Summarizing
Third graders have been working hard on developing summaries of their reading. While retelling a story is sometimes a simple task, determining which events are most important to include in a summary can be challenging. The examples shared below involved students recording their summaries verbally in order to improve their verbal communication skills and to not be limited by the physical process of writing.
One class of third graders created hand-drawn storyboards of the four most important events of the story "The Most Magnificent Thing" (a book they read on Epic! about persistence). Once their boards were complete, they took pictures of each frame, uploaded them to Shadow Puppet, and then recorded a summary of the book focusing on those four events.
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| A Completed Storyboard |
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| Recording the Summary in Shadow Puppet |
A second class of third graders worked on retelling the story "Nate the Great San Francisco Detective" after a sequencing activity. The sequencing activity had many events that happened during the story, but students had to use their analytical skills to determine which ones were essential to the plot of the story. These students recorded their retellings in Seesaw.
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| Recording a Summary |
From Problem Solvers to Problem Makers
First graders have been working on solving part-part-whole story problems. This week several classes took their learning to a new level by creating story problems of their own. Students were given a part-part-whole template that they took a picture of in Seesaw. They then illustrated their story problem, wrote the parts and whole in the corresponding boxes, and then recorded their problem so that viewers would best understand their illustration.
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| An Example of the Template and Beginning of an Illustration |
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| Illustrating a Story Problem |
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| Recording a Story Problem |
Kindergartners have been studying the changes pumpkins go through during the various stages of their lives. Recently they went on a field trip to a local pumpkin patch to learn more about pumpkins and see them in the various stages of growth. As a way for them to demonstrate their learning, students sequenced a series of six pictures of pumpkins in Pic Collage and then imported their collage into Seesaw where they recorded their knowledge. This activity was a great assessment of their knowledge of pumpkin growth, but also helped students with their verbal communication skills as they worked to describe what a pumpkin looks like at each of the different stages.
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| A Student Listens to Her Work |
Explorers
In Social Studies, third grade students have been learning about explorers. After completing research to determine who sponsored a specific explorer, his contributions, and his exploration goal. Students created a recording in ChatterPix to share their own discoveries. The projects were uploaded to Seesaw so that students could learn from one another by viewing each other's work and share with their families. Click on the link below to view an example!
Eek! A Spider!
In the spirit of the season, first graders have been learning about spiders. Using their knowledge (and some impressive new vocabulary like arachnid), students created circle poems. I joined in on the fun by having students photograph their poems and record themselves reading them. This activity allowed students to practice their reading fluency. By creating it in Seesaw, students will be able to revisit their work later in the year and see how they've progressed! As they finished their recordings, students then used the note tool to write sentences about their new knowledge.
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| A Student Photographs his Spider |
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| A Student Practices Writing Skills Using the Note Tool |
