nov+17,+2010

Grade 4 Team Meeting: November 17, 2010
 * ** Month:November ** || ** Start / End Time: 7:45 - 8:45am ** || ** Place: Paul's Room ** ||
 * ** Facilitator/Timekeeper: **
 * Jamie ** || ** Recorder:Caryn ** || ** Purpose: **
 * Understanding = U **
 * Informing = I **
 * Recommending = R **
 * Deciding = D ** ||
 * Date:**
 * = **Task** ||= **P**
 * U**
 * D** || **Guiding Question(s)** ||  **Background / Process / Action** || **Person / Time** ||
 * < Influence ||< **R**
 * D** ||< What are the essential questions and understandings for our unit? ||< Ralph will be sharing an overview of the Influences Unit. Chrissy will be discussing possible changes, as well as how she can support the unit.

Ralph - Intro to Influence Unit - Main idea - How does the environment influence you? Lesson 1 - All lessons are designed to take 50-60 minutes Lesson 2 - Ask Chrissy for help with first Google Earth lesson Intro to Bangkok - Smart Ideas Program for Mini Research Project Comparing Geographical Influences - Ask Renee Kennedy if her students can support your class with the Google Earth lessons Topographical Map - These lessons are not directly linked to the unit outcomes and they can be left out if you don't have enough time. However, they are good for those kids who need an academic break and would benefit from a hands-on activities. Assessment - Ralph and Chrissy are combining the two rubrics

Chrissy - Details about Voice Thread Decision: Everyone do VT the same way Give Chrissy a PDF from powerschool class list. ||< Ralph 30min ||
 * Book Ordering || **R**
 * D** || What books do we need to order to support our unit of study? || Look at our classroom libraries and units to decide what books we need.

Mary - Book Orders - Collect ideas of books you would like to add to your class libraries. Dec. 7 - Amazon book shopping together. New look classics Higher level mystery Graphic novels Replacing old, tattered books etc. Jamie - do we have a list of which books we should all have in our libraries? - Mary will check into this. || Mary 20min ||
 * All done || **U** || Good bye and have a great day! ||  ||   ||
 * **PARKING LOT** ||  ||   || Parking Lot
 * **PARKING LOT** ||  ||   || Parking Lot

In a few weeks - discuss Influence assessment ||  ||

**U** **D** || **Guiding Question(s)** || **Background / Process / Action** || **Person / Time** || **D** ||< What are our priorities for our reading curriculum? ||< What units work well? Are there any units which could be removed? Round robin share. Discussion of animal fantasy and mystery. As the mystery unit has a lack of resources for higher reading levels and it is studied in 3rd grade, this unit is not necessary. We suggest changing the animal fantasy unit is changed to a character study with a focus on the fantasy genre. Mary will check with Teresa. ||< Caryn 15 min || **D** || What are our priorities for our writing curriculum? || What units work well? Are there any units which could be removed? Round robin share.
 * = **Task** ||= **P**
 * < Reading units of study ||< **R**
 * Writing units of study || **R**

Our idea at present is to make poetry a 2 week unit, possibly held at the time of the national poetry month in April. || Mary 15 min || Assessments are an issue. The i-checks are lengthy, cumbersome and overwhelming. The i-checks could be compacted. We will have further discussion with Kelly. || 10 min || **D** || What are our priorities for the math units of study? || How are we going in math? What decisions should we make regarding teaching all the units in Math Investigations given that time is always a factor? Round robin share.  Suggestion is to teach at the pace of the students, with the target of teaching one lesson a day. There are rarely lessons that we can combine and some lessons take considerably longer. Later in the year we will assess how classes are progressing. || 10 min ||
 * Electricity & Magnetism || **R**
 * D** || What are our priorities for the electricity and magnetism unit? || What parts of the unit work well? Are there any parts which could be removed? Round robin share.
 * Math || **R**