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Re: need help figuring out big blocks
Posted by brad on 7/16/08
On 7/15/08, fourth grade teacher wrote:
> Can someone help? I've used Four Blocks for several
> years, but am switching grades to fourth and will need to
> figure out how to use Big Blocks.
>
> Our school has a rotary system for 6-8th grades, and some
> rotary (to a lesser extent) for 4-5. Our day is split
> into 50-minute blocks with a bell ringing in between each
> block. When all is said and done, I have four 50-minute
> blocks every day with my homeroom to teach math, science,
> social studies and language arts. It would be easiest
> (for me and for my students) to plan in 50 minute blocks.
> I plan on alternating science and social studies units.
>
> Would this make sense?
>
> - writing block 4 times a week
> - SSR/reading workshop block 4 times a week
> - science/social studies block 5 times a week (include GR
> here 3 times a week, save the last 2 blocks for
> experiments/simulations/hands-on activities)
> - math block 5 times a week
> - working with words and class meeting (split the block in
> half) 2 times a week
>
> Does this sound like it would make sense? Am I focusing
> too much on some things, and not enough on others?
>
> Also, I have a question about interactive student
> notebooks. I'd really like to try them in science/social
> studies this year. I'm just not sure how to fit them in,
> since they require a lot of processing/responding as
> opposed to just reading. Would a 50 minute guided
> reading/content block make sense if it were divided like
> this:
>
> 10 minutes whole group - introduce topic, teach
> vocabulary, set purpose for reading, etc
> 20 minutes reading - textbook, book clubs, 3-ring circus
> 15 minutes responding in ISN (to be completed as homework
> if necessary)
> 5 minutes sharing
>
> I'm just not sure if I'm trying to do too much by using
> Big Blocks AND ISNs. I just don't have enough time in the
> day, especially when I compare my schedule to those that I
> see in professional books!
>
> Thanks for any help!
If it were me, I would probably want one more Working With
Words time. The Big Blocks model suggests 30 minutes 2X per
week, so I would make one of my SSR block times a split
between SSR and Words. I would do this especially if my
students weren't reading at grade level yet. IF the
majority of the students are at third grade reading level or
above, then it's time for Big Blocks; otherwise, you should
still stick with a Four Blocks schedule.
I'm not as familiar with the interactive notebooks, but if
they are what I think they are, then I think your use of
them in GR sounds good. If you read the Big Blocks book,
they refer frequently to notebooks.
brad
Posts on this thread, including this one
- need help figuring out big blocks , 7/15/08, by fourth grade teacher.
- Re: need help figuring out big blocks , 7/16/08, by brad.
- Re: need help figuring out big blocks , 7/16/08, by Steph/4/TX.
- Re: need help figuring out big blocks , 7/16/08, by SEL (OP).
- Re: need help figuring out big blocks , 7/16/08, by Step/4/TX.
- Re: need help figuring out big blocks , 7/16/08, by SEL (the OP) with a few more questions.
- Re: need help figuring out big blocks , 7/16/08, by Steph/4/TX.
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