Main Idea again...

We didn't get started today, but we will also make an umbrella, label it Main Idea, and add raindrops hanging from the umbrella labeled supporting details. The children write the main idea from a book or something they've written on the back of the Main Idea Umbrella and write a word or phrase on the raindrop for the supporting detail. Follow-up is to write a paragraph using the ideas on their umbrella for posting in the hall. It was funny last year how my students took it a step further...some of them made sunshines to go under their  umbrella and told how they'd need shade at the beach. Some put snowflakes under their umbrella and told about making snowmen, playing in the snow, etc. They probably won't do that this year since we didn't get any snow...(sigh). I just hope all this scaffolding rocks the third grade language teachers' world next year! ;)

†~Melly~†

Team SCOOT "Main Idea" made it a Marvelous Monday!

Today was marveloso, baby! I took in enough "stuff" to fix up a dozen bags for "Main Idea" work. My students were given Team SCOOT sheets  half-sheets, run front to back (see Team SCOOT post). I used the copier to put the image on one sheet twice, then copied front to back and cut in half. Voila! Two copies for each of my students and my teamie's!

Brown bags were put at each pod of four desks. The children's job as a team was to use whatever was in the bag to agree on a "main theme." I appointed one leader per group to keep my sweet seconds from "grabbing" the bags and destroying something because there were breakable items. I had two incomplete bags (I forgot to get a few items on my mad dash this morning), which I used to explain how to play. The children practiced Team SCOOT once before I put the bags at the pods so they would know what to do. :) 

They "scooted" around the room twice before we went over what was in each bag as a class. They loved this! I told them that this is like finding the main idea in a paragraph...you're looking for "stuff" called "supporting details" to point to what the whole paragraph is talking about or telling. We talked about determining the importance of what we read by thinking about the explicit ideas and looking carefully for implicit ideas as well.

The next step is to put 4 copies of the same paragraph for "Main Idea Team SCOOT" and let them work as a team together again to figure out what the main idea is based on supporting details.

I think I'll have them take turns being the secretary for the group and writing the main idea and at least 3 supporting details at each station. This was such a fun and exciting way for them to learn something that is sometimes difficult for seconds.

I had 12 brown bags in all. I remembered to get out my camera after the first round of SCOOT. I'll try to remember to get pix of the other bags tomorrow.

I am thrilled with the awesome learning going on today...

check out the pix!

Dog-bone, tug toy, water bowl

 Cleaning!-old towel, kid-friendly cleaning solution, duster

Painting!-purple tape, paint stick for stirring, paintbrush, pint of yellow paint (for my rocking chair)...

Cookies!-flour, cookie cutters, salt

Now a question...does anyone else have a time getting your students to keep their desks neat? Check out this picture I took Friday afternoon and put on the Promethean board so they could see exactly what pleases the Desk Fairy! ;D You should see some of their desks today, though! Ouch! :*(

Can it get any plainer than this?!? :D

More "Main Idea" tomorrow...a "craftivity" to practice main idea and supporting details...stay tuned!

Blessings & peace,

    †~Melly~†